HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 02-08-2011 - 4ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: February 8, 2011
Action Agend
Item No. ~_
SUBJECT: Discussion on Historic Information for BOCC Meeting Agenda Abstracts
DEPARTMENT: County Manager PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No
ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT:
Frank Clifton, 245-2300
PURPOSE: To consider and/or direct staff regarding the amount of historic information that is
adequate for decision making purposes for Board of Commissioners meeting agenda items.
BACKGROUND: Periodically, members of the Board indicate that the historical record of prior
action/discussions by the Board should be a part of the agenda abstract as reference materials
for the Board.
Often a member of the Board will ask staff to provide an extensive search of County records
(and other sources) for information related to an agenda item. That information once gathered
is then shared with all Board members.
Recent discussions indicate some Board members desire a more complete and thorough
research of records occur for each agenda item as a means of ensuring all members have that
information. To do so requires some thought and discussion concerning the extent of the
information to be included to meet the needs of the Board and the level of effort and costs to
provide that information.
Items for consideration:
1) How far back in history (Board meetings and work sessions) should an item be
researched?
2) How would that information be provided to the Board?
a) Electronically by a link to the specific meeting item;
b) A full electronic copy of the meeting info and attachments; and/or
c) A hard copy of all documents
3) What staffing requirements are needed to fill this request?
4) Implementation schedule and budget considerations?
5) Formatting style?
FINANCIAL IMPACT: The financial impact will be determined based on directions established
by the Board.
RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board consider the following:
1) If this additional effort is desired, then the above five items for consideration need to be
addressed. The following recommendations would apply:
a) Ten year record search unless an item is deferred for further review.
b) A chronology would be prepared attached to the agenda item that would provide
the electronic links to:
1) Meeting dates an item was considered.
2) Links to reports and meeting detail.
c) To address this matter properly, a full time staff person would be assigned to the
Clerk's office. (The position might begin as part-time but for the search process to
be complete and dependable would probably evolve into afull-time effort.)
d) This can be an FY 2011-12 Budget consideration or earlier if the Board desires.
Clerk to the Board Donna Baker and Human Resources would develop staffing
considerations to determine appropriate job requirements.
e) Staff can work on a formatting style that fits into the current abstract accordingly or
follow an example from elsewhere if available.
2) If the Board does not see merit in this added effort at this time, staff will continue with
current practice of providing recent background (if relevant) incorporated into the body
the abstract.
3) More discussion by the Board on this issue to possibly provide further guidance and
make clear a Board consensus on this issue.