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Board seeks clearer process for public petitions and member requests
Summary
The board discussed whether public petitioners and commissioner petitions should receive staff follow-up or agenda placement; Chair Jean Hamilton asked staff to track petition requests and return with a formalized follow-up and notification process.
The Orange County Board of Commissioners used its Jan. 16 retreat to clarify how public petitions and board-member petitions should be handled after meetings.
Chair Jean Hamilton read the Board’s Rules of Procedure language that "Petitions/Resolutions/Proclamations and other similar requests submitted by the public will not be acted upon by the Board of Commissioners at the time presented," and discussion centered on how and when petitioners should receive a response.
Vice-Chair Amy Fowler asked whether petitioners are notified about follow-up; Laura Jensen, Clerk to the Board, said commenters sign in but many do not provide contact information, so staff encouraged the Board to ask commenters to include email or phone contact if they want a response. Commissioner Jamezetta Bedford described existing staff follow-up in some cases and noted a live tracking document for petitions.
On board-member petitions, commissioners debated whether the Chair and Vice-Chair should triage items for agenda review versus formal agenda motions by members. Commissioners agreed the practical current process is to have the Chair and Vice-Chair review petitions during agenda review and, when petitions are not placed on the agenda, notify the petitioning commissioner so they may bring it back to the Board with sufficient support.
Next steps: Chair Hamilton asked staff to track petitions and ensure petitioners receive timely notice of follow-up; the Board asked to formalize the procedure at a future meeting.
