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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 19990615APPROVED 211 412 0 0 0 MINUTES ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BUDGET WORK SESSION JUNE 15, 1999 The Orange County Board of Commissioners met on Tuesday, June 15, 1999 at 5:00 p.m. in the Board Room at the Southern Human Services Center, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Alice M. Gordon and Commissioners Margaret W. Brown, Moses Carey, Jr., Stephen H. Halkiotis, and Barry Jacobs COUNTY ATTORNEY PRESENT: Geoffrey Gledhill COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager John M. Link, Jr. and Clerk to the Board Beverly A. Blythe (All other staff members will be identified appropriately below) NOTE: ALL DOCUMENTS REFERRED TO IN THESE MINUTES ARE IN THE PERMANENT AGENDA FILE IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE. ALL RECORDINGS OF THE MEETING WILL BE KEPT FOR 5 YEARS. 1. Solid Waste Management Interlocal Agreement The Board decided to go through the Solid Waste Management Interlocal Agreement and discuss only those items which are questionable. Chair Gordon said that the proposed interlocal agreement is very close to what the County Commissioners indicated they wanted in an agreement. Report from Attorney Bob Jessup on the Chapel Hill Town Council's June 14th meeting. Bob Jessup said that there were only three remaining issues that the Chapel Hill Town Council felt should be addressed in the interlocal agreement. The Town Council authorized the Mayor to complete and execute the agreement if these three points were addressed. The first point is the restrictions on the use of the 60 acres of the Greene Tract that will be conveyed to the County. The second point is to work toward a better identification in the document of the steps of the integrated solid waste management plan, and to state that the parties are committed to the goals of this plan, including the goals for reduction of solid waste and that the County is the only party that can change anything in the plan. The final point is the question of what happens to the remaining 109 acres of the Greene Tract. Bob Jessup said that the Chapel Hill Town Council's position is that the County is getting 60 acres and will remain a 42% owner of the remaining 109 acres, but reimbursement for the landfill function will no longer be an issue in the interlocal agreement. Commissioner Brown asked about the second point that was made by the Chapel Hill Town Council. She said that in the agreement under "Determined Policy," it does make reference to the Solid Waste Management Plan as the guiding document. She asked if this was substantial enough. Bob Jessup said that some of the Council members wanted to identify the Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan with more specificity. They also wanted to include a current recommitment to the existing goals of that plan. Commissioner Carey said that he does not understand how it was assumed that the County would do something with the remaining area of the Greene Tract for its own benefit. He does not understand where this logic is coming from. Commissioner Jacobs said that he feels that the first and third points are contradictory and it cannot be both ways. He said that it is basically saying that the County is getting 60 acres but all three owners are going to have some say in what the County does with the 60 acres. Commissioner Halkiotis expressed his disappointment in the logic behind the comments made about the 109 acres. He asked if a developer came along and bought the109 acres, would the money be divided three ways. Bob Jessup said yes. Commissioner Brown feels the Board should go back to Chapel Hill and offer some proposals that might be a compromise. She feels the Greene Tract is an asset of the landfill and any proceeds should go to the landfill fund because it was purchased by tipping fees. Geoffrey Gledhill said that the Greene Tract is not only an asset of the landfill but it serves the same purpose as a reserve of the landfill. Commissioner Brown proposed that the 109 acres should remain an asset of the landfill for purposes of disposal. She said that if it is used for a park or school the County should determine the price and all the money gained from selling it should go to the landfill fund. She is not willing to change that but feels some proposals need to be made for how the proceeds should be used. Chair Gordon made reference to the second point and said that she thought the County Commissioners had already agreed to what should happen to the Greene Tract. The working group which included Mayor Nelson, Mayor Waldorf, Mayor Johnson, Chair Gordon and Commissioner Jacobs talked about the public versus landfill asset issue and agreed that the Greene Tract was to be a landfill asset. Commissioner Brown said she would not use the word "asset" but indicate that the proceeds from the sale of the land, whether public or private, should go to the landfill fund. Commissioner Carey said that the fundamental problem is that the landfill fund has to be reimbursed for any use that is not consistent with the beneficiaries of the landfill. The 60 acres is still going to be an asset of the landfill and everyone will benefit from this asset. He thinks the County Commissioners need to hear what Carrboro has to say. After feedback is received from Carrboro, a smaller group could meet and discuss any points of disagreement. Commissioner Jacobs said that he has no problem with changing the wording or changing the approach for monies being reimbursed. He suggested referring back to that section of the proposed interlocal agreement and asking Chapel Hill what they would propose. Part of the money could be retained for reimbursement of landfill expenses and the majority of the property would still be available under that scenario. Commissioner Halkiotis suggested that the Board empower Chair Gordon and Commissioner Brown to be a subgroup to work these issues out and get it done. Chair Gordon said