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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 20070928APPROVED 10!23!2007 MINUTES ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS' RETREAT September 28. 2007 1:00 - 5:00 p.m. The Orange County Board of Commissioners met for a Board retreat on Friday, September 28, 2007 at 1:00 p.m. at the Link Government Services Center in Hillsborough, N.C. COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Moses Carey, Jr. and Commissioners Valerie P. Foushee, Alice M. Gordon, and Barry Jacobs COUNTY ATTORNEY PRESENT: Geoffrey Gledhill and Brian Ferrell COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager Laura Blackmon, Assistant County Manager Gwen Harvey and Clerk to the Board Donna S. Baker (all other staff members will be identified appropriately below) FACILITATOR: Phillip Boyle STAFF IN ATTENDANCE: Purchasing and Central Services Director Pam Janes, Budget Director Donna Dean, and Assistant to the Manager Greg Wilder NOTE: ALL DOCUMENTS REFERRED TO IN THESE MINUTES ARE IN THE PERMANENT AGENDA FILE IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE. Chair Carey said that this is a new process for the County Commissioners and is associated with the request of the County Manager to revise the budget process and set goals for the next year. Phillip Boyle was the facilitator. Chair Carey said that one of the County Commissioners' dear friends, Florence Soltys, passed away. He asked for a moment of silence in recognition of the contribution that she made to Orange County and the extent to which they will miss her. Laura Blackmon said that this is an opening session for a process that will be developed over the next few months to redefine the focus, to strategically plan for the future, and set goals. This is an introductory session. She said that Phillip Boyle met with staff a month ago to get their thoughts and to develop a process for Orange County. Getting Started 1. Welcome and Introductions 2. Goals, Tasks and Process Phillip Boyle said that these are broad goals and this information will be used for short- and long-term goals. Purpose and Goals 1. Begin a process to help the board and staff navigate the best possible balance among multiple county needs and interests. 2. Define the board's vision of the "good life" in Orange County and identify forces that drive or restrain the board's vision. 3. Apply policy navigation tools to a public choice facing the board. 4. Discuss implications and next steps. Counties in the news: Phillip Boyle gave the following examples of counties in the news: 1. "Free Fido" advocates petition to review tethering ordinance 2. Counties explore community housing for seniors 3. Counties struggle to retain paramedics and first responders 4. County celebrates Hispanic heritage and history 5. County establishes revolving loan fund 6. Development boom prompts new rules 7. County and developer in tug-af-war aver parcel of land 8. Board to hold public hearing on animal control 9. County and town mull water line merger 10. County finds itself in a hole in debate with seniors about donuts 11. Community leaders pressure commissioners to join "Just Pull `Em Up" campaign to bag soggy pants 12. Planning Board unanimously recommends renewing expired moratorium on residential subdivisions; board subsequently approves 715-home development 13. Historic landmark owned by Masons to be put up for sale and converted into houses and condos - "Everything is for sale at a certain price," says Mayans president Philip Boyle asked what these things had in common and why they rise to the level of county attention. Commissioner Gordan said that these are things that people are passionate about. Commissioner Foushee said that the issues represent different types of people -ethnic groups, people concerned about animal safety and cruelty, aging, people concerned about appearance in public places, etc. Commissioner Jacobs said that there are also places where people will interject government into controlling other people's behavior. Phillip Boyle said that in between the lines of each of these issues are questions about the boundaries between public and private, personal responsibility and collective social responsibility, and what role the government can and should play in mediating the differences. Chair Carey said that some relate to primary government functions and some do not, such as the baggy pants issue. Phillip Boyle said that he thinks parts of the strategic challenges are how to focus an the right things with the best value and how to define government functions. Commissioner Jacobs said that numbers 4, 5, 2, and possibly 8 are proactive, and everything else is reactive. These issues reflect competing visions of the good life and how to achieve it Strategic questions and conversations • What is the board's vision for the future of the county • How might this vision serve to guide the work of county government? • Haw can the board and staff work to resolve specific issues and challenges consistent with this vision? What is your vision for the goad life in Orange County? What does the good life, the good society, the American Dream mean to you? What da you value about living in Orange County? What does the Orange County you want to live in look and feel like to you? Summary of County Commissioners' answers to above questions: • A beautiful place -natural, physical • Active citizens • Arts and entertainment • Broader economic and housing opportunities, more shopping • Clean air and water • Commitment to education and learning • Cultural diversity -different cultures, faiths • Different philosophical poles, broad political spectrum • Different types of jabs, economic and employment opportunities • Different types of neighborhoods • Intellectually challenging • Our people are friendly, people care about their neighbors • Strong local economy, people buy local • Sustainablelenvironmentally