Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda 11-07-19 Item 6-c - Application Modifications for Volunteer Advisory Boards and Commissions 1 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: November 7, 2019 Action Agenda Item No. 6-c SUBJECT: Application Modifications for Volunteer Advisory Boards and Commissions DEPARTMENT: Board of Commissioners ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: 1. Excerpt from Draft October 3, 2019 David Hunt, 919-245-2126 BOCC Regular Work Session Minutes 2. Modified Application 3. Current Application PURPOSE: To discuss modifications to the application for volunteer advisory boards and commissions, consider approving a new application format and consider to hold or cancel the November 14, 2019 regular work session. BACKGROUND: At the October 3, 2019 regular work session, the Board expressed an interest in making advisory boards and commissions more inclusive and improving diversity, and it was noted that the lengthy application may be negatively impacting public response. The Board discussed reducing the size and complexity of the application to two pages. Proposed changes to streamline the current application are listed below: 1. Remove "Additional Questions" for Selected Boards • ABC Board • Durham Technical Community College Board of Trustees • Orange County Board of Adjustment • Orange County Equalization and Review Board • Orange County Planning Board • OWASA Board 2. Remove Township question (can be verified by staff by address) 3. Remove domicile in Orange County question (can be verified by address) 4. Remove "Place of employment" and "Job title" 5. Remove "Are you at least 18 years of age" 6. Remove references to fax numbers (old technology no longer used by applicants) 7. Remove categories of phones with a space for one phone number. 8. Remove "Ethics Guidelines" from application 9. Add "Age Range" 10.Add "How would your participation on this board contribute to the diversity of viewpoints?" An excerpt from the draft October 3rd minutes is included as Attachment 1 for reference. 2 If and/or when the Board approves the new application, the following next steps will need to be implemented to switch to the new application and process. (The actions below will likely take several weeks to accomplish.) • Information Technologies (IT) will need to format the layout of the online application. • IT will need to modify the current database fields for the additional questions. • IT will need to modify the coding for the report package presented to the BOCC for appointments. • The Clerk's Office will need to contact the applicants on the boards up for appointment to get a response for the additional questions (approximately 2 — 10 applicants per board). Additional BOCC decision: • Does the Board wish to move forward with the November 14 regular work session as a trial run of the new appointment discussion process, using the current application (and not the new one)? The Board may want to consider reviewing the current pending appointments at the November 14 regular work session, based on the original application responses. It should be noted that: • The Board's next regular work session will be on February 11, 2020. • February 2020 will mean some boards will wait for appointments for 6 to 9 months. • Several pending appointments are based on town recommendations. • Some appointments are re-appointments with no other applicants under consideration. • If the BOCC wishes to see the responses to the new questions for specific boards, those appointments could be postponed by the Board until the February work session. A future discussion topic for the Board regarding appointments is: • In 2020 there are regular work sessions in February, March and April, then a 5-month gap to September. Do additional work sessions need to be added? Does the BOCC want to discuss appointments in budget work sessions? FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact associated with this item. SOCIAL JUSTICE IMPACT: The following Orange County Social Justice Goal is applicable to this item: • GOAL: ENABLE FULL CIVIC PARTICIPATION Ensure that Orange County residents are able to engage government through voting and volunteering by eliminating disparities in participation and barriers to participation. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT: There is no Orange County Environmental Responsibility Goal impact associated with this item. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board consider approving the proposed changes to the volunteer application for advisory boards and commissions and provide direction on holding or cancelling the November 14, 2019 work session. 