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11 <br /> Commissioner Richards said she forgot to mention during her remarks that today is <br /> National Voter Registration Day. She encouraged people to be informed and register. <br /> 5. Public Hearings <br /> None. <br /> 6. Regular Agenda <br /> a. Authorization to Release a Request for Proposals for Strategic Planning Services and <br /> Defining the Board's Role in the Selection Process <br /> The Board considered reviewing and authorizing the release of a Request for Proposals (RFP) <br /> for a consultant to facilitate a comprehensive, Countywide Strategic Plan, and to define the role <br /> the Board will serve in the consultant selection process. <br /> BACKGROUND: At the Board's retreat in June 2022, the Board asked staff to draft an RFP for <br /> a consultant to facilitate the development of a comprehensive, Countywide Strategic Plan. The <br /> retreat was facilitated by Lydian Altman who serves as an Assistant Professor at the University <br /> of North Carolina — Chapel Hill's School of Government. Professor Altman specializes in <br /> consulting with elected and appointed leaders to create strategic plans, teaching leadership <br /> topics, and facilitating retreats for governmental and nonprofit organizations and cross-sector <br /> community groups to help them plan and work together to solve public problems. Professor <br /> Altman provided guidance to the Board on the critical elements of a Strategic Plan and <br /> facilitated a discussion about the Board's goals for the planning process. <br /> Scope of Services <br /> The scope of services for the plan (attached as Section 5 of the RFP) was designed to be <br /> responsive to the goals articulated by the Board during the retreat and to include the critical <br /> elements described in Professor Altman's presentation. Some of those goals included: <br /> • Collecting broad based community input <br /> • Using a big picture approach that ties all County initiatives together and aligns them <br /> • Developing central set of goals to guide the Board at the policy level <br /> • Creating a living document that can be responsive to changing conditions <br /> • Defining how the Board will strategize and prioritize to achieve each goal <br /> • Applying racial equity principles to all elements of the plan <br /> • Serving as a communication tool that helps educate and engage the community <br /> • Defining a clear vision for the future of the County <br /> • Using data and trend analysis to inform the plan, especially demographic changes and <br /> trends both locally and regionally <br /> • Defining performance measures that can be tracked over time to ensure priorities are <br /> met <br /> The scope was also derived from a review of plans from other jurisdictions in North Carolina <br /> such as Cabarrus County, Catawba County, Iredell County, Gaston County, Buncombe County, <br />