HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 10-05-1999 - 8bORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Action Agenda
Item No.
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: October 5, 1999
SUBJECT: Reaffum the Board's Position on Term Limits for Appointees to Boards and Commissions
DEPARTMENT: County Commissioners PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/l)
BUDGET AMENDMENT: (Y/N)
ATTACHMENT(S):
INFORMATION CONTACT:
Letter from the Vice -Chair of the Board of Beverly A. Blythe
Health TELEPHONE NUMBERS: - - ext. 2130
Hillsborough 732 -8181
Chapel Hill 968 -4501
Durham 688 -7331
Mebane 227 -2031
PURPOSE: To reaffirm the Board's position on the number of terms members of boards and
commissions may serve.
BACKGROUND: The Board's long -time policy has been to appoint members to the various
boards and commissions for two three -year terms. The policy statement reads as follows:
For boards /commissions which are not state mandated the Board's policy is to limit
the length of service to two three -year terms on the various boards and commissions
on which citizens are appointed. This time period does not include required training
programs. This will allow for more individuals to serve and for diversity of
opinions. It will also provide for conformity in the length and number of terms for
those boards and commissions that are not state mandated with set terms. This
policy may be waived if the Board of Commissioners determines that the removal of
an individual made ineligible by this policy would be detrimental to the functioning
of that board or commission.
The Vice -Chair of the Board of Health, Brenda Crowder - Gaines, has written the Board of
County Commissioners Chair requesting that the guidelines for Board of Health
membership be altered from two terms to three terms of service. (see attached letter)
FINANCIAL IMPACT: NONE
RECOMMENDATON(S): Reaffirm the Board's position to appoint members to County boards
and commissions for two three -year terms.
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Alice Gordon, Chair
Board of County Commissioners
Or"c County
P.O. Box 8181
I illsborough, NC 27278
that Commissioner Gordon:
Health Director
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The Board of Health at their May and June meetings discussed at length the Commissioners
desire to limit Board terms to six years (two three -year terms). The Board respectfully requests
that the Board of Commissioners make an exception to this guideline for the Board of Health.
The following points represent the Board's rationale for the exception:
a Seven of the eleven members of the Board are professional designations. While
Orange County is fortunate in having all professions in the county, in the past it has
bccn difficult to recruit certain piofessivind 111Cu1bc1-s to sit on the Board. For
example, the optometrist and veterinarian were difficult to recruit as members. Both
Dr. Adler and Dr. Cammarata were first appointed to a partial term because the office
was unfilled due to recruitment difficulties.
o The wide range of issues that the Board deals with requires a lengthy orientation and
training period for members to feel comfortable making decisions. Mel Hurston and
Barry Adler, the two most recent members, reported that it took them a minimum of
one full year before they could offer substantive input.
o Revision of current rules like On -Site Wastewater Rules and Groundwater Protection
Rules require both a historical perspective and the ability to understand technical
aspects of the rules. The appeals process has not been used in the past three years
(9/96 was the last one). With six -year terms it is conceivable that a majority of Board
members will only experience one appeal. It is sometimes difficult for new board
members to understand the nature and parameters of an appeal until they actually
experience one. Even with attorney guidance, the appeals process is difficult for
experienced board members.
a Due to resignations and the inability to recruit replacements, there were four new
board members appointed in 1995 or 361% of the members. The Board reported that
1995 and 1996 were spent training these four new board nwrnbers.
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DOH Term Lener
o During Board elections this past year, several board members expressed a need to
servo uue more year before being considered fvr a leadership position as chair or
vice - chair. Most felt that a person needed to serve a minimum of one full three -year
term before being considered as chair or vice -chair
v Those individuals expressing the need to serve a full term before consideration would
rotate off the board six months Am fulfilling one year as chair and vice - chair,
leaving a leadership void on the board,
a if'the two term scenario were followed, nearly half the board would be replaced every
three years.
v State Statute allows for three terms. AD of the current members received a letter
stating that they were eligible for three terms (for a total of nine years). All current
board members have expressed a desire and commitment to serve the full three terms.
4 It should be rioted that the Board Chair monitom attendance closely and makes
individual contact with members that miss two meetings in consecutive months.
The Board of Health unanimously felt that limiting members to two terms would seriously
weaken the Board's effectiveness in carrying forward the work of the health department.
ror these reasons the Board of Health is requesting that the Commissioners alter their two -term
guideline for board service to three terms for this board.
Thank you for your consideration and i would be happy to answer any questions that you or
other Commissioners may have regarding this request.
Sincerely,
Brenda Crowder- Gaines, Vice- Chair
Board of Health
cc: Board of Health member
John Link
Beverly Blythe