Agenda - 10-09-2018 Item 2 - Permitting the Use of County Property and Facilities for Hog Day on November 3, 2018

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County staff notified the Town of Hillsborough of the conflict with early voting on September 27, and a meeting was held with representatives of the Town, County, and the event on October 1. Based on this meeting, the event organizers were asked to consider rescheduling the event or to develop a traffic plan that provides the most access and the least disruption for voters with the understanding that the Board of Commissioners may need to consider balancing the conflict between the event and early voting. The event organizers do not believe moving the event to a Saturday night and Sunday would be viable. They provided the following explanations for this position. • A large majority of volunteers have other obligations Saturday evening and Sunday. • The event will have less public participation due to conflicts with church services on Sunday. • Arts and craft vendors would be less likely to participate on a Sunday. • Nonprofit and business vendors promoting their services usually participate in events on Fridays and Saturdays, not on Sundays. • Fewer volunteers would be willing to volunteer on a Sunday. • Rental companies provide discounts or do not charge extra set up fees for items that are rented on Friday and returned on Saturday evening. • Local businesses in Hillsborough would lose the positive economic impact associated with a less successful event. • The event raises money that is donated back to local children’s charities and other nonprofit/ school programs and services throughout the County. Moving the event would result in a less successful event and, therefore, fewer donations. The organizers also explained that the event could not be rescheduled to another weekend and still remain within the calendar year due to other conflicts. As an alternative to rescheduling, the event organizers have offered an access management plan that would provide access to the Board of Elections building. A map of this plan is included as Attachment A. The plan would direct traffic to King Street through the use of signage and non-uniformed personnel at each intersection to access South Cameron Street and the Board of Elections Office. This plan also moves all event parking out of the Board of Elections Parking Lot and onto the grounds of Cameron Park Elementary to open the parking lot to voters. FINANCIAL IMPACT: Permit fees associated with the event are under $200. The County has not completed an economic impact statement on the sales tax generated by the event or other economic benefits to the hospitality industry in the County. SOCIAL JUSTICE IMPACT: The following Orange County Social Justice Goals are applicable to this item: • GOAL: ENABLE FULL CIVIC PARTICIPATION Ensure that Orange County residents are able to engage government through voting and volunteering by eliminating disparities in participation and barriers to participation. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends the Board consider and take action on a request to use River Park, the David Price Farmers Market Pavilion, and other County property for Hog Day 2018 on November 3, 2018 which is the last day of early voting in Orange County. 2