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Work Session

Orange County · Board of County Commissioners
Thursday, September 10, 2026

Work session Appointments and personnelEthics and transparencyHealth and human servicesArts and public artEconomic development incentivesEnvironment and sustainabilityFaith and cultural communitiesFarmland and open spaceHistoric preservationPolice and public safetyRoads and transportationSchools and education

Agenda document Minutes Watch

What's on this agenda

Orange County commissioners meet Thursday for the twice-yearly progress report on the countywide strategic plan, and for a first look at a draft Strategic Communications and Civic Partnership Plan. The rest of the evening is appointments to thirteen advisory boards.

The communications plan would set a county-wide framework for how Orange County talks to residents and staff, treating communication as a core public service rather than a support function. Its stated aims are clearer and more consistent messaging, wider access, stronger internal capacity, and durable relationships with communities.

Summarized from the published agenda. Read the agenda itself before acting on it.

Speaking at this meeting

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Jump to an item (15 on this agenda)
  1. 1Presentation of FY 2025-2026 Strategic Plan Progress Report
  2. 2Draft Strategic Communications & Civic Partnership Plan Presentation
  3. 3Adult Care Home and Nursing Home Community Advisory Committee - Appoi…
  4. 4Advisory Board on Aging - Appointment Discussion
  5. 5Agricultural Preservation Board - Appointments Discussion
  6. 6Animal Services Advisory Board - Appointments Discussion
  7. 7Arts Commission - Appointments Discussion
  8. 8Commission for the Environment - Appointment Discussion
  9. 9Economic Development Advisory Board - Appointment Discussion
  10. 10Hillsborough Board of Adjustment - Appointment Discussion
  11. 11Historic Preservation Commission - Appointment Discussion
  12. 12Juvenile Crime Prevention Council - Appointments Discussion
  13. 13Orange County Board of Adjustment - Appointment Discussion
  14. 14Orange County Planning Board - Appointment Discussion
  15. 15Orange Unified Transportation Board - Appointments Discussion

Agenda items (15)

Appointment · 13Presentation · 2
  1. 1 Presentation of FY 2025-2026 Strategic Plan Progress Report
    Presentation Ethics and transparency
    The manager's office reports twice a year on progress against the six goals of the countywide strategic plan. No financial impact.
  2. 2 Draft Strategic Communications & Civic Partnership Plan Presentation
    Presentation Ethics and transparency
    A county-wide framework for communication and engagement with residents and staff, framed as a core public service. The board is asked for feedback and direction on the draft.
  3. 3 Adult Care Home and Nursing Home Community Advisory Committee - Appointments
    Appointment Appointments and personnelHealth and human services
    The board would appoint MaryLou Gelblum and Stephanie Boswell to second terms, Sandra Okeke Bates to a first term, and nursing home administrator nominee Barbara Gilmour to a one-year initial term on the Adult Care Home and Nursing Home Community Advisory Committee. Three administrator-nominee seats would stay vacant, two of them open since 2023.
  4. 4 Advisory Board on Aging - Appointment Discussion
    Appointment Appointments and personnelHealth and human services
    The board would appoint Carla Julian to an at-large seat on the Advisory Board on Aging. Two at-large seats would remain vacant.
  5. 5 Agricultural Preservation Board - Appointments Discussion
    Appointment Appointments and personnelFarmland and open space
    The board would fill five seats on the Agricultural Preservation Board: further terms for Vaughn Compton and Michael Hughes, a move from an at-large seat to the Caldwell Voluntary Agricultural District seat for Salem Neff, and at-large seats for Lillian Oglesby and Mark Turner. No seats would remain vacant.
  6. 6 Animal Services Advisory Board - Appointments Discussion
    Appointment Appointments and personnel
    The board would appoint Angel Barnes to a non-municipality seat and pet-business owner Emily Feight to the owner/manager seat on the Animal Services Advisory Board. One animal welfare and advocacy seat would remain vacant.
  7. 7 Arts Commission - Appointments Discussion
    Appointment Appointments and personnelArts and public art
    The board would appoint Micky Eilish to an at-large seat and UNC student Jonas Laukoter to the student representative seat on the Arts Commission. No seats would remain vacant.
  8. 8 Commission for the Environment - Appointment Discussion
    Appointment Appointments and personnelEnvironment and sustainability
    The board would appoint Sonia Rovner to an at-large seat on the Commission for the Environment. Three at-large seats would remain vacant.
  9. 9 Economic Development Advisory Board - Appointment Discussion
    Appointment Appointments and personnelEconomic development incentives
    The board would appoint Sarah Bohlin to the Core Business Community seat on the Economic Development Advisory Board. No seats would remain vacant.
  10. 10 Hillsborough Board of Adjustment - Appointment Discussion
    Appointment Appointments and personnel
    The board would extend Richard Chapple's term on the Hillsborough Board of Adjustment's extraterritorial jurisdiction seat by one year. No seats would remain vacant.
  11. 11 Historic Preservation Commission - Appointment Discussion
    Appointment Appointments and personnelHistoric preservation
    The board would reappoint Eric Deetz to an at-large seat on the Historic Preservation Commission. No seats would remain vacant.
  12. 12 Juvenile Crime Prevention Council - Appointments Discussion
    Appointment Appointments and personnelFaith and cultural communitiesPolice and public safetySchools and education
    The board would appoint five people to the Juvenile Crime Prevention Council: school superintendent designee Andrew Poole, Dr. Hubert Williams representing the area's managed care organization, local health director designee Crystal Kelley, and two county commissioner appointees, including Brandy Reeves. Three seats, for the faith community, business community and a nonprofit representative, would remain vacant.
  13. 13 Orange County Board of Adjustment - Appointment Discussion
    Appointment Appointments and personnel
    The board would fill an at-large seat on the Board of Adjustment. The Board of Adjustment does not recommend nominees for its own appointments, so commissioners would choose one from the applicant pool.
  14. 14 Orange County Planning Board - Appointment Discussion
    Appointment Appointments and personnel
    The board would fill an at-large seat on the Planning Board. The Planning Board does not recommend nominees for its own appointments, so commissioners would choose one from the applicant pool.
  15. 15 Orange Unified Transportation Board - Appointments Discussion
    Appointment Appointments and personnelRoads and transportation
    The board would reappoint Art Menius to the Little River Township seat on the Orange Unified Transportation Board and fill three more seats, Hillsborough Township and two at-large, without a recommended nominee. A Cheeks Township seat, an at-large seat and two youth-member seats would remain vacant.

Agenda changes

What moved between published versions of this agenda. Item numbers shift constantly as things are inserted, so only genuine additions and removals are listed.

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