Last night, the County Commissioners did a pretty good job of displaying why it has been so easy, maybe even necessary, for the County Manager to be such a policy leader. Fortunately, I did see Barry Jacobs really step up and push the board forward on transit. I think he'll be even more effective when joined by 2 or 3 new allies after the general election.
[View the story "Orange County Commissioners meeting 5/14/12" on Storify ]Orange County Commissioners meeting 5/14/12 Big items on the agenda included delaying property revaluation, reorganizing the defunct Economic Development Commission, and approving a long-awaited transit plan.See agenda: http://orangecountync.gov/occlerks/120515.htm Storified by OrangePolitics · Wed, May 16 2012 09:59:06
On delaying poperty revaluations (for tax purposes) from 2013 to 2015. This is Ruby, I'll be tweeting from the Orange County Commissioners meeting (already in progress) in about 15 min. #boccOrangePolitics
Commissioners just heard the manager's budget presentation. Now discussing consent agenda items, re: a solid waste conv ctr & SAPFO. #boccOrangePolitics
No public hearings. Staff rept on real property assessment: sales taxes are down, foreclosures up. Revaluation recommended for 2015. #boccOrangePolitics
Realtor & former Hillsborough Mayor Joe Phelps says he disagrees with staff recomendation to delay revaluation. #boccOrangePolitics
Commish discussing COD, coefficient of dispersion. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Index_of_dispersion ID-ing neighborhoods where it's out of balance. #boccOrangePolitics
Most commissioners are agreeing with the staff reco to delay revaluation because prop values are going down. McKee unconvinced. #boccOrangePolitics
#BOCC chats revaluation, insightful-sounding quote, per Jenks Crayton, "If the market is not speaking, we can harldy tell what it's saying."Katelyn Ferral
Commissioner McKee's reval opposition is a matter of perception, county wants to reval when value is high, but not when they're low, #BOCCKatelyn Ferral
#BOCC votes 6-1 to delay revaluation of property till 2015Katelyn Ferral
The 2015 revaluation date passes with support of all commissioners but McKee. #boccOrangePolitics
On reorganizing and appointing new members to the Economic Development Commission, which was abandoned by the County staff a few years ago. Commish now reviewing policies & membership on economic development advisory board. This board has been fully ignored in the past. #boccOrangePolitics
Preserve Rural Orange surprised to see the ED board not accepting public applications. Candidates too limited. Enviro missing. #boccOrangePolitics
Local resident Tom Schopler (sp?) would have liked to apply to ED board but can't. Calls for more transparency. @citizenwill agrees. #boccOrangePolitics
@orangepolitics Believe Tom had applied for Econ. Comm. Cont'd to express interest last couple months. Not sure y community excluded.citizenwill
@orangepolitics ED definitely needs input and deliberation from diverse stakeholders for optimal decision-making. #boccTim Longest
At Orange #bocc for item 7c, Draft Bus and Rail plan in Orange County. http://www.co.orange.nc.us/occlerks/120515.htmCity Beautiful 21
Commissioner Jacobs moves, Gordons 2nds, to open ED board to public applications. (Yay!) Foushee remarks on narrowness of candidates. #boccOrangePolitics
Yuhasz defends staff reco. Foushee proposes removing candidates that haven't applied. McKee agrees, but says staff did what #bocc asked.OrangePolitics
Chair Pelissier also says staff followed direction, says #bocc asked advice from chambers of commerce, & that is reflected here. OrangePolitics
Pelissier nearly forgets Jacobs' motion. It fails 3-4, Foushee & Gordon supporting. Now moves to keep some categories of seats open. #boccOrangePolitics
New motion passes 6-1, Yuhasz opposed. Pelissier still wants to discuss policies before people. Staff's proposed policies pass 7-0. #boccOrangePolitics
Jacobs: there's nothing in here abt emerging tech nor micro business, wants to add 2 seats (Also missing environmental priorities.) #boccOrangePolitics
Yuhasz: We're getting away from the top priority which is business recruitment. Pelissier agrees but also to grow biz in EDDs. P #boccOrangePolitics
This #BOCC meeting is a trainwreck. And transit discussion is still to come! KNEED MOAR LEEDARSHUP. OrangePolitics
#BOCC is now each nominating one person at a time. This is worse than how #CHTC appointed #CH2020 committee!OrangePolitics
@orangepolitics let's get a light rail and train, hold the train wreck #boccTim Longest
Can't believe #BOCC adopted this #econdev approach. Exactly kind of thing I voted against in primary. http://www.co.orange.nc.us/OCCLERKS/1205157b.pdfDamonS
