HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 02-10-2012APPROVED 3/13/2012
MINUTES
ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PLANNING RETREAT
SOUTHERN HUMAN SERVICES CENTER
February 10, 2012
9:00 a.m.
The Orange County Board of Commissioners met for a Board retreat on Friday, February 10, 2012 at
9:00 a.m. at the Southern Human Services Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Bernadette Pelissier and Commissioners Valerie Foushee,
Alice Gordon, Pam Hemminger, Barry Jacobs, Earl McKee, Bernadette Pelissier, and Steve Yuhasz
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ABSENT:
COUNTY ATTORNEY PRESENT: John Roberts
COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager Frank Clifton and Clerk to the Board Donna S. Baker
SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT FACILITATORS: Kelly O'Brien and Shannon Tufts
Purpose: To agree on Orange County's priority investments in Communications and Information
Technology.
Chair Pelissier welcomed everyone and Introductions were made.
1. PURPOSE OF THE RETREAT
To agree on Orange County's priority investments in communications and
information technology
2. REPORT FROM STAFF: FISCAL HEALTH OF THE COUNTY
Clarence Grier, Financial Services Director, reviewed anticipated revenues and
expenditures for the upcoming FY 2012-2013 budget.
The Commissioners asked County staff about the decrease in state funding for
childcare; County staff responded that this decrease was due to program
administration transferring from the County to the state. County staff also stated
that personal property tax revenues (from sources such as vehicles) are expected
to grow the tax base. Manager Frank Clifton reported that expenditure growth in
retiree benefits has nearly doubled in the past few years, so rising post-
employment costs will require attention in the future.
3. COMMISSIONER EXPECTATIONS FOR THE RETREAT
The Commissioners were asked to share what they wanted to get out of the
retreat, as well as one item or aspect they would bring to the discussion. These
included:
What do you expect to get from the retreat?
• An idea of how to use communications to better inform the public
(improve messaging to citizens)
• Development of a strategic communications plan
• An understanding of the tools, strategies, and attitudes used internally
and externally for communications and information technology
• Identification of priorities that lead to concrete steps that can be taken
(e.g. funding, new technologies, process, etc.) and items that can be
implemented in the coming year (i.e. not just a plan)
• Discussion of new ways to make Commissioner meetings accessible to
public (i.e. through Hillsborough meeting room, telecasts, etc.)
• Clarification about the County's role in delivering information technology
access to rural parts of the County
• Definition of the role of information technology in communications plan
(exploration of that internally and externally)
• An aspiration that Orange County move toward using cutting edge
technologies (including helping the public sector, incorporating
technologies into County business, and educating staff and elected
officials on what those new technologies are)
What do you (Commissioners) have to give at this retreat?
• A willingness to understand technology (2)
• Continued interest and passion to strategic communications planning
• First-hand experience (i.e. interaction with the public) about County's
communications and public's inability to access information
• Professional writing/communications skills
• Belief and commitment that information technology solutions can help the
Board better communicate with the public
• An open mind and listening ears
4. COMMUNICATIONS PLANNING
BOCC thoughts on the 1999 Strategic Communications Plan
• The Commissioners agreed that objectives listed in the 1999 Strategic
Communications Plan were still applicable and valid. While some of the tools
mentioned in the 1999 Plan (i.e. press releases, telephone access, website,
intranet, etc.) may have evolved, the Board agreed that the strategic
objectives still hold.
The Commissioners discussed the difference between public relations and
communications, emphasizing that the February 10 planning retreat would
focus on communications strategies and too/s and that the public relations
element (i.e. the desired branding, marketing, and messaging) would be
discussed at a later date. The Board recognized that communications
strategies and tools need to be planned, agreed upon, and in place before the
County spends time crafting messages about what the public gets for their tax
dollars and the value of County government.
The Commissioners discussed another tool in the 1999 plan - the creation of
a countywide style guide - specifically, whether such a guide currently exists.
Commissioners shared that, in 1999, County departments' external
communications varied widely (including different letterheads, for instance).
Now, with the emergence of communications tools like social media, the
Commissioners reiterated a concern for message uniformity. County staff
clarified that a countywide style guide currently does not exist.
