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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 19840614~~~ MINUTES BUDGET SESSION ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COl4NlTSSIONERS JUNE 14r 1984 The Orange County Board of Commissioners held a budget session on June 14, 1984, at 7:3a p. m. in the Commissioners' Room of the Orange County Courthouse in Hillsborough, North Carolina. Commissioners Present: Chair Don Willhoit, an~3 Commissioners Shirley Marshall, Norman Walker and Richard Whitted. Staff Present: Kenneth Thompson, County ,damage,; Wallace Harding; Uireotor of Finance; Donna Clayton, Financial Analyst, Jerry Robinson, Director of Sealth and Beverly Blythe..Clerk. ~xooF snRV~t Thompson presented the .preliminary report and noted the final recommendation would be presented next week. Tommy Cahoon, Chief engineer for~the Law Engineering Firm, reported the survey covered a total of 22 schools and buildings and over 1.5 million square feet of roof area. Primarily the non-destructive moisture survey equipment was used. Each roof was identified for wet instalation and an area plan was prepared. In conjunction with the infrared, a visual survey was made of every roof system including the condition of the membrane, the shingles, the condition of the flashing and expansion joints, the edging condition, and the overall drainage. According to this information the roofs were ranked numerically and compared. The priority ones are those that need the first amount of attention - either repair and/or replacement. They are listed in priority order with the recommended corrective action and an estimated dollar value. On the priority twos -recommendation is for continuous maintenance. The dollar amount for priority ones are similar for both school systems. The total capital expenditures to complete the first 2 priority roofs in two years would cost for each school system one million per year. If the repairs are done over a three year period -the annual expenditure woul2 be reduced by one third. The zeport includes detailed inxormation on each school system and the reason they are ranked as such. In answer to a question from Commissioner t+iarshall about doing the repairs over a four year period. Cahoon indicated that some acceleration of. deterioration would take place if the repairs and/or replacements were delayed for a period of 3 ta.4 years. The priorities and cost are based on doing the repairs at this time. If the work is delayed for as much as four years, it would be very possible that a number of the systems would zequfre not only recovery but a total replacement and at approximately one third mote cost. A recovery system would cost approximately 52.50 - 53.50 per square foot; total replacement would cost 53.50 - 54.50 per square foot. Commissioner k*illhoit indicated that the final report will be received next week. Sa~,B~BSLF~~Ts Thompson noted three sets of Capital Project requests to review: i ' 1. Chapel Hill-Carrboro School System - three categories plus contingency amounts to 5789,400. 2. Orange County School System - all three categories 51,759,425 fs requested. 3. County amount, 5471,195 plus 5186,000 far the proposed Efland Sewer Project. 60,000 Cedar Grove Multi-Purpose Center 111,000 Old Courthouse Renovation 25,000 Tax Records Building (expansion) to south' _ wing attic.. 10,000 South Orange Multi-Purpose Center 56,000 Courthouse for replacemenrt of file and ~~' A handicapped access 13,000 Public works I40-000 Undesignated Dr. Pamela Mayer, Superintendent of Chapel Hill-Carrboro School System stated total agreement with the results of the roof survey stating it consistent with their own opinions and priorities. In addition to the 5100,000 allocation in capital outlay for the roofs, a little over 5100000 additional monies is in the general budget for roofs. Dr. Mayer indicated two items were pulled from the long range plan list and included in this years' capital request for Chapel Hill High School: (I) renovation in the science classroom and (2) renovation for the. career guidance facilities. Dr. Dan Lunsford, Superintendent of Orange County School System stated that the Orange County Schools are expecting a 560,000 federal grant from energy projects, 51,694,425 from local sources and a 55.000 appropriated fund balance for a total of 51,759,425. He noted that the capital projects for Orange xigh School included (1) 5123,000 far a renovation project in the basement wing which will be redesigned to accomodate regular classroom instruction for the vocational education classes. (2) 5111,000 for handicapped accessibility, and (3) 560,000 for the science lab renovation. Category two includes equipment with the largest items being data processing equipment and school furniture replacement. 543.700 will be used to purchase buses. Also,.a contingency of 58.000 is being requested. Commissioner Whitted asked if a decision had been made on the restructuring of the grades. Lunsford indicated that the position of the Soard of Education is that the replacement of 5tanback is the first priority. 