Agenda - 09-05-2017 - 8-a - Minutes

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12 1 Chair Dorosin said he was surprised to learn that various departments were paying dues 2 to both Chambers. 3 Chair Dorosin asked Travis Myren if he had a rough estimate of the total of these dues. 4 Travis Myren said staff is putting together an itemized list, but the dues totaled about 5 $20-25,000 in 2016, with most of that coming from the Visitors Bureau. 6 Chair Dorosin said that is a lot of money, and this needs to be analyzed. He said he 7 would be willing to support some lesser amount than the proposed level, in recognition of the 8 historical collaboration. 9 Chair Dorosin said he is not comfortable with the County being a member of an 10 advocacy organization. He said he appreciates the services provided by the Chambers, but the 11 County can always contract for those services if need be. He said an analysis is needed. 12 Commissioner Rich said she started working on this a couple of months ago, and at that 13 time she thought they had the correct information, but they did not. She said she had no idea 14 last week that other departments were paying dues, besides the Department of Economic 15 Development. She said she has a problem going back to the $8,500, but she is supportive of 16 maintaining a good relationship, and could compromise on a lesser amount. 17 Commissioner Rich said she cannot support Commissioner Price's motion. 18 Commissioner McKee said this is not the only advocacy organization that the Board 19 supports with County dollars, and said another example is the Rogers Eubanks Neighborhood 20 Association (RENA). He said the Chambers will advocate for or against County positions, 21 according to the interest of its membership. He said Commissioner Price's motion allows the 22 Board to look at the issue, and the conversation can continue as early as the first meeting in 23 September. 24 Commissioner Marcoplos said it should not be a long or complicated process to sort this 25 out, and asked if staff could have an answer in a month or two. 26 Bonnie Hammersley said staff will take care of the analysis over the summer, and bring 27 it back to the Board at its first meeting in September. 28 Commissioner Marcoplos asked if it is Commissioner Jacobs' intent to eventually get to 29 one payment. 30 Commissioner Jacobs said he has a substitute motion to make, and would propose one 31 payment. 32 Commissioner Jacobs said he agreed with Commissioner McKee to a degree, but the 33 Board cannot pay annual fees, and then revisit if it is paying annual fees at a September 34 meeting. 35 Commissioner Jacobs proposed a friendly substitute motion: 36 "The Board will reinstate its basic membership in both the Chapel Hill — Carrboro Chamber and 37 the Hillsborough — Orange County Chamber, and suspend all other payments from County 38 entities until the Manager is able to identify all the various County funders; and that going 39 forward, the County will locate all Chamber funding in the Manager's Office and that the Board 40 asks the Manager to report back at the first meeting in September." 41 42 Chair Dorosin asked John Roberts if he could clarify the motion process. 43 John Roberts said there is no such thing as a substitute motion, and if Commissioner 44 Jacobs' motion is not accepted as a friendly amendment, then it would have to be considered a 45 hostile amendment, and voted on in that order. 46 Commissioner Jacobs said his motion can be considered as an alternative motion. 47 48 Commissioner Marcoplos seconded Commissioner Jacobs' alternative motion. 49 50 Commissioner Jacobs re-read his motion: