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1 <br /> 1 DRAFT <br /> 2 MINUTES <br /> 3 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> 4 CHAPEL HILL TOWN COUNCIL <br /> 5 JOINT MEETING <br /> 6 March 29, 2012 <br /> 7 <br /> 8 The Orange County Board of Commissioners met with the Town of Chapel Hill for a Joint <br /> 9 Meeting on Thursday, March 29, 2012 at the Southern Human Services Center in Chapel Hill. <br /> 10 N.C. <br /> 11 <br /> 12 COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Bernadette Pelissier and Commissioners <br /> 13 Valerie Foushee, Alice M. Gordon, Pam Hemminger, Barry Jacobs, Earl McKee, and Steve <br /> 14 Yuhasz <br /> 15 COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: <br /> 16 COUNTY ATTORNEYS PRESENT: John Roberts <br /> 17 COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager Frank Clifton, Clerk to the Board Donna Baker <br /> 18 (All other staff members will be identified appropriately below) <br /> 19 CHAPEL HILL TOWN COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt, Ed <br /> 20 Harrison, Jim Ward, Penny Rich, Lauren Easthom, Lee Storrow, Gene Pease, Matt Czajkowski <br /> 21 CHAPEL HILLTOWN COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: Donna Bell <br /> 22 CHAPEL HILL STAFF PRESENT: Town Manager Roger Stancil <br /> 23 <br /> 24 <br /> 25 1. Economic Development Updates <br /> 26 a) Orange County-Steve Brantley <br /> 27 Economic Development Director Steve Brantley summarized the information in the <br /> 28 agenda abstract. <br /> 29 <br /> 30 While Orange County and the Town of Chapel Hill each operate their own economic <br /> 31 development programs, the two entities have developed a collaborative working relationship <br /> 32 that is mutually beneficial, which is intended to benefit the residents of the community as a <br /> 33 whole. Although each of the programs has developed a focus unique to its goals and <br /> 34 objectives, there are also common opportunities to collaborate. Several of these opportunities <br /> 35 include: <br /> 36 <br /> 37 ♦ Search for incubator space — The Town and the County have been working <br /> 38 on the development of incubator sites to facilitate innovation growth, both from <br /> 39 the University and local entrepreneurs. Over the past year, Town and County <br /> 40 economic development staff have met regularly to assess various potential site <br /> 41 locations, and talked with potential investors and incubator space operators. <br /> 42 Also, the County's Economic Development Department recently sponsored a <br /> 43 study conducted in 2011 by UNC's Department of City and Regional Planning to <br /> 44 evaluate the real estate needs of University entrepreneurs. The final report <br /> 45 included recommendations for development of innovation space in a variety of <br /> 46 campus and non-campus locations within Orange County, with specific site <br /> 47 suggestions recommended within the Town of Chapel Hill. One of the primary <br /> 48 goals of the County's study with UNC was to determine how to reverse the trend <br /> 49 where many hi-tech startup firms that originate out of the University eventually <br />