7'he vocational educatx 'on facility would allow a. grade structure change. Commissioner Whined noted that the three different construction items for Orange High. School constitutes one major project instead of three ~ninar projects. The knowledge of a restructuring plan and the impact of this plan on the middle and elementary schools would helg the Board of Commissioners determine how best to meet the needs. Chair Willhoit indicated that regardless of. the structure of the elementary and middle school environment the Orange County School Board still desires the High. School to be converted from 10-12 to 9-12. Commissioner Whined noted that if there fs a major project, that project needs to be~addressed.either through the one half cent sales tax or name other way, but that Ilse annual appropriation should not be allocated for major renovation projects. The half cent sales tax money must be matched to those big ticket items and other problems that have not been addressed by the Board in priar~ years because of insufficient funds. .Tf there are going to be renovation projects totaling one half million, the source of funding should come from the one half cent sales tax. Lindsey Efland spoke on behalf of the Capital Needs Task Force Hating in the report a recommendation that each school needs 5750,000 a year, that a sales tax be implemented and consideration of bond issue. The Task Farce's recommendation was not a pay-as-you-go. Efland asked for a direction from the Board and an understanding of where the funding will come from for the projects that are absolutely necessary in the near future. Commissioner Whitted emphasized that even with the one half cent sales tax, the funds aze not there to do any kind of replacement or major renovation; that in order to accumulate such funds a bond issue ar some supplemental tax route would be necessary. -.-.--=_- w_:_ _:.~_.--Cha.ir.::..-W~illho:t_ asked= both school .systems _ to furnish the __ Board with. a, list of the accomplishments with last years' funds. nr. Halkiotis, Principal of Orange High School, spoke in support of the ~, 5 handicapped facilities at the High Schaal, noting the elevator is something the school will need this school year. Commissioner Whitted.regaested Orange County to provide the Board with a list of those items in Category one with the cost for each item in prioritg listing. r Efland questioned the undesignated monies and asked if this was money the school could use-. Thompson responded that while this is undesignated, another 5186,000 has been designated for the Efland Sewer. However, 5300,000 of the undesignated money could be used by the schools. Commissioner Whitted Hated that the Board does have an obligation to fund the entire roofing project at Orange High School. The total cast of the project is 5247,600 plus 88 engineering costs and travel and expenses. CURRENT F'XPENSE Dr.- Pamela Mayer shared a prepared statement with the Board (copy in the 1984 Budget File) outlining the goals and onjectives for the next twa years. - Chair Willhoit asked the intention of the Board on the 15$ recorunended salary increase if the state legislature only grants 10~. Dr. Mayer stated the preference would be to give everyone 15~ because that is what the Board has approved. That would mean that the County waul.d have to pick up the extra 5~ far state paid emloyees. Mayer presented a chart showing the costs for the l0$ salary increase and a 15$ increase (copy is in the 1984 Budget File). Commissioner whitted questioned the discrepancy in the salary figures. The County Manager requested 5208,000 and the Chapel Hill/Carrboro School System recommended 5450,778. Mayor noted that the 5450,778 figure is correct to fund the l0~ salary increase and 5142,895 is the correct figure for certificated staff. 6 Thompson explained that the sa]:.ary figure of 5208,000 is the County's - appropriation. ~iarvey Gay, Director of Finance for the Chapel Hfll/Carrbvro School System, pointed out that their budget does not show the specific source for each and every amount but, that all monies are added together to form the budget. Chair Wi,llhoit-noted that the 10~ ar 15$ increase will be determined by the state and the.. County does bane a commitment to follow what the state ,. . . does. - Commissioner Whitted.-asked about the fund balance of 1.1 million dollars. . Gay Hated that'S542,000 has been appropriated in this budget leaving 5606,000 which is approximately one month's operating expenses. - Dr. Mayer. outlined the process for. determining the per pupil cast. After analyzing what monies are needed to balance the budget the School Board then determines if this should be all in district tax, all in County appropriation or split between the two. The School Board decided to split the increase between the district tax and the County appropriation. Dr. Lansford indicated the 5642 per pupil would provide the Qrange County system just enough money to give the 1D~ salary increase with using an inflationary cost increase of 58. He had figured the cost for the 10$ salary increase at 5222,000, while the County Manager figured 5196,000. 4latts. Director of Finance for Orange County Schools outlined the salary information and costs as contained in their budget report. Commissioner Whitted questioned the security guard enhancement. Dr. i - Lundsford explained that currently they have one position that provides both _ . _ _=-=;_se_cu_ r.ity -gua_rd_ services at secondary schools as well as courier service Eor _ _ __ _ _ ~, all facilities in the system. The Board would like to improve that service and need 54,OD0 to employ a part-time person to take care of the courier service so the security guard could work fulltime. ~~r ~ ~ . 7 Dr. Lunsford requested that the Commissioners consider giving the - school, boards some firm allocations instead of an interim budget so that the " summer months may be utilized for projects and personnel decisions. Chair D7illhoit noted that the mechanism would need further discussion if an interim budget is considered. With no further business to come before the Board, the meeting was adjourned. '~ Don ti3illhoit, Chair Beverly Blythe, Clerk