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Requests for Staff <br /> 1. Assess the potential for establishing Economic Development Zones in rural areas where <br /> commercial business would be feasible by assessing environmental impact, land cost, etc. <br /> 2. Staff should assess the fiscal and technical realities regarding feasibility of a County Fair (i.e. <br /> cost, staff capacity, scale of an event, where they have succeeded and failed and why, impact <br /> of similar competing events in Orange County towns, etc.) <br /> 3. Staff should identify 3-4 different kinds of County Fair events that could be a model that would <br /> be modified to suit the needs of Orange County, and then arrange Commissioner Site visits to <br /> each type of event so they better understand what is required to sponsor each type. <br /> Review BOCC Goal #2 and Priorities <br /> Goal1l#2: Promote Illnteiractliive & Franslparent Governance System <br /> IBirliief Oveirvliiew/IBiiistory: <br /> This goal is based on the Commissioners' belief that government should be accessible to all <br /> residents. <br /> Staff Update/Status <br /> Public Affairs/Communications Update provided by Carla Banks, Director of Public Affairs: <br /> Carla Banks has been hired as the Orange County Director of Public Affairs to bring a <br /> comprehensive approach to communications. She wants to get the community more familiar with <br /> Orange County through press releases, future implementation of a county newsletter and <br /> speaker's bureau. Because many people don't know what the Board of County Commissioners <br /> actually does, she hopes to initiate a citizen's academy. <br /> "Down/County/Unliiveirsliity Il ellla-flons Piresenta-flon (Carl Stenberg, Institute of Government) <br /> Highlights of his comments: <br /> 1. Three recent trends, "the New Normal" <br /> a. 1 sc Trend is fend for yourself localism- more budget cuts on the horizon. <br /> b. 2 d Shifting of responsibilities to local governments from state and federal governments <br /> c. 3 d More unfunded mandates <br /> 2. These trends are negative because revenues aren't growing; personnel cuts will be <br /> implemented again resulting in reduced scope of services that can be offered. <br /> 3. The positive is that these trends will motivate more collaboration between entities because we <br /> are not alone in this recession —we're working across boundaries because collaboration is <br /> now imperative. Many local governments are service sharing instead of duplication; tax base <br /> sharing. While this is good on paper, it is not good in reality; payment in lieu of taxes. <br /> 4. Transparent governance — use technology to get information out to the public and to receive <br /> information from the public. <br /> 5. Two challenges: <br /> a. What do citizens want and expect from county government? <br /> b. Building successful diverse collaborations with neighbors: UNC-CH; schools, towns, <br /> non-profits and for profit organizations. <br /> 6. To improve Orange County's relationship with UNC-Chapel Hill, Carl Stenberg suggested that <br /> trust and communications are important. <br /> Mscussliion IBliighlllliiglhts <br /> 1. Commissioners need more two way dialogue with the community. <br />