Saturday, March 22, 2008

BOCC meeting Monday + upcoming events

I'm not sure if the discussion of the Triangle Parkway below is about
a toll road or just a major new road in RTP, but it is something to
watch.

The annual Pilgrimage for Peace and Justice ends Saturday, I think in
Raleigh, having gone through Durham on Friday. Taxi to the Dark Side,
a documentary about the government's use of torture, is being shown at
theatres in Chapel Hill and Cary this weekend.

Current Meeting Agenda
________________________________

[Please contact the Clerk to the Board at (919) 560-0025
for information related to items on the agenda.]
________________________________


THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA


Monday, March 24, 2008


County Commissioners' Chambers

200 East Main Street, Durham, North Carolina


AGENDA


"Public Charge"


The Board of Commissioners asks its members and citizens to conduct
themselves in a respectful, courteous manner, both with the Board and
fellow citizens. At any time, should any member of the Board or any
citizen fail to observe this public charge, the Chairman will ask the
offending person to leave the meeting until that individual regains
personal control. Should decorum fail to be restored, the Chairman
will recess the meeting until such time that a genuine commitment to
the public charge is observed.


As a courtesy to others, please turn off cell phones during the meeting.

_________________________


7:00 P.M. Regular Session

1. Opening of Regular Session—Pledge of Allegiance
5 min.


2. Agenda Adjustments
5
min.


3. Announcements

5 min.

On Tuesday, March 25, the NC Turnpike Authority will hold an Open
House and Design Public Hearing on the Triangle Parkway Project. The
open house is from 4:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m.; the public hearing will
begin at 7:00 p.m. The location is Sigma Xi at 3106 E. North Carolina
Highway 54 in the Research Triangle Park.

4. Minutes

5 min.
February 25, 2008


5. Child Abuse Prevention Month Proclamation


5 min.

Child Abuse Prevention month is celebrated annually across the nation
in April. This celebration provides the opportunity to raise
awareness and educate the community about the many ways to support
families and prevent abuse and neglect. The theme for this year's
celebration is "When Families are Fine, Communities Shine."


Wearing Blue Ribbons is a visible way you can show that you support
families and children. We are encouraging Durham residents to make
their neighborhoods "Blue Ribbon Communities" by developing effective
networks of support for parents and caregivers. Parents are
encouraged to learn tips for effective discipline, read about child
development, get advice from the child's pediatrician or childcare
provider, and utilize community services when needed. The attention
of a caring adult can make a big difference in the life a child.


Durham County DSS is celebrating Child Abuse Prevention month to raise
awareness about ways to prevent abuse and educating the community
about how to identify child maltreatment and to make a report of abuse
or neglect. In addition to the proclamation, staff members are
distributing "Blue Ribbons" in support of Child Abuse Prevention
Month, holding the annual "A Good Parent Is" art contest in Durham
Public Schools, holding the annual Child Abuse Prevention Walk, and
dedicating the Investing in Human Capital: DSS Partnership Series
workshop on April 10 to sharing information on the child welfare
system.

DSS Staff will present Commissioners, staff and meeting attendees with
Blue Ribbons to raise awareness of Child Abuse Prevention.

Resource Person(s): Sammy R. Haithcock, DSS Director; Chuck Harris,
Assistant Director; and Gail Angle, Child Protective Services Program
Manager

County Manager's Recommendation: Recommend approval of proclamation
declaring National Child Abuse Prevention Month in Durham County and
to raise community awareness of the many ways to support parents and
children.

6. Proclamation for 2008 National County Government Week

5 min.

The week of April 6-12 has been declared National County Government
Week. Durham County Government will participate in this event by
hosting various community and employee events.

National County Government Week (NCGW) is an annual celebration of
county government. First held in 1991, the goal of county government
week is to raise public awareness and understanding about the roles
and responsibilities of the nation's counties.

This year's theme is Protecting of Children.

County Manager's Recommendation: Approve the proclamation.

7. Consent Agenda

20 min.

a. Street Closing—T.W. Alexander Drive (SC07-10) (set a public
hearing for April 28, 2008 on the proposed street closing);

b. Property Tax Releases and Refunds for Fiscal Year 2007-2008
(accept the property tax release and refund report for February 2008
as presented and authorize the Tax Assessor to adjust the tax records
as outlined by the report);

c. Award of Contract for Purchase of Vehicles for the Sheriff's
Office and General Services (Animal Control) (authorize Manager to
enter into a contract with University Ford Inc. for $820,294);

d. Budget Ordinance Amendment No. 08BCC000066—Recognition of City
Revenue and Movement of County Funds; Interlocal Agreement for
Sustainability Program; and One New FTE (approve the interlocal
agreement for a Sustainability Program; the creation of one new FTE
Sustainability Manager; create a FY 2007-08 $100,000 budget for the
Sustainability program to be located in the Engineering Department;
and recognize revenue from the City of Durham funding half of the cost
of the program);

e. Capital Project Amendment No. 08CPA000017—Creating Ten New Durham
Public School Capital Projects with Advanced Durham County Funds From
the 2007 GO Bond Referendum to be reimbursed per a February 11, 2008
County Reimbursement Resolution when the funds become available);

f. Letter of Commitment for Federal Funding for Lincoln Community
Health Center Renovation Project (authorize the Manager to sign a
"Letter of Commitment" to include in the Health Care and Other
Facilities Program Application for Lincoln Community Health Center);
and

g. Approve the Second Amendment to the Interlocal Agreement with
Durham Public Schools and authorize the Manager to execute said
amendment.

8. Public Hearing—Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) Text
Change—Sidewalks (TC07-20)

10 min.

Receive public comments on Text Change—Sidewalks (TC07-20) and adopt
an ordinance amending the Unified Development Ordinance, incorporating
revisions to Article 12, Infrastructure and Public Improvements.

Resource Person(s): Steven L. Medlin, AICP, Interim City-County
Planning Director, and Julia Mullen, Planner

County Manager's Recommendation: The Manager recommends that the Board
conduct a public hearing on the proposed UDO text change and, if
appropriate based on the comments received during the hearing, approve
the change.

9. Closed Session

60 min.

The Board is requested to adjourn to Closed Session to consult with an
attorney and to preserve the attorney-client privilege pursuant to
G.S. § 143-318.11(a)(3); to discuss matters relating to the location
or expansion of business or industry pursuant to
G. S. 143-318.11(a)(4); and pursuant to G.S. § 143-318.11(a)(1) to
prevent the disclosure of information that is privileged or
confidential pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 143-318.10(e).

_____

2 hrs.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

It's a good thing that Durham County is celebrating Child Abuse Prevention Month. We as a society need to do a better job of detecting and reporting child abuse. For example, many teachers who notice signs of child abuse do not know how to talk to the student about it. Thus, the abuse may go unreported. A new online role-playing course lets teachers practice a conversation with a possible child abuse victim, getting expert feedback after every choice. (It was written by a former Minnesota police detective.) There's a free version and a CEU-credit version. Tools like this will help all of us to become sharper at spotting -- and stopping -- this epidemic of child abuse.