Blue Ribbon Committee Kicks Off Process to Study County's Long-Term Building Needs, Propose Funding Strategies

1/3/2006

A blue ribbon committee of business and civic leaders today kicked off its five-month effort to examine planned and projected needs for capital projects around Wake County for the next 20-30 years and propose future funding strategies.

The Blue Ribbon Committee on the Future of Wake County, chaired by business leaders Fred Day and Frank B. Holding Jr., will examine long-term needs for facilities such as schools, libraries and jails, and for transportation, water, sewer and other infrastructure, and will propose solutions for funding these needs. The committee was appointed by the Wake County Board of Commissioners, in partnership with the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce and the Wake County Mayors Association.

In this inaugural meeting at the RBC Center in Raleigh, committee members worked in small groups to describe their vision of Wake County today and in the future, and to identify challenges facing the community. The committee was positive about Wake County’s future, agreeing that maintaining a quality community goes hand in hand with responsible planning and funding.

Committee Co-Chairs Day and Holding hailed the kickoff event as a "strong start to a successful collaboration between the business community and local government."

"The economic health of our county should be a major consideration in our long-range planning, and we are pleased for the opportunity to have a voice and a role in shaping this tremendously important aspect of our future," said Holding, president of First Citizens Bank. "The business community must work closely with local government because we understand that we need to maintain our high standards for quality if we are to remain competitive."

Day, president and CEO of Progress Energy Carolinas, told the committee that all citizens would benefit from the comprehensive, long-range approach to continued planning for growth.

"Our local governments, like all families and companies, have limited resources, so it’s important to prioritize our needs, and make sure we are tackling them effectively and efficiently," he said. "The diverse talents, knowledge and perspectives represented in this room will be key to ensuring that we create a strong foundation for a future Wake County, and one that is fiscally sound and responsible."

Wake County Commissioners’ Chairman Tony Gurley thanked the committee members for their commitment to this "significant step in mapping out Wake County’s future," noting that they were building on a long tradition of sound planning for growth.

"Be assured that your work here will be part of the legacy you leave to your children and our community, for you will make a notable difference in how Wake County looks and feels for our next generations who will live, learn, work, play and raise their own families here," Gurley said.

The committee’s mission and charge includes:

· Compiling an inventory of current infrastructure plans and projected costs for public and technical schools, transportation, water and sewer, libraries, parks, open space, jails and public buildings.

· Determining funding needs and gaps.

· Preparing a draft report of recommended solutions to meet those gaps (this will include exploring funding strategies used or available to meet growth requirements in other fast-growing regions).

· Conducting a community forum to share the draft report and receive feedback.

· Preparing a final report to be delivered to the Board of Commissioners by May 30, 2006.

The Blue Ribbon Committee on the Future of Wake County will next meet on Tuesday, January 24, from 8 – 11:30 a.m., at the RBC Center. More information can be found at www.wakegov.com/blueribbon.

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