County seeks public input on future of county facilities in Hillsborough, expansion of services

Orange County Asset Management Services has scheduled a public listening session on Thursday, Nov. 17, from 6-9 p.m., to receive input from the community about the future of several Orange County facilities in downtown Hillsborough and the expansion of services in the southern part of the county.

The session will be held in the Commissioner’s Meeting Room in the Whitted Building, located at 300 W. Tryon Street in Hillsborough. Staff will make a presentation on the current situation and will be prepared to answer questions from the public.

As part of its Facilities Master Plan, Orange County is asking residents to weigh in on a series of options for several county facilities, including:

Use of the Whitted Human Services Building as the main administrative office for Orange County Government
Options for the John Link Government Services Center and the former Jail at 125 Court St., Hillsborough
Options for future locations for the Board of Elections, District Attorney’s Office and the Public Defender’s office
Options for building a new Emergency Services Center
Options for building a new Recreation Center
Options for the expansion of services in the southern part of the County

Vendors who would like to sell crafts or other holiday gift items need to call the Passmore Center at 919.245.2015 for vendor details and application.

Transportation Services Title VI Plan Update to be presented at public meeting on Nov. 11

Orange County Transportation Service is a recipient of Federal Transit Administration (FTA) funds from the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT). Orange County Transportation Service establishes this Title VI Nondiscrimination Plan for the purpose of complying with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as required by FTA Circular 4702.1B, and related requirements outlined within the FTA Certifications & Assurances, “Nondiscrimination Assurance.” This document details the nondiscrimination program, policies and practices administered by Orange County Transportation Service, and will be updated periodically to incorporate changes and additional responsibilities as they are made.

Presentation of the OCTS Title VI Plan Update and associated policies will be provided at a public meeting held by OCTS staff Friday, Nov. 11, 2022, from 5-6 p.m. in Orange County Transportation Services Administration Building, 600 NC 86, Hillsborough, NC 27278. The public will have the opportunity to comment on the Title VI Update.
The updated plan will be available for review on the OCTS website (www.orangecountync.gov/778/Transportation-Services); in the administrative office located at 600 Highway 86 N, Hillsborough, NC, 27278 during the 30-day public comment period starting Thursday, Nov. 10, and ending Friday, Dec. 9.

The Orange County Board of County Commissioners will consider action on the Title VI Plan, Tuesday, Dec. 13, at 7 p.m. at the Whitted Building located at 300 W. Tryon St, Hillsborough, NC 27278, at which time public will be given additional opportunity to comment on the Title VI Plan.

For further information on the plan or to submit comments, please contact Nishith Trivedi, Orange County Transportation Services Interim Director at (919) 245-2007 or email at ntrivedi@orangecountync.gov.

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Sign up now for winter basketball

November means that winter is right around the corner, and for many of our young athletes that means the start of Orange County Recreation Basketball winter season. Registration is ongoing through Nov. 12 for Youth Winter Basketball for boys and girls ages 5-12.

The season runs Dec. 5 through Feb. 25. Teams will meet twice per week on weekday evenings and Saturday afternoons. In the preseason, teams will practice twice per week. Once games begin, regular season teams will have one practice and one game per week. For divisions 9-10 and up, the season will conclude with a single-elimination tournament. Please note this is subject to change due to the cancellation of games or practices due to weather or any other reason.

All team meetings will be held at the Central Recreation Center, 302 West Tryon Street, Hillsborough.

In-Person Registration is available at the Bonnie B. Davis Environment and Agricultural Center, Suite 140, 1020 US 70 West, Hillsborough during regular office hours, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m.-11:45 a.m. and 1:15 p.m.-4:30 p.m.

Online registration is available at www.orangecountync.gov/activityregistration. If you or your family has participated with us before and you do not know your account information, call 919.245.2660 during regular office hours for further assistance.

Orange County Recreation relies on volunteer coaches to grow a love of sport in our community. Coaches must exhibit the ability to teach good sportsmanship and sport fundamentals, as well as organize practices, prepare for games, and communicate effectively with players, parents and Recreation Division staff. All coaches must complete an application and pass a background check. Anyone interested in coaching may contact Kevin Bradsher at kbradsher@orangecountync.gov or 919.245.2672 for more information.

OCAC presents Makers at the Mill Holiday Bazaar

The Orange County Arts Commission (OCAC) and Orange County Arts Alliance (OCAA) present Makers at the Mill Holiday Bazaar Saturday, Dec. 3, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Eno Arts Mill.

