Minutes 02-16-2010 - Laserfiche WebLink

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whole transition process. He said that with this 2010 society, the HRR department is needed now more than before. He said that a lot of the Manager's recommendations have already been implemented. He said that the Office of Human Rights and Relations has made a lot of positive strides in the area of social justice and he hopes that these things do not go to the wayside. Patricia Muhammed is a member of the CfW. She said that she has utilized many of the women groups in Orange County due to personal reasons. She understands the restructuring but she wants to be able to have her voice still heard. She feels that it is a conflict of interest to merge the HRR with the Housing and Community Development Department. Richard Perry said that he lives in Carrboro and he likes the notion about volunteer citizens helping to extend the work of paid staff and the Commissioners to be connections in the community and to provide networks for gathering information. It makes him concerned that a staff member would move into Housing and the Human Rights and Relations department might be overlooked. Marty Rosenblum is a member of the HRC. He said that none of the members had any notice that this was under discussion. These are unique and valuable resources and any changes should have broad debate. He said that the issues they discuss go beyond housing and to collapse them into this department would be a mistake. He said that this is an unusual and ironic way to celebrate Human Relations Month. He said that efficiency is important, but this might not move the issues about civil rights, human rights, and women's rights forward. He asked the Board to postpone any action on this recommendation until broad input has been solicited. Frank Clifton said that this is Orange County and there is no shortage of the public to bring forth issues to the Board of County Commissioners, regardless of the organizational structure. He said that some of the comments are correct in that staff did not solicit comment from the boards since these are commissions the Board of County Commissioners appoints and he wanted to bring this to the Board beforehand. He said that staff has spent a lot of time on this internally and they wanted to make sure that they retain some flexibility. Commissioner Nelson asked Frank Clifton to put this reorganization in context with other reorganizations. He said that the last County Manager pursued reorganizations before she left and Frank Clifton has continued to look at efficiencies. Frank Clifton said that one of the issues is that there are many boards and commissions that have overlapping responsibilities, without broader visions. He said that Orange County cannot continue to function as it has in the past unless citizens want to support it through higher taxes. He said that, in the end, the County Commissioners are responsible for County services. The input by the boards and commissions is important, but in the end, the County Commissioners are responsible for the outcome. Commissioner Pelissier said that there is concern about subsuming functions into another department and she said that the Manager's Memo states that this is an integration of functions. She said that they may need to change the name of the Housing and Community Development Department because the point is to integrate the two functions and not squash the function of the Human Rights and Relations department. Commissioner Yuhasz said that he appreciates the passion that volunteers brought forward, but he wanted to address the verbiage of volunteers using the words "our staff". He said that these are the County's staff and not the boards and commissions' staff. Commissioner Jacobs said that he appreciated what the Manager is trying to accomplish and he said that the changes in the by-laws are overdue. He thinks that the way this has come forward is unfortunate. He said that the Board of County Commissioners is