that she feels there needs to be a small group to work on this agreement. This would mean a delay for taking over the landfill operations. However, this is a fundamental disagreement that needs to be resolved and worked out. John Link said that as they worked as a small group, they anticipated that there could be problems with the Greene Tract. He said that the intent of the proposed interlocal agreement was to identify issues and work on them for two years. If a conclusion was not reached, then the asset would be sold and the money would go back to the landfill. He said that if Chapel Hill maintains that they are not in agreement with this language, then there is a timetable issue. Even if there was not total agreement with the wording, but 80 or 90% was agreed to, then the transition could begin so the transfer could be effective January 1, 2000. If an agreement were not reached until September or October, it would be very difficult to get everything done in three months. Commissioner Brown feels that the language issue is important. Calling the land an asset may be the issue because she does not feel the argument is over money. She made reference to the 60 acres and suggested that since the Town of Chapel Hill has this entire tract in their planning jurisdiction and they want to exclude the two uses, mixed solid waste and C&D, it should be clear as to what uses would be permitted. Commissioner Carey would not mind adding a list of permitted uses, but he does not want to make the list inclusive. Chair Gordon feels that it is important to talk about zoning and permitted uses. Commissioner Jacobs made reference to the last sentence of #1 in the report of last night's meeting, which states, "in addition, state that no non-solid waste management use could be made of the 60-acre portion without the agreement of the three current co-owners." He said that the County would not really own the 60 acres if the other two jurisdictions had to agree on what was done with the land. He did not think this should be approved. Chair Gordon said that she feels this needs to go back to a smaller group. Bob Jessup said that the Town Council agreed that the Mayor is not to sign the agreement until these three points are incorporated into the agreement. The Chapel Hill Town Council does want the transfer to take place. The Council meets next Monday and if something can be worked out between now and then, he feels that the Town Council would support the County continuing to work on the transition plan. Chair Gordon asked if the Board wanted the staff to continue working on this transition. She still feels that there should be a date by which the agreement would be signed or the January 1, 2000 deadline would not be met. Commissioner Halkiotis said that a date was put in the proposed interlocal agreement by which an agreement needed to be worked out. He asked if there is another issue beyond money that he is missing. He is tired of discussing this and would gladly let Chapel Hill run the landfill for the time being. Commissioner Carey said that he would like to keep the January 1, 2000 date, but if it takes two or three months to work out these differences it should be clear that the transfer would be six months from the signing of the proposed interlocal agreement. Commissioner Jacobs said that he would like to send a message to Chapel Hill that the Board of County Commissioners is in agreement on the first point with the addition of some language with zoning restrictions and suggested that the last sentence be deleted. Regarding the second point, he thinks Chapel Hill will agree to refer to the solid waste program as an appendix. Regarding the third point, he would just say that the Greene Tract is referred to as a landfill related asset. He feels there needs to be a deadline, and if these differences are not resolved by September V t then the Board is content for Chapel Hill to retain operation of the landfill. He thinks the Board needs to send back a fairly succinct message to Chapel Hill. If the transfer of the land is made, he would like to change the name of the group from Landfill Advisory Committee to Landfill Advisory Board. Chair Gordon made reference to the first point and reiterated that the Board has no intention of using the 60 acres for solid waste burial. Commissioner Carey said that as long as this agreement does not prevent the County from pursuing things that could be landfill uses that have not even been thought about yet, it is fine. Geoffrey Gledhill said that solid waste purposes probably will have to go through the special use process and there are things that cannot be predicted about this process. He suggested asking Chapel Hill and Carrboro along with the County to initiate a process to make the kind of uses described as permitted uses with a site plan. This would eliminate the contingency that it could not be used for any solid waste purposes. He said that putting stipulations in the deed does not circumvent the process. Chair Gordon said that the County has no intention of burying mixed solid waste on this land, but she does not want to bind future boards. She said if future boards are bound, there should be something left for them to do with the land. Regarding point three, she agrees that it does not matter what it is called, but that the County needs to be reimbursed. She asked that the staff write up the explanation of the reimbursement. Bob Jessup said that he plans to send out a memo to the working group tomorrow morning to let everyone know what happened tonight at this meeting and at the Carrboro Board of Aldermen's meeting. Chair Gordon said that she feels that the transfer needs to be six months from the date the proposed interlocal agreement is signed. She feels a deadline should be set for reaching an agreement, which could be September 1, 1999. John Link said that it needs to be pointed out to the elected boards that when they look at all the details now as opposed to looking at them over the next two years, then the transfer will not take place