Orange County NC Website
6 <br />Chair Carey feels that there is good performance and high morale <br />in County government. However, he feels that putting a committee <br />together like this could adversely affect morale and they don't want to <br />do that. He asked the Board to refine the charge so that it is <br />workable. The staff has already begun to implement a survey of the <br />citizens to get a perception of what the public thinks about the <br />performance of County government and delivering the services provided. <br />This survey could be used as a focus point for this year and then next <br />year do something else. <br />John Link made reference to item C and the results of a <br />correlative citizen survey which would include an opinion from <br />employees about their delivery of service. This survey could give a <br />broad basis of citizen opinion by which the citizen group could begin <br />making targeting analysis of certain areas. He feels they need to <br />identify those areas where there could be the greatest impact for <br />efficiency or productivity. The first step might be to take a look at <br />what the County departments have already done in innovation and <br />efficiency. He would hope that by December, this group could decide <br />their main focus and before then come back to the Board of County <br />Commissioners with a specific proposal for doing the survey. The <br />results would probably not be in by December. <br />Chair Carey said that he would like to have a more objective basis <br />for targeting the areas that the Board of County Commissioners want <br />this group to analyze. <br />Commissioner Willhoit feels there should be some way to select a <br />15 member board with persons who don't have specific interest or a <br />specific cause that they will want to push. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis feels that it will take at least the first <br />two meetings to initiate the members of this group to County <br />government. Orange County makes a big commitment to fund public <br />education and this group will need to know that. <br />Chair Carey suggested using the first month for educating this <br />group on County services. Then wait until the results of the survey <br />are in and then use that to target specific areas for analyzing. <br />Commissioner Willhoit said that it would be good for this group to <br />identify a particular area they want to address but have as the larger <br />objective to come up with this citizen survey instrument and then to do <br />some evaluation of the results and then to propose what areas would <br />benefit from a more in-depth study. <br />Chair Carey said he would be reluctant to just ask the group to <br />pick an area because they could spend a great deal of time trying to <br />decide which area to study further. He prefers that the area of study <br />either be picked by the County Commissioners or be the result of a more <br />objective survey and focus the attention of that group that way. He <br />agreed it will take at least two months for this group to learn about <br />County government. <br />The Board decided to rethink the charge and timing of this group <br />and bring it back to the Board of County Commissioners at a future <br />meeting. <br />Commissioner Willhoit make reference to a questionnaire for former <br />volunteers and said that these people have been involved and have more <br />knowledge of the workings of County government and might bring some new <br />perspectives. <br />