Minutes 04-08-2010 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Frank Clifton said that he wants to talk to the Board tonight about outside agency funding and some proposed changes. There was a handout for this, which showed the relationships that Orange County has with the various outside agencies. Assistant County Manager Gwen Harvey said that this is an evolving process that is different from the prior two fiscal years. She said that this time they are looking at a broader view of these agencies and the departments. The prior two fiscal years were incorporated into the agenda abstract to reflect the incremental changes under the previous Manager, Laura Blackmon. This fiscal year there is a broader view of the outside agencies as they relate to the partnership with the existing County operating departments. Gwen Harvey said that the Human Services Advisory Committee (HSAC) has been tasked to review outside agencies in the past. Gwen Harvey noted there have been many resignations from HSAC so that of the 21 member board, only two are active members. One of the recommendations of the Manager is to consider, instead of having the HSAC do the review, to use the mandated boards and commissions to look at these outside agencies. This process began to evolve in January. The outside agency applications were due in February. She pointed out page 3 of the agenda abstract and the process. The process unfolding for FY 2010-11 includes the following characteristics: 1) HSAC members have reviewed and provided advisory feedback to the Assistant County Manager and Financial Services on only a small subset of community-based organizations, such as the Orange-Durham County Chapter of the American Red Cross. 2) County operating departments in conjunction with their BOCC-appointed community advisors have reviewed and provided their advisory feedback to the Assistant County Manager and Financial Services on those outside agencies within their normal realm of involvement or affiliation. This has included the Animal Services Department/Animal Services Advisory Board; Department of Social Services/Social Services Board; Department on Aging/Aging Advisory Board; Health Department/Board of Health; Environment and Resource Conservation Department Recreation and Parks/Recreation and Parks Advisory Council; Orange-Person- Chatham (OPC) Local Management Entity/OPC Board. 3) The County Manager will assess all professional staff and volunteer board findings and incorporate proposals and conclusions, and specific funding allocations, within the recommended budget to be presented to the BOCC in May. 4) Additionally, in the interest of increased public accountability and operational transparency, the County Attorney's Office has worked with County Management and Financial Services to review and recommend revisions in the annual performance agreement template for outside agencies, and periodic performance and financial reporting, to be made effective in the upcoming fiscal year. Attachment A provides sample copies. 5) Fifty-six agencies have applied for FY 2010-11 funding. Attachment B provides agency requested and approved appropriations for FY 2009-10 and 2010-11. 6) A survey of processes employed by neighboring jurisdictions has been conducted. Those results are summarized for background information in Attachment C. She said that part of preparing for this particular stage was her meeting with representatives of the informal leadership of what is called the Third Sector Alliance, which is bringing together all of the non-profits who are residents and would serve Orange County, to begin talking about how they can work more effectively together and how they can be a stronger, clearer voice about what is happening in the social sphere of Orange County. This