5. 2009-10 GOALS AND PRIORITIES
The Commissioners reviewed the Board's 2009-2010 Goals and Priorities and
identified goals and priorities related to communications tools and strategies:
Goal 2(promote an interactive and transparent system of governance that
reflects community values), Priorities 6(develop plan and tools to improve
how County and citizens communicate with each other; foster two-way
exchange) and 26 (clarify and communicate to public how and why County
funding is allocated the way it is).
Goal 3, Priority 19 (be actively involved and informed about UNC-CH
decisions and intentions) was expanded to include communicating well with all
County partners.
Goal 4, Priority 11 (invest in technology to increase work efficiencies) was
seen as a goal to have technology improve communication. Finally, the Board
saw Goal 6(ensure a high quality of life and lifelong learning) as a possible fit
with ensuring citizens have Internet access or cellular coverage.
6. GROUP BRAINSTORM
The Commissioners then listed the tools and resources Orange County currentl
has in place to help residents understand what the County does and how to
access County resources. Commissioners listed the following tools and
resources (in alphabetical order):
• Billboards (have used in the past but not recently)
• CODE RED and reverse 9-1-1
• Departmental flyers, booklets, and brochures
• E-services through website
• Email distribution lists (includes media outlets and sunshine lists)
• Formal speaking engagements (Board and senior staff) with local clubs
and groups
• Individual Commissioners' calling or outreach to citizens (Board and staff
are 'ambassadors')
• Intranet
• Meetings (one Commissioner noted any event the Board or County hosts
is a communications tool)
• News stories (and other traditional media),
• Online Board materials (budgets, agendas, minutes, etc.)
• Online calendars of events (available at departmental level)
• Online repository of records
• Online video streaming of Board meetings (two regular Commissioner
meetings per month)
• Orange Slices internal human resources newsletter
• Press/news releases and public service announcements
• Purchased print advertisements in newspapers
• Radio and TV spots for some projects (as needed)
• Some departments' printed annual reports
• Some departments' social media presence (includes Facebook, Twitter,
Flickr, and YouTube)
• Some web links (on website) to municipalities and other partners (and
vice versa)
• Some web links to and from third-party entities and vendors
• Tape-delayed digital coverage of Board meetings
• Time Warner Cable Channel 180
• Website
• Yard signs (for some projects)
The Board then brainstormed the new or enhanced tools and resources they
would like for Orange County to have in place to help residents understand what
the County does and how to access County resources. The Commissioners'
brainstormed list was as follows (in alphabetical order):
• Better publicity for advisory board meetings and agendas (online email
distribution list sign-ups)
• Better publicity for live, online Board meeting streaming
• Better use of multiple newspapers covering Orange County
• Board agenda structure (items in categories, items that will take longer
earlier in the meeting, or perhaps more creatively grouping items?)
• Meeting summary released by the following morning
• Creation of a public information officer (PIO) position and office to create
staff capacity to do these things
• Dispensing with delayed Board tape recordings on Channel 180 (since
people can't get involved after meetings have happened),
o(Meetings at the Southern Human Services Center are live-
streamed; meetings in Hillsborough require more staff to tape and
are delayed.)
• Facebook postings about what is planned for Board meetings (careful
attention to how messages here are phrased)
• Improved engagement at Board meetings (perhaps audio or visually?)
• Improved search function for website
• Incentive for attending Board meetings (rocking chair privilege),
• More self-apparent website design (including communicating priority
messages and services on home page)
• Other proactive measures (staff getting word out quickly about successes
or controversial matters)
• Posting items of interest on a bulletin board outside meeting room
• Pre-Board meeting release of agenda and highlights (not just links to
agenda but short statements about the most important things and links to
where to go to learn more)
o(This idea includes facfual (not advocacyJ statements about what
controversial issues might be discussed at a meeting, when
Commissioners deem appropriate.)
o(This is similar to how the Town of Chapel Hill and Chapel Hill-
Carrboro School Board share agenda items, not jusf links.)
• Printing of agendas in newspapers (but is more expensive and wouldn't
be able to change agenda after publishing) or information about where
residents without Internet access can go to learn about County issues
• Simplicity and ease of navigation for website (including linking Visitors'
Bureau/economic development sites prominently)
o(Could this idea perhaps warrant a policy for linking to non-County
sites?)