Artists, crafters and artisans of all types are invited to apply to the inaugural Makers at the Mill Holiday Bazaar. In addition to the show vendors, the event will feature open Eno Arts Mill Artist Studios, the Orange County Artists Guild Deck the Walls Holiday Show in the gallery, live music, and more.

The Arts Mill is a multipurpose arts space that opened in October 2021. It includes a gallery, classroom and 17 artist studios.

This event will be a juried showcase of high-quality fine art and crafts. All artists must submit an online application with images to be considered. If accepted, a booth fee will be required. No commission of sales will be collected. Artists residing in Orange County will be given preference, but artists within the Triangle and surrounding communities are encouraged to apply.

Important Dates

Application Deadline: Monday, Nov. 7, 2023, 11:59 p.m. EST
Notifications emailed: No later than Friday, Nov. 11
Fees due: Friday, Nov. 18

OCAS reminds residents of legal requirements for using dogs and guns to hunt deer

Orange County Animal Services is promoting awareness of the legal requirements and responsibilities of using dogs and guns to hunt deer.

The season opens on Saturday, Nov. 12, and ends on Jan. 2. At the direction of the Board of Orange County Commissioners, County staff hopes to mitigate health and safety concerns through public outreach.

An Orange County brochure is available that provides general information about using dogs to hunt deer. This is lawful in northern Orange County - specifically, the portion of the County north of Interstate 85. The brochure also describes the process for reporting concerns or issuing complaints about unlawful hunting practices.

It is important to note that hunters, residents, and landowners all have rights and responsibilities. Responsible conduct by all parties can minimize conflict and ensure public health and safety during the upcoming gun hunting season.

One responsibility is that written permission must be obtained to hunt on someone’s private property. In Orange County, written permission is required whether or not private property is posted as “No hunting.” This differs from other counties in North Carolina, which requires written permission only when hunting on posted property.

For more information about deer hunting with dogs in Orange County, please visit http://www.orangecountync.gov/303/Hunting-Deer-with-Dogs.

More information is also provided by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission at https://www.ncwildlife.org/Hunting/Hunting-in-North-Carolina. Wildlife Dispatch may also be reached at 1-800-662-7137 for any hunting-related conflicts.

Applications are now being taken for the Longtime Homeowners Assistance (LHA) program for 2022. In 2021, the LHA was a pilot program created by the Board of Commissioners that provided grants to homeowners for assistance in paying property taxes. The goal of the LHA is to provide property tax bill assistance to help people stay in their homes. For help, contact the Housing Helpline for assistance at 919.245.2655 or email housinghelp@orangecountync.gov.

Solid Waste invites public to pre-opening tour of High Rock Waste & Recycling Center

Orange County Solid Waste Management will host a pre-reopening tour of the High Rock Waste and Recycling Facility on Nov. 17, from Noon to 3 p.m. The facility is located at 7001 High Rock Road, Efland. The event is open to the public. Solid Waste staff will be on hand to answer questions about the facility.

The High Rock Waste and Recycling facility will re-open for business on Friday, Nov 18.
Improvements include the modernization of the High Rock Road Center into a Neighborhood Center at a cost of $1.1 million. As a Neighborhood Center, services will now include collection of bulky materials, textiles, metal, yard waste, tires, clean wood, white goods (appliances), cooking oil and food waste. Smaller bulky materials that fit into the household waste compactor will also be accepted.

The salvage shed, waste oil, oil filters, wet and dry cell batteries and electronics will also remain. Additional upgrades include an asphalt driving surface and concrete pads for staging compactors and 40 cubic yard roll-off containers.

Nickels for Know-How Referendum to be held Nov. 17

The Orange County Nickels for Know-How Referendum will be held on Thursday, Nov. 17, 2022.

One polling location will be established in Orange County. The polling location will be at the County Extension Office at Bonnie B. Davis Building, 1020 US 70 West, Hillsborough, NC 27278 ,and will be open during regular business hours.

Mart Bumgarner, the Crops and Horticulture Extension Agent explained that the referendum is being held to let users and producers of feed or fertilizer decide if they wish to continue the self-assessment program. This program has been in place since 1948, and the law requires that a new referendum be held every six years.

A 2/3 favorable vote will mean that growers are willing to continue to assess themselves to support agricultural research and education. The assessment is fifteen cents per hundred pounds on feed and fertilizer produced in North Carolina.

The funds, about $1.4 million annually, are collected by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and then allocated by the NC Carolina Agricultural Foundation, Inc.'s 148 volunteer Board of Directors to support agricultural research and extension projects at North Carolina State University benefitting agriculture in North Carolina.

For more information on the referendum, please call your County Extension Office at 919-245-2062 and speak with Mart.

www.orangecountync.gov