Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
8 I <br />INFORMATION ON STANDING COMMITTEES <br />AND STRUCTURE FROM OTHER NORTH CAROLINA COUNTIES <br />As part of the investigation and thought process relating to the establishment of <br />standing committees of the Orange County Board of Commissioners, it was determined <br />that contact with other North Carolina counties may be helpful to provide examples <br />and/or as a guide for Orange County. To this end, contact was made with thirteen (13) <br />North Carolina counties chosen by staff. Those counties were: Buncombe, Cabarrus, <br />Catawba, Craven, Cumberland, Durham, Forsyth, Iredell, New Hanover, Onslow, Pitt, <br />Rowan, and Wake. The point of contact was the clerks to the boards of county <br />commissioners of these counties, or, in a few cases, with members of the clerks' staff. <br />Discussions with these counties yielded only two examples of counties that <br />operate with standing committees (subcommittees) of the boards of county <br />commissioners. Those two counties were Catawba and Cumberland counties. The clerks <br />from the other counties noted that while their counties do appoint members to various <br />boards and do from time -to -time appoint task forces and issue- specific committees that <br />include members of the board of commissioners, their counties do not maintain standing <br />committees or subcommittees of the boards of commissioners. <br />The information from Catawba and Cumberland counties is as follows: <br />Catawba County <br />Three Subcommittees -- Finance & Personnel <br />Public Works <br />Policy & Goals <br />Each subcommittee consists of two commissioners that are appointed to the <br />respective subcommittees by the entire Board. Appointments to subcommittees <br />occur annually in December. The Board Chair serves as an ex- officio member of <br />each subcommittee and may or may not attend the meetings. Subcommittee <br />chairs are not elected or chosen. <br />Each subcommittee meets once a month, usually one week before the Board of <br />County Commissioners' regular meeting. Staff is available as appropriate and as <br />needed for consultation and assistance. <br />One of the three subcommittees reviews most, but not necessarily all, of the <br />matters that are to be discussed and decided by the entire Board of <br />Commissioners. Some minor items are simply addressed by the entire Board. It <br />