HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 10-28-2008 - 7ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: October 28, 2008
Action Agenda
Item No.
SUBJECT: Proposed BOCC Retreat Process
DEPARTMENT: County Commissioners and
County Manager
PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No
ATTACHMENT(S):
Proposal to Orange County Board of
Commissioners from School of
Government
INFORMATION CONTACT:
Barry Jacobs, Chair
Mike Nelson, Commissioner
Laura Blackmon, (919) 245-2300
PURPOSE: To discuss the proposed BOCC retreat process and provide direction to staff on
next steps.
BACKGROUND: During the September 9, 2008 budget work session, Commissioners agreed
to hold a goal setting retreat prior to the upcoming FY 2009-10 budget planning process. Staff,
under the direction of Chair Jacobs, Commissioner Nelson and Commissioner Candidate Pam
Hemminger, has worked with facilitators Donna Warner and Lydian Altman from UNC School of
Government to develop the attached proposal for other Commissioners to review and comment.
The Clerk to the Board recently solicited input from Commissioners and Commissioner
Candidates regarding an early December date for the half-day meeting outlined on the attached
proposal. At this time, a date and time for that meeting have not been set.
Should Commissioners agree to the proposed process, staff would include an agenda item on
the November 6, 2008 regular agenda for approval of the process and contract with the School
of Government.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: Based on preliminary estimates, the anticipated cost of the first three
phases of the retreat will be about $10,000 including facilitation and facility rental.
RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends the Board of County Commissioners
discuss the proposed BOCC retreat process and provide direction to staff on next steps.
Proposal to Orange County Board of Commissioners
from School of Government, Donna Warner and Lydian Altman
October 23, 2008
Date, Time Objectives of the Day Who's Involved
NOVEMBER 1. Review the work plan, key dates, and Board of
14 timetable for completion of the series of Commissioner
Full Day retreats. s"' (sitting and
2. Clarify our role as consultants and others' elected)
8:30 coffee roles in the work. County
3. Establish discussion guidelines to be used as Manager
9:00 a.m. we work together. Clerk
start 4. Explore personal motivations for this work Attorney
and consider individual and group assets,
opportunities, differences, opportunities to
Lunch strengthen as a governing team.
5. Develop internal operating principles for
conducting business together as a board.
6. Develop a list of questions about
procedures (i.e., mechanics of getting our
work done) and a plan for discussion, Above plus
decisions, or changes. assistant
* managers,
Others join in 7. Begin to develop a shared vision for department
afternoon Orange County. Focus long term and big heads as
picture to set the stage for next work observers
4 pm adjourn (vision, mission)
with social 8. Develop a timeline of issues that will likely
impact Orange County in the next 20" years
or beyond
DECEMBER 1. Prioritize issues of greatest relevance for Board of
(early)~~ Orange County's future. Commissioners
Half Day 2. Establish which of these issues are relevant County
to the way the County plans and works. Manager
3. Determine how the County can impact the Clerk
issue, and what other groups might the Attorney
board need to work with in order to have Assistant
an impact. managers
Department
heads
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Proposal to Orange County Board of Commissioners
from School of Government, Donna Warner and Lydian Altman, October 18,
2008
Date, Time Objectives of the Day Who's Involved
JANUARY 10 1. Finalize goals and objectives~~. Board of
Full Day 2. Prioritize for the immediate (FY 2009-10) and Commissioners
8:30 coffee longer term (3-5 years ). County
3. Develop specific strategies~~~. This list can Manager
9 am start be further refined by staff as they put forth Clerk
budget proposals. Attorney
Lunch 4. Identify potential partners and others to Assistant
work on pieces of plan. managers
4 pm adjourn 5. Discuss and decide next steps for priorities Department
and planning process. heads
We will assign questions for reflection and advance work to prepare participants
for this discussion.
~~ We (subgroup) will need to decide timeframe. Considering key issues in next 20
years makes sense but developing goals and strategies for that long- may be too far out
there, I believe.
~~~ Primary decision-makers; others can help inform and offer input, or listen and
learn.
~~ Date and time to be determined.
All participants will be involved in this discussion. We can decide on-site
whether anyone other than Board can `vote' on priorities.
vi Using work from last year's retreat and the timeline of key issues, we will review,
reaffirm, finalize, and adopt goals. Recognizing that lots of work went into the large
number of strategies generated during last year, this should inform participants about
previous thinking; however, not all these items belong on a 'To Do' list or may make
sense given key issues. discussion, and changes in political make-up of board. The
number of final strategies needs to be a more manageable number.
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