by January 1St. He asked the County Commissioners if they want to pursue an aggressive discussion of these points now or revert back to a more general agreement so an agreement could be reached by September 1St Commissioner Brown said that she feels an agreement could be reached by June 30tH Flag items that need further discussion, clarification, or modification. Commissioner Brown said that she supports changing the name of the Landfill Advisory Commission to Landfill Advisory Board. She asked about page 17, item e, which states, "to further such mission and goals for the system as the County may adopt from time to time." She asked what this statement meant by "mission." Bob Jessup clarified that this meant that the Landfill Advisory Board would do what the County Commissioners thought the system was supposed to be doing. He said this item could be removed if it is confusing. Commissioner Brown asked if it has been determined that this advisory board would review and approve all changes to the rates, fees, and charges. Bob Jessup said that these changes would not require approval of the governing boards. If the advisory board does not agree, then the proposal goes to the governing boards. Chair Gordon said that the advisory board does not track with the resolution on boards and commissions such as term limits, bylaws, a charge, etc. she feels this Board should follow the County's policies. Bob Jessup said that he would report that the County Commissioners have some substantial questions about the organization and responsibilities of the Advisory Board. Commissioner Carey said that the language in #2 on page five is consistent with what the Board discussed. He feels these questions should be flagged and they should not try to sort them out or state positions. Commissioner Halkiotis said that it appears that the other four Commissioners are beginning to unravel all that has been done on this proposed interlocal agreement. John Link said that this is about addressing the solid waste plan including recycling, reduction, etc. If the jurisdictions are not going to support the level of fees and taxes that are necessary to go forward with solid waste management, then nothing happens. Commissioner Carey said that if there is not a commitment of funds, the implementation of the plan cannot move ahead. The following items were flagged: Landfill Advisory Commission (p. 8) Limitations of Material Financial Changes (p. 4) #2 on page 5 - dealing with fees Governmental Fees definition (p. 5) Bob Jessup said that he would communicate to the towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro these items which have been flagged. Commissioner Carey said that he feels that if there were agreement on the fundamental issues by June 30th that those items flagged would not necessarily have to be addressed in detail. There are probably other things that Chapel Hill and Carrboro are not comfortable with and if this continues, there will never be an agreement. He does not feel these flags should be communicated. Commissioner Jacobs said that points of clarification have been identified. He said that the Landfill Advisory Board is the issue that should be revisited if Chapel Hill wishes to revisit major items of previous agreement. Commissioner Brown said that issues were dealt with last year but some of the details were postponed. She does not care when these are dealt with, now or two months from now. These things could be worked out by a small group and fine-tuned. Chair Gordon said that the Greene Tract is a fundamental disagreement but most everything else can be worked out. She made reference to the language pertaining to making a decision by June 30th. She asked if this meant the land had to be sold. Bob Jessup said that what it means is that after two years the parties will come to an agreement. Until there is an agreement, the Greene Tract is up for grabs. Public Information Process for the C&D Siting - Site 8 John Link said that this is a follow-up to the questions which arose in discussions at the last regular BOCC meeting as to how to inform the public, specifically the citizens that might be affected by the C&D siting. He said the Landfill Owners Group designated a small working group to examine potential sites. This group looked at several sites, and site 8 on Guess Road was available because it had a willing seller. Commissioner Jacobs feels the potential routes for this area need to be identified. He feels that any meeting that is held should be under the sponsorship of the Board of County Commissioners and not the LOG. He feels that the County Commissioners, as the elected officials for this area, should be sure that the citizens in the area are aware of the facts for what is proposed. Also, he would like to start as soon as possible some survey of who dumps C&D at the current landfill. He feels there should be monitoring of where the C&D comes from so there is some additional data as the study is being completed. He feels that Durham should be involved to let them know this is going on and give them an opportunity to respond and send representatives. Chair Gordon noted that the Guess Road site is not final and has not been approved for a C&D site. Commissioner Brown made reference to Tom Campbell's memo and said that it is important to find out if either of the sites being considered are suitable. John Link said that it would take a couple of months to determine the suitability of the sites. Solid Waste Director Gayle Wilson said that the process is a regulatory process that involves a survey of the area by a wetland specialist. It involves a survey of historical sites, drilling holes, monitoring of groundwater flow to determine if there is a problem and determining the depth of bedrock. It also involves ensuring that there is sufficient property to meet the buffer requirements. The site suitability does not include transportation. The information should be back in approximately five or six weeks. The information is then submitted to the state for review and