PITTSBORO — With only a few minor glitches, the Chatham County Board of Commissioners’ hybrid virtual and in-person meeting on Monday went off smoothly.
The meeting followed two months of board gatherings with limited public attendance as staff worked to adapt the meeting structure during the coronavirus pandemic. Members of the public and county staff participated as normal — just through a computer screen.
Board Clerk Lindsay Ray said about 40 people attended the meeting through the GoTo Webinar broadcast. At peak attendance, there were nine attendees on-site at the Chatham County Agriculture and Conference Center. Ray said the overflow rooms on-site were not needed, but three residents watched from Chatham County Courthouse.
“I personally think it went really well,” board Chairman Karen Howard said after the regular portion of Monday’s meeting. “We had really tiny glitches but everyone was able to hear everyone else which was a critical part. We have these legal requirements that are fairly important but we also have to give the community a sense of feeling that it was done well for them… and I think staff did an incredible job.”
The meeting included final approval of Chatham County government budget for fiscal year 2020-2021, which begins July 1. The $132,335,610 budget is an increase of 5 percent from the current year’s budget. Most of the increase is in new expenses for Chatham County Schools and six new positions within county departments.
County Manager Dan LaMontagne said the budget was passed with one minor change from previous presentations: an increase in the fire tax by 1.25 cents per $100 property valuation, requested by the Moncure Fire Department. Their rate is now 13.75 cents.
Also included was a legislative public hearing on general use rezoning proposed by Glandon Forest Equity. Deemed non-controversial, county staff suggested this item be used for the first test public hearing at the May Commissioners meeting. Following the hearing, the board voted to approve a subdivision request for Shaddox Creek Developers. The motion for approval passed 3-1, with Commissioner Diana Hales dissenting. Commissioner Jim Crawford was absent. During discussion, she raised concern about the quality of well water on relevant acres. A motion made by Hales to review the county subdivision ordinance and standards for well testing passed unanimously.
“I think we should show some leadership here and actually look into it,” Hales said before making the motion.
During the public input session, concerns were raised by multiple members of the Chatham County Planning Board regarding the accessibility of their meetings. Planning Board member Emily Moose said participating in planning board meetings requires access to smartphone devices and reliable internet, “which are known challenges in largely-rural Chatham county.”
“Recognizing the significant efforts that staff have made in this already and appreciating your efforts to adapt to this challenging situation, we respectfully and urgently ask that you find technological or logistical alternatives that ensure equitable opportunities to participate,” Moose said.
After discussion on the differences between the selected GoTo Webinar and GoTo Meeting platforms, Ray said in-person meetings would increase public access, not choosing a different platform.
Before adjourning, Howard ended her report by reading a letter she wrote to the community regarding recent events surrounding COVID-19 and George Floyd’s death.
“Let us make no mistake — the two tragedies are inextricably linked,” Howard read. “We are encouraged by the volume of voices that are now convalescing around these two tragedies and we call on all in positions of power and influence to do better.”
There was a 10-minute break following the regular meeting before the mock public hearing meant to allow staff and residents to test the components of the hybrid meetings for public hearings. The hearing received comments from resident Nick Robinson, in character representing the N.C. Hot Dog Company to declare hot dogs as sandwiches. After a robust discussion including the history of the hot dog and definitions of a sandwich and taco, the board unanimously voted that a hot dog would not be considered a sandwich in Chatham County. More than seven hours after beginning the meeting, the commissioners took their parts in the mock trial very seriously.
Ray thanked all residents for participating and said staff would continue troubleshooting ways to play voicemail comments during the meeting.
“We’ve come a long way in the last month and a half,” Howard said. “We have multiple levels of access. I think that we can address whatever need a person has as long as they’re willing to work with us. And that’s a good place to be — there’s a lot of communities around us that aren’t there yet.”
Reporter Hannah McClellan can be reached at hannah@chathamnr.com.