[Durham INC] BOCC Regular Session Highlights from August 22nd

Tue Aug 23 11:00:36 EDT 2022

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NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release                                          Date: 08/23/22
Contact: Public Information Office                   Phone: (919) 560-0000/Fax: (919) 560-0020
E-mail: publicinformationoffice at dconc.gov<mailto:publicinformationoffice at dconc.gov>

BOCC Regular Session Highlights from August 22nd

Durham, N.C. - The Durham Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) met on Monday, August 22, 2022, in Regular Session. Meetings are again being held in person, in the BOCC Chambers, located at 200 E. Main Street on the second floor.

  *   Chair Brenda Howerton called the meeting to order at 7 p.m.
  *   She noted that Commissioner Nida Allam is on maternity leave following the birth of her daughter.

Clerk to the Board Monica Wallace Read the BOCC Announcements

  1.  DCo Public Health COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic Hours - The COVID-19 vaccination clinic at the Durham County Department of Public Health, 414 E. Main St., has the following hours to get your free vaccination: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Tuesday: 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Appointments and walk-ins welcome. All doses available. Please note, clinics are closed between 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. daily. Visit www.dcopublichealth.org/COVIDVaccines<http://www.dcopublichealth.org/COVIDVaccines> or call 919-560-9217 for more information.
  2.  Children's Vaccine Events from DCoDPH - The Durham County Department of Public Health wants all children in our community get caught up on vaccinations required for school. They will be holding Childhood Vaccination Days at the Human Services Building on Thursday, August 25 and Thursday, September 15. Vaccines given at clinic 6 on the first floor. Call 919-560-7608 to schedule your appointment.
  3.  Next Sheriff Speaks on August 23 - On Tuesday, August 23, Durham County Sheriff Clarence Birkhead will host "The Sheriff Speaks with Durham County about Keeping Our Kids Safe - What Do Parents Need to Know?" All residents are invited to attend the community meeting at Southwest Regional Library, 3605 Shannon Rd. at 5:30 p.m. Other speakers will be Dr. Felicia Gibson, PhD., Child and Family Psychology, Center for Child and Family Health; and Lt. J. Carden, Durham County Sheriff's Office SRO Supervisor.
  4.  DCo Library Job Fair - Join the Durham County Library for a job fair for our adult community on Wednesday, August 31 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. We've invited a wide variety of local employers to meet with job seekers in person; you can discuss open positions, the application process, and even interview on the spot. For more information, visit Durham County Library Job Fair - https://durhamcountylibrary.libcal.com/event/9409459 - or email Natalie Killion at nkillion at dconc.gov<mailto:nkillion at dconc.gov>.
  5.  Sprouting Connections: Season Extension and Seed Saving - Summer may be ending, but that doesn't mean your garden season has to be over! Join the Durham County Library and Durham County Cooperative Extension to learn how to plan for the upcoming cool season garden, including what you can do to extend your season, and how to save seeds from this year's favorites so you're ready to hit the ground running in the spring. Free virtual session is Saturday, Aug. 27, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Registration is required at Gardening Lecture Series: Season Extension and Seed Saving - https://durhamcountylibrary.libcal.com/event/8946564. Contact: Jess Epsten at jepsten at dconc.gov<mailto:jepsten at dconc.gov> with questions.
  6.  Logo Contest for Library Fest 2023 - The Durham County Library has a call for submissions open to all Durham County residents and students to design the 2023 Library Fest logo! Logo design must reflect the theme of Storytelling and include the words Library Fest 2023 The Storytelling Edition. Submit designs by email to choltzman at dconc.gov<mailto:choltzman at dconc.gov> (high resolution pdf, jpeg, or png) OR deposit designs at any Durham County Library Front Desk. Deadline is September 16, 2022. Visit www.durhamcountylibrary.org<http://www.durhamcountylibrary.org> for more information.
  7.  2022 Annual Property Tax Billing - The Durham County Tax Administration mailed 2022 Durham County property tax bills to Durham County property owners on August 3, 2022. Taxes are due on Thursday, September 1, 2022, but must be paid by Thursday, January 5, 2023 to avoid interest and additional costs. For more information, visit www.dconc.gov/tax<http://www.dconc.gov/tax> or contact the Durham County Government Call Center at 919-560-0300.
  8.  Durham Low-Income Homeowners Relief Program (LIHR) - The new and improved Low-Income Homeowners Relief Program (LIHR) is accepting applications! LIHR will provide property tax help on current taxes for eligible homeowners. Tax assistance based upon a 3-tiered income model and other improvements. Apply between Aug. 1, 2022 and Jan. 31, 2023 at www.DCONC.GOV/DSS<http://www.DCONC.GOV/DSS> or call 919- 560-8000 for an appointment.
  9.  Solarize Durham Program - Durham County encourages residents, landlords, businesses, and non-profits to participate in the Solarize Durham program to save on the costs of installing solar energy systems and batteries. Solarize campaigns are driven by community group purchasing and offer a tiered "bulk" purchasing concept and a fully vetted installer. The more residents, landlords, and businesses owners who contract for solar installations through the program, the more savings accrue for all participants. Yes Solar Solutions is the exclusive solar installer for this program and they are offering costs that are 25% lower than market cost. Durham County has allocated funding to subsidize solar energy systems for some low-income households. Anyone in Durham County who is interested in participating in Solarize Durham, can sign up for a free, no-obligation solar assessment to see if installing a solar energy system on their home or office makes sense by going to www.solarizedurham.org<http://www.solarizedurham.org> before the December 31st cutoff date. Tobin Freid, Durham County Sustainability Manager, shared additional details and encouraged participation by the community.
  10. Please see the Board of Commissioners webpage at www.dconc.gov<http://www.dconc.gov> for additional announcements.