feedback. Gayle Wilson said that this is being done on two sites. The Guess Road site is in the Little River watershed. Commissioner Jacobs asked if landfill operations were ordinarily permitted in watershed areas. Geoffrey Gledhill said that nonstructural governmental uses are not subject to zoning regulations. It would only be applicable if it involved structures, and if it did, it would require a Special Use Permit for the structures. Gayle Wilson said that he has examined the County's Environmental Impact Ordinance. The requirements of the state for siting and developing a landfill significantly exceed the requirements in the County's Environmental Impact Ordinance. Chair Gordon said that Orange County has some of the strictest requirements for watersheds, and have an exemplary environmental record. This C&D site is not a done deal. The suitability needs to be determined first. At this time, it is Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and Orange County working together as the Landfill Owners Group. In one year, the C&D space will need to be available. She said that Orange County will be taking the lead and getting the information out to the public. Commissioner Jacobs said that it is important to explain how a C&D site is operated, how it works, and what scrutiny is used to inspect the loads. Chair Gordon said that she would send information to certain key persons and put their names on a mailing list. John Link clarified that Bob Jessup would be going to each of the jurisdictions and sharing the ideas and questions from the Orange County Board of Commissioners. Each board has another meeting between now and June 30th, and the BOCC will determine the deadline for the signing of the Solid Waste Interlocal Agreement. 7:00 - meal break II. Resolution Concerning the Establishment of Metropolitan Planning Organizations Chair Gordon explained the background behind this resolution. The Orange County Board of Commissioners asked her to write a letter objecting to the consolidation of the Metropolitan Planning Organizations which included combining the Durham/Chapel Hill Metropolitan Organization with the one from Raleigh and Wake County, which is called CAMPO. She said that some recent events have indicated that some form of the bill is going to pass. There is a resolution now that asks that there at least be a study commission formed. A motion was made by Commissioner Brown, seconded by Commissioner Jacobs to approve the Resolution Concerning Senate Bill 1164 (An Act to Establish Consolidated Metropolitan Planning Organizations), with changes in language in the letter. Commissioner Jacobs suggested changing the language in the second paragraph to read "The Orange County Board of Commissioners has long been a strong advocate of regional planning." Also, in the third paragraph, he would like to mention that this echoes the concerns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro. Resolution Concerning Senate Bill 1164 (An Act to Establish Consolidated Metropolitan Planning Organizations) WHEREAS, Senate Bill 1164 is titled "An Act to Establish Consolidated Metropolitan Planning Organizations Under State Law;" and WHEREAS, the purpose of Senate Bill 1164 is to ensure that Metropolitan Planning Organizations are established under State law in a manner consistent with federal law; and WHEREAS, another stated purpose of Senate Bill 1164 is to encourage better regional planning; and WHEREAS, to the extent possible, in accordance with Senate Bill 1164 only one Metropolitan Planning Organization would be designated for each region; and WHEREAS, two Metropolitan Planning Organizations currently exist in the Triangle Region, the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization (DCHC MPO) and the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO); and WHEREAS, the DCHC MPO is comprised of representatives from the City of Durham, the Towns of Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Hillsborough, the Counties of Durham, Orange and Chatham and NCDOT; and WHEREAS, CAMPO is comprised of representatives from Wake County, the municipalities in Wake County and NCDOT; and WHEREAS, the MPO is responsible for the development of the area's long range Transportation Plan and multi-year Transportation Improvement Program; and WHEREAS, the DCHC MPO and CAMPO currently work cooperatively on regional transportation issues; and WHEREAS, the Orange County Board of Commissioners was not consulted before the proposed MPO legislation was introduced; and WHEREAS, the Orange County Board of Commissioners is concerned that the philosophy and initiatives of the DCHC MPO would be subsumed or diminished in the context of a regional MPO dominated by Raleigh and Wake County; and WHEREAS, SB 1164 would affect project implementation and air quality conformity issues that may negatively impact Orange County; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS THAT; 1. The BOARD of COUNTY COMMISSIONERS does not support SB 1164. 2. The BOARD OF COUNTY COMMSSIONERS does support the concept of regional planning. 3. The issue of regional planning and the consolidation of Metropolitan Planning Organizations be referred to a study commission for further analysis and that a. The objectives of the study commission be clearly stated. b. The consequences (both positive and negative) of SB 1164 or any other related legislation be clearly identified, and c. Affected MPOs and local jurisdictions be consulted as part of the study commission process. VOTE: UNANIMOUS III. 1999-2000 Operating and Capital Budget Issues a. Compensation (COLA and In-range adjustment) 1. 2.5 percent cost-of-living increase for employees effective July 1 Commissioner Jacobs proposes a 2.0 percent increase based on individual conversations with each of the other Commissioners about the general package of benefits that he thinks is very generous. Changing the increase from 2.5% to 2.0% would save $118,284. A motion was made by Commissioner Jacobs, seconded by Commissioner Halkiotis to set the cost-of-living increase for employees at 2.0%. VOTE: UNANIMOUS 2. 