Orange County NC Website
11 12 <br /> (d) Work Sessions, Committee Meetings or other Informal <br /> Meetings. The chair or a majority of the board members may <br /> schedule work sessions, committee meetings or other informal <br /> meetings of the board or of a majority of its members at such times <br /> and concerning such subjects as may be established by the board. <br /> The times and subject matter may be established by resolution or <br /> order of the board. A schedule of any such meetings that are held <br /> on a regular basis shall be filed in the same place and manner as <br /> the schedule of business meetings. <br /> Work sessions and other informal official meetings not held <br /> regularly are subject to the same notice requirements as special <br /> board meetings. Work sessions include regular work sessions, <br /> budget work sessions, joint meetings with other governmental <br /> entities,and other meetings not scheduled as"business meetings." <br /> All work sessions are open to the public and the public may attend <br /> and observe work sessions. Public comment generally is not <br /> accepted at work sessions for several reasons: (1) Work sessions <br /> are intended to be informal meetings to allow discussion between <br /> and among board members; (2) For the most part,items presented <br /> at work sessions for board discussion, are items in the early stages <br /> of development, items for which county staff need direction from <br /> the Board of Commissioners, or items needing further discussion <br /> before formal presentation for decision; (3)Final and binding votes <br /> on work session agenda items are not conducted at work sessions, <br /> unless the board members vote to suspend the rules prior to voting <br /> on a work session agenda item; and (4) Except as noted above all <br /> work session agenda items are brought forward for final and <br /> binding votes at board business meetings at which public <br /> comment is sought and encouraged. <br /> (e) Sunshine List. Any individual person and any newspaper, <br /> wire service, radio station, and television station may file with <br /> the Clerk to the Board of Commissioners a written request for <br /> notice of all special meetings of the board. These are meetings not <br /> listed on the "Calendar of Meetings." Orange County maintains <br /> an online list service in which anyone may add their email ad- <br /> dress to receive meeting notices at no charge. <br /> Comment:The Open Meetings Law requires that any"official <br /> meeting" at which a majority of the board deliberates on <br /> public business must be open to the public and notice must <br />