While on break, the facilitators combined and re-organized the brainstormed list
above into the following priority ideas (in alphabetical order):
• Create a policy on linking to non-County websites
• Create Board meeting summaries for public consumption by the following
morning
• Decide whether to use social media tools; if yes, develop a policy
• Determine if there is value in tape-delayed meetings
• Develop incentives for the public to attend meetings
• Educate public about how to access County information in public access
locations
• Educate residents about County successes
• Examine tools for use in reaching out to citizens in rural areas
• Give the public information on issues prior to Board meetings and on
County processes and services, generally
• Increase capacity by hiring a P10
• Keep internal and external audience clear on action items during Board
meetings by using technology
• Publicize advisory board meetings broadly
• Publicize Board meeting items of current interest outside meeting room
(possibly on a bulletin board)
• Push out agenda and meeting highlights (not just agenda link) before
Board meetings
• Revise structure and order of ineeting agendas
7. COMMUNICATIONS PRIORITIZATION-FIRST ROUND PRIORITIES
Using the 1999 Strategic Communications Plan and the 2009-2010 Goals and
Priorities as a framework, Commissioners reviewed the list of the County's
current activities and new ideas. Each Commissioner then selected their top
seven communications priorities using the "dot voting" method. The Board's
collective votes on the 19 existing priorities are summarized below (with the
number of votes on each priority in parentheses). The Board's top nine
priorities (there are nine priorities because three items received three votes) are
noted in bold.
1. Hire a PIO (5),
2. Use technology to be clear on meeting action items (4),
3. Push out Board agenda and highlights before and after meetings (4),
4. Examine tools to reach rural citizens (4),
5. Live-stream Board meetings (4),
6. Expand/continue to support available e-services (3),
7. Push out Board meeting summaries by the following morning (3),
8. Educate residents about how to access County resources (3),
9. Decide whether or not to use social media tools (3),
10. Publicize advisory board meetings (2),
11. Educate residents about County services (2),
12. Continue to produce press releases (2),
13. Continue to offer Board minutes on website (1),
14. Maintain/improve website (1), ~
15. Reconsider agenda structure (1),
16. Educate residents about County successes (1),
17. Consider the value of tape-delayed meetings (1),
18. Develop incentives for attending Board meetings (1), and
19. Place Board meeting items outside meeting room (1)
TOP THREE PRIORITIES:
The Board then discussed and further clarified the top nine priorities, deciding to
combine items 3 and 7 above into one item. Board members were also given the
opportunity to advocate for one or more of the priorities on the now "top eight"
list. Each Commissioner was then provided with three sticker dots to vote on their
top three priorities. The Board's collective vote on the eight priorities is
summarized below. The Orange County Board of Commissioners' top three
priorities for communications are noted in bold.
1. Hire a PIO (6 votes)
2. Expand live-streaming video of Board meetings (including possibly
creating a permanent Commission meeting room in Hillsborough with full
technology capabilities) (6 votes)
3. Push agenda and highlights out before and after meetings (by the
following morning) (not just links to the agenda but summaries and links
to more information) (4 votes)
4. Decide whether or not to use social media tools (2 votes)
5. Educate the public about how to access County information and live-
streaming videos (2 votes)
6. Examine tools to reach rural citizens (2 votes)
7. Expand e-service offerings (0 votes)
8. Use technology to be clear about meeting action items (e.g. motions on
screen) (0 votes)
After the top three communications priorities were identified, the Board
expressed an interest in seeing a breakdown on what the County and its
departments currently spend on all communications. Also, when the
Commissioners discussed a possible PIO implementing these priorities, such as
social media, they were concerned about how some rural residents, for example,
would or would not access the tools.
County Manager Frank Clifton informed the Board that, should it wish, staff could
begin gathering information needed to start the hiring process for a PIO. There
was consensus among the Board that staff could begin this process now.
8. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PLANNING
• Review of Current IT Expenditures (Capital and Operating)
Strategic IT Planning Consultant Shannon Tufts reviewed current information
technology (IT) expenditures and noted a severe lack of staff capacity to execute
projects. Orange County's IT department has approximately half of the staff and
budget levels of similarly sized counties across North Carolina. The
Commissioners agreed to the premise that any new technology efforts/project
would require more funding for staff and technology. Ms. Tufts reminded the
Board, though, that technology is just a tool where underlying business
processes need to be strong before applying IT. The business processes should
be subject to change so that they align with and support technologically driven
changes.
• Information Technology Priorities
Shannon Tufts reviewed the Commissioners' IT project requests, followed by a
quick overview of key departmental requests.
