Orange County accepting applications for vacancy on Board of Commissioners

The Orange County Board of Commissioners will have a vacancy on the board after July 31, 2021. Individuals interested in serving can apply through Clerk to the Board.

Applicants must be registered Democrats and live in District 1 in Orange County, North Carolina. Applications are due to the Clerk to the Board by July 19, 2021, at 5 p.m.

The application may be downloaded here. Interested individuals can also obtain a copy of the application by contacting the Clerk to the Board at 919-245-2130 or by emailing clerk@orangecountync.gov.

For further information on the process to fill the vacancy, please visit our website or contact the Clerk to the Board at 919-245-2130 or email clerk@orangecountync.gov.

The person chosen by the Board of Commissioners will serve until Dec.1, 2022. An election will be held in 2022 to fill the remaining two years of the unexpired term.

BOCC commits $100,000 to support Restart the Arts grants

At their June 15 meeting, the Orange County Board of Commissioners approved $100,000 to support Restart the Arts grants for the local arts community. Funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), the request was included in a larger proposal submitted by the Orange County Arts Commission to utilize ARPA funding to kick-start the local economy through the arts and provide accessible arts opportunities for residents.

Renee Price, chair of the Orange County Board of Commissioners, advocated for inclusion of the program to provide immediate assistance as arts organizations face reopening after 15 months of closure. As one of the most hard-hit industries of the COVID-19 pandemic, the funding will help restore the local arts sector to it’s prepandemic impact, employing approximately 4,000 creative industry workers and contributing $131 million to the local economy each year*.

“Arts organizations are once again pivoting, preparing to welcome back audiences after more than a year of bare-bones staff, depleted revenue, and new operating protocols that didn’t exist before the pandemic," said Katie Murray, director of the Orange County Arts Commission. "This funding will help our organizations put artists back to work and provide arts experiences our community has desperately missed."

The arts commission will establish funding guidelines and will announce the application period later this month.

*Americans for the Arts’ Arts & Economic Prosperity Survey 5, 2016.

Orange County Arts Commission announces fifth and final round of Orange County Arts Support Fund grant recipients.

Department on Aging Direct Care Worker Award nominations now open!

Since 2015, Orange County Department on Aging and the community group, Senior Health Advocacy and Resource Partners of Orange County (SHARP) have presented SHARP Direct Care Worker Awards each year to honor Direct Care Workers (nurse aides, personal care aides, companion caregivers, etc.) who affect their clients’ lives on a daily basis.

Awards are presented in the following categories: Client Impact, Longevity, Leadership, Going the Extra Mile, and Rising Star. One person will be chosen as the “Direct Care Worker of the Year.”

To be eligible, direct care workers must have served clients in Orange County within the past year. Each person may be nominated in two categories. Nominees must have provided direct care to clients and have at least six consecutive months of service in the past year.

Nominations will remain open through Sept. 24. For more information about the awards or to nominate a direct care worker, please visit us online or contact Kim Lamon-Loperfido at 919-245-4253.

Graphic announcing Blackwood Farm Park closing

Deadline to appeal property values extended to Sept. 1

On June 15, 2021, the Orange County Board of Commissioners approved a resolution to extend the 2021 Orange County Board of Equalization and Review Formal Appeal adjournment date from June 30, 2021, to Sept. 1, 2021.

The purpose of this extension is to allow additional time for property owners to formally appeal their 2021 property values to the Board of Equalization and Review.

Instructions and the Formal Notice of Appeal to the Board of Equalization and Review are available on the Orange County website: http://www.orangecountync.gov/806/Appeals.
Property owners may file a formal appeal online at https://appeals.spatialest.com/nc-orange.

To receive a paper copy of the form, email reval@orangecountync.gov or call 919-245-2100, option 2. All formal appeals must be submitted prior to the Board’s adjournment on Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021.

