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Staff Working Group

Orange County · OCPT Staff Working Group
Wednesday, December 10, 2025

Other TransitBudget and appropriationsContracts and procurementBroadband and technologyIntergovernmental agreementsParks and recreationRoads and transportation

Agenda document Minutes Watch Meeting recap

What was decided

  1. Approved 2Financial Policies and Procedures Subcommittee Charter approved 11-0, amended 11-0 to let financial staff attend
  2. Approved 3Adding Non-voting Members to SWG By-laws Approved 9-2

Read from the agenda's recorded outcomes. Where the board published minutes, those are the record — this is a pointer to them.

What's on this agenda

The Orange County Staff Working Group is set to vote on two changes to how the group runs. One creates a financial policies and procedures subcommittee, chaired by Orange County, to standardize reimbursement documentation across the participating organizations after unclear requirements caused delays. The other would add the transit tax district administration as a non-voting member, to recognize its authority and clarify roles. Some members worry that would give GoTriangle more influence on the group.

The group will also see FY27 project sheets ahead of a January 9 review, and get an FY26 first-quarter update on the county's and GoTriangle's transit funding agreements. Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Triangle West are due to give project updates, including a transit corridor study and a greenway construction bid.

Summarized from the published agenda. Read the agenda itself before acting on it.

Meeting recap

What happened, drawn from the records published after the meeting. Minutes

Orange County Public Transportation began a year of fare-free fixed-route service on January 1 with county commissioner approval, along with software upgrades including onboard Wi-Fi.

On money, the FY26 global operating project agreements are still unexecuted for Orange County and GoTriangle; everyone else has signed. There have been no capital reimbursements yet, revenues are trending lower, and the tax district recommended a conservative approach.

The closest vote of the meeting was procedural: postponing the FY26 third-quarter amendments to January carried 6-5 with two abstentions.

Chapel Hill Transit has a high-capacity transit corridor study under way and is identifying a possible pilot project. Carrboro has advertised Morgan Creek Greenway Phase 1 for bid. The Triangle West planning organization has been approached by Durham and Orange County about the staffing study running in Wake, will issue a request for qualifications, and has asked NCDOT about ways to raise non-federal funding for projects including the north-south bus rapid transit.

How the votes went

Six votes. Approving the October 15 and November 12 minutes, 10-0 with two abstentions each. Postponing the FY26 Q3 amendments to January, 6-5 with two abstentions. Amending the subcommittee charter to let financial staff join meetings, 11-0. Approving the subcommittee charter, 11-0. Adding the tax district administration as a non-voting member, 9-2.

From the published minutes.

Who spoke

No members of the public spoke.

No public comment was received.

Read from the records the government published after the meeting. Members of the public are private residents and are not named or indexed.

Speaking at this meeting

Orange County's own rules for public comment — check them before you rely on anything here.

Agenda items (5)

Staff or committee report · 3Other · 2
  1. 1 FY27 Project Sheets
    Staff or committee report Budget and appropriationsTransit
    Draft project sheets were due in early December with final drafts by December 18, and a special meeting was set for January 9 to review them all.
  2. 2 Financial Policies and Procedures Subcommittee
    Other Budget and appropriationsContracts and procurementTransit
    A subcommittee to standardize reimbursement documentation and processes across the participating organizations, after unclear requirements caused delays. Members debated whether a committee was needed or an appendix listing required documents would do. Orange County will chair it.
    Charter approved 11-0, amended 11-0 to let financial staff attend
  3. 3 Adding Non-voting Members to SWG By-laws
    Other Intergovernmental agreementsTransit
    Adding the transit tax district administration as a non-voting member, to recognize its authority and clarify roles. Members raised concern that it gives GoTriangle more representation, and suggested revisiting after the GoTriangle staffing study concludes.
    Approved 9-2
  4. 4 FY26 Q1 Orange County Financial Results
    Staff or committee report Budget and appropriationsTransit
    The FY26 global operating project agreements remain unexecuted for Orange County and GoTriangle; all others are signed. No capital reimbursements have been made. Revenues are trending lower and a conservative approach was recommended.
  5. 5 Project Sponsor Updates
    Staff or committee report Broadband and technologyContracts and procurementParks and recreationRoads and transportationTransit
    Chapel Hill Transit has a high-capacity transit corridor study under way with a pilot project being identified. Carrboro has advertised Morgan Creek Greenway Phase 1 for bid. Triangle West will issue a staffing study request for qualifications, concluding procurement by January, and has asked NCDOT about increasing non-federal funding for projects including north-south bus rapid transit. Orange County Public Transportation began a year of fare-free fixed-route service on January 1, with software upgrades including onboard Wi-Fi.

Agenda changes

What moved between published versions of this agenda. Item numbers shift constantly as things are inserted, so only genuine additions and removals are listed.

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