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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 06-02-2009 - 6aORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: June 2, 2009 Action Agenda Item No. (gyp 'Q SUBJECT: Space Allocation for Board of Elections DEPARTMENT: Purchasing Department PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: Pam Jones, 245-2652 Board of Elections Letter Donna Coffey, 245-2151 Board of Elections Space Options PURPOSE: To consider the permanent allocation of space at the Government Services Center Annex to the Board of Elections at such time it is vacated; and to approve funding reallocation to allow office renovation work at the Link Center. BACKGROUND: The Issue Space studies since 2000 have recommended the entire lower level of the Court Street Annex be assigned to the Board of Elections office. However, the voting laws now require all elections equipment to be kept at the Board of Elections office in order to ensure security and integrity of the equipment at all times. Due to available space at the current location, previous plans to provide office space on Court Street and voting equipment storage at the County's secure storage facility are no longer viable. The voting equipment is currently secured off-site at a location which will transition to other uses in Fall 2009. Equipment must be certified no later than June 30, 2009, after which it must not be moved until the election or be recertified at an estimated cost of $25,000. The State pays for the initial certification; the County would be responsible for subsequent certification costs. The Board of Elections and staff have requested the new equipment be moved to new Elections offices immediately after the election. The Recommended Solution Over the past several months the County Manager and staff discussed a number of options with the Board of Elections and its staff. At a meeting on May 5, 2009 the Board of Elections expressed a preference listed as Option #3 on the attached list. Under this option the Government Services Center Annex at 208 S. Cameron would be allocated for use by the Elections office by November 2009 and voting equipment would be relocated to this site after the November 3 election. It is further recommended the GSC Annex be officially re-named Board of Elections Office to reflect the new use of the space. Advantages Allocation of this space to the Board of Elections would allow them to: • Comply with laws regarding storage of voting equipment; • Have professional and adequate operational space for Elections activities for the long-term; • Maintain post-election materials in a convenient and safe manner until they can be disposed of in compliance with the law; • Conduct one-stop voting centers at the BOE site rather than at a remote location, which has been the case for the past several years. • Provide better Handicapped Access to voters and precinct workers. Pre-requisites The GSC Annex is currently occupied by Information Technologies (IT) and the Human Resources and Financial Services Departments. These departments would need to move to the following locations proposed in the space study and previously endorsed by the Board: • IT to the new office building, slated for completion in late-Summer 2009; and • The Departments of Human Resources and Financial Services to the Link Center. During the FY 2008-09 budget approval process, the Board deferred funding for renovation of the Link Center until July 2009. The building remains mostly vacant following the move of the Tax Offices and Register of Deeds to the Gateway Center in February 2008. The extent of remodeling at the Link Center would be limited to office areas and the amount of work adjusted to match the funding and renovation timeframe, if needed. This would allow the relocation of Human Resources and Financial Services by late summer 2009. Programming through Corley Redfoot Zack prior to funding deferral, indicated the best location for the Board room was in the area previously occupied by Land Records on the lower level. Upfit and renovation of this area would be funded in a later CIP. The work to be done to the GSC Annex would commence when those departments relocate to Link. The projected cost of renovations is $1 million. Challenges Although completion of the office building to accommodate IT will be timely, funds for the Link Center renovation were frozen in 2008 so the work has not been completed. However, as discussed below in the Financial Impact section of this abstract, offices in the Link Center may be upfit with existing CIP funding pending BOCC approval of reallocation. FINANCIAL IMPACT: There are two seemingly disparate actions that factor into the funding scenario which would allow the GSC Annex space to be assigned to the Board of Elections. 1. The Board of Elections has received approximately $97,000 in HAVA grant monies in the current fiscal year. These monies can be used to offset costs of renovating the GSC Annex to make it serviceable as an Elections office. Should Commissioners agree to allow the Board of Elections to use these grant monies, Budget staff would bring a budget amendment and capital project ordinance reflecting this change to the Board at its June 16, 2009 regular meeting; 2. The County's 2009-10 Capital Investment Plan (CIP) allowed for debt financing of up to $1 million in FY 2009-10 to replace the County's telephone system. The actual cost of the replacement totals $575,000, $425,000 less than the original estimate of $1 million. In a separate item on this agenda, the Board is asked to award a bid for the replacement. 3. The 2009-19 CIP also included an appropriation of County pay-as-you-go funding of $575,000 in FY 2009-10 to begin renovations at the Link Center. In addition, the CIP allowed for an additional appropriation of $350,000 in FY 2010-11 to complete the renovations. As stated earlier, there is a need to have all Link Center renovations completed by November 2009. Based on the. two-year spread of pay-as-you-go funding for Link Center, it would not be possible to complete the renovations by November 2009. As a solution, staff recommends the Board authorize a total of $1 million debt financing in fall 2009 to cover costs of replacing the County telephone system ($575,000) and complete Link Center renovations to the extent funding is available ($425,000). Debt capacity calculations presented to the Board during 2009-19 CIP discussions have anticipated financing of $1 million. