Agenda - 03-22-2012-11a - Laserfiche WebLink

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Attachment 2 Proposal from Commissioner Barry Jacobs The County Attorney and county Economic Development Director asked me, as chair of the board at the Piedmont Food and Agricultural Processing Center, to share with the Orange County Board of Commissioners a proposal to fill our three seats on the board of directors for the prospective nonprofit that will operate PFAP. This proposal comes after consultation with both Matthew Roybal, director of the facility, and Steve Brantley, the county's ED director. The matter also was discussed at some length on February 27 at a PFAP board meeting. In our conversation we agreed to recommend appointing two clients as referred by Mr. Roybal, and that 1 continue to serve as Orange Count~s third representative so I may see through a project to which I have devoted years of time, thought, and energy on behalf of residents of our county and region. Four basic principles were articulated at the PFAP meeting regarding appointments to the board of the 501 (c) (3) intended to take over the facility prior to the end of the current county fiscal year. • First, each of the four member jurisdictions should make its own determination as to the method and criteria for selecting its representatives. As a point of information, Durham advertised for volunteers, got no response, and is reconsidering its methodology. Alamance reappointed its serving members, including Commissioner Eddie Boswell. Chatham, which has not had a commissioner representative since the 2010 election, left it to the county cooperative extension director to produce nominees. • Second, it is preferable to have representatives who are clients of the facility. The current farmer members from both Durham and Orange, neither of whom uses PFAP, were asked whether they would like to continue to serve. Both declined, stating a preference they be replaced by those more familiar with the operations and limitations of the processing center. • Third, some continuity of inembership was desirable in order to preserve institutional memory and to promote a smooth transition from government control to nonprofit status. Durham Commissioner Pam Karriker, who is not standing for election this fall, will consider staying on the board to meet the need for continuity. • Fourth, it was preferable to reserve seats on the nonprofit board for public members who are not county staffers. Staff from all four counties have been diligent in attendance, and can continue to contribute a great deal to the discussion with sitting on the board. Based on these guidelines, I then consulted Mr. Roybal and Mr. Brantley about the method of appointment Orange County should employ. We agreed that, while opening selection to all applicants is ideal and in keeping with normal county practice, this is an unusual circumstance. Once PFAP becomes a stand-alone 501(c)3 non-profit corporation, board members will be chosen by the PFAP board in accordance with the corporation's bylaws. Given the time-sensitive nature of the conversion to nonprofit status, the uncertain fiscal prospects for the facility, the desirability of appointing users, and the need to ensure continuity, it is recommended that Orange County appoint two clients suggested by Mr. Roybal, as listed in this abstract, and the continuation of my service as a county commissioner conversant with BOCC concerns as well as the evolution of the Piedmont Food and Agricultural Processing Center. 19