  *   Commissioners said a fond farewell to Ms. Teka Dempson, Family Coordinator with Alliance Behavioral Healthcare for the past 20 years.  She moves on to another opportunity in the Greensboro area very soon.

  *   Chair Howerton acknowledged successes for Durham County in participating in various leadership roles.

  *   Commissioner Burns was selected by the incoming President of NACo to serve as Vice Chair of the Justice and Public Safety Steering Committee (Juvenile Subcommittee), and as Vice Chair of the Resilient Counties Advisory Board.

  *   Vice Chair Wendy Jacobs was selected as a member of the National Association of Counties' Familiar Faces Initiative Leadership Network. She is one 13 elected leaders selected from a nationwide applicant pool and the only one from the South.

  *   Commissioner Burns also congratulated Chair Howerton for being named to the NACo Board of Directors.

Ceremonial Item

  *   County Commissioners adopted a resolution entitled "Reproductive Justice and Freedom" with the goal of actively supporting, promoting, and advocating for reproductive justice in Durham County. The resolution will be shared with the Durham County Public Health Board, Board of Trustees for Lincoln Community Health and Duke Health along with members of the Durham Legislative Delegation. Read it here<http://durhamcounty.legistar.com/gateway.aspx?M=F&ID=fce9365c-8a5c-423d-8b7a-e968aeb620bf.doc>.

A summary of the Consent Agenda follows

  *   The Board authorized the County Manager to execute an agreement in the amount of $250,000 with Made in Durham for services that support business and economic development in FY 2022-2023.

  *   Commissioners authorized the County Manager to execute an agreement in the amount of $160,000 with Downtown Durham Inc. (DDI) for services that support business and economic development in FY 2022-2023.

  *   The Board authorized the County Manager to execute a contract with the Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce for services related to industrial recruitment and economic development in the amount of $225,000.

  *   County Commissioners authorized the County Manager to execute a contract with the Greater Durham Black Chamber of Commerce (GDBCC) for services related to small business support in the amount of $50,000.

  *   The Board of Commissioners approved a   contract with Reach Out and Read (ROR) for $50,000 and authorized the County Manager execute the contract to continue co-location of their early literacy initiative in pediatric sites in Durham County.

