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Commission for the Environment

Orange County · Commission for the Environment
Monday, November 11, 2024

Regular meeting Environment and sustainabilityAppointments and personnelBudget and appropriationsGrants and outside funding

Agenda document Minutes Watch Meeting recap

What was decided

  1. Approved IIIApproval of DRAFT Meeting Summary – October 14th, 2024 Approved unanimously
  2. Approved VChair and Vice-Chair Nominations and New Members Both elections passed unanimously
  3. Approved VIICommunity Climate Action Grant Round 4 – Ranking Approved unanimously: $19,800 Empowerment, $22,600 Eno River Association, $50,000 Habitat for Humanity, $12,000 Jubilee Healing Farm, $50,000 Solar Equity, $50,000 Trees for the T…

Read from the agenda's recorded outcomes. Where the board published minutes, those are the record — this is a pointer to them.

What's on this agenda

Seven proposals for the county's Community Climate Action Grant, a chair and vice-chair contest, and a first look at results from the county's nature photo contest made up the agenda. The commission also had its October summary to approve and started drafting the annual report and work plan it sends to county commissioners.

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

Meeting recap

What happened, drawn from the records published after the meeting. Minutes

The commission recommended the county's full $262,500 Community Climate Action Grant pool go to seven applicants: $58,100 to Urban Sustainability Solutions, $50,000 each to Habitat for Humanity, Solar Equity and Trees for the Triangle, $22,600 to the Eno River Association, $19,800 to Empowerment, and $12,000 to Jubilee Healing Farm. Other applicants got nothing. The vote was unanimous.

Members re-elected Regina Baratta as chair and chose Ian Morse to replace Jane Harris as vice chair, both unanimously. They approved the October 14 draft summary and began drafting the annual report and work plan for county commissioners, but ran out of time and will finish in December. Discussion of the State of the Environment Report is also set for December.

How the votes went

Four motions passed, all unanimous: the October 14 summary, the chair and vice-chair nominations, and the Community Climate Action Grant funding recommendation.

From the published minutes.

Speaking at this meeting

Orange County's own rules for public comment — check them before you rely on anything here.

Agenda items (9)

Procedural · 3Minutes approval · 1Presentation · 1Appointment · 1Discussion item · 1Budget action · 1Staff or committee report · 1
  1. I Call to Order
    Procedural
    Chair Regina Baratta opened the meeting at 7:01 pm.
    N/A
  2. II Additions or Changes to Agenda
    Procedural
    The commission moved the nature photo contest results ahead of the chair and vice-chair nominations.
  3. III Approval of DRAFT Meeting Summary – October 14th, 2024
    Minutes approval
    The commission approved its October 14 draft summary without changes.
    Approved unanimously
  4. IV Nature of Orange Photo Contest Results
    Presentation
    Staff member Abby Mattingly announced the winners of the Nature of Orange Photo Contest's adult and youth categories, which the commission co-sponsored.
  5. V Chair and Vice-Chair Nominations and New Members
    Appointment Appointments and personnel
    Members re-elected Regina Baratta as chair and chose Ian Morse to succeed Jane Harris as vice chair.
    Both elections passed unanimously
  6. VI CFE Annual Report and Work Plan – Discussion
    Discussion item Environment and sustainability
    The commission began drafting its annual report and work plan for county commissioners but did not finish, and will continue at the December meeting.
  7. VII Community Climate Action Grant Round 4 – Ranking
    Budget action Budget and appropriationsEnvironment and sustainabilityGrants and outside funding
    Members finished ranking Round 4 Community Climate Action Grant applications and recommended splitting the county's full $262,500 pool among seven applicants.
    Approved unanimously: $19,800 Empowerment, $22,600 Eno River Association, $50,000 Habitat for Humanity, $12,000 Jubilee Healing Farm, $50,000 Solar Equity, $50,000 Trees for the Triangle, $58,100 Urban Sustainability Solutions (total $262,500)
  8. VIII Updates and Information Items
    Staff or committee report Environment and sustainability
    Staff said work on the State of the Environment Report starts at the December meeting.
  9. IX Adjournment
    Procedural
    The commission adjourned at 8:50 pm.
    Adjourned unanimously

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