friendly {protective of the environment) • Tolerance, acceptance, and openness regarding diversity and difference • Urban and suburban, rural and urban communities are cooperative What forces are driving or restraining your vision? • What issues, forces, or challenges are helping drive your vision? • What issues, forces, or challenges are restraining your vision? Summary of County Commissioners' answers to above questions: Driving Forces: • A progressive attitude -people are responsible far themselves and others, government can help, people care • Citizens believe they matter, can make a difference • Collaborative decision making • Our commitment to these values Our quality of life People live here/move here because of this vision Restraining Forces: • Difficulty in maintaining heterogeneity and affordability of our communities • Finite financial resources and limited revenue options • Finite natural resources • Impact of anti-government discourse • Impact of markets • Population growth • State and federal policy • Tendency to elevate the individual above the community What is the purpose of county government? Why do we have county government? -How much county government should we have? YWhat should county government do or not do? yWhat value should it add to our communities, what difference should it make in people's lives? Summary of County Commissioners responses: The purpose of Orange County government: • Create and articulate a common vision • Enhance quality of life • Ensure and enhance opportunity • Help those who cannot help themselves • Promote democracy • Protect, provide, and promote health, safety, and welfare • Provide necessary structure • Provide points of access • Resolve differences Haw much county gavernment shauld we have? Chair Carey said just enough. Commissioner Gordon said that some people want gavernment to do more and some less, and then there is a financial issue involved in that balance. Phillip Boyle said that the crucial question to answer is what is the appropriate role of gavernment. What shauld Orange County gavernment da or not do? Do: • School and judicial facilities • Protect the environment • Address needs where people are unable to do for themselves Don't: • Qress code • Intervene in private disputes • Tell people what to think or believe What value should county government add to our communities, what difference should it make in people's lives? • Protect those who are least able to help themselves • Protect the environment • Protect the values of the citizens • Provide opportunity far citizens to achieve personal goals, minimize barriers that could prevent citizens from having opportunities • Enhance quality of life (broadly) • Promote democracy Strategic Leadership for Governing Boards 1. Government, the good life, and the public good 2. Leadership challenges far governing boards 3. Public choices, directions, and decisions The Board took a break from 2: 39prn to 2: 52ptn. Phillip Boyle said that he wants to frame and provide context for this conversation and the decision-making process piece and talk about some specific issues. He said that the fundamental purpose of government, in his view, is to make sure that the core values of democracy and the good life are part of the discussion all the time and that they get enhanced and protected rather than limited and diminished. He distributed a handout entitled, "Public Values and Choices." He said that aspirations unite and interpretations divide. This handout lists aspirations, but the interpretations -how it is done and the consequences -are what divide. The paradox in governing is that there could be no division or disagreement if there was not anything we already agreed about. The County Commissioners will often only see people in their role of coming with differences. The values also define the interpretations that divide. Public Values and Choices Phillip Boyle provided the following framework for Public Values and Choices LIBERTY Freedom, chaise, access, autonomy, mobility, openness, transparency, individual rights, voluntary, opportunity individuality, privacy, due process, independence, personal responsibility, self-determination, self-sufficiency PROSPERITY Economy, efficiency, growth, productivity, profit, cost reduction, development, incentives, competition, consolidation, centralization, privatization, standardization, specialization, performance measurement, benchmarking, return on investment, market rules, quantity of life EQUALITY Fairness, justice, tolerance, acceptance, diversity, equity, inclusion, representation, equal rights, equal opportunity, equal treatment, equal results, level playing field COMMUNITY Safety, security, sense of belonging, identify, connection to people and places where we live and work, attractive, appealing, healthy, aesthetics, preservation, restoration, conservation, tradition, customs, the sacred, uniformity, social and moral order, quality of life Phillip Boyle said that Liberty will trump and is a value about the individual, but equality is a value about a group. Liberty is about "I", Prosperity is about markets, Equality is about groups, and Community is about "we". There has to be a balance on all four of these issues. He said that public problems arise when individuals ar groups assign different priorities to public values in a given situation. Public Choices arise when the Board must decide which value represented has the priority. He gave examples of applying these values with specific issues such as: County and developer in tug-of-war over parcel of land; public hearing scheduled on animal control; consolidate school districts; County debates landfill; and County and town mull water line merger. Strategic Policy Leadership 1. Discuss a policy choice facing the board Phillip Boyle distributed a Northern Human Services Center Fact Sheet. He asked for the key issues under consideration for this issue. Key Issues to be Addressed: • Any renovation or retrofitting of the facility needs to reflect sustainability standards • Competing groups and uses for this facility • Existing or articulate plans and commitments that may affect cost and timing • Facility costs relative to our goal • Facility name and meaning of its name • How best to involve the community in this effort • Perception that the county does not adequately serve or reflect this community • Preserve a community landmark • Recognize and value community's cultural identity • Serve needs of the community • Should we retain existing programs? 