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APPROVED 1 11 612 0 0 2 <br />MINUTES <br />ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />WORK SESSION <br />OCTOBER 22, 2001 <br />The Orange County Board of Commissioners met for a work session at 7:30 p.m. on October <br />22, 2001 at the Government Services Center in Hillsborough, North Carolina. <br />COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Stephen H. Halkiotis and Commissioners <br />Margaret W. Brawn, Moses Carey, Jr., Alice M. Gordon and Barry Jacobs <br />COUNTY ATTORNEY PRESENT: Geoffrey Gledhill <br />COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager John M. Link, Jr., Assistant County Manager <br />Rod Visser and Clerk to the Board Beverly A. Blythe (All other staff members will be identified <br />appropriately below} <br />NOTE: ALL DOCUMENTS REFERRED TO IN THESE MINUTES ARE IN THE PERMANENT <br />AGENDA FILE IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE. <br />1. Organization Assessment - Phase I Communications Review Report <br />John Link asked Kevin Fitzgerald to make this presentation. <br />Kevin Fitzgerald said that this is phase I of the report. The second phase is to provide a <br />recommendation on technology. For this phase I report, the County Commissioners requested that he <br />include in his study a review of other studies which have been done by TJCOG, OWASA and the <br />Town of Chapel Hill regarding Communications and that we look at a study that was recently <br />completed by the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners. He said that he is not sure <br />about what study the County Commissioners wanted him to review. The NCACC is not doing <br />anything dealing with a strategic review related to communications. He also talked with Dee Freeman <br />at the TJCOG and he was not sure which study the County Commissioners wanted him to review. <br />Commissioner Jacobs said that it was a management study at OWASA done in 1996 or 1997 <br />and at the TJCOG it was the classification and pay study. Kevin Fitzgerald said that he has looked at <br />the County's strategic communications plan. He made reference to the written report, which <br />summarized his interviews and his recommendation. His basic purpose was to gain understanding <br />and to recommend specific steps to improve the communications function and to compare Orange <br />County practices with those of peer counties and cities. He selected a total of nine governments - 6 <br />counties and 3 cities for comparison. He listed the counties and cities. In addition he interviewed <br />selected county representatives and a number of county staff. He reviewed the website and looked at <br />the printed materials. He used slides to show his findings. He said that when he talked with people <br />he told them that their comments would be confidential. <br />Kevin Fitzgerald then summarized the results of his interviews. There appears to be <br />consensus about the need for a communications function. However, there is really not clarity about <br />what that communication function needs to be. What is clear is that the communication should be <br />proactive, well coordinated, and should improve County interaction with citizens. It should present a <br />clear message about the services provided by the County and help educate the citizens about issues <br />of significance. The meetings on television are important but there was not a consensus that they <br />should be live. Also, the agenda is used as a goad educational tool and used for networking at the <br />state and national level. He read from his report, which is incorporated herein by reference. He said <br />that there is concern that the current communication workload is a part-time responsibility for both <br />assigned staff, and that it is not adequately coordinated. There is an uncertainty who is responsible <br />far what. For the departments interviewed, public relations and education effort are important. There <br />is frustration about how to proceed. There is additional concern about meeting the heavy workload <br />expectations. There is a need for clarity around the rules or chain of responsibility for maintaining and <br />developing content for the website. There is an interest to be sure the information is current an the <br />