2.5 percent in-range salary adjustment for employees whose work performance is proficient or higher, effective with employees' annual performance reviews. A motion was made by Commissioner Carey, seconded by Commissioner Brown, to adopt a 2.5 percent in-range salary adjustment for employees whose work performance is proficient or higher, effective with employees' annual performance reviews. Commissioner Halkiotis suggested that the Board of County Commissioners and the County staff set up a group to study the entry-level positions at the bottom of the scale. He would like to examine department head salaries and look at contracts for other department heads. He is concerned about the people at the entry level. He would like to study this in the fall. John Link said that he would give the County Commissioners an outline of the elements that need to be considered as they try to address the various levels of employees. VOTE: UNANIMOUS b. Outstanding New Positions and Other Staff Resources 1. A third new Emergency Medical Services Paramedic A motion was made by Commissioner Carey, seconded by Commissioner Jacobs to approve the third new Emergency Medical Services Paramedic. VOTE: UNANIMOUS 2. Environmental Health Specialist A motion was made by Commissioner Jacobs, seconded by Commissioner Halkiotis to delete the Environmental Health Specialist position. VOTE: UNANIMOUS 3. GIS Technician A motion was made by Commissioner Brown, seconded by Commissioner Jacobs to approve the GIS Technician as a two-year time-limited position. This position will be reviewed in two years as to what happens with the program. Commissioner Halkiotis asked if this has been considered as a contract position. John Link said it would need to be a full-time contractual position. He recommends that the Commissioners approve the two-year time-limited position. Commissioner Carey said that this position needed to prove itself before he would vote for it again. He feels that two years is enough time to examine this position. VOTE: UNANIMOUS 4. Wastewater Treatment Management Program Expansion Commissioner Brown said that she would prefer to see the report from the WTMP committee before approving this position. This committee has not met yet. Commissioner Jacobs suggested adding these responsibilities to the Health Education position in the Health Department. John Link noted that this position is grant funded for the Healthy Carolinians program. Chair Gordon questioned if the Board is ready to approve this position or if they would rather wait until next year. John Link suggested setting aside some funds so this position could be addressed when the time comes. A motion was made by Commissioner Halkiotis, seconded by Commissioner Carey to delete the Wastewater Treatment Management Program position. VOTE: AYES, 4; NO, 1 (Commissioner Jacobs) 5. Increase in Hours for Board of County Commissioners Clerk's Office Position Commissioner Carey said this increase in hours is premature. He thinks it is the department head's responsibility to work with volunteers. A motion was made by Commissioner Halkiotis, seconded by Commissioner Carey to delete the increase in hours for the Clerk's office position. This is in agreement with the Manager's recommended budget. VOTE: UNANIMOUS 6. New Assistant to the Manager Position John Link recommended that the Board come back in August when other issues are resolved. A motion was made by Commissioner Halkiotis, seconded by Commissioner Carey to set aside money in a reserve fund for the New Assistant to the Manager position. VOTE: UNANIMOUS 7. Expansion of hours for Solid Waste Convenience Centers A motion was made by Commissioner Halkiotis, seconded by Commissioner Jacobs to keep the Solid Waste Convenience Centers open three additional hours on Saturdays, from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., and one additional hour on Sundays from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Chair Gordon said that this would cost approximately $18,000. Commissioner Jacobs supports this motion, but next year he would like to look at possibly keeping the centers open during the lunch hour. John Link said that they would look at this for next year. It is not a lack of desire to do this, but the difficulty in recruiting personnel. VOTE: UNANIMOUS 8. Increase in Stipend for Members of the Board of Elections A motion was made by Commissioner Carey, seconded by Commissioner Halkiotis to increase the stipend for the Board of Elections members to $3,181. Commissioner Jacobs has a problem with looking at this out of context with other boards. He suggested increasing the stipend by 100% instead of 200%. VOTE: AYES, 3; NOS, 2 (Commissioners Jacobs and Brown) C. Fire Districts Commissioner Halkiotis asked for an explanation of the letter that Rod Visser wrote to the New Hope Fire District. Rod Visser said that the New Hope Fire District requested an increase in their tax rate from 5.15 to 6 cents, which would increase the revenue from $174,000 to over $200,000. The County wanted to see if they could increase the revenue without raising the tax rate. This letter asked several questions and New Hope responded. John Link said that County staff previously asked for this information from New Hope and it has been late in coming. He thinks that they have sufficient funds to carry out their responsibilities without raising the tax rate. He asked that a representative explain the reasoning behind the tax increase. Cliff Carroll, President of the New Hope Fire Department Board of Trustees, was invited to the front to respond to questions from the County Commissioners. He apologized for being late in getting the information to the County. He went over the questions in the letter from Rod Visser as included in the packet. 1) Personnel Budget Increase -The New Hope Fire Department has increased their staffing by one hour a week because their volunteers were leaving for work at 7:00 a.m. and they needed coverage from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. Also, their benefits package increased by approximately $5,000. 