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34 <br /> Tom Altieri, Senior Planner for Long Range Planning, introduced the item and reviewed <br /> the background information. He also reviewed the following costs associated with the item: <br /> Subject Matter Experts: <br /> Applied Resource Management—Groundwater hydrology and community wells. <br /> $2,250 <br /> UNC School of Gov., Development Finance Initiative—Market analysis of rural activity nodes, <br /> housing needs, and residential supply/demand. <br /> $45,100 <br /> Randall Arendt—Conservation subdivisions <br /> ($8,500 plus travel est.)$12,000 <br /> Sub-Total $59,350 <br /> Clarion Associates: <br /> A staff member to attend BOCC presentations to hear presentations, Board discussion, and note <br /> taking for items that will require changes to the Draft Land Use Plan. (4 work sessions and 2 <br /> retreats) <br /> $4,020 <br /> Meeting Facilitator: <br /> True North Performance Group—Facilitation of two retreats. <br /> $17,500 <br /> Total $80,870 <br /> Commissioner Greene asked who True North Performance Group was. <br /> Tom Altieri said it is a consulting firm led by Rebecca Jackson, who is also an adjunct <br /> faculty member at the UNC School of Government. <br /> Commissioner Greene asked if she would have expertise in local government that other <br /> facilitators do not have. <br /> Tom Altieri said yes, and that they wanted someone with a basic understanding of land <br /> use and planning. <br /> PUBLIC COMMENTS: <br /> Laura Streitfeld from Preserve Rural Orange urged ensuring an informed, equitable <br /> planning process. She questioned whether proposed presenters (volunteer board members and <br /> for-profit companies) provided truly independent scientific viewpoints, suggesting University <br /> scientists instead. She said the board hadn't requested the proposed market analysis and <br /> encouraged university planning experts for rural node insights. She criticized the consultant's <br /> website as a significant barrier, disconnected from the county site with no government logos or <br /> links, making the plan inaccessible when searching the county website. She asked the Board to <br /> take action tonight for a thorough, accessible and inclusive land use planning process. <br /> Given time constraints and questions about costs, the Board agreed to proceed with the <br /> September 9th presentations but bring back cost discussions at the September 4th meeting. <br /> Commissioner McKee said he had a problem discussing $80,000 in consultant costs after <br /> hearing from flood victims receiving limited assistance. <br />