Board Goals

The eight focus areas are:

Within these eight focus areas, the Board of Commissioners has identified 10 high-priority goals for 2008:

1. Building Human Capital: Develop and implement a plan to deliver human services that will enable citizens to achieve and/or maintain middle class status, ultimately reducing dependence on governmental support. This includes life coaching, connection to opportunities and specific economic goals for individuals.
2. Collaborative Water Resources Management: Ensure that municipalities have a voice in the development of regional solutions for water resource management in Wake County.
3. Mental Health Reform: Continue collaboration with state and local partners to implement a successful mental health continuum of care for the citizens of Wake County.
4. Support for Cultural Arts: Highlight the unique and varied cultural and artistic aspects of our community.
5. Transportation Strategies: Work collaboratively with stakeholders, including the Wake County legislative delegation, regional transportation organizations, municipalities and others, to identify strategies that ensure the County’s transportation needs are addressed.
6. Enhanced Delivery Systems for Fire/Rescue and EMS: Initiate discussions with contracted service providers to identify consolidation opportunities in fire/rescue service and emergency medical services delivery and identify other strategies that will yield more effective and efficient fire/rescue and emergency medical services.
7. Financial Stewardship: Maintain the fiscal strength and stability of Wake County government through excellence in long-term financial planning and careful stewardship and accountability of taxpayers' money.
8. Environmental Stewardship: Update and sustain the Environmental Stewardship Agenda that was adopted by the Wake County Board of Commissioners. This policy is a conservation commitment to citizens that addresses Water Quality, Parks, Recreation and Open Space, Solid Waste Management, Air Quality, Environmental Health & Safety and Environmental Education.
9. Public School Financing and Construction: Continue the review and assessment of current and future school construction and bond programs, as well as evaluate the Wake County Public School System's operating budget, to ensure fiscal accountability of taxpayers’ dollars and the provision of quality education for students.
10. Gang Prevention: Continue implementation of strategies recommended by the Wake County Community Assessment’s Gang Prevention Task Force to bolster prevention efforts and reduce the prevalence of gang activity in the county.

In addition to the 10 high-priority goals, the Commissioners identified eight other issues that Wake County will focus on in 2008:

11. Re-Engage Discussion on Growth Management: In light of continued rapid growth, re-engage the community in a discussion on growth management similar to the 2000-2003 Growth Management Task Force.
12. Blue Ribbon Committee on the Future of Wake County: Continue to implement Blue Ribbon Committee recommendations.
13. Changing Faces: Continue to study the impact of changing demographics on Wake County services and programs to guide plans now and in the future.
14. Urban County Leadership: Continue to take a leadership role among the largest, urbanizing counties to discuss common issues and promote common legislative agendas, involving transportation, water supply, Medicaid financing and air quality, for example.
15. Consistent, Proactive Communication: Continue to implement strategies to increase citizen awareness of and support for Wake County services.
16. Criminal Justice Facilities: Continue to implement a courthouse and criminal justice long-term capital plan.
17. Citizens Facility Advisory Committee: Continue to take an active role with the Citizens' Facilities Advisory Committee to evaluate cost-effective strategies for the school and county capital building programs.
18. Criminal Justice Trends: Continue to assess the impact on the County's criminal justice system resulting from the effects of mental health reform and the increased use of illegal drugs.