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Orange County Page 1 of 6 <br /> APPROVED 9/16/2008 <br /> Orange County Board of County Commissioners <br /> Special Meeting <br /> Thursday,July 31, 2008 <br /> 6:00 pm <br /> The Orange County Board of Commissioners met for a Special Meeting on Thursday, July 31, <br /> 2008 at 6:00 at the Link Government Services Center in Hillsborough, N.C. <br /> COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Barry Jacobs and Commissioners Moses Carey, Jr., Valerie <br /> Foushee, and Alice M. Gordon <br /> COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: Mike Nelson • <br /> COUNTY ATTORNEY PRESENT: Geof Gledhill <br /> COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager Laura Blackmon and Clerk to the Board Donna S. Baker(All <br /> other staff members will be identified appropriately below) <br /> 1. Opening Remarks <br /> Chair Jacobs went through the information at the Commissioners' places. There was an updated <br /> calendar, an email regarding an IT issue, an email submission from a concerned citizen regarding the Shearon <br /> Harris Nuclear Power Plant, a letter to the State Utilities Commission regarding Shearon Harris (blue), a <br /> summary from the Manager related to Shearon Harris (pink), a timeline for the Attorney search (melon), and the <br /> search consultant information. <br /> Chair Jacobs said that Commissioner Nelson was traveling and, because his father was having surgery, <br /> might or might not call in to participate. <br /> 2. Discussion of the Qualifications of Consultants to Engage in a Search Process for a <br /> County Attorney <br /> Chair Jacobs said that the Clerk gathered information from the consultants who applied. There are two <br /> permutations from Slavin -the Mercer Group and Springsted. He asked Geof Gledhill to attend in case there <br /> were any legal issues. <br /> Commissioner Carey suggested beginning by clarifying the difference between a full search and a <br /> modified search. He asked what is included in a full search and what role the consultant should play in the <br /> interview process. <br /> Chair Jacobs said that with a modified search, the consultant gives the Board 20 candidates and the <br /> Board narrows it down. The full search has the consultant working with the Board to narrow the selection down <br /> to 3-5 candidates. He said that Springsted is not that much different in cost for a lot more work, but he was put <br /> off by some of the things in the application. <br /> Commissioner Carey suggested proceeding by deciding which consultants the Board does not want to <br /> consider. <br /> Commissioner Gordon suggested deciding on the process and said that she was satisfied with the <br /> Manager's search where the Board winnows it down, and then bringing in the consultants for the actual setting <br /> up of interviews. <br /> Commissioner Foushee agreed. <br /> Chair Jacobs said that if the Board wanted, then the consultants could manage the search and bring the <br /> Board 20 applications, meet with the consultants to talk through and narrow it down, and then the consultant <br /> could do background checks, etc. <br /> Commissioner Carey said that there would be no background checks until the Board winnows it down to <br /> 3-5. <br /> The Board agreed to the process as outlined by Chair Jacobs-the consultant brings back 20 candidates, the <br /> Board narrows it down to 3-5, and then there is in-depth consultant investigation of the candidates. <br /> Commissioner Carey said to piggyback these consultant meetings with other meetings. <br /> Commissioner Gordon said not to piggyback too much because the Board needs enough time. <br /> Commissioner Carey said that the meetings where the Board talks with candidates need to be separate <br /> meetings, but other meetings should be piggybacked. <br /> Chair Jacobs said that the Board would need to meet with the consultant at first; then meet to cut from 20 <br /> applicants to 5; meet to set up review process; meet to interview final candidates; and then meet to choose the <br /> final candidate. <br /> Commissioner Carey said that the County has worked with two of the consultants before and he likes the <br /> idea of doing business with companies that are in N.C., and that is The Mercer Group. He said that their <br /> proposal and fee structure complied with what he envisioned the cost structure might be. He said that he is more <br /> favorably inclined to The Mercer Group. He said that all proposals were good, the costs differed only slightly <br /> mhtml:file://S:\Minutes\20080731.mht 9/11/2008 <br />