2. Map policy issues and choices to identify the public goad Northern Human Services Center Liberty -Self-determination, individuality of the community, county government should be transparent -live by its promises Prosperity -Economy, cost considerations, return on investment, possible market pressures to sell or develop property Equality -Fairness, equal treatment Community -Identity -name; sense of community, preservation, restoration, tradition, sustainability 3. Identify the Board's strategic direction and possible strategies for moving in this direction What is the decision the Board is facing with the NHSC? Laura Blackmon said that in working on the County's CIP, and with the existing goals with this property, and in order to get more direction from the Board, staff thought this would be a good issue for the Board to use today. Commissioner Gordan said that if the Board accepts the framework an the fact sheet, then the last paragraph on the sheet would be the answer to the question. Phillip Boyle said that the statement of the problem should reflect the values involved. There are two sets of choices. The first is deciding which value should be the driver. Secondly, given the values that are not chosen, if they are represented, what should be done with them. Chair Carey said that the decision is how much of each value can be captured in the solution, and how this is articulated to the community. He said that it is not an either/or, but a combination. Phillip Boyle agreed and said that the first question is deciding which value is driving. Chair Carey said that he would aim for equality because he thinks that the County should serve people in Orange County regardless of where they live. Phillip Boyle said that the strategic question becomes how much you want of this value and haw much you are willing to give up on some of the other values to get this. After further discussion, the County Commissioners moved more toward "community" as the driving value. Phillip Boyle said that the Board must provide a policy direction for staff with the driving values. This will give staff more than just asking them to write a policy. Laura Blackmon said that one of the things she will be doing today is taking back to staff the vision of the community, and what the Board thinks drives and restrains the vision. She has discussed the public values and choices with staff and the need to identify the values of the Board, and to give the Board recommendations that reflect these values. Next Steps: - Feedback -reflections, observations, and implications far the board Laura Blackmon said that she would like the Board to spend time developing a mission, vision, and core values. From that step, she wants to move to looking at issues, needs, challenges, choices, themes, categories, goal statements, etc., and trying to connect same of the services with the care functions. She wants to pull the County Commissioners back in to define the core functions, and use monetary and people resources to address these care functions. She said that the end of this process would be the beginning of the budget process, moving it up earlier next year in order to be able to budget for these functions for the following fiscal year. Chair Carey said that it may be passible that the County is implementing programs that the County Commissioners are not aware of and they need to depend on staff leadership to ask the Board if a particular program is needed. Commissioner Faushee said that it is critical far the current Board to articulate a mission and vision for the County. She said that, regardless of the composition of the Board in 2008, there has to be a foundation on which to start governing. She said that the Manager is saying that the staff relies on the Board to set the vision, and this is required for staff to be able to provide what is needed to make the decisions that the public expects the Board to make. Commissioner Jacobs said that he sees this a little differently. He said that Wane of the lists include efficiency. Phillip Boyle said that there is a balance of doing the many goad things with limited resources, and tossing out the "bad" things. Commissioner Jacobs said that he wants to see all of the things that are being done in the County so that they can be put into context. He thinks that the County Commissioners are trying to be all things to all people to the greatest extent possible. He thinks that it would be very interesting to have everything listed and see if there was anything that would be thrown out. He thinks that it is very important to make an affirmative commitment on where the County Commissioners are before more members are added. Commissioner Gordan said that she thinks the Board needs to decide on the process of how to go forward. She said that the County Commissioners did not have any input into the agenda for the retreat today, and she would like to for the next meeting. She wants to talk about content as well as process. She said we need to arrange the schedule so that all five County Commissioners can attend the next retreat. She suggested considering next steps in the process when there is a full Board attending. The Board agreed to address the schedule and next steps at an upcoming work session. Adjourn The retreat was adjourned at 4:48 pm. Moses Carey, Jr., Chair Donna S. Baker, CMC Clerk to the Board