Orange County NC Website
33 <br /> 1 Slide #16 <br /> Thank you! <br /> ORANGE PIEDMONT <br /> NORTH CAROLINA � /.n,. 0-— <br /> 2 <br /> 3 Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked if there are other management agreements with other <br /> 4 entities and if this recommended agreement is consistent with those. <br /> 5 Bonnie Hammersley said what is being recommended is to model a management <br /> 6 agreement similar to the agreement the county has for the Sportsplex. She said the county owns <br /> 7 the PFPC facility, just like how the county owns the Sportsplex. <br /> 8 Jonathon Smith said that there may be some aspects that are like rental agreements, but <br /> 9 there should be clear and defined goals. He said the areas of responsibility have been unclear <br /> 10 since the beginning. He said for example, some commissioners asked if the goal would be to start <br /> 11 fresh and define the expectations. He said that that they are a non-profit corporation and have <br /> 12 their own by-laws, like any business would have. He said that the county could clarify the <br /> 13 relationship and let them run the facility. He said that other folks could be removed if they are not <br /> 14 a stakeholder. <br /> 15 Commissioner Fowler said that the recommendations seem very responsive to previous <br /> 16 commissioner comments. She said that she understands the comments about needing outside <br /> 17 users. She said a small discount for Orange County residents would be beneficial so that Orange <br /> 18 County does have a benefit from it. She said she loved the concept, but she thought it was <br /> 19 important to have a more organized structure and find ways that both the county and PFPC could <br /> 20 benefit. She said it does not make sense for Durham County to have positions on the PFPC <br /> 21 board given that they do not have any other involvement. <br /> 22 Jonathon Smith said one of the things they have talked about with the County Manager's <br /> 23 department and they are also now doing food insecurity work. He said that Cooperative Extension <br /> 24 would be involved on behalf of the county. <br /> 25 Commissioner Hamilton thanked Jonathon Smith for his presentation. She said when <br /> 26 looking at the data, she would like more details about the incubators in other counties. She <br /> 27 wondered about some of the economic opportunities in those counties. She asked if this is <br /> 28 something that county government should be doing, similar to the Sportsplex. She said that the <br /> 29 county has limited resources and could use the maintenance funds for other uses. She said that <br /> 30 if there is a management contract, they would have to treat it similarly to the Sportsplex and see <br /> 31 if there are other management options. She asked if county government should be doing this. <br /> 32 Commissioner Portie-Ascott said she took a tour of the facility and met with one of the <br /> 33 business owners there who expressed their appreciation for PFPC. She said that over half of the <br /> 34 businesses there are minority-owned. She said there is also a lot of vacant commercial spaces <br /> 35 now that are not being utilized, and she would not want the county's facility to also sit vacant. <br /> 36 Vice-Chair Greene said she appreciated the work they do and she also appreciates the <br /> 37 presentation and the responses. She said in terms of investment, forgoing rent each year and <br /> 38 achieving more retail value, then it is very powerful economic development. She said she is not <br />