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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 198206081r o~i • JUNE 8, 1982 MINUTES The Orange County Board of Commissioners met in special session on Tuesday - ne 8 ,1982, at 7:30 P.M. in the Superior Courtroom, Orange County Courthouse, 'llsborough, North Carolina. Commissioners present: Chairman Richard E. Whitted and Commissioners Norm staveson, Shirley E. Marshall, Norman Walker and Don Willhoit (who arrived at :45 p.M.) Chairman Richard E. Whitted announced that this was a public hearing on e proposed County 1982-83 budget; he introduced Orange County Manager Kenneth Thompson who introduced the Finance Staff, Department Neads and reviewed the ecutive summary for the public. Chairman Whitted opened the floor for public comments. Pat Sumner: A teacher and a parent, spoke in favor of the-Orange County hoof Board budget. She said with two systems in the County, one suffers•from b-standard facilities. She is in favor of local supplement to the teacher's Lary. She asked member o€ the audience to stand in support of this budget. Lindsay Tapp: A Principal, spoke in favor of capital funding for Orange County hools. He said with a brand new jail, the students surely deserved as much as he inmates of the jail. He told the Board to get "their priorities in order." e specifically mentioned A.L. Standback school as a high need area. Millie Hunter: Orange County school `teacher, spoke in favor of the teachers' glary supplement. Debra Corbin: Spoke in favor of the entire Orange County school budget. She dded that teachers are over-loaded with work which brings on stress. Nancy Rudisi1l: 5ppke in Favor of the teachers. salary supplement. She said iany teachers spend money nut of their own pocket for instructional materials. Jerry Cheeks Spoke as a member of the A.L. Stanback Advisory Council. He -- aid he supports the entire Orange County budget and said the needs at Stanback re obvious. Bob Bateman: Also supports the entire Orange County school budget; he specifcally entioned the needs at Stanback. - Dick White: a parent, spoke on behalf of Cameron Park School. He also pacifically mentioned the needs at A.L. Stanback. He is in favor of increased ~` 'r .4 i _.. - ~~~. (taxes to fund the capital outlay request of the Orange .County Schools. James Dogerty: Spoke as the parent of three children, one at 5tanback. He asked that the Board fund the capital needs of Stgnback in full. He questioned the 'negative environmental impact of 5tanback on the learning and safety and security of the children. I Jo Westbrook: Spoke as the parent of a child at 5tanback. She addressed her concerns to the quality of education available at 5tanback. She feels the Board should "ensure every opportunity available" to. the children there. She cited safety concerns.at 5tanback. Shirley Popes: Spoke as the parent of a child in 5tanback« She Cited safety problems and said there was no improvement over the past year. She asked that the Board of Commissioners appropriate the full amount the Orange County Board of Education has requested far 5tanback. Brenda Alexander: Spoke as the parent of a child at Grady Brown and for 65 other parents. She is in favor of funding for children with special needs. Robbie Harris: Foresty Service employee. Spoke in favor of restoring the $4,300 the Manager cut from his budget. He said the State would match that cut with $6,x}00 in ,cuts. He said a new vehicle was needed this year on the Forestry Services replacement policy. John Morgan: Spoke for the Greater Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce. He said the Chamber supports the no tax increase budget brought in by the Manager. He asks.that~the Board and the schools discuss needs prior to next year's .budget. The Chamber endorses plans to strenghten tfie Sheriff's department. The-Chamber feels, however, that some money should be specified for economic development in the County budget. The Chamber asks that a. study be performed to determine if: 1) there is duplication of services; 2) responsibility and liability for volunteers; 3) number of persons receiving service; and, 4) cast of service delivery for human services departments. Katherine Morrison: Spoke far the Rape Crisis Center. She cited the Center's activities in the past year and statistics on rape in the County. She asked that the Board consider funding the Center at its full level requested. j Ravert Greenburg: Asked for an increase of 2.8 workers in Child Protective Services. He said this would just meet mandated services. He said due to inadequate staffing some cases are missed. Slally Plummer: Spoke for her support pf the day care services. She said it .•~ Mr 5 l1~ ~ - gallows parents to work; attend school to upgrade their skills; and serves as a resource for families in stress and an early remedial tool for children. Malcom Hunter: Spoke as the parent of a five year old child in day care. ~He is in favor ,of funding for day care services, citing the workers as efficient land hard-working. He said good day care could have an impact on the number of 'jail cells the County would need later. Julia Bowen: Spoke in favor of funding day care services. She said it is cpst effective and breaks the welfare Cycle. Li~ida Foxwarth: Spoke as the Director of the Sycamore Day Care•Center. She is in favor of funding day care services. She cited the benefits of day care on special needs children and said day care teaches essential.socia.l.skills early.. . She said Tit1e.XX cuts are forcing them to choose between low income and ,special needs children for service. Greg Jarvis: Spoke as the parent of a special needs child in Sycamore Day Care School. He cited her progress as a student at the school and said since his daughter is on a scholarship; funding cutbacks may eliminate. her from the school. Dee Gamble: Spoke in favor of the day ,care services in the Department of Social Services budget. She asked that the Board increase funding to Adult Pro- tective Services for the additional positions. Thelma Harms: Spoke in favor of day care funding particularly in these "hard economic times." Dick Clipper: Spoke in favor of increased funding for Day Care Services. He said the cost of a special needs child for day care-was 2 times that of a normal child. He said the long term benefits to the child and by extension the government far out weigh the short term costs of good day care service.Mary-J•-~ Mary Jane Meeker: Urged the Board to increase day care funding. Jane Cousins: Thanked the Board for past funding of Battered Women and IChildren•services and asked that they continue support at the full funding level (requested. ' Charlie Shaeffer: A pediatrician in Chapel Hi11 spoke in favor of increased funding to Child Protective Services. He said 25% of the children treated through this program had been sexually abused. Brenda Cdwards: Women's Health Counseling Service, asked for increased fund- ling over the Manager's recommended budget. She reviewed the objectives for this .