HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda for June 23, 2022 Board Retreat Orange County Board of Commissioners Retreat
June 23, 2022 from 9:00 am—4:00 pm
Agricultural Center,Highway 70,Hillsborough,NC
Advance Work: Questions for Reflection
1. What are the key issues facing our community?
2. What is the Board's/your interest in this particular issue?
3. What is the ability for Board/staff to influence the issue?
4. What other stakeholders have an interest in this issue? Can make (or block) decisions
about this issue?
Things to consider:
• Demographic changes • Infrastructure needs • Resource allocations
• Local, State, Federal • Key Partnerships • Environmental
policy changes . Organizational Implications
• Growth pressures Implications
GUIDELINES FOR PRODUCTIVE MEETINGS
The following ground rules have helped make meetings more productive:
1. Participate fully. It's alright to disagree. Everyone should have the opportunity to
state his or her own views, regardless of rank or other differences.
2. Work on the problem. Put other issues aside, including personalities, offices, or other
differences. Show respect for each other.
3. Focus on interests, not positions. Explain why you favor a particular course of action.
Invite questions so you can explain your reasons fully. Balance advocacy and inquiry.
4. Share all relevant information. Be specific. Agree on what important words mean.
Discuss "undiscussable" issues.
S. Stay focused. Discuss a topic long enough for everybody to be clear about it.
6. Decide how the group will make decisions. Strive for consensus.
Adapted from The Skilled Facilitator: Practical Wisdom for Developing Effective Groups by Roger Schwarz.
Orange County Board of Commissioners Retreat
Thursday,June 23,2022 from 9:00 am—4:00 pm
Agricultural Center,Highway 70,Hillsborough,NC
ANNOTATED AGENDA
Attendees:
• County Commission Members (7)
• County Manager(1),Deputy County Manager(1),Assistant to CM(1), Clerk to the Board(1)
• County Department Heads, if available to observe(28)
Advance Materials: Copy of current county goals and 2021 priorities; Background Report on Article 46
Retreat Objectives:
A. To strengthen relationships and begin building a high performing board by considering what elements
would help this board perform at their best.
• Develop a set of operating principles and behavioral changes that help guide how the council
wants to work together and with senior staff(see handout) [Deliverable]
B. To explore how"Article 46"proceeds could be reallocated
• Identify the process by which the decision for reallocation would be made. [Deliverable]
C. To review progress towards the county's goals, consider whether changes are needed, and hear about
best practices in strategic planning.
• Create list of reaffirmed and/or up-to-date goals. [Deliverable]
9:00-9:15 Welcome Board Chair Renee Price
Overview of the Day Lydian Altman, SOG Facilitator
Discussion Guidelines
1. What are we going to do today?What will help us have effective conversation?
9:15-9:45 Introductions & Getting Started 30 min
2. As you've settled into your role,what's one principle that's emerged to help you govern? To help
surface any underlying philosophies about governing or personal conduct:
9:45-10:35 What next for `Article 46' allocations 50 min
3. What changes can we make to the allocation of"Article 46"dollars from the county sales tax
revenues?When do decisions need to be made?What principles should guide us as we make
decisions about changes to the allocation formula?
a. History, orientation(10)
b. Share info (10)
c. Develop guidance for making the decision about changes (25)
d. Agree on Next Steps (5)
10:35-10:45 Break 10 min
10:45-12:15 Check in on Goals and Guidance 90 min
4. What are the groups' strategic priorities for the organization?
a. Brief review of development and use of goals. (10) Primarily Staff
a. What progress has been made?Review accomplishments (10) Staff&BOCC
b. Are there changes to suggest to goals?to priorities?To how goals are used? (30) BOCC
c. Strategic Planning: Purpose,best practices, questions to consider(20) Lydian Altman
d. How will these goals and strategies guide your actions for the next several years? (15)
e. What specific next steps have emerged from this discussion?(5)
12:15-1:00 Lunch (include Price video) 45 min
1:00-2:15 Moving Towards Board Excellence 75 min
5. How would we define a high performing board, and what steps can we take to become one?
a. Paired interviews to develop elements, (25)
b. Report out and find common themes. (20)
c. Seek agreement on what applies to OCBOCC. (15)
d. Determine top priority work focused on Board performance for 2022. (15)
2:15-2:30 Break
2:30-3:30 Moving Towards Board Excellence—continued 60 min
6. What might this governing board have to do differently to move towards these high performing
priorities?
a. In self-selected small groups,review handout [Changes in How We Do Business] and make
recommendations for changes in behavior.Prepare to report out. (30)
o Group A 1,2,3
o Group B 4, 5, 6
o Group C 7, 8, 9
b. Group clarifies recommended changes. Discusses. (20)
c. Seek group support for making changes(using R/Y/G) (10)
3:30-3:50 Next steps for board and staff 20 min
7. How will today's work be incorporated into your work going forward? e.g.,update of goals, creation
of a full strategic plan, changes to development ordinance, changes in meeting or work session
schedules, other processes
3:50-4:00 Evaluation 10 min
8. What worked well today, and what would we do differently next time?
4:00 Adjourn
Handout: Getting the Work Done
Behavior Suggested Change
1. Preparation for meetings
2. Time spent during the Example:
meetings Behavior: Meetings last too long.
Suggested Change: Consider limiting the number of
proclamations or moving them into consent agenda.
3. Communication between
meetings
4. Making and upholding
decisions
5. Stewardship of resources
6. Considering new or
different types of
information
7. Interpersonal relationships
8. Relationships with people
from other committees,
organizations,jurisdictions
9. Holding each other
accountable