3 Attachment 1 Excerpt from BOCC Draft Work Session Minutes from 10/3/19 The Board met to discuss: 1) reserving County Advisory Board and Commission seats to ensure racial and ethnic representation; and 2) the addition of an "Age" item on Advisory Boards and Commissions Volunteer Application Forms. Commissioner Dorosin said there might be legal issues for saving seats. John Roberts said that looks like a quota, but it is legal to target recruitment efforts to increase membership based on race; to have diversity on the boards. If the goal is to set aside one or two seats, I would not recommend this. But a goal of targeting recruitment efforts towards achieving diversity works. Commissioner Dorosin said what we can do in recruitment is to have a statement that says we want to have a diverse population, and ask a question such as how will your participation on this board affect this ethnicity or diversity of the county. This gets buy-in for being on the board. It's one of our social justice values and establishes expectations. They can tell us how their addition will help us to achieve diverse representation on the boards. Chair Rich said that the application form is 8 pages long. You're turning people off by completing a long application. There is also a problem with putting this type of information in the database. David Hunt said that some of it is disclaimers for certain boards, and instructs what they have to agree to serve on the board. We ask a lot of questions, and they're not consistent among all boards. Commissioner Dorosin said we should set up a subcommittee to review the entire process. Yes, it's important to apply, but we don't need to have experts. I would volunteer to be on a subcommittee. Most of our boards are full. I don't think there a problem. David Hunt said part of the hypothesis is that, the more complex the form, people may be discouraged to complete an application, and don't want to participate. Commissioner Price said the reason I raised this issue is not with filling out the application. The issue is increasing diversity, and we have been poor at doing this. The boards have asked to wait to get a certain type of person. For the planning board, we had an opportunity to add diversity, but the board was primarily white. The people who have applied aren't able to get on a board when they want to, because they might not be seen as having the right qualifications. Commissioner Rich said I don't believe this is true anymore. I remember trying to get a person of color on the board. Commissioner Price said I've dealt with that, but it hasn't worked. Chair Rich said in general, I believe our boards are trying. We get a certain group of people that are abused by serving on too many boards. We need to attract more people. Commissioner Price said I'm talking about what we do. We continue to put the same people on the board. We're failing on being intentional. Chair Rich said I don't think we're picking people because of being friends on the board. Chair Rich asked if we create subcommittee, would it be a long process? Commissioner Dorosin said that a 8 page form is discouraging people from applying. It's daunting. We need to be conscious of adding more requirements. We either need to jettison some of it, or do something else. My belief is to jettison it. If you're interested, you should be able to apply. Have some question to address diversity to the board. We need to have some questions, but many of the recommendations come from the boards. I think there needs to be training or outreach to attract them. Ask them why wasn't there diversity in your recommendations? We're not doing targeted outreach. There are more components than what our board decides. We want to be supportive of the boards. If they've vetted them, we lean on that. This is our goal; our value. How do we get a more diverse applicant pool? Often we don't get diverse pools. All we may know is their race, but it 4 may not be the only factor we're considering for diversity. I value the Advisory Board's recommendations. Engagement should be at that level. Then, when should we appoint? Should we do it at a work session to really review and discuss the candidates? Chair Rich said we don't want to have one or two times to appoint at the end of the year. We've done this. Maybe we should bring this to a work session. Commissioner Dorosin said that would give us an opportunity to review the diversity, and ask the chair of the Advisory Board what type of recruitment did you do. Commissioner Price said I'd like to know why they're not able to attract? Chair Rich said the subcommittee will be Mark Dorosin and Renee, who will meet with David and Donna. Be sure to take into consideration ways to get age. We get a lot of accolades about having an 18 year old on the Housing Advisory Board. Commissioner Dorosin said we need to ask the question about what you would bring to the board. How will you help us achieve the diversity goal? Commissioner Marcoplos said, when I see the applications, I think of the young people and all I want to know is how they can serve. What's the problem with putting age? Commissioner Bedford said it can be discriminatory. If it were up to me, I don't think we should ask age or race or ethnicity. There's a big social problem of trust; diversity is important. Commissioner Marcoplos asked, can we make them optional? Commissioner Bedford said yes, but you don't know their qualifications. Commissioner Dorosin said if all you're looking at is a young person, I'd rather want to see the person who wants to bring the perspective of the young person; we need to reduce the metric. Having a simple question raises the issue. Commissioner Marcoplos said, I want to make it easy and have the information there. Commissioner Dorosin said we need to address this with the Advisory Board with their recruitment. Where are you getting your prospective people to get involved? Chair Rich — how do we reach out to the current boards? Bonnie Hammersley said staff support for each board leads the recruitment. The staff support would talk directly to the boards. I could attend these meetings, and talk about recruitment. Staff support calls Thom about