2) 16% Increase in Operating Funds - The New Hope Fire Department is sending their staff to some weekend schools. They have had an influx of new members and have had to supplement their weekly training times. Also, their bookkeeping has almost doubled because of the paperwork for the paid personnel. They have also had to pay for some preventative maintenance on their equipment. 3) $3,000 for First Responder Equipment - This item has been in the budget for the last three years. Emergency Management does replenish their supplies, but there are startup costs involved, which are not covered. 4) $400,000 Debt Arrangement - This debt arrangement is a ten-year note. 5) $10,000 Increase in Debt Service Payments - Their estimate is between $385,000- $400,000 for the loan. They have a commitment for a 4.8% rate, which comes to an annual payment of $49,702.76. 6) New Truck - The equipment the department is buying is not a replacement for the brush truck. 7) $15,000 Capital Reserve Fund - The New Hope Fire Department feels that they still need to keep the capital reserve fund of $15,000. In the past, this reserve has enabled them to buy new equipment and pay for building additions. 8) Fund Balance - The New Hope Fire Department was hoping to use the available fund balance of approximately $11,000 for some needed upgrades on one of the trucks. Cliff Carroll said that they need enough funds to operate efficiently. Commissioner Halkiotis suggested that the fire districts have separate budget meetings with the Manager. He said that there were communication issues. John Link said that next year for any fire district which requests a tax increase, he will meet personally with them and ask them the same questions that he asks of County departments. Commissioner Halkiotis said that he appreciates the work that the volunteers and staff do for the fire departments, but he thinks these budget issues need to be discussed further. Chair Gordon asked for the staff recommendation for the New Hope Fire District. John Link said that if the Board is in agreement, the tax rate could be increased less the fund balance. Commissioner Brown asked Cliff Carroll to provide responses to the questions it writing and have the staff analyze it. Cliff Carroll will write up the responses to the questions and give it to the Manager by this Thursday, June 17tH A motion was made by Commissioner Carey, seconded by Commissioner Halkiotis to approve the decrease in tax rates from 3.3 cents to 3.0 cents per $100 valuation for Damascus and Southern Triangle Fire Districts. VOTE: UNANIMOUS d. School Budgets A motion was made by Commissioner Jacobs, seconded by Commissioner Carey to approve the Manager's recommendation for the school budgets. VOTE: UNANIMOUS Chair Gordon mentioned that she wished more could have been done for the schools this year. e. Operational Topics A motion was made by Commissioner Jacobs, seconded by Commissioner Halkiotis to approve the Manager's recommendation of using interns for the Innovation and Efficiency project and Space Needs Inventory, with a budget of $20,000. VOTE: UNANIMOUS Commission for Women Chair Gordon mentioned that she spoke to the Chair of the Commission for Women. She said that the Commission would be pleased with $5,000 earmarked for the Commission for Women initiatives. A motion was made by Commissioner Halkiotis, seconded by Commissioner Jacobs for $5,000 to be a line item in the Human Rights and Relations budget earmarked for the Commission for Women. VOTE: UNANIMOUS f. Non-Departmental Topics 1. Cable TV Advisory Committee A motion was made by Commissioner Halkiotis, seconded by Commissioner Brown to delete the $9,000 for the Triangle J Council of Governments negotiation. John Link asked that the Board approve this for one more year with the message that if nothing is resolved by June 30, 2000 that no more money would be allocated. This would be paid to TJCOG for Bob Sepe's assistance. John Link said that he feels that there are still some benefits the County can receive from Time Warner Cable. Chair Gordon feels the Board should approve this for one more year. VOTE: AYES, 4; NOS, 1 (Chair Gordon) 2. Board of County Commissioner Contingency A motion was made by Commissioner Jacobs, seconded by Commissioner Carey to reduce the Board of County Commissioners' Contingency by $75,000. VOTE: AYES, 4; NOS, 1(Chair Gordon - wanted to delete only $50,000) 3. Manager's Miscellaneous Account A motion was made by Commissioner Halkiotis to cut the Manager's Miscellaneous Account by $10,000. The motion failed for lack of a second. A motion was made by Commissioner Brown, seconded by Commissioner Carey to keep the $25,000 for the Manager's Miscellaneous Account. VOTE: AYES, 4; NOS, 1(Commissioner Halkiotis) 4. Employee Development/Training Funds Commissioner Halkiotis feels that computer training should be put under Information Systems. He thinks the computer-training budget is underestimated. An itemized list will be provided to Commissioner Halkiotis for employee training and development. Commissioner Jacobs agrees that there needs to be more training for the department heads with regard to email, sending documents, etc. The Board agreed by consensus to keep the budget the same for Employee Development and Training. 