The Commissioners assigned priority rankings to the list of all Commissioner IT
project requests. The following priorities, in order of votes, were discussed as
noted.
1. Improved Internet access (including Broadband) and cellular
coverage (6 first-place votes)
The Commissioners emphasized lack of coverage in rural areas of
Orange County. Shannon Tufts and County staff discussed current laws
that prevent County money paying for infrastructure; it was noted that
Time Warner Cable would likely sue the County if it violated the law.
Other strategies for encouraging private sector build-out were discussed
and will be included in the Orange County Strategic IT Plan.
As a corollary related to the need for expanded cellular coverage, the
Board and Shannon Tufts discussed issues with the VIPER system. The
County is exploring the possibility of locating towers across the county to
expand VIPER coverage and capacity. Shannon Tufts noted that the
issues related to the VIPER system are threefold: capacity (with the
number of channels), coverage, and penetration. Building towers and
upgrading the VIPER equipment will improve capacity and coverage, but
will not address penetration. One way to deal with the in-building
penetration issue is to pass an ordinance requiring buildings of specific
construction or size to install repeaters or amplifiers in order to ensure
internal cellular and radio coverage.
2. Strategy for staff communication with Commissioners in
emergencies (4 first-place votes)
The Commissioners expressed a need to have a fail-safe method in place
for staff to communicate with the Board Chair and Vice Chair during
emerg~ncies. Staff noted that these procedures were included in the
County's emergency operations plan, but it is currently being updated.
They thought issues such as contacting Commissioners through cell
phones, land lines, and Sheriff's deputies were already in place through
the CODE RED system but may not have been adequately
communicated to the Commissioners. Statutorily, the Board Chair must
be notified in emergencies.
Shannon Tufts noted that this underlying discussion, however, was
outside the scope of the strategic IT plan since it dealt with internal
business processes currently being updated.
3. One Stop Planning/Inspections/Permitting & Integrated Planning
Software (3 first-place votes)
Shannon Tufts noted the current system is not sustainable; funding is
needed to procure a new, integrated system due to the single point of
failure in the current system with a single planning staff member who had
produced custom software code to tie disparate systems together
(recognizing that no system will meet all of the County's needs and
business processes, so these processes should be streamlined prior to
procuring a system).
4. Inventory and Coordination of Systems between Fire Departments
and EMS, etc. (3 first-place votes)
The Board noted the need for an inventory and coordination between the
fire departments and EMS. This process was noted as being underway
and there was consensus that any system integration will require
additional funding and staff.
5. Handheld Devices in Field for Employees (3 first-place votes)
The Board expressed interest in seeing more field-based applications
deployed across the County. The technology is available for some
County applications currently but the limited availability of cellular and
broadband coverage fundamentally neutralizes the deployment of such
technologies.
6. Public comment and feedback through technology (3 first-place
votes)
The Board is interested using additional mechanisms to engage the
public. Much of the conversation undertaken in the Strategic
Communications section focused on this area so the discussion was
limited and referred to the previous work.
There was significant debate about having all Commissioners use County
email addresses for public business to avoid legal and logistical troubles
in the future.
7. IT governance (3 first-place votes)
Sh~nnon Tufts led a discussion emphasizing the importance of
department heads understand the competing needs of IT in the
organization and noted that IT Governance is a recommended strategy.
The strategy will be detailed in the forthcoming Strategic IT Plan.
8. Website improvements (2 first-place votes)
The Board and many department heads noted a desire for improved
County website. The common themes noted by the Board included more
interactivity, greater usability, more current design and feel, and less
cumbersome navigation. Shannon Tufts noted that the County has
among the highest number of online services of any county in the state.
9. Paperless agendas (2 first-place votes)
The Commissioners discussed the advantages and learning curve in
moving to a fully paperless agenda system.
10. Single, unified database for County information (2 first-place votes)
Tufts acknowledged the concept of a single, unified database sounds
appealing but informed the Commissioners that such a database was not
possible to design due to the multitude of systems used in the County and
required by the State and Federal government.
Following a brief review of key departmental requests, staff noted that, even
though the' Board did not have a chance to consider departmental IT requests
today, the Commissioners' requests, priorities, and staff requests would be laid
out in the forthcoming UNC Center for Public Technology strategic IT plan for
Orange County.
The meeting was adjourned at 3:45pm.
Bernadette Pelissier, Chair
Donna S. Baker
Clerk to the Board