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Home My WebLink AboutAgenda - 01-21-2016 - 6-g - Orange Unified Transportation Board (OUTBoard) Policies and Procedures 1 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: January 21, 2016 Agenda Item No. 6-g SUBJECT: Orange Unified Transportation Board (OUTBoard) Policies and Procedures DEPARTMENT: Planning and Inspections PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No & County Clerk's Office ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: 1. Proposed Revision to OUTBoard Policies and Abigaile Pittman, 245-2567 Procedures Thom Freeman, 245-2125 2. Resolution Adopting Amended OUTBoard Donna Baker, 245-2130 Policies and Procedures PURPOSE: To consider the attached resolution amending OUTBoard Policies and Procedures to add a seventh (7th) at-large position to encourage membership with expertise or interest in Public Health. BACKGROUND: At the December 15' 2015 BOCC meeting, Commissioner Bernadette Pelissier made a petition to the Board to add another at-large position to the OUTBoard with expertise or specific interest in Public Health. In response to the Commissioner Pelissier's request, Planning Department staff has prepared a proposed amendment to Section I I I.B. of the Board's Policies and Procedures (Attachment 1) that would add an additional at-large position to encourage membership with expertise or interest in Public Health. Adoption of this modification will increase the number of at-large members from six (6) to seven (7), and the total number of members from thirteen (13) to fourteen (14). Additionally, the required quorum for a meeting of the OUTBoard would be increased from seven (7) to eight (8) members. Public health representation on the OUTBoard could be a benefit to the Board in the following ways: 1. Address improving the built environment for safe and accessible physical activity and transportation, which is a key component of addressing obesity and its related health effects. 2. Address transportation concerns, which are frequently cited by clients of the Health Department is accessing its services, as well as services around the county. 3. Further the Board's capacity to examine transportation planning and funding decisions with a public health perspective. 4. Provide regular opportunities for continuous communication between public health, planning and transportation, to enhance decision making, data sharing, and to conduct mutually reinforcing activities. However, other considerations include: 2 1.The OUTBoard has historically had difficulty entirely filling its membership composition. For this reason, revisions to the Policies and Procedures made in 2012 revised the prior requirement for several of the at-large positions to be from County boards related to a specific expertise/area of interest (e.g., environmental, planning, economic development). This revision, reflected in the current version of the Policies and Procedures, more liberally requires at-large members to have expertise and specific interests in the articulated areas without specific representation on other County boards. 2.The Rules and Procedures were again revised in March 2015 to add Public Health as one of the seven (7) areas of expertise or specific interest for the existing six (6) at-large positions. This revision was intended to enhance opportunities to complete membership composition by providing that the six (6) at-large members may have expertise or specific interest in as many of the following seven areas as possible: • Bicycle transportation • Pedestrian access and safety • Public transit • Environmental issues • Economic development • Planning • Public health The current proposed revision would add a seventh (7th) at-large position, and specific representation of the areas of interest would be encouraged but not required. FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact associated with consideration of the resolution approving the proposed amendment to the OUTBoard Policies and Procedures. SOCIAL JUSTICE IMPACT: The following Orange County Social Justice Goals are associated with this item: GOAL: CREATE ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY The creation and preservation of infrastructure, policies, programs and funding necessary for residents to provide shelter, food, clothing and medical care for themselves and their dependents. GOAL: CREATE A SAFE COMMUNITY The reduction of risks from vehicle/traffic accidents, childhood and senior injuries, gang activity, substance abuse and domestic violence. The addition of an OUTBoard at-large position with expertise or specific interests in public health results in positive outcomes related to the above goals. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends the Board approve the attached resolution to the OUTBoard specific Policies and Procedures (Attachment 2). 3 01/21/2016 Attachment 1 Orange Unified Transportation (OUT) BOARD POLICIES AND PROCEDURES Amendment Note: Proposed additions/changes to existing text are depicted in red and underscored. SECTION III: MEMBERSHIP A. Authority 1. North Carolina General Statute 153A-76 grants boards of county commissioners the authority to establish advisory boards and to appoint members to and remove members from those advisory boards. In acting on this authority the Orange County Board of Commissioners hereby establishes certain general conditions to which applicants and members of advisory boards should conform. B. Composition 1. The OUT Board is composed of thirteen (13) fourteen (14) voting members. 2. The OUT Board does not have alternate members. 3. Members shall represent demographic, geographic, cultural and professional characteristics, as follows: a. Seven members, one from each township: b. Six (6) Seven (7) at-large members, with expertise or specific interests in as many of the following areas as possible: • Bicycle transportation • Pedestrian access and safety • Public Transit • Environmental issues • Economic Development • Planning • Public Health RES-2016-004 4 Attachment 2 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS RESOLUTION ADOPTING AMENDED ORANGE UNIFIED TRANSPORTATION BOARD (OUTBOARD) POLICIES AND PROCEDURES WHEREAS, on November 8, 2012 the Orange County Board of County Commissioners approved a specific Policies and Procedures document for the OUTBoard, with the intent to give guidance in the performance of its duties, establishing its membership, charge and goals; and WHEREAS, the OUTBoard Policies and Procedures were amended on March 3, 2015 to add Public Health as one of seven (7) areas of expertise or specific interest for the six (6) at-large positions; and WHEREAS, the current proposed amendments to the OUTBoard Policies and Procedures document would add a seventh (7th) at-large position, bringing the total number of voting members to fourteen (14), and that at-large members have expertise or specific interests in as many of the following areas as possible: • Bicycle transportation • Economic development • Pedestrian access and safety • Planning • Public transit • Public health • Environmental issues WHEREAS, North Carolina General Statute 153A-76 grants to boards of county commissioners the broad authority to organize county government, including the authority to "create, change, abolish, and consolidate offices, positions, departments, boards, commissions, and agencies of the county government, may impose ex officio the duties of more than one office on a single officer, may change the composition and manner of selection of boards, commissions, and agencies, and may generally organize and reorganize the county government....", NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners, pursuant to North Carolina General Statute 153A-22, adopts the amendment to Section III.B. of the Orange Unified Transportation Board (OUTBoard) Policies and Procedures; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, in determining whether there is a conflict between or among a governing ordinance and the terms of the amended Orange Unified Transportation Board (OUTBoard) Policies and Procedures document, staff may consult with the County attorney, who shall take into consideration the intent of the Board of County Commissioners, in assisting staff to resolve the conflict. 5 Attachment 2 Adopted this 21st day of January, 2016. Attest: Earl McKee, Chair Orange County Board of County Commissioners Clerk to the Board of County Commissioners