Update on Programs: Infrastructure & Public-Private Partnerships Webinars| NCACC

Webinar Series

In response to a call by Community Forum participants and as the second phase of its partnership with UNC-TV, IEI hosted a series of two webinars on the topic of public-private partnerships (PPPs).

The first webinar featured national infrastructure financing expert Richard Little, Director of the Keston Institute for Public Finance and Infrastructure Policy at the University of Southern California. Richard offered a thorough and informative overview of PPPs, including a review of associated risks for both the ublic and private sector as well as national and international best practices.

The second webinar continued the discussion by digging deeper into the regulatory framework in North Carolina for PPPs, including a review of projects financed through PPPs both past and present and some of the existing barriers to their effective implementation. Featured presenters for this webinar were Mary Nash Rusher, a partner with Hunton & Williams LLP in Raleigh, and David Jones, a partner with K&L Gates LLP in Charlotte. Both are considered experts on real estate, finance and state and local government law and both have extensive experience in negotiating PPPs in North Carolina under the current regulatory framework.

Over 100 people registered to participate in the series, including interested parties from five states outside of North Carolina. This is a testament to the relevance of the topic and the urgency surrounding infrastructure financing.

Click here for the webinar archives and stay tuned for details on IEI’s upcoming work on PPPs.

NCACC Panel

IEI had the opportunity to organize a panel discussion, “After the Crisis: PPPs and Local Government Finance,” during the NC Association of County Commissioners Annual Meeting that took place in Hickory, N.C. August 26-29. Given the interest expressed by stakeholders through IEI’s recent work, IEI focused the panel discussion on public-private partnerships (PPPs) for infrastructure financing.

Moderated by Treasurer Janet Cowell, panelists included Denise Bell, Chief Financial Officer for the City of Winston-Salem; Bill Klein, Bovis Lend Lease Director of Capital Projects for Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools; and Martin Sharpless, Vice President with Gilbane Building Company.

The goal of the panel was to better convey the benefits of PPPs for both parties (public and private) as well as discuss the drawbacks to such partnerships, including existing barriers to their effective implementation and ways by which to remove these barriers. Ultimately, the dialogue served to educate and increase transparency around these types of partnerships.

While PPPs alone will not resolve our state’s growing need for infrastructure funding, they are an important tool that should be available to state and local entities as they build and repair the infrastructure in their communities. Judging by the packed room and healthy audience engagement, this topic is one that is of great interest to county officials. Many attendees were eager to know what they could do to ensure the passage of effective legislation that would allow counties to enter into PPPs at their discretion.

Local governments are struggling to find the revenues to pay for critical infrastructure projects in their communities, especially as state funds become more unreliable. For many, partnering with the private sector to finance urgent projects is considered an important option. Given the dialogue that took place between panelists and attendees, county officials are looking for greater revenue-raising autonomy and are interested in pursuing partnerships with the private sector to this end.