Four candidates apply for upcoming vacancy on
Board of County Commissioners

Four candidates have applied to be considered for appointment to the Orange County Board of County Commissioners to fill the vacancy that will occur on July 31, when Commissioner Mark Dorosin's resignation becomes official. The four candidates are:

Rani Dasi
Marilyn Carter
Anna Richards
Penny Rich

Each candidate filled out an application, which included answers to a series of questions developed by the Board of Commissioners. The applications have been forwarded to the Orange County Democratic Party for review as well as to the Board of elections for verification of eligibility. By state law, candidates had to be a registered Democrat and must live in District 1.

The Board of Commissioners will choose a candidate at its Sept. 2 meeting to serve through November 2022. A special election will be held next year for the final two years of Dorosin's unexpired term.

Elections Board sworn in

Orange County's five-person Board of Elections was sworn in on Tuesday, July 20, and held its first meeting.
Jamie Cox was appointed Chair by Gov. Roy Cooper, who appoints the chair for all 100 county boards of elections.

The other members of the board--two Democrats and two Republicans--are appointed by the State Board of Elections as recommended by county party chairs. All members serve two-year terms.

After being administered the oath of office by Orange County Clerk of Superior Court Mark Kleinschmidt, the Board organized and unanimously elected Shawnee Seese as Secretary to the Board.

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.

What is important to you as you age in Orange County?

The Orange County Department on Aging and its Advisory Board are seeking the input of the community as they develop the next Master Aging Plan.

The Master Aging Plan (MAP) is a five-year plan that provides comprehensive and coordinated delivery of community services and supports that foster lifelong community engagement and well-being to older adults in Orange County. We are counting on your input to help develop the 2022-27 Master Aging Plan. The Master Aging Plan goals should reflect what is most important to you!

Survey participants have the opportunity to anonymously share their ideas and vision about how to make Orange County a great place to age. Take the survey online by visiting www.orangecountync.gov/MAPSurvey. A hardcopy of the survey can be picked up at the Seymour Center (2551 Homestead Rd., Chapel Hill) or Passmore Center (103 Meadowlands Dr., Hillsborough).

The survey closes July 31 and is available in English, Chinese and Spanish.

For more information or assistance, please call 919-968-2087 or visit www.orangecountync.gov/MasterAgingPlan.

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.

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.

www.orangecountync.gov