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MINUTES
ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
BI-MONTHLY WORK SESSION
MARCH 10, 1994 AT 7:30 P.M.
LIBRARY CONFERENCE ROOM
The Orange County Board of Commissioners met for their bi-monthly,work
session on Thursday, March 10, 1994 at 7:30 p.m. in the Library conference
room in the Richard E. Whitted Human Services Building in Hillsborough, North
Carolina.
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Moses Carey, Jr., and Commissioners
Alice M. Gordon, Stephen H. Halkiotis (arrived at 8:30), Verla C. Insko and
Don Willhoit.
COUNTY ATTORNEY PRESENT: Geoffrey Gledhill.
COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager John M. Link, Jr., Assistant County
Managers Albert Kittrell and Rod Visser, Clerk to the Board Beverly A. Blythe,
Finance Director Ken Chavious, Recreation and Parks Director Bob Jones, Budget
Director Sally Kost, Land Records Manager Roscoe Reeve, and Director of
Library Services Brenda Stephens
NOTE: THE ITEMS LISTED BELOW WERE NOT DISCUSSED IN THE ORDER THEY ARE LISTED.
ALL BACKGROUND INFORMATION IS IN THE PERMANENT AGENDA FILE IN THE
CLERK'S OFFICE
1. The role of Boards and Commissions in Count o13c development
Boards Commissions on which Count Commissioners serve:
a. Is artici ation b a county commissioner necessary?
b. Should Count Commissioners continue the current
policy?
After a brief discussion, the Board decided to not change their
participation on boards and commissions. They will attend the meetings when
they are needed and decide individually on their attendance at other meetings.
Commissioner Gordon made reference to large projects with a lot of
reading material and noted that enough time is not given for them to really
analyze the information before they have a meeting or-public hearing.
Chair Carey noted that one reason for having bi-monthly work
sessions is to receive midcourse updates on goals and to give feedback to the
staff.
Commissioner Gordon asked that information for public hearings be
received at least two meetings prior to the meeting. John Link indicated he
will check the timeline and report back on this request. He will be
distributing tomorrow an update on the goals. This will be in a new format
which hopefully will address the Board's concerns. Board direction is
requested on some of the goals.
Commissioner Willhoit noted that the focus needs to be on the County
Commissioners' role on how to utilize the staff and trust the staff to present
them with something in final form. He does not feel the County Commissioners
need to internalize what is being done. It was decided that the Board will
communicate with the staff when there is an item they need additional time to
review and also extend the timeline for the staff when something looks like
it may require additional staff time.
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John Link noted that the County Commissioners' discussion over the
last few months on time has led the staff to focus on giving items to them ir_._
a timely manner. He feels the process may need to be slowed down. There a
not that many emergencies and there is some control over what can be done.
2. Consideration of Local Legislation for the 1994 Legislative session
County Attorney Geoffrey Gledhill presented information on the
following local legislation for the 1994 legislative session:
1. AN ACT TO ALLOW ORANGE COUNTY TO ACQUIRE AND OTHERWISE MAKE
AVAILABLE PROPERTY FOR USE BY A SCHOOL ADMINISTRATIVE UNIT
WITHIN THE COUNTY AND TO AMEND ORANGE COUNTY'S AUTHORITY
RELATING TO IMPACT FEES
2. AN ACT MAKING A QUALIFIED EXCEPTION FROM THE PUBLIC RECORDS ACT
FOR CERTAIN GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS
3. AN ACT THAT WOULD MAKE IT UNNECESSARY FOR THE BOARD OF
COMMISSIONERS TO APPROVE PYROTECHNICS DISPLAYS THAT ARE
AUTHORIZED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AND LOCATED ON
UNIVERSITY PROPERTY
In answer to a question from Commissioner Insko, Roscoe Reeve stated
that the GIS system is only land data which is okay to access. However, the
investigative records of the Sheriff and other human services information
should not be accessible. This local legislation would permit citizens to
access some records at a reasonable fee for their own use -- not to sell for
a profit and limit access to investigative or human services records.
Commissioner Insko asked if the County would be collecting fees to
reclaim cost for providing the service or developing co§t. Roscoe Reeve said
that a decision will need to be made on what will be included in the fee. A]--
the counties that have this legislation have said that it provided them wit
a good foundation for establishing fee schedules. Commissioner Insko stated
she would like a proposal showing recapturing all development costs and one
not recapturing all the development costs. Rod Visser indicated that a
recommendation will be presented to the County Commissioners within the next
6.- 9 months.
With reference to the local legislation for pyrotechnics displays,
John Link stated that this legislation will take the County out of the loop
for approving such displays at the Smith Center. The University officials
agree with this proposal.
Commissioner Insko made reference to inclusionary housing and asked
that this be discussed. It was decided that this would be too complicated for
the short session and is something to pursue for next year. The Board is
interested in receiving any publications or followup on those communities that
have had this in place for a while.
There was a consensus of the Board to add the three proposals for
local legislation to the next regular agenda to set a public hearing.
3. Youth services coordination: orange County's role
John Link asked the Board to focus on the issues for youth
coordination. Information included in the agenda packet is what is being done
presently. A key question is what the Board means by coordination. In the
recommendation of the Youth Committee of the Violent Crime and Drug Abuse
Program, there is a request for a youth coordinator. There will be a focus
group meeting in 7-10 days to talk about leadership and coordination.
In answer to a question from Commissioner Gordon, John Link saiu
that Sharron Siler's position is to help support the various youth
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organizations.
Commissioner Halkiotis feels that a lot is being done to access
-resources for the youth. If the Community in schools program is worked right,
::he social workers assigned to the schools will be the ones accessing the
resources. He is not sure if the Department of Social Services feels the same
way about this opportunity to help the youth.
4. Joint Planning for service deliver withublic and/or rivate
organizations and a ra riate funding mechanisms for these and other
County services_
a. Library
b. Recreation and Parks
c. Senior Center Services
d. Others (e. g. EMS Solid Waste etc
John Link stated that a draft study was done on equity of service
between the County and the towns. There was not an agreement on the
methodology used to do this report and by consensus he, the Finance Director
and the Budget Director stopped the report. He will distribute a copy of this
report with the next Manager's Memo.
Chair Carey stated that the mayors have asked that the question of
equity related to service be on an upcoming agenda for the Assembly of
Governments meeting.
Commissioner Gordon said she is interested in more coordination of
services and cooperation to enhance these services and that it should not just
be a funding question.
Chair Carey suggested including the i school systems in the
discussion.
The Board discussed at length how they could talk about equity,
coordination and cooperation at one time. It was decided that discussions
with the schools on facility development and utilization will be done separate
from the towns. John Link indicated he will pursue this discussion with the
two superintendents. With reference to coordination and cooperation, he will
talk with the other managers and bring back some suggestions. With regard to
equity of services, John Link said that a methodology needs to be developed
which is acceptable to everyone.
The Board decided that they will let Chapel Hill be the driving
force in discussing the funding issues involved with joint planning for
service delivery.
ADJOURNMENT
With no further items for discussion,
meeting. The next regular meeting of the County
on Tuesday, March 15 at 7:30 p.m. in the community
operation center in Carrboro, North Carolina.
Beverly A. Blythe, Clerk
Chair Carey adjourned the
Commissioners will be held
meeting room at the OWASA
Moses Carey, Jr., Chair