open seats. Chair Rich said the outreach to staff can be there. The subcommittee should revise the application and ask Commissioner Dorosin's question. Let's consider changing the applications review to a work session. Let's keep the application to 2 pages. There possibly could be a link to another website about the qualifications, time expectations, etc. It needs to be less threatening. Thom Freeman-Stuart said I have suggested in the past to try to encourage you all to tell me of groups that meet in community centers, so I could make a presentation to try to attract people. I'm willing to do that. I can promote them, but I don't know who to contact... Commissioner Price said I will give you information about two upcoming meetings. The NAACP meets on Saturday, and I will handle this. Commissioner Dorosin said all of us should consider doing this. We should take some responsibility. We all have access to different groups. It's a recruitment issue. Commissioner Bedford said that perhaps we can advertise at the radio summit. Have the presenter speak about the Advisory Boards that are similar to your interest. Chair Rich asked about discussion at a work session. Do you want to do this? Commissioner Dorosin said I think this topic needs more discussion, but I'm not sure the best way to do it. Commissioner Price said I think we should just try it and see what works. Commissioner Marcoplos said at the last meeting we spent a lot of time on a lot of applicants. I never really understood the thought process. How do we balance ethnicity with competing applicants? I think we should have discussion, and have a time to let each of us state our approach. Commissioner Dorosin said I think it's good to spread them out over the meetings. Thom Freeman-Stuart said at the next meeting, there are 8 advisory board coming up for the 10/15 meeting. Should we move these to the November work session? 5 Greg Wilder said that the Board can push the appointments to the November work session, but that moves the appointments to December. Perhaps more appointments could be grouped together at that time. Commissioner Bedford —we need to be mindful of how quickly these vacancies need to be filled. Attachment 2 6 VOULUNTEER APPLICATION ORANGE COUNTY ADVISORY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS This application is a public document If you are an Orange County resident, at least 18 years old, and willing to volunteer your time and expertise to your community, you may apply to serve on an advisory board by completing this form online or download it and mail it to the address below: Orange County Board of Commissioners P.O. Box 8181 Hillsborough, NC 27278 Phone (919) 245-2125 Email: tfreeman(aDorangecountync.gov If an applicant is not selected, their application will remain on file in the Clerk to the Boards'office for two years, and will be considered by the Board of County Commissioners when reviewing and making appointments. Name: Home Address: City: Zip Code: Phone: Email: Year you became an Orange County resident: Are you serving or have you ever served on any Orange County Advisory Board? —Yes —No If"Yes" please list which one(s): Please list your current community activities/organizational memberships: I owe no outstanding Orange County taxes (real/personal) at the time of application. _Yes _ No We ask your help in assuring diversity of membership by answering the following questions: Gender identity: Age Range: _18-34 _35-59 _60+ Ethnic background: _ Black/African American _White _Latinx/Hispanic —Indian/Native American _Asian American Other 7 PLEASE LIST THE BOARDS/COMMISSIONS ON WHICH YOU WOULD BE WILLING TO SERVE Please indicate your preferences by prioritizing your selection of boards (first choice being "A")and choose no more than three A. B. C. For each of the boards listed above, please answer the following questions: 1. Please explain how your background,education and experience is relevant to this board. 2. Please explain your reasons for wanting to serve on this board. 3. How would your participation on this board contribute to the diversity of viewpoints? 4. Do you have any personal or business interest(s)that could create a conflict of interest (either real or perceived) if you are appointed to this board? Yes _No If yes, then please explain: How did you become aware of Orange County volunteer opportunities? —Radio _Newspaper _County Web Page _TV _Current Volunteer Other VOLUNTEER APPLICATION 8 ORANGE COUNTY ADVISORY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS This application is a public document If you are an Orange County resident, at least 18 years old, and willing to volunteer your time and expertise to your community, you may complete this application online or download it and mail/fax it to the address/fax number below: Orange County Board of Commissioners'Office P.O. Box 8181 Hillsborough, NC 27278 Phone(919) 245-2125 Fax: (919) 640-1953• Email: tfreemanna orangecountvnc.gov If an applicant is not selected, their application will remain on file in the Clerk to the Board's office for two (2)years, and will be considered by the Commissioners when reviewing and making appointments. Items in bold are required fields. NAME: HOME ADDRESS: CITY: Zip Code: PHONE: (Day) (Evening/late) (Cell) EMAIL: PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT: JOB TITLE: YEAR BECAME ORANGE COUNTY RESIDENT: IN ORDER TO ASSURE COUNTYWIDE REPRESENTATION PLEASE INDICATE