Minutes-10-10-2023-Joint Meeting with Fire Departments and Work Session

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34 Vice-Chair McKee said he doesn't question staff's commitment and dedication to the project. He asked what will happen if the input they get with this extensive amount of community dialogue does not align with what is already in place. Commissioner Richards said if the intention is to build upon the work that is already done and to provide a more detailed project then it should be stated clearly. She said she would like to see it specified that they are building on Mapping Our Community Future and prior work that was previously agreed to. Commissioner Fowler said that this is just for community engagement, and there is a separate contract for design services. Cy Stober said that is correct. Commissioner Fowler asked who decides who the community advisory group members are. Travis Myren said it would be up to the partners to determine the composition of the group. Commissioner Fowler said that it would come back to the Board. Chair Bedford said that would add six more months. Travis Myren said it would add time, but it would have to come back to the Board. Commissioner Fowler said she was leaning towards the lower cost option and is also interested in figuring out the configuration of the community members. Chair Bedford said the group could be removed and they could do it in a traditional way. Commissioner Hamilton said there was a need for community outreach and input now, since the needs of the community can change. She said she had concerns about the community advisory group, if that group would give the feedback that they are looking for. She said that in the agreement they discussed placing a school and recreational facilities, which is no longer best practice for school safety. Cy Stober said that the ingress and egress points are a major point of consideration and with the floodplain presence, and trying to be efficient on cost it is a big challenge with the school site design. He said that there are fire safety issues as well. Commissioner Hamilton said having a lot of public activity close to schools is not something they want to do in these times. She said since it is the Board that will be making the decision on this, they need to be kept in the loop. Commissioner Richards asked if they are saying that the design process might have a different location for the school than where it is now. Cy Stober said no. He said there are logistical challenges with access for the location, but they are in negotiations with a firm that has experience in school design. Commissioner Richards asked if they are looking for a specific design that addresses the challenges. Cy Stober said they need the school system's input, but they would design the access roads and further detail. Commissioner Greene said the schools have said they would not need the schools at this time. Chair Bedford said it might be 100 years before a school is needed in this area because they are addressing the schools now. Commissioner Greene said that Chapel Hill said they are not starting over with this community engagement proposal. She said the affordable housing community did not provide input to the Mapping our Community and it is important to know what their vision is. She said she thinks there are a number of things to keep them safe from Vice-Chair McKee's fears. She said she does not think the compass group is needed and she would support an occasional Assembly of Governments meeting to discuss the issue. Chair Bedford said a stakeholder group is a power imbalance. She would like to hear from the public but that she is looking for input, not a mission statement and charge. She said that they would expect that the elected bodies would be taking recommendations from the group when they