Orange County NC Website
Tony Blake: We are billed as township representatives. Are we township representatives or not? And since we aren’t 163 <br />making the decision I do not understand why we can’t discuss it. 164 <br /> 165 <br />Pete Hallenbeck: We have the ability to provide our input to the BOCC. 166 <br /> 167 <br />Lydia Wegman: I think we have the ability to provide our input and recommendation to the BOCC and that would be 168 <br />the point when representation of your township would be very relevant. 169 <br /> 170 <br />Tony Blake: But how can we get a feel for what the township we represent is feeling if we can’t discuss it? 171 <br /> 172 <br />Lydia Wegman: Wouldn’t we hear it at the quarterly public hearing? 173 <br /> 174 <br />Michael Harvey: Or the neighborhood meeting. 175 <br /> 176 <br />Perdita Holtz: We are still discussing with the attorney how much Planning Board members can participate at the 177 <br />neighborhood meeting. 178 <br /> 179 <br />Pete Hallenbeck: That’s something we need guidance with. 180 <br /> 181 <br />Tony Blake: I am just trying to understand when and what I can say. And I would like to know a little bit more why. 182 <br /> 183 <br />Pete Hallenbeck: As a result of this conversation we need clarification from the attorney regarding ex parte 184 <br />communication. 185 <br /> 186 <br />Tony Blake: I would agree. 187 <br /> 188 <br />Pete Hallenbeck: What happens when a Planning Board member has specific skills that would make them the 189 <br />equivalent of an expert witness and has questions or comments about the evidence provided? 190 <br /> 191 <br />Perdita Holtz: I will bring that up to the county attorney. My feeling with that is that would need to be brought up at the 192 <br />quasi-judicial meeting. 193 <br /> 194 <br />Lydia Wegman: Or at least to ask questions? 195 <br /> 196 <br />Perdita Holtz: You are definitely able to ask questions. 197 <br /> 198 <br />Paul Guthrie: On a number of occasions and presentations to this body, provided evidence of a proposal was weak 199 <br />and incomplete, and with raising questions with the context the applicant basically blows off an answer and you feel 200 <br />as a member here do you really want to go down the road and cross examine them on where their information is 201 <br />from. Yet we are here to provide citizen representation and assistance based our experience. You may need to be 202 <br />careful how you frame that issue. 203 <br /> 204 <br />Perdita Holtz continued presentation. 205 <br /> 206 <br />Perdita Holtz: New language will be added to the Planning Board policies and procedures that would require the chair 207 <br />or vice chair to attend the quarterly public hearing and BOCC meetings where a decision is scheduled on items 208 <br />Planning Board made a recommendation on. 209 <br /> 210 <br />Paul Guthrie: Shouldn’t it be noted that the chair or vice chair be prepared to discuss with this Board what went on at 211 <br />that session? 212 <br /> 213 <br />Perdita Holtz: Hopefully you all will attend the public hearing. 214 <br /> 215 <br />8