YOUR TOWNSHIP OF RESIDENCE: Bingham Cheeks Hillsborough Eno Chapel Hill Little River Cedar Grove WE ASK YOUR HELP IN ASSURING DIVERSITY OF MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, GENDER AND RACE, BY ANSWERING THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS: Male Female ETHNIC BACKGROUND: African American white Hispanic Native American Asian American Other ARE YOU AT LEAST 18 YEARS OF ❑ YES ❑ NO AGE? PLEASE LIST YOUR CURRENT COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES/ORGANIZATIONAL MEMBERSHIPS: 1 9 I. PLEASE LIST THE BOARDS/COMMISSIONS ON WHICH YOU WOULD BE WILLING TO SERVE Please indicate your preferences by prioritizing your selection of boards (first choice being "1") and choose no more than three A. 1. Please explain how your background,education and experience is relevant to this board. 2. Please explain your reasons for wanting to serve on this board. 3. Do you have any personal or business interest(s)that could create a conflict of interest (either real or perceived) if you are appointed to this board? _Yes _No If yes, then please explain: B. 1. Please explain how your background,education and experience is relevant to this board. 2. Please explain your reasons for wanting to serve on this board. 3. Do you have any personal or business interest(s)that could create a conflict of interest (either real or perceived) if you are appointed to this board? _Yes _No If yes, then please explain: C. 1. Please explain how your background,education and experience is relevant to this board. 2. Please explain your reasons for wanting to serve on this board. 3. Do you have any personal or business interest(s)that could create a conflict of interest (either real or perceived) if you are appointed to this board? _Yes _ No If yes,then please explain: 10 II. ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FOR SELECTED BOARDS Applicants to the ABC Board, Durham Technical Community College Board of Trustees,Orange County Board of Adjustment,Orange County Equalization and Review Board, Orange County Planning Board and OWASA(Orange Water and Sewer Authority Board) should answer the questions for the relevant boards: A. ABC Board Applicants: 1. Please list/explain your experience, either professionally and/or from other boards/commissions that you have in the areas of budget, personnel, and management. 2. In addition to the experience listed in question 1 above, please list the work/volunteer experience/qualifications that would add to your expertise for this board. 3. What do you see as the responsibilities of this board, and what do you hope to accomplish if appointed? B. Durham Technical Community College Board of Trustees: 1. What improvements do you believe can be made so that DTCC better services the residents of Orange County? C. Orange County Board of Adjustment Applicants: 1. Please list the work/volunteer experience/qualifications that would add to your expertise for this board. 2. What unique perspective can you bring to the Orange County Board of Adjustment? 3. What do you see as the responsibilities of this board, and what do you hope to accomplish if appointed? 4. What do you consider to be the most important issues facing Orange County related to growth? 5. What role should the Board of Adjustment take in guiding and regulating growth? 6. How would you, as a member of the Orange County Board of Adjustment, contribute to the implementation of the Board of Commissioners'adopted Goals and Priorities—link below: (http://orangecountync.gov/occlerks/BOCCGoalsO9.pdf) D. Orange County Equalization and Review Board Applicants: 1. Please list/explain any experience(professional/volunteer)you may have in the area(s)of real estate, tax appraisal or real estate law. 2. In addition to the experience listed in question 1 above, please list the work/volunteer experience/qualifications that would add to your expertise for this board. 11 3. What do you see as the responsibilities of this board, and what do you hope to accomplish if appointed? 12 D. Orange County Planning Board Applicants: 1. Please list the work/volunteer experience/qualifications that would add to your expertise for this board. 2. What unique perspective can you bring to the Orange County Planning Board? 3. What do you see as the responsibilities of this board, and what do you hope to accomplish if appointed? 4. What do you consider to be the most important issues facing Orange County related to growth? 5. What role should the Planning Board take in guiding and regulating growth? 6. How would you, as a member of the Planning Board, contribute to the implementation of the Board of Commissioners'adopted Goals and Priorities- link below (http://www.orangecountync.gov/964/Duties-Goals-Priorities) E. OWASA Applicants 1. Please list/explain your experience, either professionally and/or from other boards/commissions that you have in the areas of budget, personnel, and management. 2. In addition to the experience listed in question 1 above, please list the work/volunteer experience/qualifications that would add to your expertise for this board. 3. What do you see as the responsibilities of this board, and what do you hope to accomplish if appointed? 4. What is OWASA's role in growth/development issues? 13 III. QUESTIONS FOR ALL APPLICANTS A. ARE YOU SERVING OR HAVE YOU EVER SERVED ON ANY ORANGE COUNTY ADVISORY BOARDS? IF "YES", PLEASE INDICATE WHICH ONE(S): B. Please check Yes or No: 1. 