HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda 04-16-24; 6-b - Establishment, Charge, and Composition for the 2024 Bond Education Committee 1
ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: April 16, 2024
Action Agenda
Item No. 6-b
SUBJECT: Establishment, Charge, and Composition for the 2024 Bond Education
Committee
DEPARTMENT: Board of Commissioners
ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT:
1. Draft Committee Charge Clerk's Office, 919-245-2130
2. Draft Committee Composition
PURPOSE: To consider establishing a Bond Education Committee that will develop and assist
in disseminating information to voters concerning the proposed November 5, 2024 bond
referendum, and to discuss and determine the Committee's charge and composition.
BACKGROUND: The Board of County Commissioners appointed Bond Education Committees
to help develop and disseminate factual information about community needs leading to the bond
referenda in November 1988, November 1992, November 1997, November 2001, and November
2016.
The 2024 Bond Education Committee is proposed to be comprised of Orange County residents,
Board of Education members or staff from Orange County Schools and Chapel Hill-Carrboro City
Schools, and members of the Board of Commissioners who will communicate to voters about the
school capital needs that have led to the proposed November 5, 2024 bond referendum. A draft
charge (Attachment 1) and a suggested composition (Attachment 2) for the Bond Education
Committee based on past County bond referendum efforts are attached. Both are starting points
for Board discussion and decisions.
Public funds may be spent to present factual information to voters about the proposed bond, the
projects expected to be financed by the bond, and the circumstances and needs that have given
rise to the bond referendum. Public funds may not be spent on campaigns either to promote or
defeat passage of any bond order before the voters. Budget Amendment#8 included on the April
16, 2024 Board of Commissioners' Business meeting agenda proposes allocating $50,000 to
support the Committee's activities and information materials.
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:
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• 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:
1) approve establishing a Bond Education Committee;
2) approve the Committee's charge and composition;
3) direct staff to advertise and accept potential appointment applications for the Committee;
and
4) bring the applications for appointment back for consideration at the Board's June 4, 2024
Business meeting.
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DRAFT
ATTACHMENT 1
PROPOSED 2024 BOND EDUCATION COMMITTEE CHARGE
• Become familiar with the purpose of the bond order
• Become familiar with the projects expected to be addressed with bond funds
• Understand the community needs that led the Board of Commissioners to adopt
the bond order
• Assist in developing appropriate informational materials that will address the
bond order
• Assist in designing and implementing a campaign to distribute relevant factual
information about the bonds to Orange County residents in the most effective
and efficient manner possible, using multiple media and information outlets
• Assist in designing and implementing a process for information meetings with
civic groups, non-profit agencies, neighborhood associations, and other
interested parties in the community
• Ensure that equal access to information is provided to all individuals and groups,
regardless of their position for or against any bond order
• Encourage all eligible voters to participate in the November 5" election
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DRAFT
ATTACHMENT 2
PROPOSED 2024 BOND EDUCATION COMMITTEE COMPOSITION
POSITION SPECIAL REPRESENTATION APPOINTEE/DESIGNEE
1 Orange County Resident - CHCCS District
2 Orange County Resident - CHCCS District
3 Orange County Resident - CHCCS District
4 Orange County Resident - OCS District
5 Orange County Resident - OCS District
6 Orange County Resident - OCS District
7 CHCCS Board of Education Member or
Staff
8 CHCCS Board of Education Member or
Staff
9 OCS Board of Education Member or Staff
10 OCS Board of Education Member or Staff
11 Orange County BOCC Member
(Committee Co-Chair)
12 Orange County BOCC Member
(Committee Co-Chair)
Staff support to be provided by the Community Relations Department, led by Todd
McGee, Director