The Vance County Board of Commissioners will hold their 2014 Annual Planning Retreat on January 23, 2014 in the Satterwhite Point Community Building from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. The public is invited to attend. Please find attached the agenda to download here: 20140123_vcboc_agenda_annual_retreat
A brief listing of the agenda follows:
1. Welcome/Opening Remarks, Chairperson Deborah Brown (10:00 a.m.)
2. Purpose of Planning and Mission Statement, County Manager Jerry Ayscue (10:05 a.m.)
3. Purpose of Retreat, Chairperson Deborah Brown (10:15 a.m.)
a. To Receive Overview on State of the County
b. To Review and Discuss Items Submitted for Consideration
c. To Establish Specific Board Goals (Placemaking Initiatives) for FY 2014-2015
4. Overview on State of the County, County Manager/Staff (10:30 a.m.)
a. Summary of Departmental Goals
b. Financial Overview, Finance Director David Beck
c. Major Budget Considerations for FY 2014-2015
d. Property Revaluation, Tax Administrator Porcha Brooks
5. Review and Discuss Items Submitted for Consideration, County Manager/Commissioners
(11:10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – 5 to 10 minutes per item)
See attachment A
6. Lunch (12:30 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.)
7. FY 2014-15 Placemaking Initiatives/Goals, County Manager/Chairperson
(1:15 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.)
See attachment B
8. Other Items for Consideration, Chairperson (2:30 p.m.)
a. Board Committee Meetings
b. Commissioner-Appointed Committees
c. Employee Evaluations
d. Board Self-Evaluation
e. Other
9. Adjournment (3:00 p.m.)
A game of pretend. You are able to observe board members of a big time corporation, maybe your employer. You know all the members have attended at least one of organizations annual planning retreats. You know all the board members were asked twice to submit their planning retreat agenda topic at least three days before the meeting date. You learn the planning retreat agenda was published less than 24 hours ahead of the start of the meeting. Would you consider the meeting well planned by the leadership? Do you think 24 – hours is sufficient time for the board members to prepare to discuss the items submitted for consideration? Do you think 24 – hours is sufficient time to consider specific goals for the coming twelve months. You read through the agenda and find that only one of seven board members actually took the time to prepare and submit their presentation for inclusion in the published agenda. Would you think the majority of the board members intend to promote awareness of issues and to improve decision-making? Would you think the majority of the board members intend to effectively use the organizations resources at the planning retreat? Would you think the majority of the board members intend to provide as little as possible in the way of necessary services for the organization? Sadly, this game of pretend is a real scenario; a case study of our elected county officials.
County Wide Water is one of the agenda items for the county commissioners’ annual planning retreat. According to the county manager any questions or concerns the commissioners have about County Wide Water can be presented, discussed fully, and any issues resolved all in fifteen minutes. This project is on track to cost $381,445.37 more than it takes in its first 6 months of operation. Does anyone think that cost can be discussed fully and any issues resolved in fifteen minutes? Let alone the nearly $3,000,000 negative cash balance in five years. One positive, the financial facts of the water project are in black and white on pages 38 – 43 of unnumbered pages Annual Planning Retreat agenda.
Question? How can it be assured that no citizens from the City, who are also County residents, aren’t providing financial assistance to the water system, which will only provide a necessary service to those outside the City? Are only loans and system generated fees paying for it?
Questions?
Why do you need 2 complete separate governing bodies, one for the County and one for the City?
When is Michael running for county commissioner?