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9 <br /> 1 is critical that the Board prioritize. He understood that there will be things that will be easy to <br /> 2 accomplish, but wants to avoid returning in a year to learn that the items with one dot were all <br /> 3 accomplished, but the items with five dots were still being agonized over. He said it would be <br /> 4 unsuccessful, to do the easiest things. He hopes the Board will push itself today to prioritize, <br /> 5 and follow through in the upcoming year. He wants to be able to say to people, "This is what we <br /> 6 did this year," and to point to specific things, whether it is affordable housing, a scholarship fund, <br /> 7 or something else. <br /> 8 Commissioner Dorosin said he does not think the Board is effectively integrating the staff <br /> 9 into the retreat. It may be that the idea of this retreat is that it is just for the policy makers to <br /> 10 talk, noting that staff goals and strategies were really helpful. He would like to hear candidly <br /> 11 what the department heads think about what the Board is doing. He would like to know from <br /> 12 staff if the Board is giving good, positive and helpful guidance, or if it is sending staff down rabbit <br /> 13 holes that are unproductive. Maybe that is not something for the retreat: the Board will hear <br /> 14 from department heads during the budget process, but that is kind of formal. He would be open <br /> 15 to hearing from anybody, and said staff can email him with feedback. He would love to hear it. <br /> 16 Commissioner Dorosin said Board members must be more candid with each other, if <br /> 17 there are hurt feelings or grudges. Obviously, a lot of folks were unsatisfied with the way the <br /> 18 bond discussion went, and there was never a conversation about that. He said he talked with <br /> 19 Chair McKee separately, which was good. He said the Board should be candid with each other, <br /> 20 in order to be able to work efficiently and effectively. All Board members are grown-ups, and <br /> 21 can do this. Politically, Board members are all much closer in vision and ideology than is <br /> 22 realized, but sometimes there are undertones; Board members need to be candid about it to <br /> 23 resolve issues. He thought that kind of conversation is something that can be built into the <br /> 24 retreat process, in the way that Commissioner Jacobs suggested, or it can be a separate <br /> 25 conversation. All cards need to be on the table. <br /> 26 Commissioner Price said the Board needs the opportunity to have a conversation and <br /> 27 get its own ideas out, but it might be good for part of the retreat to include hearing from staff, as <br /> 28 has occurred in other retreats. Otherwise it felt like a fishbowl, and she has no idea what is <br /> 29 going on in the minds of staff, what may be realistic, and how it fits with the staff work plans. <br /> 30 Commissioner Price said these goals have existed for a while. They are very good, but <br /> 31 consider goal #6 for example, is it really effective now ten years after it was created? They <br /> 32 honed in today on education, and to some degree on parks, but libraries and recreation and <br /> 33 animal welfare are just not fitting there anymore. Maybe as Orange County is evolving our <br /> 34 goals need to evolve. Maybe the goals should be shifted around to address other issues that <br /> 35 get overlooked. <br /> 36 <br /> 37 Adjourn <br /> 38 Chair McKee thanked the retreat committee, the Board, the staff and the facilitator for <br /> 39 their efforts today. The meeting was adjourned at 3:12 p.m. <br /> 40 <br /> 41 <br /> 42 Earl McKee, Chair <br /> 43 <br /> 44 <br /> 45 Donna Baker, <br /> 46 Clerk to the Board <br /> 47 <br />