Orange County Commissioners have appointed Jamezetta Bedford, Matt Hughes and Theresa Watson to fill three of the four at-large positions on the Bond Education Committee.

The three positions were filled by a 4-2 vote at the board’s meeting on Thursday with Commissioner Renee Price and Penny Rich dissenting.

The committee will help design and develop a campaign to help spread important information about the bond to the community, according to earlier discussions from the board.

The upcoming bond package is the largest in county history at $125 million; the bulk of the money will be designated to make repairs and update safety concerns at local schools. The remaining $5 million will be used to increase affordable housing.

Hughes and Bedford both ran unsuccessfully for seats on the Board of County Commissioners this March. Hughes has been chair of the Orange County Democrats for several years and Bedford has long served on the Chapel Hill – Carrboro City Schools Board of Education until she decided not to seek reelection last November.

Watson also mounted an unsuccessful run for an elected position recently, campaigning for the Chapel Hill – Carrboro City School Board in November.

One appointed seat on the Bond Education Committee remains unfilled at this time.

Commissioners also voted to designate $20,000 to the County Manager to “support the Committee’s work and assistance through a vendor/consultant.”

The bonds, $120 million for schools and $5 million for affordable housing, will be on the November ballot in Orange County.

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