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A worthy suggestion

Posted on September 24, 2009 by Staff

Interim County Manager Frank Clifton was a good hire on many counts. He brought in not only a high degree of competency and experience, but a fresh set of eyes on some lingering problems with the structure of county government.
Like much of the rest of this place, county government grew too quickly and too often in a reactive mode to the pressures it faced. Restructuring a very large organization was one of the biggest challenges that faced former County Manager Laura Blackmon, who took over after the long tenure of John Link.

Restructuring anything is often not a popular task, and a proposal introduced by Blackmon several months ago, though surely well intended, was not well received.
In hiring Clifton, the board of commissioners asked for a candid review of the lay of the land in county government. Given the tax protests and criticisms over the reassessment, the recent inter-jurisdictional tug-of-war over library funding and other lingering concerns on efficiency and efficacy of county programs, that made sound sense.

So did Clifton when he produced a detailed, 64-page report.
(You can read Clifton’s full report at co.orange.nc.us/OCCLERKS/090910.htm
Click on the link that says “Follow up with interim manager.”

Among the many suggestions, one item caught our eye — the creation of a county-managed nonprofit foundation.

Clifton writes: “The purpose of this proposal is to create a vehicle for citizens, other foundations and any other group to ‘contribute’ to a tax-exempt organization that would focus on various civic priorities. Possibilities exist that those who would not give money to a government or government agency would see an appropriately managed foundation positively. The county might achieve some of its larger goals with less investment of tax dollars.”

He notes that he has personally used such entities in previous jobs to help build libraries.

It might seem counter-intuitive in these times of dwindling contributions to our nonprofit community to suggest creating another draw on those willing to contribute, but the idea, we think, is worth discussing.

If rather than compete, it could become a source of new contributions and partnerships, it really could become a way to see through some of the more difficult-to-fund priorities, like, say, a downtown library in Carrboro or improvements to health clinics. Another advantage to the idea is that it could be used to collect and channel funds to other area nonprofits, bolstering them rather than competing.

And one of the best parts of the idea is that it would be administered by a board accountable to a democratically elected body.

The county should be cautious, naturally, and take a hard look at how this has played out in other places. And, likewise, our local nonprofits, a proud and integral part of this community, should be thoroughly consulted and encouraged to participate in the discussion. But if Clifton is right, we may see some long-sought goals achieved and at a cost to taxpayers far lower than previously imagined.

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