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30 <br /> look back a year from now. Also, "retreat" sounds like they are moving backwards. They <br /> should call these from now on, the County Advance, because they are moving forward. <br /> • Bonnie Hammersley said she had been keeping notes throughout the day. The next step is <br /> for her to meet with Department Directors that have oversight of these areas, and going over <br /> some of the tasks that were identified. They can share what they see as the next steps in <br /> going to the next level. They will share that with the Board as a follow-up to this meeting. <br /> Last year they came back with the goals from the retreat and asked the Board to adopt <br /> them. She said she saw their follow-up from this year's "advance" as more of an information <br /> item as to what they are doing based on what the Board talked about today. <br /> • Commissioner Jacobs said that at next year's "gathering" he would like to spend time <br /> hearing and talking about the County's communication with the two school boards. Five of <br /> the Commissioners are not present for the School Collaboration Work Group meetings, and <br /> we all know communication with the schools is a sore point. It needs work. We talk about it <br /> every year in the spring, but it would be nice to get ahead of it. We might invite either the full <br /> boards or their officers to attend, and devote a portion of the retreat to talking about what's <br /> missing in this process that can make it work better for everybody, especially at a time of <br /> constrained resources. And to do it in a way that is not antagonistic; that's the most painful <br /> part of it. We all have the same goals. Other than that, he thought they did fine as a group <br /> today. They should credit Commissioner McKee and Commissioner Price for being on the <br /> planning committee. [Others noted that Commissioner Jacobs also was on the planning <br /> committee]. He said the retreat was genial and productive. <br /> • Commissioner Marcoplos suggested a half-day meeting with the school boards within the <br /> next few months. <br /> • Commissioner Jacobs said that the new CHCCS Superintendent could introduce a new <br /> paradigm. <br /> • Chair Dorosin recalled that last year there was a social reception with the two boards; it was <br /> a good first step. <br /> • Commissioner Burroughs thanked all the staff who made the facilities comfortable and <br /> provided the food. All applauded in agreement. <br /> Chair Dorosin offered a closing comment. He said these are challenging times. He said <br /> that he had been struggling with all the changes that are happening. The initial instinct is to <br /> crawl up in a ball on the couch. But he has found that most important is being connected <br /> directly, in person, with people engaged in and committed to making their community better. <br /> And that is all of you — his peers. He appreciated not only the substance of why they were here <br /> today, but also communing together. He said he gave him great hope and optimism to be in this <br /> together with all of them. And he thanked them for that. <br /> The meeting adjourned at 3:40 p.m. <br /> Mark Dorosin, Chair <br /> Donna Baker, Clerk to the Board <br />