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APPROVED 3/15/2011 <br /> MINUTES <br /> ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> WORK SESSION <br /> February 8, 2011 <br /> 7:00 p.m. <br /> The Orange County Board of Commissioners met for a work session on Tuesday, <br /> February 8, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. at the Southern Human Services Center in Chapel Hill, N.C. <br /> COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Bernadette Pelissier and Commissioners <br /> Valerie P. Foushee, Alice Gordon, Pam Hemminger, Barry Jacobs, Earl McKee, and Steve <br /> Yuhasz <br /> COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: <br /> COUNTY ATTORNEYS PRESENT: John Roberts <br /> COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager Frank Clifton and Clerk to the Board Donna S. <br /> Baker (All other staff inembers will be identified appropriately below) <br /> 1. Senior Oranqe County Staff Ethics Policy <br /> County Attorney John Roberts said that after the General Assembly adopted a law for <br /> all Board of County Commissioners to adopt a code of ethics, he was directed by the Board to <br /> develop a senior staff ethics policy. He said that it was requested that this be brought back to <br /> a work session for more discussion because there were a significant amount of questions. He <br /> said that he removed the word, "knowingly", and he also removed any references to family <br /> members owning businesses. <br /> Commissioner Gordon thanked John Roberts for bringing this back to the Board. She <br /> asked how much this wording of the staff policy should track with the Board of Commissioners' <br /> policy. <br /> John Roberts said that there were a lot of concerns about listing a spouse's name on a <br /> disclosure statement and spousal requirements from department directors. There was <br /> particular concern because staff is not elected officials. He does not think that this should <br /> track exactly the same with the policy of elected officials. <br /> Commissioner Gordon made reference to Article 2, Section1 (page 3 of the agenda <br /> abstract) related to #2 and doing business with Orange County. She said that she would think <br /> that you would want to approve the employment and the withdrawal. In #2, text beginning with <br /> the word "unless" should be deleted and the following language inserted "unless approved in <br /> writing by the Orange County Manager." <br /> John Roberts said that the personnel ordinance now provides that a staff person <br /> seeking other employment has to get written approval from the County Manager. <br /> Commissioner Gordon said that there should be some sort of cross-reference here. <br /> Frank Clifton further clarified this. <br /> Commissioner Jacobs said that he found this confusing and does not understand how <br /> someone could seek employment with anyone doing business with the County when they are <br /> already working for the County. He said that this seems such a rare instance that it is almost <br /> an impossibility. <br /> Commissioner McKee said that his scenario for this particular instance would be the <br /> department head of Maintenance working part-time for a lawn care company that is contracted <br />