Women’s Advisory Board Annual Report
The Board of County Commissioners received the Annual Report from the Women’s Advisory Board (WAB). The WAB is a diverse committee with wide-ranging expertise in women’s issues among its 15 members. The WAB has completed the 2011 Annual Report identifying key issues and recommendations affecting the status of women in Mecklenburg County. The 2011 Report identifies priority issues for women and recommends further BOCC consideration of several recommendations.

Fire Service Districts
The Board adopted a resolution to limit the tax rate in the proposed Fire Protection Service Districts within the unincorporated areas of Mecklenburg County and to set the public hearing date of April 3, 2012.
Background: To proceed with the establishment of the Fire Protection Service Districts with a 15 cent per $100 property valuation tax levy limitation, the Board of County Commissioners must adopt a resolution in accordance with state statute which reads as follows:
 (a) In connection with the establishment of a service district for fire protection as provided by G.S. 153A-301(2) [G.S. 153A-301(a)(2)], if the board of commissioners adopts a resolution within 90 days prior to the public hearing required by G.S. 153A-302(c) but prior to the first publication of notice required by subsection (b) of this section, which resolution states that property taxes within a district may not be levied in excess of a rate of fifteen cents (15¢) on each one hundred dollars ($100.00) of property subject to taxation, then property taxes may not be levied in that service district in excess of that rate.
(b) Whenever a service district is established under this section, instead of the procedures for hearing and notice under G.S. 153A-302(c), the board of commissioners shall hold a public hearing before adopting any resolution defining a new service district under this section. Notice of the hearing shall state the date, hour and place of the hearing and its subject, and shall include a map of the proposed district and a statement that the report required by G.S. 153A-302(b) is available for public inspection in the office of the clerk to the board. The notice shall be published at least twice, with one publication not less than two weeks before the hearing, and the other publication on some other day not less than two weeks before the hearing. (1985, c. 724.)”

Camping on County Property
The Board adopted a new Mecklenburg County Ordinance Prohibiting Camping and Unauthorized Use of County Property and Facilities. A recent review of the County’s Park and Recreation Ordinance revealed that the current language did not cover all of the County-owned property. After discussion with the Manager, it was determined to be necessary to draft a more comprehensive Ordinance addressing access to and use of County-owned property in addition to use of park property. At the February 7, 2012 meeting staff was asked whether or not homeless people were camping on County-owned property. Staff has determined this is not occurring on County-owned property.

Board Agenda Management
The Board received a report and was given a demonstration of the Legistar software to be used for the Board’s agenda management. The Clerk to the Board and the County Manager’s Office staff are implementing a new electronic meeting agenda software system called Legistar. The purpose of installing and using this software is to increase the efficiency of preparing and managing the agenda for the Board of County Commissioners meetings. The web-based software also will provide greater flexibility for the Board and public to access agenda materials online as well as make it simpler to research and produce reports of meeting agendas and minutes. The use of Legistar will enable the Board’s meeting agenda to be paperless to the greatest extent possible. Staff has been trained on using the system and has been operating it in a test mode for several weeks. Staff is targeting the Board’s March 20, 2012 meeting to go live with full implementation of Legistar.