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2011-12 Legislative Goals Process
Mission Statement
The Association's Legislative Goals process is thoughtful, deliberative, inclusive and fair. The investment of time and energy, and value of full discourse, strengthens our Association as we navigate the legislative currents. The process is designed to create an informed grassroots organization and to build a cohesiveness of purpose within the organization that, in turn, grants a degree of credibility to the Association that is unique. All counties and all county officials are invited and encouraged to participate in the Legislative Goals process.
Background and 2010 Adopted Timeline
Every two years, in the months preceding a long session of the General Assembly, the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners engages in a process to determine the legislative goals it should seek in the best interest of the counties. The process is thorough, deliberative, and time consuming. It is designed to allow for input from as many county commissioners and other county officials as possible. By maximizing participation from so many of the organization's members, it is possible to reach agreement on goals that are important to all members of this diverse organization.
The NCACC goals-setting process begins in August of each even-numbered year and consists of five stages.
The 2010 NCACC Board of Directors has approved the following timeline for the 2010-2011 legislative goals development process:
| Legislative Goals Process Timeline |
| When | What |
| Sept. 15 | Deadline for submission of proposals |
| Sept. 16 - Oct. 1 | Steering committees review goals |
| Nov. 4-5 | Legislative Goals Committee reviews steering committee recommendations, approves package of goals for Board of Directors |
| Dec. 15 | Board of Directors finalizes package to be presented to full membership |
| Jan. 20-21, 2011 | Membership adopts goals at Legislative Goals Conference |
Stage 1 - Seeking Proposed Goals (August)
The Association's goals-setting process begins with an effort to elicit proposals that members think should be part of the county legislative "package" for the upcoming legislative biennium. Through CountyLines, e-mail communications and other means, the Association solicits proposals from county boards of commissioners. Suggested goals can be submitted via adopted resolutions from full boards, from the Board Chairmen via letter on behalf of the full boards, and from the fifteen affiliate and related organizations – groups of county officials organized by function – via a letter from those organizations' presidents.
Presently, the following organizations are included as Affiliate and Related organizations:
Affiliates
- Association of North Carolina Boards of Health
- Human Resources Directors' Association of North Carolina Counties
- N.C. Association of Assessing Officers
- N.C. Association of County Boards of Social Services
- N.C. Association of County Attorneys
- N.C. Association of County Clerks to the Board
- N.C. Association of County Directors of Social Services
- N.C. Association of County Finance Officers
- N.C. Association of Emergency Medical Services Administrators (NCAEMSA)
- N.C. Association of Local Health Directors
- N.C. Association of Registers of Deeds
- N.C. Tax Collectors' Association
Related Organizations
- Joint Regional Forum
- N.C. City/County Managers Association
- N.C. Association of County Department of Social Services Attorneys
The Association intentionally casts a wide net to encourage inclusiveness and full membership participation. Discussion and action on proposed goals by full boards of commissioners is requested because this interaction contributes to the deliberative process and builds consensus.
Counties are provided a form on which to submit proposed goals. This streamlines the internal processing of proposals. Forms can be requested by contacting the Association office or can be accessed at the appropriate time on this Web page.
Stage 2 - Steering Committee Review (September – October)
The Steering committees are the first step in our legislative goals development process. The Association has seven committees, organized by subject matter. These are permanent, standing committees. Membership on the steering committees is open to any county official – elected, appointed or administrative; chairs are appointed by the Association President following each annual conference. The steering committees are:
Proposed goals are sorted according to subject matter by NCACC staff and referred to the appropriate steering committee for review. Steering committees may hear from county officials who submit goal proposals and also may review staff research and analysis. The participation of county staff on steering committees provides professional expertise that is critically important as a "reality check" when steering committees deliberate the practicality of proposals, discuss how proposals could or should be modified, consider how they align with other proposals, and suggest revisions to better meet the needs of the county "family." Though staff expertise is critical, particularly at this early stage, as the goals-setting process moves forward, it is increasingly controlled by elected county commissioners.
During the goal setting process the steering committee members are asked to make specific recommendations or actions about each submitted goal. The committee actions include, but are not limited to:
- Favorable – A goal is approved to send to the Legislative Goals Committee for further discussion and consideration.
- Amend – The committee may revise or amend a proposal.
- Unfavorable – The committee declines to send the goal forward.
- Forward Without Prejudice – The Committee has no opinion on the proposal, but wants the Legislative Goals Committee to consider it.
- Needs Further Study – The Committee has insufficient information to make an informed decision and requests that the sponsors either do further research or bring back answers to particular questions at a later date.
In addition to considering proposed goals submitted by counties and partner organizations, the steering committees review goals from the previous legislative session to determine whether they are still relevant and should be continued. The committees are also empowered to develop their own suggested goals when needed. Each committee submits its proposed goals to the Legislative Goals Committee.
The steering committees also review the Association's subject area Policy Statements. The Policy Statements are general declarations of ongoing positions that give guidance on broad policy objectives, such as "no mandates without funding." These statements also guide the staff in dealing with unanticipated issues that arise in the legislative context or that affect the counties in other ways, as with proposed administrative rules and regulations or state agency policies.