While the #BOCC continues to chase its tail, here's a link to tonight's agenda. http://orangecountync.gov/OCCLERKS/120515.htm Transit is next!OrangePolitics
Defeated #BOCC incumbents leave us with backward-looking #econdev. Hope @markdorosin and @pennyrich can form new majority.DamonS
On the Orange County regional and local transit plan. Mgr Clifton says TTA will present & answer questions, b/c he doesn't want to be in a position to argue w/ them. #boccOrangePolitics
McKee moves, Yuhasz 2nds, to defer decision to June 5th b/c info updated recently. Foushee losing patience with delay. Peliss waffles. #boccOrangePolitics
Jacobs agrees with Foushee. "The train needs to leave the sration." Ready to vote on what they can. Wants to put it on the ballot. #boccOrangePolitics
Gordon not sure #bocc should adopt tonight since there are substantial new things in the agreement. Hemminger wants to make it work. OrangePolitics
Aside from #glee tweets tonight: Thanks to @orangepolitics for the #BOCC updates! Much happening tonight, it seems #ocpolTravis Crayton
McKee's motion to delay fails 2-5. #bocc Now David King of TTA reviewing long history of #transit plan. #boccOrangePolitics
King: dozens of public mtgs, incl 2 recently requested by #BOCC. Orange Co's delay has already cost time & money. Reviewing improvements.OrangePolitics
Transit plan: new/improved bus service & capital expenses, Hillsborough rail station, and regional rail. #boccOrangePolitics
Rail might be in place in 10-13 years. Now TTA's Wib Gulley (former Durham Mayor & state legislator) speaking to legal agreements. #boccOrangePolitics
Cost sharing proposal (approved by Durham last night) is that Orange pays 23% of Orange & Durham's combined capital cost, 24% of ops. #boccOrangePolitics
Now we commence the quibbling over sharing 1% of the cost. Oh wait, new presentation of implementation agreement before that. #boccOrangePolitics
Now McKee begins his attack on TTA. (Why? He will vote against this no matter the answer.) David King backing up Patrick McDonough. #boccOrangePolitics
McKee rant/interrogation over. Gordon now checking TTA's math. #boccOrangePolitics
@terribuck I think @pennyrich, @markdorosin, & @reneeprice will bring a lot more than 3 votes to the #BOCC. Leadership will make a big diff.OrangePolitics
Gordon still checking TTA math. Finding a lot of errors unfortunately. Seems unlikely #BOCC will be able to vote before getting corrections.OrangePolitics
McKee moves (again) to delay vote to June 5, but he can't b/c it was defeated already. Gordon says they must, but doesn't move it. #boccOrangePolitics
Foushee says we must move ahead. Jacobs moves approval in concept with details to come. Atty recommends some conditions. #boccOrangePolitics
@orangepolitics that RTA survey released today showed transit passing 59-35 was done May 9-10 after exams over #understatedsupportGerry Cohen
Jacobs (& 2nder Hemminger) agree to make it contingent on other agreements per Gulley advice. Gordon disagrees w/ procedure. #boccOrangePolitics
Motion passes 4-3! Foushee, Hemminger, Pelissier, Jacobs supporting the transit plan. #bocc OrangePolitics
County Manager pointing out that county is not obligated to any financial agreement beyond specifics of current agreements. #boccOrangePolitics
#Transit levy plan passes 6-1 (McKee against). That went fast, not exactly sure what it was. #boccOrangePolitics
Hemminger moves the current cost sharing agreement, Jacobs 2nds. Pelissier says it's fair & regional. Passes 5-2. #boccOrangePolitics
BoCC Narrowly Approves Transit Plan "In Principle" http://bit.ly/IXEC4C1360WCHL
Kudos to Barry Jacobs, whose firm & level-headed leadership got the #BOCC to the right places tonight, even when they didn't want to go. =ROrangePolitics
Comments
thanks
Just a general thanks for all the effort you guys put into live-blogging these lengthy meetings of government bodies. It's a real service.
Mules
I didn't think it tweetworthy last night, but it does seem worth mentioning that first Earl McKee and then Barry Jacobs used stories about mules to illustrate their points during the transit discussion last night. That was in the after-10-pm portion of the meeting, of course.
Pelissier's vote on ED Board
Initially I was surprised at Chair Pelissier's vote to go with the back-room, exclusive appointment process to the new Economic Dev. Board. However, it seems that she was voting defensively as the Chair who colluded with Clifton to fast-track the handpicked from the narrow Chamber of Commerce perspective.
POLL: Delayed Revaluations - Good News or Rip Off?
I'd love to get some feedback on the vote to delay the property revaluation, what is the consensus on the decision to delay the property revaluations. In addition to an answer yes or no, please include the supporting ideology or reasoning for your answer. Thx in advance!