  *   Commissioners approved a Budget Ordinance Amendment for Cooperative Extension to recognize $15,000 from Orange County Schools for Cooperative Extension's Kids Voting Program for a 2022-23 School Year Partnership.

  *   The Board approved a Budget Ordinance Amendment for Cooperative Extension to recognize $17,500 from the NC Extension 4-H to extend and expand Kids Voting Durham's civic education work and election program through a regional partnership.

  *   County Commissioners approved a Budget Ordinance Amendment appropriating $150,000 of General Fund Fund Balance to the Engineering Department to cover miscellaneous legal and due diligence costs necessary for County Capital project purchases.

  *   The Board approved the property tax release and refund report for July 2022 as presented and authorized the Tax Assessor to adjust the tax records as outlined by the report.

  *   Commissioners received and approved the 2021 Property Tax Settlement Report and authorized the Chair to sign the resolution accepting it as reported for entry into the minutes and to authorize the release of taxes that are more than 10 years past due and motor vehicles taxes that are more than 2 years past due.

  *   Please see full agenda<https://durhamcounty.legistar1.com/durhamcounty/meetings/2022/8/1263_A_Board_of_County_Commissioners_22-08-22_Meeting_Agenda.pdf> for a complete list of approved Consent Agenda Items.

Other Business

  *   The Board received a report from Public Health Director Rod Jenkins.  Mr. Jenkins shared updated information about COVID cases in Durham County and reminded everyone that the BA.5 variant is still affecting our community. He noted that of the people currently hospitalized with COVID, the majority are unvaccinated.  During the pandemic there have been 90,398 total cases and the current positivity rate is 19.1 percent. Mr. Jenkins stated that vaccines are still encouraged and fully available for community members. It is important to stay safe and remember the techniques to combat COVID.

  *   In transitioning to a discussion on Monkeypox, Mr. Jenkins stated that there are currently 19 cases in Durham County. Those cases are 100 percent in males, and 78.58 percent are among Black or African American males. In addition, he noted that most of the cases diagnosed have been among persons in their late 20s to their early 40s. He reminded the audience that Durham County has vaccine and encouraged those who may be impacted to please come in to receive the free vaccine.

  *   County Commissioners discussed several statewide legislative proposals that will be forwarded to NCACC for inclusion in their annual Legislative Goals vetting process. Staff made notes to edit a few goals and will bring forward a final list for approval at the September work session.

Board and Commission Appointments

The Board made appointments to the following boards:

  *   Boxing and Wrestling Committee - Demerius Smith
  *   Criminal Justice Advisory Committee - Miran Bhima
  *   Durham Cultural Advisory Board - Andrew Nurkin
  *   Durham Planning Commission - Brandon Davis
  *   Durham Racial Equity Commission - Nisha Williams
  *   Homeless Services Advisory Committee - Russell Pierce
  *   Library Board of Trustees - Ann McLain , Kynita Stringer-Stanback, Miguel Jackson and Willis P. Whichard

Congratulations to the newly appointed Board and Commission members!

The Board adjourned the meeting at 9:05 p.m.

Board meetings are cablecast live and rebroadcast on Durham Television Network (DTN) on Spectrum Channel 8. Replays are available on DTN along with AT&T U-verse Channel 99 and Frontier Communications Channel 70. Meetings can also be viewed on the County's YouTube channel<http://www.youtube.com/dcowebmaster>. To view the agendas and recordings of the BOCC's Regular Session meetings, visit the BOCC's Website<https://www.dconc.gov/county-departments/departments-a-e/board-of-commissioners/commissioner-meetings-and-announcements/bocc-agendas-video-library>.

The next Regular Session is scheduled for Tuesday, September 12, 2022, inside the Commissioners' Chambers on the second floor at 200 E. Main St.

For more information about BOCC meetings, contact the Clerk to the Board's Office at (919) 560-0025 or email clerk at dconc.gov<mailto:clerk at dconc.gov>.

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