Agenda 02-15-24; 1 - Boards and Commissions – Annual Work Plan Summaries

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7 What are the concerns or emerging issues your board has identified for the upcoming year that it plans to address, or wishes to bring to the Commissioners' attention? • HRC to identify opportunities to be more inclusive of educational organizations and youth in initiatives relating to equity and inclusivity. • HRC support regarding the participation of migrant populations in community life, including awareness of their rights and responsibilities as members of the community. • HRC supports building public trust in local government and promoting participation in local government, especially in areas where government serves the community responsibly, empathetically and with diversity and inclusion in mind. • HRC to increase positive civic participation and engagement among diverse populations within Orange County by the formation of specific subcommittees to identify the needs of such communities. • HRC will establish collaborative relationships with the Housing Department Advisory boards with respect to social justice, equity, and fair housing issues. • Establish procedures for the HRC that are in line with current policy, legislation and statewide approaches to Human Relations, and work with BOCC to develop processes to improve their efficiency. General Recommendations for BOCC: • Societal Emerging Trends: Increased election-related tensions, increased discrimination based on Gender expression, and increased anti-Semitism and Anti-Muslim sentiments are growing at a rapid rate. Recommendation for BOCC: Consider setting up a "pressure release valve" if local tensions reach a boiling point. Establish an emergency "hotline" operated by the County to assist the community with ways to defuse potentially volatile situations. The County would be well-served to have an action plan for emergency forums, perhaps in partnership with UNC and the HRC, that employ the techniques of"healing conversations" and reparative justice. • Policies, Procedures, Roles, and Responsibilities: Matters of policies, procedures and processes should be well established, detailed adequately, and followed without debate or clarification of their meaning and intent. The current Advisory Board Policy provides top-level descriptions of processes, roles, and responsibilities, but is insufficient in detail to ensure efficient operation of the commissions. Recommendation for BOCC: Consider providing BOCC support in the development of a revision-controlled Handbook of standard operating procedures to clearly define roles, responsibilities, and processes for all County advisory boards such that advisory boards reach their full performance potentials. Please consider the formation of a cross-functional committee composed of various County advisory board members, staff and BOCC advocates to accomplish this project.