Wake County Commissioners will pursue joint planning efforts with the Wake County School Board and take the lead on implementing growth strategies developed by community task forces, the commissioners agreed in concluding their annual two-day planning retreat February 22 at Exploris IMAX Theater.
The Board of Commissioners ended its goal-setting retreat with strong consensus to jointly develop fiscal planning for the next four years that will: help schools meet their academic goals, demonstrate fiscal responsibility as it relates to operating and capital budgets, and help Human Services meet County goals for individuals, children and families.
The Commissioners agreed to build cooperation and confidence between the Board of Commissioners and the Board of Education to improve education.
"We have broken new ground and made progress through collaboration with many partners on major growth and environmental issues," Commissioners' Chairman Herb Council said, "and we want to build that same cooperation with the School Board as we tackle the growth, goals and fiscal issues required to ensure the success of our children. We all need to be involved in the planning of this work. We need to understand and ensure community support for the level of excellence we all desire."
Several of the County's task forces, initiated in recent years to address growth and environmental issues, are now reporting out their strategies, and Commissioners agreed to continue collaboration as these strategies are implemented. The County will continue to emphasize partnerships with municipalities and other local government agencies, the public, the private sector, and non-profit agencies as all entities implement plans for growth management, watershed management to improve and protect the water supply, open space preservation, and transportation and road planning.
The County will also continue to work with intergovernmental task forces on other issues, including an air quality compact, solid waste management, water and sewer systems, and the provision of fire and medical services, Council explained.
"We are prioritizing issues and forming partnerships that will have an important positive impact on our lives for the next five, 10 and 15 years," Council said.
Commissioners on Friday received an update on Wake County growth trends and the County's fiscal position. Other short- and long-term goals that received support from commissioners included: ensuring plans for providing affordable housing, keeping the tax rate as low as possible while still maintaining necessary services, adopting a strategy to ensure that the County keeps its AAA bond rating, working with the Wake Technical Community College Board to move forward with the North Wake Campus, assessing the resources required for Human Services to meet the needs of the most needy, and increasing the number of subscribers to the Emergency Medical Services subscription program.