Minutes 04-07-2026-Business Meeting

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47 Chair Hamilton noted she had petitioned for a strategic communications advisory group to provide ongoing feedback to community relations about how residents receive information and what works for them. She saw this as addressing a gap, having served on the strategic communications work group for two years when it was just commissioners and the communications director,which she felt was ineffective for obtaining community input. She emphasized any advisory group would be advisory only, providing input rather than creating policy,and could help address challenges like low listening session turnout while creating community ambassadors. Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked about events mentioned under engagement tools. Wil Glenn explained these included both community events outside county government and county department events,noting they were trying to embed the Orange County roadshow within existing events rather than creating standalone events, going to people instead of expecting them to come to the county. Commissioner Carter suggested commissioners might participate in listening sessions on a rotating basis as open dialogues where residents could sign up in advance for topic-specific discussions. This could boost participation and provide regular community connection opportunities. She also supported project-based stakeholder groups for targeting specific initiatives with focused communication strategies. Commissioner Bedford agreed with project-based approaches, citing examples like the tax work group's strategic social media timing around key decisions. She suggested piloting listening sessions but noted the need to be careful about campaigning versus listening on behalf of the board, referencing Chapel Hill-Carrboro Schools' PTA council-sponsored offsite meetings with specific parameters. She preferred not to create another advisory board and was more interested in staff recommendations in the June report. She also noted recent successful crisis communications during events like winter storms, emphasizing staff's role in handling press and follow-up coordination.She observed that residents typically don't care about government activities until they need information when something affects them directly. Commissioner Portie-Ascott supported providing access to commissioners for community members who might not typically reach out or attend meetings, particularly given the need to rebuild trust after the revaluation issues.She wanted to be available at community events to hear concerns before they escalate to formal complaint levels. Vice-Chair Fowler appreciated multiple information-gathering approaches and supported going out to meet people rather than expecting them to come to meetings. She noted most people don't care until issues directly impact them and suggested the Board meeting was the appropriate forum for public input. She was hesitant about regular commissioner listening sessions if attendance would be poor, and didn't support creating another advisory group. Commissioner Greene liked all the ideas presented by staff but agreed against creating a new work group or standing committee. Commissioner McKee related the challenge to sensory overload, noting people have lives to live and generally only engage when government imposes on them too much,with the county providing ways for them to communicate when needed. Chair Hamilton said she is hearing a consensus for ongoing community listening sessions, project- based stakeholder groups, and periodic updates in the form of information items. Commissioner Carter said it would be nice to receive quarterly updates. The Board reached consensus on receiving quarterly updates and holding project-based stakeholder groups. The Board continued discussing commissioner involvement in listening sessions. Commissioner Carter proposed listening sessions tied to projects or topics as a pilot, acknowledging the trust deficit requiring commissioner time investment balanced against staff time. She saw value in commissioners receiving direct community input they might not get otherwise.