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends the Board: 1. Approve the use of the Government Services Center Annex for use by the Board of Elections; and 2. Officially rename the facility "Board of Elections Offices"; and 3. Authorize a total of $1 million debt financing in fall 2009 to cover costs of replacing the County telephone system ($575,000) and complete Link Center renovations ($425,000); and 4. Direct Budget staff to bring the following budget amendments and capital project ordinances to the Board at its June 16, 2009 regular meeting: a. Transfer of HAVA grant monies to the Board of Elections Capital Project to the Board; b. County Telephone System Replacement Capital Project funded with $575,000 in debt financing; and c. Link Center Renovations Capital Project funded with $575,000 in County pay-as-you-go monies and $425,000 in debt financing; and 5. Authorize the Manager and/or Interim-Manager to execute contracts, contingent upon County Attorney review, to carry out the upfit work as may be required. ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS 110 East King Street Post Office Box 220 Hillsborough, North Carolina 27278 May 5, 2009 Ms. Valerie P. Foushee, Chair Orange County Board of Commissioners Mr. Mike Nelson, Vice--Chair Orange County Board of Commissioners Dear Orange County Board of Commissioners, The Orange County Board of Elections would like to bring to your attention some . potentially critical issues for your consideration. For several years the Election Board and staff have been discussing space needs that are required to effectively carry out the work of the Board of Elections that is mandated by law and required by the State Board of Elections. The Board of Elections met with Pam Jones on May 5 to discuss solutions to the following issues/concerns: 1} Separation of office and storage 2) ADA accessibility 3) Insufficient parking and office facilities to accommodate one-stop voting 4) Unauthorized access to voting equipment storage facility 5) Estimated $21,000 - $25, 000 additional funds required if voting machine maintenance is not complete by June 34, 2009. Ms. Jones presented the following option as a resolution to the above problems: 1. The voting equipment and supplies would remain at the Valley Forge Building until November ~, 2009. This would provide excellent operating space for pre- election activities. Voting machine preventive maintenance can be scheduled early June and completed by June 30, thereby saving the county approximately $21,000 - $25,000 in unbudgeted funds. 2. The Value Added Center renovation would begin after November 4, 2009. Until that time, the elections office will provide supervised visits as required by the architect and interested parties. This complies with the requirements of the State .Board of Elections and ensures the security and integrity that we strive to provide. 3. The Board of Elections would relocate from the current office space to the Government Services Center Annex as soon as that building is vacated and renovations are complete. Occupancy would be required by early November. Transporting the voting machines and election night precinct supplies directly to the Government Services Annex building will be time and cost effective. There will be approximately $95,000 of available fiords remaining in Board of Elections current fiscal year budget that can be carried forward to be applied to the cost of renovation. Relocating to the Government Services Center Annex will provide S adequate, secure and accessible long-ferm sforage resolution..One-stop voting could be carried out at this site with the ADA accessible features and sufficient parking at this facility. Additional savings would incur from using the existing office space at 208 S. Cameron eliminating an off-site one-stop site. We hope the following resolution meets your approval: to provide the Valley Forge • facility as ashort-term secure, adequate and accessible option for the Board of Elections and approval to move into the annex building located at 208 S. Cameron as along-term resolution when the current occupants are moved to the Link Building. Please contact the Director, Tracy Reams, at 245-2351 if you would like to discuss specific needs or if you would like to tour our current facilities. The Election Board and staffwill be happy to answer any questions you may have and look forward to working with you to resolve our space and security requirements to ensure the integrity of elections held in Orange County. Respectfully, Orange County Board of Elections .Ll.Lc.v Billie J. Cox, hair Tracy Real Director hn lten, Member CC: Board of County Commissioners Members Laura Blackmon, County Manager Pam Jones, Purchasing Director Space Options for Discussion with Board of Elections on May 5, 2009 Operations Location What has to happen Est. Timefrnme Est S.F. Available Option 1 BOE Operations remain at Court Street Annex and occupy entire first floor Office Building must open and EDC must move Fall 2009 4,000 Equipment remains at Valley Forge Building until November election is completed Value Added Center renovation cannot begin until November 4 after 11-4-09 10,500 Option 2 BOE Operations remain at Court Street Annex and occupy entire first floor Office Building must open and EDC must move Fall 2009 4,000 Equipment is moved now to Meadowlands facility, where a section is cordoned off. fencing must be installed at Meadowlands facility Immediate 2,500 Option 3 Equipment remains at Valley Forge Building until November election is completed Value Added Center renovation cannot begin until November 4 after 11-4-09 10,500 BOE Operations are relocated to the Government Services Center Annex (GSCA). The main floor is BOE office and storage space for voting equipment. BOCC approves minimal renovation plan for Link so departments at GSCA can be relocated; Office Building is completed prompting the relocation of the IT Department. Funding for any renovation of this space is not available in 2009-2010. fter 11-4-09 ,000 Option 4 BOE Operations remain at Court Street Annex and occupy entire first floor Office Building must open and EDC must move Fall 2009 4,000 To the extent space will allow, equipment is stored at Court Street site BOE Operations moved to Hillsborough Commons Shopping Center BOCC would need to exercise their option to purchase the Center in February 2012 Late 2012 negotiable Notes: EDC will relocate in Fall 2009 before the November election. If Option 2 or 3 is not available, can voting equipment be secured at CSA and the non secure supplies...like ballot boxes, be stored off site at Meadowlands, for eg? s BOARD OF ELECTIONS space options