HomeMy WebLinkAboutPolicy - Capital Funding Policy~ ;1r '/y 3
Orange County Board of Commissioners ~`~
Capital Funding Policy
Preamble
This capital funding policy is the product of extensive analysis and deliberation.. The intent
of this policy is to reflect greater priority than there has been historically on providing
funding for County projects, with particular emphasis directed at enhanced upkeep of
existing County facilities. The policy reflects the implementation of the Board of
Commissioners' resolution of November 16, 2004 that the Board "does hereby adapt in
principle a policy of allocating a target of 60 percent of capital expenditures for school
projects and 40 percent of capital expenditures for county projects over the decade
beginning in calendar year 2005" This policy continues the County's principle and
historical practice of funding all School and County related debt service obligations before
allocating any other School or County capital funds for other purposes.
Long Range Capital Investment Plan
During January of each fiscal year, the County Manager shall present, to the Board, five-
year County and School capital needs and funding plans in ,the form of a Capital
Investment Plan. Each year, the Board of Commissioners shall conduct a public hearing
on the Manager's Recommended CIP during March and subsequently adopt afive-year
Capital investment Plan (CIP) as part of the annual operating budget in June.
County and School recurring capital needs will be identified and reviewed during
each annual operating budget cycle, and recurring capital appropriations will. be
approved by the Board of Commissioners as an element of each annual Orange
County Budget Ordinance.
The five-year plan for long-range capital funding shall include anticipated County and
School capital expenditures costing $100,000 or more.
Sources of Funds
The County will allocate the following sources of funds for County and School debt.service
and long-range and recurring capital
• All proceeds from the Article 40 and Artic{e 42 half-cent safes taxes.
(The North Carolina General Statutes require that 30 percent of the Article 40
(NCGS~105-487(a)) and 60 percent of the Article 42 (NCGS~105-502(a)) sales tax
revenue be earmarked for public school capital out/ay as defined in NCGS~105-426(1)
or to retire any indebtedness incurred by the county for these purposes)
• School Construction Impact Fees. for each school system.
• Property tax revenue as needed and approved by the Board.
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• The County will budget NC Education Lottery proceeds as the revenues are distributed
by the State each quarter, once the revenues are identified for an individual school
capital project and requested by each district.
Debt Service
All County and School related debt service obligations would be funded prior to allocation
of programmed funding for any other capital purposes.
Orange County Schools' impact fees wilt be earmarked to pay for debt service on projects
that involved the construction of new school space in the Orange County Schools system.
Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools' impact fees will be earmarked to pay for debt service
_ on projects that involved the construction of new school space in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro
City Schools system. These expenditures will be tracked and verified by each district
annually.
NC Education Lottery Proceeds
Each school district will. have the option to dedicate its share of the annual NC Education
Lottery monies to address school facility renovation needs or as additional revenue to the
districts pay-as-you-go funding to address school facility renovation needs. Annually
either district can request that the County dedicate. Lottery proceeds to repay debt service
and the county will substitute pay-as-you-go-funding to expedite approved capital projects
in the schools capital improvement plan.
Allocation
Capital funding for each five-year capital planning period will be allocated between the two
school districts based on the student membership planning allotments, provided by the NC
Department of Public Instruction by March 1 of each year.
Capital Project Ordinances -Form and Purpose
All funds allocated to capital projects are to be accounted for in a Capital Project Fund as
authorized by a Board of County Commissioner approved Capital Project Ordinance.
The Capital Project Ordinance will include a detailed break down of each major cost
category related to the project.
In accordance with. the Board of County Commissioners November 2000 adopted "Policy
on Planning and Funding Schoo/ Capital Projects", whenever School capital project bids
are either higher or lower than originally projected, or any other factor affecting the project
budget occurs, the affected school system is expected to work with County Management
and Budget staff to present revised capital project ordinances for adoption by the Board of
Commissioners. The same expectations shall be applicable for changes to County Capital
project budgets.
Community Use ofi Schools
It is the. intent of the Board of County Commissioners to evaluate -each new proposed
school in both School Districts for joint community use opportunities, including, but not
limited to, park and recreation use.
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Schools Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance
Orange County's Schools Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (SAPFO) and Memoranda
of Understanding (MOUs) between the County and its municipal and school partners
establish the. machinery to assure that, to the extent possible, new development will take
place only when there are adequate public school facilities available, or panned, which will
accommodate such new development. The Board of County Commissioners is committed
to the principle that new school space documented as needed through the annual SAPFO
technical review process will be reflected in the next adopted C(P, and will be funded so
as to be constructed to be available before the relevant level of service threshold is
exceeded..
Rescission
This policy supersedes any policy in place prior to this date.