HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 05-05-2005-1ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: May 5, 2005
Action Agenda
Item No. „Z
SUBJECT: Orange County Staff Report on the Structure of Boards of County
Commissioners
DEPARTMENT: County Attorney, County
Commissioners & County
Manager
PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No
ATTACHMENT(S):
Orange County Staff Report an the
Structure of Boards of County
Commissioners (under separate cover)
INFORMATION CONTACT:
Geof Gledhill, County Attorney, 732-2196
Greg Wilder, ext, 2300
David Hunt, ext 2130
John Link, ext 2300
TELEPHONE NUMBERS:
Hillsborough 732-8181
Chapel Hill 968-4501
Durham 688-7331
Mebane 336-227-2031
PURPOSE: To provide the Board of Commissioners with a staff report on the stn~cture of
boards of county commissioners,
BACKGROUND: At the Board's January 24, 2005 regular meeting, representatives of a group
of Orange County residents addressed the Board and submitted a 1200-signature petition to
the Board regarding the method by which the five members of the Board of Commissioners are
elected in Orange County. The representatives requested that the Board review the current
method of election for the members of the Board, which entails all five members of the Board
being nominated and elected to staggered four-year terms on a countywide/at-large basis. The
representatives specifically requested, as stated in the petition, that the Board "alter the method
and manner by which Orange County Commissioners are elected to afford equal and fair
representation to the residents of the county by adopting NCGS 153-58(3)b, permitting the
voters of Orange County to choose commissioners by electoral districts with each district being
as nearly equal in population as practicable." The petition continued, "Further, that the qualified
voters of each district nominate candidates and elect members who reside in the district far
seats apportioned to that district and that some of the commissioners, but not more than half of
the board, be allocated to the county as a whole, to be nominated and voted upon by the
qualified voters of the entire county." Neither those making the request nor the petition
submitted included any explanatory information ar detailed any specific proposal regarding the
format or implementation of the requested district representation for the Board.
Upon hearing the request, the Board of Commissioners asked that Orange County Manager
John Link and County staff review the issue and the petition submitted and provide a report to
the Board, The attached document serves as that report to the Board.
The report includes information an the following:
1) the legal framework for structure of boards of county commissioners;
2) the various methods of at-large election, district election, and combination of at-
large/district election utilized for boards of commissioners in the 99 other North Carolina
counties;
3) a history of past discussions by the Orange County Board of Commissioners in regard
Board representation and election;
4) some limited boundaries and statistics information showing the population distribution as
it may relate to the consideration/ formulation of district representation for Orange
County;
The report is not intended to be an investigation of the benefits, costs, opportunities, hurdles, or
timelines that may be associated with the consideration and possible implementation of district
representation for the Board of Commissioners. It is intended to provide an initial framework of
information upon which the Board of Commissioners can deliberate and determine as
appropriate any further steps in evaluating this issue and responding to the request and petition
submitted.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact associated with the receipt of the report
RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board receive the report,
provide comments and questions, and provide any further direction to staff,