Sally Greene honored for work on Opioid Settlement

Congratulations to my colleague, Commissioner Sally Greene, who was one of the recipients of the M. H. "Jack" Brock Outstanding County Commissioner Award, given by the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners on August 14, during the 114th NCACC Annual Conference. Commissioner Greene was one of five commissioners who participated in the 5-5-5 Committee--i.e., 5 county managers, 5 attorneys, 5 commissioners--working on the opioid settlement.

The committee’s time and effort were instrumental in developing the historic statewide Memorandum of Agreement on the distribution and use of opioid settlement funds. The Outstanding County Commissioner Award honors commissioners for going "above and beyond" on behalf of counties and their constituencies. We appreciate Sally for going above and beyond.

North Carolina is projected to receive about $750 million from the $26 billion settlement with Johnson & Johnson and other companies that distributed opioids while addiction and overdose deaths increased. All counties in the state will benefit from this settlement, and we thank Commissioner Greene for being involved.

Orange County Commissioners named NCACC Outstanding County Commissioner

• Richard Whitted – 1983
• Moses Carey Jr. – 1997
• Renee Price – 2020
• Sally Greene – 2021

Last year, the NCACC surprised me with the Outstanding County Commissioner Award along with Commissioner Kevin Austin of Yadkin County, via zoom. This year, we had the opportunity to go on stage and express our thanks, and I certainly appreciate the people of Orange County who continue to "have my back" and collaborate with me to do what is right and good for our community.

In addition, my friends in the North Carolina Association of Black County Officials (NCABCO) presented me with an award for "dedication, commitment and support." Somehow, they were able to keep a secret. NCABCO is an affiliate of the NCACC, and focuses on the well-being and advancement of African American communities, advocating for a future of peace and justice.

Grand opening of the Bonnie B. Davis EAC
The Bonnie B. Davis Environmental and Agricultural Center will be the first building in Orange County to be named in honor of an African American woman. On Friday, August 20th, at 10am, we will celebrate with a ribbon cutting ceremony for the grand opening of the Bonnie B. Davis EAC. This will be the first building to open in Orange County’s new Northern Campus. 

Mrs. Davis was a longtime agent with North Carolina Cooperative Extension, and died in 2018. She worked for 40 years until retiring in 1990. After her retirement, she remained active in the community and became a founding member of the Friends of Department of Social Services.

Please join us, outside and socially distanced, to honor this amazing woman, the late Bonnie B. Davis.

Mask mandate reinstated
With COVID cases surging, we have reinstated the indoor mask requirement across Orange County, effective 5pm, last Wednesday, Aug. 11. All individuals 2 years of age and older are required to wear face coverings while indoors, regardless of vaccination status. Please note that certain exceptions apply.

Masks remain an effective tool in fighting the spread of COVID, and the Delta variant is proving to be the most transmissible strain, to date. If we are to defeat this deadly pandemic, all of us need to take every precaution to control and stop the spread.

If you notice a business that is out of compliance with the mandate and causing a significant risk to the general public, please alert the Environmental Health Division of the Orange County Health Department, through an online form. Staff will work with the business to educate the business about the mandate and assist in compliance by providing signage, materials, etc. You can access the form at the following link: www.orangecountync.gov/registercomplaint.