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49 <br /> 1 session night so they can review the item before being asked to make a decision. <br /> 2 Chair Price said she noticed that the changes to membership take out a lot of the <br /> 3 community aspect to the council. She said it becomes more of a representation by staff and <br /> 4 governmental officials. <br /> 5 Commissioner Richards said there were thirty-one positions, but students could not <br /> 6 come because it was at 3 pm. She said half the people would not come. She said even <br /> 7 though it looks like the community was represented on paper that it was difficult to have the full <br /> 8 representative body there. She said they tried changing the meeting times but then that created <br /> 9 overtime for staff. She said that she was previously the NAACP representative on the council <br /> 10 but there were challenges bringing those people together. She said there was an honest effort, <br /> 11 but the structure made it hard to get the representation. <br /> 12 Chair Price says it seems like the Commission for the Environment would be the <br /> 13 community input because they are appointed by the board. She said they are at the point to <br /> 14 decide to move forward with the proposal or not. <br /> 15 Commissioner Bedford said she thought they could proceed on parallel tracks for with <br /> 16 their sustainability coordinator and the Commission for the Environment focusing on the climate <br /> 17 plan. She said that all council members will have the opportunity to participate in the MOU. She <br /> 18 said the attorneys have seen a draft. She said if they do not move forward will they lose <br /> 19 opportunities to share information. <br /> 20 Commissioner Greene said what about having a staff working group. <br /> 21 Commissioner Bedford said the staff have gotten to know each other and that has been <br /> 22 a real positive. She said that could be left to the County Manager to decide since that is not <br /> 23 policy. <br /> 24 Commissioner Greene said they could recommend that there be a staff working group. <br /> 25 Bonnie Hammersley said they already are working together. She said part of the <br /> 26 advantage of the intergovernmental sustainability group is that there needs to be collaboration <br /> 27 with the towns as they put their plan together. She said that while there is not one plan, that <br /> 28 they do have many pieces to a climate action plan in other documents. She said that it is just <br /> 29 not combined. She said that there was an understanding that out of the Climate Council would <br /> 30 come our climate action plan. She said that never happened and she does not know why. She <br /> 31 said there were gaps between sustainability coordinators. She said that during the pandemic, <br /> 32 they saw the true value of the Intergovernmental Parks Work Group in working together. She <br /> 33 said that when the Climate Council was established, there was a question from the <br /> 34 Commission for the Environment as to their purpose. She said some people went over to the <br /> 35 Climate Council so that created redundancy. She said the Commission for the Environment has <br /> 36 a desire to be a leader on the climate action plan and they have been for so long. <br /> 37 Chair Price said members of the Commission for the Environment have the expertise for <br /> 38 the project work that is needed. <br /> 39 Commissioner McKee said it might be the best route to have staff move forward and to <br /> 40 disband this group and start over. <br /> 41 Chair Price said she thinks that is what the recommendation is. <br /> 42 Commissioner McKee said he wants to make sure that is what he is hearing. <br /> 43 Chair Price said that the council has not been functioning the way they were expected <br /> 44 or intended. She said that out of this, the different jurisdictions can continue to work together. <br /> 45 She said that Orange County will work on the climate action plan then Commission for the <br /> 46 Environment will assist. <br /> 47 Commissioner Bedford asked if they are suspending the Climate Council. <br /> 48 Chair Price said yes. <br /> 49 Commissioner Bedford said that is what is recommended. <br /> 50 Commissioner Richards said that for an intergovernmental agreement, the other <br /> 51 governments must be involved to adopt an MOU. She said this would not be solely Orange <br />