Because the steering committees are ongoing and have broad member participation, they are a critical first step in the Legislative Goals development process. The committees meet quarterly and are available to review legislation during the legislative session; they are used to guide unanticipated legislative action and to recommend any actions that might be advisable to the NCACC Board of Directors for formal consideration and action.
Stage 3 - Legislative Goals Committee (November)
Unlike the Association steering committees, the Legislative Goals Committee is not an ongoing committee. It is newly appointed every two years. Members are selected to assure balance with respect to political affiliation, county population, race, gender and other demographic characteristics.
The members of the Legislative Goals Committee traditionally include:
- Each Steering Committee Chair (appointed by the President)
- Affiliate organization representatives
- A Joint Regional Forum representative
- An elected commissioner from each of the Association's 18 districts
- Other members as appointed by the President.
The Legislative Goals Committee reviews the recommendations of the steering committees. Steering Committee chairs present their committee's recommendations. The county officials who want to advocate their proposals are allowed to make presentations to the Legislative Goals Committee. The committee also reviews research and analysis related to the proposals.
The goals development timeframe requires that the Legislative Goals Committee hold its meetings during the busiest political season of the year for counties. The process always takes place during an election year for counties, and the campaign season is always underway when the Legislative Goals Committee and Steering Committee are deliberating their proposals. While this may be inconvenient, it is necessary. It is also beneficial to the process, in that critical issues are often in front of the public and commissioners.
The Legislative Goals Committee may narrow the list of proposals; it also reconciles conflicts or overlaps between steering committee recommendations, and prioritizes its recommendations. The proposals are then submitted to Board of Directors for consideration.
Stage 4 - Board of Directors (December)
As the Association's goal-setting process moves forward, the elected county commissioners become more and more the decision-makers. The Board of Directors is almost exclusively elected commissioners, with the one exception of a non-voting county manager.
At its December meeting, the Board reviews the recommendations of the Legislative Goals Committee. As at earlier stages of the process, the Board may hear presentations, review research and analysis, add, delete or amend proposals and policy statements.
The Board gives final approval to the package of proposals and policy statements that are to be voted on by the full membership at the Legislative Goals Conference in January. By taking this action in December, the individual county boards of commissioners have time and opportunity for a full review prior to the conference.
Stage 5 - Legislative Goals Conference (January)
The final stage of the Association's Legislative Goals process is the Legislative Goals Conference, to which all Association members are invited. Historically, more than 85 counties are represented, exemplifying an outstanding degree of interest and participation. The conference is spread over a day and a half, assuring time for thorough discussion, deliberation and debate. In recognition of the need to involve newly elected commissioners in the process, the Board appoints a Screening Committee to receive any new proposals that have not been through the development process by this stage. This process is discussed in greater detail below.
The goals conference is conducted according to rules designed to encourage participation, to provide a balance between inclusiveness and respect for the process and efforts of the committees and the Board up to this point. The Conference begins with a pre-lunch nonvoting discussion of the proposed goals. This allows commissioners not previously involved in the deliberations, particularly newly elected commissioners, to improve their understanding of the issues.
Voting Process
- Every member county appoints a voting delegate to the conference.
- Every county in attendance has one vote. The voting delegate can be any county official, including non-elected officials, and a county may choose an alternate. No proxies are allowed.
- Goals are presented by subject category. Upon motion of any voting delegate, a proposal can be set aside for detailed discussion.
- Majority votes are required to approve or alter the proposed goals.
Screening Committee Process
The Association has a Screening Committee process to allow for consideration of newly proposed goals or proposals previously presented but not approved. The Screening Committee is composed of the Legislative Goals Committee chairs and the seven Steering Committee chairs. The Screening Committee meets at the end of the first day of the conference to review and hear presentations on any newly submitted proposals.
The rules under which the Screening Committee operates are designed to provide for fair consideration of new or previously unsuccessful ideas.
Rules for the Screening Committee process are as follows:
- Any new or previously rejected proposal must be submitted to the committee by
1 p.m. on the first day of the conference.
- Goals approved and recommended by the Screening Committee are brought to the floor for consideration by the voting delegates on the second day of the conference. A majority vote of the delegates is required for approval.
- Any proposal not approved by the Screening Committee can only be brought to the floor for consideration upon a vote of two-thirds of the number of voting delegates present at 2 p.m. on the first day of the conference. This requirement recognizes that by the end of the second day, voting delegates may leave, and it protects the members from having their goals process circumvented by what could be a relatively small number of delegates.
- The Screening Committee has the authority to request a Steering Committee to give further study to newly proposed ideas. Any Steering Committee recommendations that derive from this kind of study can be presented to the Board of Directors for consideration at a later date.
Conclusion
All goals and policies receiving a favorable report at the Legislative Goals Conference are included in the official final NCACC Legislative Goals package. The official document containing the organization's goals is mailed to all 100 counties and presented to each member of the North Carolina General Assembly, to the Governor, and to other executive branch leaders.
Guidance Outside of Legislative Goals Process
Throughout the legislative biennium, new issues will arise that were not anticipated or considered during the organization's legislative goals process. The Association steering committees have the authority and responsibility to study new issues, to research and analyze the effect or implications of proposed legislation, and to make recommendations to the Board of Directors. Any such action is communicated on a regular basis to the Association members through the Web site, through CountyLines, and through other means as needed.
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