AGENDA #4d

MEMORANDUM

TO:	Mayor and Town Council
FROM:	Sabrina M. Oliver, Communications and Public Affairs Director
SUBJECT:	Proposed Calendar for Council Meetings through December 2008
DATE:	October 8, 2007

The attached resolution would adopt a calendar of Council meetings through December 2008.

BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION

Section 2-3 of the Town Code establishes a schedule of regular business meetings of the Council on the second and fourth Mondays of most months, and public hearing meetings normally on the third Mondays of January through June and September through November.

The Council normally adopts a calendar for the following year with changes made as needed due to holidays and other events. The attached material outlines the proposed calendar from October 2007 to December 2008.

DISCUSSION

The proposed calendar includes schedules for:

1. Preparation of the annual budget and 15-year capital improvement program.
2. General planning session of the Council in January 10, 2008.
3. A public forum and action by the Council on potential legislative requests during the 2008 session of the General Assembly.
4. Preparation of plans to use grants for:
• public transit,
• community development,
• public housing renovations,
• the Town’s public housing operating budget, and
• the County-wide HOME program.
5. Consideration of performance agreements with human services agencies, use of hotel/motel taxes for visitor information services and support of cultural events.
6. Consideration of a tax rate for the Downtown Tax District.
7. Joint planning hearing dates subject to concurrence by the Town of Carrboro and Orange County.
8. Assembly of Governments meeting dates.

General Comments:

The proposed processes and meeting dates are similar to those adopted by the Council for 2006-2007. For example, the budget process includes public forums in late March, a public hearing in mid-May, and several dates for work sessions of the Council.

No meetings are scheduled for July and August.

Holidays, Annual Meetings, etc.

As in past years, the proposed calendar takes into account holidays, various religious observances, the annual meeting of the N.C. League of Municipalities in October, and the spring breaks in the University’s and City Schools’ calendars.

Meetings that need to be rescheduled from Mondays will be held on Wednesdays, thus avoiding overlap with Planning Board meetings usually held on the first and third Tuesdays of each month.

The proposed schedule also takes into account the regular schedule of meetings in the Council Chamber of the Board of Education on the first Thursdays of most months and of the OWASA Board of Directors on the fourth Thursdays of most months.

CONCLUSION

Any schedule of meetings is subject to change by the Council in the future if there is a need for additional meetings or other changes. Adopting a calendar at this time would be useful to boards and commissions and citizens’ groups who will schedule meetings in coming months.

RECOMMENDATION

That the Council adopt the attached resolution.