Orange County NC Website
2 <br /> 3. Work Program Amendment Policy (Attachment 3): Serves the Parties and Partners as <br /> a comprehensive and clear set of thresholds to define a minor vs. major amendment, and <br /> associated protocols as to who would need to approve such amendments during <br /> prescribed amendment cycles. It also outlines core roles and responsibilities for the SWG <br /> Administrator and GoTriangle regarding the processing, review and submission for <br /> consideration of any proposed Work Program Amendments. <br /> 4. SWG Bylaws & Operating Procedures (Attachment 4): Serves the Parties and Partners <br /> as the formal set of bylaws and clear set of operating procedures for how the SWG is to <br /> function, elect officers, and foster collaboration throughout each year to achieve annual <br /> work program development needs for transit plan implementation. <br /> All local municipalities, both counties, GoTriangle and the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro <br /> Metropolitan Organization (DCHC MPO) have been engaging in a series of workshops in 2023. <br /> These workshops were facilitated to work through complex details regarding how best to <br /> streamline processes, but also equitably operationalize transit plan implementation efforts for all. <br /> The remaining background information below is context that informs the purpose and need for the <br /> overall Durham-Orange Transit Governance Study. <br /> In the early 2010's, Orange County approved a county-wide transit plan, which included a joint <br /> recommendation for the development of the Durham-Orange Light Rail Transit (DO LRT) project. <br /> In 2013, an interlocal agreement (ILA) was developed and approved by the County Board of <br /> Commissioners, DCHC-MPO Board and GoTriangle Board of Trustees. Upon the discontinuation <br /> of the DO LRT project, it was realized that a new governance framework was necessary to guide <br /> the implementation of future county transit plans. <br /> Overall project goals include: <br /> • Creation of a clear, operationally efficient governance structure that ensures that Orange <br /> County priorities are funded and implemented with the County transit taxes and fees. <br /> • Formation of new levels of accountability, which includes development of an equitable set <br /> of processes, seeking to gain further community trust. <br /> • These needs were defined through five overall elements to be incorporated into a new <br /> governance framework: Representative, Equitable, Collaborative, Transparent & <br /> Accessible. <br /> From these elements, everyone helped to further weigh in on just how much change was <br /> necessary to be made on primary elements of the existing framework. The feedback provided <br /> leadership and guidance to develop draft alternatives for consideration in a new governance <br /> framework. Staff from all three parties to the existing governance framework attended a joint <br /> workshop in early March 2022. The workshop focused on critical elements that inform the <br /> foundation of a new ILA could offer to all parties. Discussion focused on multiple alternatives of <br /> critical elements that comprise the following four areas: Membership, Voting Structures, Financial <br /> Planning, and Program & Plan Development. Throughout the summer and fall of 2022, several <br /> multi-agency staff meetings were held to work through some of the finer details of the ILA. The <br /> result is the final Transit Governance Interlocal Agreement for each County, recently adopted <br /> earlier this year. <br />