Orange County NC Website
II <br /> group that would have a charge and a stable representation that could look at the issues and <br /> develop a plan that could then be brought back to this group. Ms. Blackmon stated the proposal <br /> was for three task forces, and a membership for those task forces had also been proposed. She <br /> said the first task force handled joint planning issues, the second dealt with transportation issues, <br /> and the third dealt with water supply and watershed protection issues. <br /> Ms. Blackmon stated there had been two recommendations made by staff when the Orange <br /> County Commissioners held their discussion: to take the third task force on water supply and <br /> watershed protection issues and move the watershed issues into the planning issues; and,the idea <br /> that regionally they should move forward with looking at such things as water supply, allocation <br /> from Jordan Lake, a new intake facility, conservation issues, or, basically a strategic planning <br /> approach to make sure that not only was the water supply there and available but that they had a <br /> determined approach to conservation in the way the area was developing and the one million <br /> plus people expected in the Triangle region. <br /> Ms. Blackmon stated the County Commissioners had thought that perhaps the Joint Planning <br /> Task Force in conjunction with the watershed and transportation issues might be better <br /> approached through a Work Group. She said part of the charge of the Work Group would be to <br /> discuss and strategize on possible opportunities and structure for participating jurisdictions to <br /> jointly develop and pursue regional initiatives. Ms. Blackmon said there was some discussion on <br /> how large the Work Group should be, and the proposed representation was listed on the <br /> attachment. <br /> d) Discussion <br /> 8:37:43 PM Commissioner Jacobs stated the Durham-Chapel Hill-Orange Work Group met <br /> quarterly, and they had discussed whether meeting that seldom would be an effective way to <br /> ramp up land use planning and transportation planning. So, he said, there had been some <br /> discussion about having two elected officials from each jurisdiction on the Group, then have the <br /> Group break into two groups to allow the work to move at a faster pace than the group that just <br /> met quarterly. Commissioner Jacobs said spreading out the work load would make it more likely <br /> that they would accomplish their goals. <br /> Commissioner Gordon stated she was supportive of the work group approach, adding she also <br /> supported having two elected officials from each jurisdiction on that work group. She stated <br /> meetings could take place more frequently, and suggeted that they have targeted priorities and <br /> that the focus be broadened somewhat outside of Orange and Chatham Counties. She also <br /> suggested that the Triangle Transit Authority be included in the membership. <br /> Alderman Coleman asked had there been less salient issues already identified for each of those <br /> nine areas. Ms. Blackmon said no, that the discussions were broad based. Alderman Coleman <br /> asked had there been discussion of a work plan, and what issues that would contain. Ms. <br /> Blackmon stated the plan was to prioritize them, noting they could not move forward until that <br /> was done. Alderman Coleman said his concern was that this Committee was trying to do too <br /> much, and the result of that would be that the Committee's membership would not be effective. <br /> He stated it would be unlikely that the Committee would make progress on more than a few of <br /> 6 <br />