1 maintain a domicile in Orange County (Domicile is defined as one's permanent established home as distinguished from one's temporary although actual place of residence). Yes No 2. 1 owe no outstanding taxes (real/personal) at the time of application/appointment. Yes No C. How did you become aware of Orange County volunteer opportunities?(Please check all that apply): Newspaper County Web Page Current Orange County Volunteer Radio T.V. Other 14 ETHICS GUIDELINES FOR COUNTY ADVISORY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS I agree by my signature below that, if appointed, I pledge to complywith the following ethics guidelines for advisory boards and commissions as adopted by the Orange County Board of Commissioners. A. Conflict of Interest 1. During advisory board meetings, a member shall immediately disclose any potential conflict of interest and request to be excused from voting when he or she has a conflict of interest. 2. During appeal proceedings, the applicant has the right to question the interest of any voting member. The advisory board chair should consult with the County Attorney or staff attorney on any potential conflict of interest in appeal matters. 3. In determining from existing facts and circumstances whether a conflict of interest exists the determining party shall consider the facts and circumstances as would an ordinary and reasonable person exercising prudence, discretion, intelligence, and due care. B. Gifts 1. An advisory board member shall not directly or indirectly ask, accept, demand, exact, solicit, seek, assign, receive, or agree to receive any gift or honorarium for the advisory board member, or for another person, in return for being influenced in the discharge of the advisory board member's official responsibilities. 2. This section shall not apply to gifts or awards authorized by Orange County Policies, Resolutions, or Ordinances. C. Code of Ethics 1. Advisory board members should act with integrity and with independence from improper influence as they exercise the functions of their offices. Characteristics and behaviors that are consistent with this standard are: a. Adhering firmly to a code of sound values. b. Behaving consistently and with respect towards everyone with whom they interact. c. Exhibiting trustworthiness. d. Living as if they are on duty as appointed officials regardless of where they are or what they are doing. e. Using their best independent judgment to pursue the common good as they see it, presenting their opinions to all in a reasonable, forthright, consistent manner. f. Remaining incorruptible, self-governing, and not subject to improper influence, while at the same time being able to consider the opinions and ideas of others. g. Disclosing contacts and information about issues that they receive outside of public meetings, and refraining from seeking or receiving information about quasi-judicial matters outside of the quasi-judicial proceedings themselves. h. Treating other advisory boards and advisory board members and the public with respect, and honoring the opinions of others even when they disagree. i. Being careful not to reach conclusions on issues until all sides have been heard. j. Showing respect for their appointed office and not behaving in ways that reflect badly on the office, the advisory board, Orange County, or the Orange County Board of Commissioners. 15 k. Recognizing that they are part of a larger group and acting accordingly. I. Recognizing that individual board members are not generally allowed to act on behalf of the board, but may only do so if the board specifically so authorizes, and that the board must take official action as a body. m. Being faithful in the performance of the duties of their offices. n. Acting as especially responsible residents whom others can trust and respect. o. Faithfully attending and preparing for meetings. p. Carefully analyzing all credible information that is properly submitted to them, and when applicable, being mindful of the need not to engage in communications outside the meeting in quasi-judicial matters. q. Being willing to bear their fair share of the board's workload. r. To the extent appropriate, they should be willing to put the board's interests ahead of their own. 2. Members of the Planning Board, Board of Adjustment, Economic Development Commission, and Board of Equalization and Review shall upon initial appointment, and prior to December 31 annually thereafter, disclose: a. Any interest he or she or his or her spouse or domestic partner has in real property situated in whole or in part in Orange County and the general description of that property. b. Any legal, equitable, beneficial or contractual interest he or she or his or her spouse or domestic partner has in any business, firm or corporation, which is currently doing business with Orange County pursuant to contracts awarded by Orange County, or which is attempting, or has attempted in the past calendar year, to secure the award of a bid from Orange County or the approval of any Board or Agency of Orange County. c. Failure to file a disclosure statement setting out the above required information shall result in immediate removal of the member from the applicable board. DO NOT SUBMIT RESUMES OR ATTACHMENTS. SIGNATURE AND DATE By checking this box I ;- certify that this serves as an electronic version of my signature, for the sole purposes of this form: Date Signature Date