No appointment is required for the walk-in clinics, but if you would like to schedule an appointment at a time and date that is convenient for you, call 919-913-8088 or click the graphic.

Department on Aging to host Self Care Event

The Orange County Department on Aging and the Project EngAGE Mental Wellness Senior Resource Team invite the public to attend a virtual presentation, Let’s Talk About Self Care, on July 22.

In celebration of National Self Care Day, let’s focus on the importance of taking a little time to care for ourselves. Amid a global pandemic that has disrupted people's health, work and family lives, self-care seems to be needed today more than ever. Join Annie Deaver, LMSW as she presents on the importance of the practice of individuals looking after their own health based on the knowledge and information available to them. This program is hosted by the Project EngAGE Mental Wellness SRT.

The event will take place on Thursday, July 22, from 4-5:30 p.m. via a virtual platform. Please register using the link www.orangecountync.gov/LetsTalkAboutSelfCare

If technology assistance is needed, please contact Shenae McPherson at 919-245-4243 by Monday, July 20.

Animal Services informs public about special breed of dogs at-large

Orange County Animal Services (OCAS) wishes to inform the public about at-large dogs which are presumed to be wolf and German shepherd hybrids. It has not been confirmed that all of the dogs are wolf hybrids. These dogs recently escaped from their enclosure in Orange County, NC, and it is estimated that approximately four dogs are currently still at large. Some of the dogs were safely captured and are currently being housed at the OCAS facility.

At this time, we have no confirmation that the dogs have attacked or hurt any people, animals, or livestock. However, like any fearful animal, these dogs may display aggressive tendencies when confronted by people. For everyone’s safety, OCAS is asking that people refrain from attempting to capture or confine the dogs. If you see any of these dogs running loose, please call Orange County Animal Control at 919-942-7387, option 1.

Orange County Animal Control officers have set traps in the Cedar Grove area of Orange County, where the dogs originally escaped their enclosure. OCAS is asking the public NOT to feed the dogs or interfere with these trapping efforts. If the public does feed or interfere, it will severely hinder efforts to safely capture the dogs.

As this situation unfolds, OCAS understands the concerns about what might happen to these dogs after they have been captured. No outcome has been determined for the dogs at this time. The safety of these animals and the safety of the public are of the highest priority in this case. These dogs are not currently available for adoption or foster to the general public, and it is highly unlikely that they will ever be made available in that way.

Hybrids of this kind are not able to be kept as pets in Orange County, and there is not an approved rabies vaccine for these canines. Placement for these animals is challenging, but OCAS wants the public to know that they are working very hard to find placement options.

Orange County seeking to expand broadband access in rural areas through ARPA funds

Orange County has designated $5 million of its initial American Rescue Plan Act Local Recovery Funds to improve broadband in rural areas and is seeking a company or companies that can help the county achieve its goals.

The Orange County Broadband Task Force and the N.C. Broadband Infrastructure Office are offering virtual meetings for interested companies. These sessions will be held Thursday, July 22, beginning at 3 p.m. Each company will have 20 minutes to discuss their ability to meet the county’s goal to improve service in rural areas.

Companies should be prepared to discuss the details of an affordable fiber-based solution that provides a minimum of 100 Mbps symmetrical service to approximately 5,000 unserved and underserved households within Orange County. The plan should include a subsidized option for low-income families to ensure that all residents are served.
Interested companies should include details on project costs and what kind of subsidy per household would be needed from the county to provide the minimum service to every home by Dec. 31, 2024.

“Bringing broadband to underserved and unserved areas is essential if we are to stimulate economic activity, improve educational opportunities and enhance the quality of life for our rural residents,” said Orange County Chair Renee Price. “The pandemic emphasized that broadband or the digital highway should be considered a critical part of our infrastructure.”

Interested companies should register for a meeting at https://orangecountync.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_mcbbcSAJQAuIy0mxStBRSQ. The county will release a formal RFP later.

Provider document (PDF)

www.orangecountync.gov