Agenda - 12-04-2017 - 8-i - Board of Commissioners - Boards and Commissions Annual Selection Process

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2 EXCERPT FROM THE APPROVED BOCC MINUTES-NOVEMBER 9, 2017 1. Board of Commissioners -Annual Advisory Board Selection Process Discussion Chair Dorosin said this issue came up last February, due to an expressed desire to increase diversity and broader participation on boards. He said the policy was not changed, but the BOCC agreed to discuss it at a later time. Chair Dorosin said he proposes the alternative that no board slots are saved at all, and all seats are open. He said in the first round, one cannot pick a board on which one currently serves. He said in all subsequent rounds, the Commissioners could choose freely. He said this would allow Commissioners the opportunity to serve on all manner of Boards. Commissioner Rich said she and Commissioner Marcoplos are on the Chatham Orange Work Group, but it has never met. She asked if it was going to meet. Craig Benedict, Planning Director, said Orange County had been asked by Chatham to delay until September 2017, but staff has still not been given a date when this group will meet. Commissioner Rich asked if two new Commissioners will be assigned to this group, if the first meeting is not being scheduled until January 2018. Craig Benedict said all entities have made appointments, and it could be suggested to start in January. Donna Baker said the Boards and Commissions will be chosen in February, as there is no work session in January. Chair Dorosin said the choices could be made in January at the BOCC retreat. Commissioner Price suggested that Commissioner Marcoplos and Commissioner Rich stay on the Chatham Orange Work group since it has never met. Commissioner Rich said her point is that the BOCC waits too long to assign boards and commissions. Chair Dorosin said he would like to discuss the policy first. Commissioner McKee said some of these boards need continuity, and he is not married to any of the boards on which he serves. He said there is a learning curve on some of the Boards, but he is happy to change any of the boards on which he serves. He asked if there is a goal hoping to be achieved by changing the policy. Chair Dorosin said all of the Commissioners are responsible for everything that the County does, and there is an overreliance of people staying on boards too long. He said the best example is GoTriangle, and the rest of the Board is left under informed as it relies on the one member serving on a board. He said he trusts all the Commissioners, but thinks the Commissioners would be better served by gaining knowledge of many boards, by serving on many types of boards. Commissioner Marcoplos asked if there is a middle path between changing every year, and allowing a Commissioner to serve on one board for years on end. He said he would want Commissioner Jacobs to stay on GoTriangle at this time, but perhaps some other boards could be shuffled around via open dialogue. Chair Dorosin said he believed that his proposal is a middle path. He said not saving positions does not mean that all positions will be shuffled. Commissioner Jacobs said when he joined the BOCC, he was given the board positions of the Commissioner that he replaced on the BOCC. He said there was no choice, but over the years this process has become more open. Commissioner Jacobs said a limit could be placed on how long a Commissioner could be on any board. He said each Commissioner could have one pick, and if one is an officer that could be one's pick, or not. He said the rest can be negotiated, rather than a round robin, leading to a less formal process. He said there are some arguments about continuity, and when one is up to speed on a board, one becomes a more effective member. Commissioner Burroughs said she is inclined to keep a process, and she would go with the proposed one or a modified version.