6. Student Generation/Impact Fee Report A motion was made by Commissioner Jacobs, seconded by Commissioner Carey to cut the funding for the Student Generation/Impact Fee Report to $23,000. The Board wants to control the parameters of the study and select the consultant. The staff will come back with a contract and if there is not another $23,000, then the Commissioners will take it out of the contingency fund if they decide to move forward. VOTE: AYES, 3; NOS, 2 (Commissioner Halkiotis and Chair Gordon) EL Outside Agencies 1. Red Cross Capital Campaign The Board asked that the staff come back with guidelines and an application form for capital requests. One question is to ask if the building is handicapped accessible and if it conforms to all land use and subdivision regulations. A motion was made by Commissioner Jacobs to appropriate $7,500 in matching funds to the Red Cross Capital Campaign for this year. This will be considered again next year. Commissioner Halkiotis raised a concern about other groups coming to the County Commissioners to request money. He mentioned again about the charter school that bought land using Orange County's money, and now the state does not know what to tell them. Chair Gordon clarified that the County would give $7,500 in matching funds to the Red Cross Campaign this year, with no obligation for future years. The Board discussed bringing this issue back on August 17t". Commissioner Carey feels that there are issues the County Commissioners need to discuss before setting a policy or developing an application to be used for capital requests from outside agencies. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Carey. VOTE: AYES, 3; NOS, 2 (Commissioners Halkiotis and Brown) 2. Historic Hillsborough Commission AND 3. Orange County Historical Museum A motion was made by Commissioner Jacobs, seconded by Commissioner Halkiotis to increase the Historic Hillsborough Commission funding by $2,000 and the Historic Museum funding by $1,000. VOTE: UNANIMOUS 4. Institute of Government Facility Contribution A motion was made by Commissioner Carey, seconded by Commissioner Halkiotis to fund $2,860 (as the first payment in a three-year pledge) for the Institute of Government facility. VOTE: UNANIMOUS 6. Land Trust/Orange Community Housing Corporation A motion was made by Commissioner Jacobs, seconded by Commissioner Carey to appropriate $8,000 for the Orange Community Housing Corporation Land Trust, contingent upon the Land Trust or the homeowners paying property taxes. Commissioner Carey would like a letter to be included, making it clear that property taxes must be paid. VOTE: UNANIMOUS 6. County Funding for Chapel Hill Parks and Recreation AND 7. County Funding for Chapel Hill Library Program A motion was made by Commissioner Carey, seconded by Commissioner Halkiotis to approve County funding for Chapel Hill Parks and Recreation and Library Program as recommended by the County Manager. VOTE: UNANIMOUS 8. Freedom House Funding A motion was made by Commissioner Jacobs, seconded by Commissioner Carey to allocate $7,500 for the operation of the new Freedom House facility. Commissioner Brown wanted to know more about the request for funding for the Freedom House. Commissioner Carey said that it could be an annual request for operating funds. Commissioner Halkiotis asked John Link why he was hesitant in recommending this request for funding. John Link said that this year he did not recommend any new appropriations for non-profit organizations. He was reluctant to recommend the increase in funding because it would most likely be added for the duration. VOTE: UNANIMOUS Commissioner Jacobs said that the Board needed to respond to the people from Fiesta del Pueblo and invite them to make a presentation. This will be addressed in August. Commissioner Jacobs said that he had heard some sentiment expressed about giving more support to the literacy efforts in the County. He made a motion to allocate $2,000 to the literacy council. Commissioner Halkiotis asked to hold the money until they receive a report. This will be revisited. h. Capital Investments Plan (CIP) 1. Reallocation of Portion of One Cent from County Capital Projects to School/Parks Reserve Chair Gordon suggested that one half cent go to County projects and one half cent go to the reserve. Commissioner Carey would like to keep the entire one cent in the County capital category to begin to address County capital needs. In answer to a question from Commissioner Brown, Budget Director Donna Dean summarized three different scenarios with one cent allocated to County projects, two-thirds of a cent to County projects, or one half cent to County projects. Commissioner Brown feels that the County facilities have real needs that need to be addressed. Commissioner Jacobs supports option #3 as submitted by Chair Gordon. He supports one half cent for County projects and one half cent for the school/parks reserve. Commissioner Halkiotis votes for the whole one cent for County projects. He expressed concern about the County continuing to rent property and the condition of some of the County buildings. A motion was made by Commissioner Carey, seconded by Commissioner Halkiotis that two thirds of a cent on the tax rate be allocated for County projects and one third of a cent on the tax rate be allocated for school/parks reserve, contingent upon review of the CIP. There will be a work session on the CIP in the fall. VOTE: UNANIMOUS 2. Fairview Community Policing Center Commissioner Halkiotis wants a legal document that says the County has exclusive use of the approximately 400 square feet of the building. A motion was made by Commissioner Jacobs, seconded by Commissioner Halkiotis to approve the County contribution of $8,203 for Fairview Community Policing Center, contingent upon receiving a legal document as specified above. VOTE: UNANIMOUS 3. Contract for Roof Repair Specifications/Design Chair Gordon said that this is a contract that is already in the budget and that $37,000 is the total cost for the design work. A motion was made by Commissioner Brown, seconded by Commissioner Halkiotis to approve the contract for roof repair of County buildings. VOTE: UNANIMOUS 4. Smith Middle School Athletic Fields Commissioner Jacobs requested that Carrboro be contacted for a specific proposal in writing. John Link suggested holding the money in reserve until a request is received. Commissioner Halkiotis said that this amount was very high for lighting for athletic fields. A motion was made by Commissioner Carey, seconded by Commissioner Halkiotis to put $75,000 in reserve for the Smith Middle School Athletic Fields and write a letter to Carrboro requesting a proposal in writing. VOTE: UNANIMOUS OTHER ITEMS Information Technology Chair Gordon said that the Commissioners are interested in having citizen access for information technology. She suggested putting the $50,000 for citizen access in a category of reserve until the plan is approved by the IT Committee and the Board of County Commissioners. This is in the IT plan and is part of the IT plan allocation for next year. A motion was made by Commissioner Jacobs, seconded by Commissioner Halkiotis to put $50,000 in a reserve for citizen access for Information Technology until the plan is approved by the IT Committee and the Board of County Commissioners. VOTE: UNANIMOUS First Baptist Church Impact Fee Reimbursement Commissioner Jacobs brought up the reimbursement of impact fees for the First Baptist Church Housing Project, and said that he would like to cut this by $60,000. He said that next year another $60,000 could be appropriated. A motion was made by Commissioner Jacobs, seconded by Commissioner Halkiotis to reduce the appropriation for the First Baptist Church Impact Fee Reimbursement Fund by $60,000 for this year. VOTE: UNANIMOUS i. Tax Rate Commissioner Jacobs said that if approximately $275,000 is cut from the undesignated fund balance and put into operations, there would be a decrease in the amount of money needed by $681,000. This is the exact equivalent of one cent on the tax rate, which leaves a 1.7-cent tax increase. A motion was made by Commissioner Jacobs, seconded by Commissioner Halkiotis to reduce the tax rate by one cent and take $275,000 from the undesignated fund balance and put it into operations. This will increase the tax rate by 1.7 cents. VOTE: UNANIMOUS L Resolution of Intent to Adopt 1999-2000 Budget A motion was made by Commissioner Jacobs, seconded by Commissioner Halkiotis to adopt the resolution of intent to adopt the budget on June 21, 1999 as stated below: Resolution of Intent to Adopt the 1999-00 Orange County Budget June 15, 1999 WHEREAS, the Orange County Board of Commissioners has considered the Orange County 1999-00 Manager's Recommended Budget; and WHEREAS, the Commissioners have agreed on certain modifications to the Manager's Recommended Budget; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Orange County Board of Commissioners expresses its intent to adopt the 1999-2000 Orange County Budget Ordinance on Monday, June 21, 1999, based on the following stipulations: 1) The following new positions are approved: • OPT Receptionist (Orange Public Transportation) 1.00 FTE • Healthy Carolinians Coordinator (Health Department) 1.00 FTE • Healthy Carolinians Project Manager (Health Department) 1.00 FTE • Civil Rights Specialist (Human Rights and Relations) 1.00 FTE • EMT Paramedic (Emergency Medical Services) 3.00 FTE • Custodian (Public Works) 1.00 FTE 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) 9) The following partially grant-funded positions are approved to be funded 100% from the General Fund: Social Worker II (Sheriff's Department) formerly funded in the Domestic Violence Grant Project Program 2.50 FTE Deputy Sheriff I (Sheriff's Department) formerly funded in the COPSFAST Grant Project 3.00 FTE The following time-limited positions are approved as permanent positions: • Child Support Officer/Location Specialist (Child Support Enforcement) 1.00 FTE • Civil Rights Specialist (Human Rights and Relations) 1.00 FTE • Child Protective Services Social Worker (DSS) 2.00 FTE • Telecommunicator I (EMS) 2.00 FTE • Shaping Orange County's Future Project Planner (ERCD) 1.00 FTE The following increases in hours are approved: • Arts Coordinator (Arts Commission) 0.25 FTE • Office Assistant I (Health) 0.25 FTE • Public Health Nurse/School Nurse (Health) 0.20 FTE • Administrative Assistant (Human Rights and Relations) 0.25 FTE The following time-limited positions have been extended until 6/30/00: Water Resources Technician (ERCD) Office Assistant II (Health) Public Health Nurse II (Health) Social Worker II (Health) Social Worker I (Health) The current expense appropriation for the Schools is $34,537,104. The appropriation to the Chapel Hill/Carrboro City Schools is $20,085,168. The appropriation to the Orange County Schools is $14,451,936. The per-pupil allocation is $2,256. The property tax rate shall be set at 91.9 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. The Chapel Hill/Carrboro City School District Tax shall be set at 22 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. The Fire District tax rates shall be set at the following rates (all rates are based on cents per $100 of assessed valuation): Cedar Grove 6.30 Chapel Hill 2.50 Damascus 3.00 Efland 3.00 Eno 5.10 Little River New Hope Orange Grove Orange Rural South Orange Southern Triangle White Cross 8.80 4.65 outstanding 4.40 4.00 3.00 5.80 10) Provide for a County pay and benefits plan that includes: • Cost of Living Adjustment $473,423 2.0% increase for all permanent employees effective July 1, 1999 • In-Range Salary Increases $267,454 2.5% salary increase if performance is proficient or higher. Increase awarded with performance review. • Meritorious Service Award $959,779 Lump sum awarded by department head from department allocation. Awarded with performance review or specific achievement. • 409(k) Contribution $207,870 $15 per pay period supplemental retirement contribution effective July 1, 1999 for each permanent employee not already receiving State mandated contribution of 5 percent for sworn law enforcement officers. 11) Adopt the Schedule of County Fees. 12) Approve the capital projects included in the 1999-00 Capital Investment Plan approved by the Board on June 15, 1999. TOTAL COUNTY BUDGET = $99,940,000 VOTE: UNANIMOUS A motion was made by Commissioner Carey, seconded by Commissioner Jacobs to adjourn the meeting. The meeting was adjourned at 10:37 p.m. The next meeting will be held on June 21, 199 at 7:30 p.m. in the Southern Human Services Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. VOTE: UNANIMOUS Alice M. Gordon, Chair Beverly A. Blythe, Clerk to the Board