~ p,. .. - . - - - ~" .H - ll~`~- year and the program for last year. Ms. Edwards said 4,000 hours had been val- ~unteered. Jan Schwal: Thanked the Board for its past support of the Dispute Settlement i Center and asked for its continued financial support. Sue Faulkner: Spoke in favor of increased funding for Child Protective Ser- i !vices. Brenda Burney: Spoke for increased funding for Child Protective Services; she said Orange County carries 3-4 times the. recommended case load. Marshall Cates: As a member of the Exchange Club, asked the Board to increase Child Protective Services funding and to fund the schools' requests. Paul Williams: From Bingham Township, spoke in favor of day care funding. He :cited the beneficial effects of good day care, enhanced physical and skill develop- ~ment, self control and pride in the child. Peggy McCarthy: :. Chair of the Commission on Women, said that the Commission; las an Advisory Body to the Board, fully supports the budget requests of Day Care, (Rape Crisis Center, Coalition for Battered Women. She asked that the Board increase funding to the Health Department by $60,00 for development of maternity clinics, a child health program and the infant seat loaner program. Jean Chapman: A parent spoke on behalf of day care funding. She asked that it be increased. She is also a pediatrician in Orange County. She said good day care can aid in the early detection of kids' problems. John Hughes: Asocial worker at NCMH, spoke in favor of increased Child Protective Services funding. He is also in favor of increased day care funding. Martha Carr: Spoke in favor of full funding of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Schools' request. She cited the exce1lent•services offered by this school system. She said the School Board had cut the budget requested by Dr. Mayer by $106,000. Lois Lee: Spoke as a teacher and parent:- She said changes in the programs offered would be required as the result of these cuts in the Chapei Hiil-Carrboro Schools' budget. She asked that the ta.tal education budget be funded as requested. Peg Parker: Spoke as a parent, voter and taxpayer. She said the Board's most important appropriation-=was to the schools. She asked that the Chapel Hill- Carrboro schools be funded at their full request. She suggested that the supple- ~ mental school district tax be increased to fund programs as requested. Majorie Hill: Spoke as a parent.- She said it was a shame to see programs I cut which were offered last year. She said once a program was cut it was impossible _ - ~~' ~ N''~. ~c: - G.: ~ ~. ~~ L1.~ Ito refund it and start it up again. She asked that the supplemental tax be considered to make up the difference in the cuts and said education is # 1 priority. She asked that both school systems' budgets be funded in full. ~ Sarah Stewart: Spoke as a parent and a reading teacher. She asked that the Board consider the impact of the cuts on the children. She is in favor of funding the elementary remedial program. Pat Dalton: Spoke as a member of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Federation of Teachers. She said this school system's budget contained "no luxuries, no frills" and asked that the .Board remember that cuts had already been made due to the short- fall. She said further cuts will affect direct services to the children. The requirement, according to Ms. Dalton, of a quality education_is tune, energy and commitment from the schools and money from the Board of Commissioners. Edwin Caldwell: Spoke as a member of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Board of Education He said this is a "realistic budget".and that the School Board had already cut where it could. He said he was alarmed by the funding cuts being made in Washington and said they were not being picked up at the State level; therefore, it is up . to the Commissioners to pick up those cuts. He urged cooperation.between the .. Commissioners and school boards. Tom Walston: Spoke as a parent of children in Carrboro schools. He urged the Commissioners to support the budget request and fund it in full. He said the Manager's budget was insensitive to the needs of Orange County citizens. Linda Barber: Spoke as a teacher in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro school system. She is in favor of furl funding of•the budget request and for "planning for future quality education for children." She suggested increasing the supplemental tax to ensure commitment. to education. Robert Bryan: A•resident of Chapel Hill. Said he doesn't want to pay.in- creased taxes and asked the Commissioners to hold the line on taxes this year. . ~He said it is "inconceivable that these people can call this a 'bare bones' budget." Richard Andrews: Said that he wanted to enforce the previous speakers' exhortations with regard :to the education budget. He asked that the Chapel Hill- Carrboro schools' budget be funded in toto. There were no others who wished to speak. Chairman Whitted announced the Board work sessions on the budget and thanked those who had spoken this evening. :. 1.~~~ Commissioner Walker moved, seconded by Commissioner Gustaveson, to adjourn. Vate: Ayes, 5;. noes, 0. Richar h' Paulette Pridgen-Pond, Clerk y