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Regarding the Operating Budget, she respects the need, desire, and responsibility of County <br /> Commissioners to add new projects and to set the goals and strategic plan, but there is never <br /> any money to do anything other than the bare minimum. She wants to do some housecleaning <br /> and figure out some of the things that are not important that the County has been doing for <br /> years. Another issue is that the staff is wearing out. She is asking departments to look at some <br /> suggestions on reallocating money. She feels like the County is stagnant right now. <br /> She suggested presenting the budget earlier, mid- to late-May, and having the Board adopt the <br /> budget in early June. <br /> Commissioner Nelson agreed with doing housecleaning. He suggested structuring part of the <br /> retreat where the Board talks about projects that do not need to be done anymore. Orange <br /> County Schools is doing an efficiency study and he suggested that Orange County do one as <br /> well. <br /> Commissioner Foushee said that she mentioned an efficiency study at the Schools' <br /> Collaboration meeting and that the CHCCS do the same thing. <br /> Chair Jacobs agreed and said that he would like to understand why Orange County has the <br /> highest tax rate in the State. He thinks that he understands what drives it, but he wants to invite <br /> someone to look at it and confirm that the County Commissioners know what they are doing, or <br /> if they are missing something. <br /> Laura Blackmon said that she would like to look at, not only what the County will be doing next <br /> year, but also what it will do in future years, because most things are difficult to implement in <br /> one year and there is an evolution. <br /> Commissioner Nelson asked at what point the Board actually adopts the CIP. Laura Blackmon <br /> said that the Board should recognize that when it adopts a CIP, it is a plan, so each year it will <br /> be readopted and adjusted. She would like it to be done before the end of this calendar year. <br /> The question is whether to do it now or when three more County Commissioners come on <br /> board. It is still a fluid document. <br /> Commissioner Gordon made reference to the operating budget on page 2 (salmon-colored <br /> sheet) and said that the document should designate what are staff responsibilities and what are <br /> County Commissioner responsibilities. <br /> Laura Blackmon said that this will be a process of a couple of meetings and not just one retreat. <br /> Her suggestion had been to do something after the election and before the new Board is seated <br /> to do something preliminary. Her concern is that it is not too late in the process so that there is <br /> so much scrambling. She said that the school superintendents have seen this already and the <br /> preliminary budget outlook and have had some input. <br /> Chair Jacobs suggested that the Personnel issue be deferred since it was 10:00 p.m. Laura <br /> Blackmon said that the Board will need to do something with this because the Board budgeted <br /> money. The Board will need to approve an option the first meeting in October. <br /> Human Resources Director Michael McGinnis distributed the Pay and Benefits Update <br /> PowerPoint. <br /> c. Preliminary FY 2009-10 General Fund Budget Outlook <br /> d. Manager's Tentative Plan for Development of Future Departmental Operating <br /> Budgets <br />