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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 20040527APPROVED 08/17/2004 MINUTES ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING May 27, 2004 The Orange County Board of Commissioners met on Thursday, May 27, 2QQ4 at the Southern Human Services Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The purpose of this meeting was to hold a public hearing on the County Manager's recommended 2QQ4- 2Q05 budget. COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Barry Jacobs and Commissioners Margaret Brown, Alice M. Gordon, and Stephen Halkiotis COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: Moses Carey, Jr. COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager John M. Link, Jr., Assistant County Managers Rod Visser and Gwen Harvey and Clerk to the Board Donna S. Baker (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. Chair Jacobs explained the document from Budget Director Donna Dean about the driving force of the tax rate. He also said that Commissioner Gordan had sent an email about televising the June 2"d meeting and staff would check on this as well as the June Stn work session before the regularly scheduled meeting. This work session will address Twin Creeks. Commissioner Gordon had also asked about the Homestead Road project in front of the Chapel Hill High School, and there is a letter from the County Attorney that addresses limitations on County Commissioner authority to appropriate monies for transportation projects such as this. Commissioner Gordan said that she had same information on the Transportation Advisory Committee. She asked the Board to empower her to take the information and get together with staff to try and come up with what they should present. She said that she would like their input as to what to say at the meeting. Chair Jacobs said that he trusts her judgment. Commissioner Halkiotis suggested faxing the information to the County Commissioners and then they could fax her their feedback. Chair Jacobs said that there would be another budget public hearing on June 3rd at the F. Gordon Battle Courtroom in Hillsborough, North Carolina. Chair Jacobs said that the Board is very proud of the concerns and commitment of the Orange County citizens. They are especially proud of the commitment to public education. He said that the County Commissioners have some statutory authority with school budgets, but they allow the school boards to decide about line items of the budget. It is the call of the school boards to decide the priorities and what gets funded and what does not get funded. Chair Jacobs said that the state and federal governments have cut funding for breastfeeding programs, mental health, pregnant mothers on Medicaid, senior dental care, and school capital construction. He urged the citizens to be in touch with legislators, because the County Commissioners are trying to balance a number of things with the budget. 1. Presentation of Manager's Recommended FY 2003-04 Budget Public Hearings Orange County, NC May 27, 2004 Manager's Recommended General Fund Budget Totals $137,351,929 t~~ Proposed General Fund Tax Rate Increase of 4.5 Cents • Recommended tax rate of 89 cents per $100 of assessed valuation • Nearly 1.4 cents of proposed increase attributable to funds needed to pay debt service on the sale of the 2001 voter approved bonds and alternative financing • Homeowner with $200,000 home would pay $90 more in property tax - Tax bill would increase from $1,690 per year to $1,780 per year • One cent on tax rate generates $1,011,179 Major Milestones far Fiscal Year 2003-04 • Schools Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance {SAPFO} provides for reasonable and sustainable construction of new school space for students • Planning of recreational facilities at Little River Park, Efland Cheeks Park, Twin Creeks Park and West Ten Soccer Complex • Creation of emergency notification network far non-English speaking residents during natural disaster periods • Cedar Grove Branch Library at Northern Human Services Center opened in April 2004 • Students in both school districts have new learning environments with opening of Rashkis Elementary School and OCS alternative school Tonight's Presentation /General Fund Revenue Highlights /General Fund Expenditure Highlights /Solid Waste Enterprise Fund /On the Horizon General Fund Revenue Highlights Property Taxes Remain Largest Single Source of Revenue General Fund Revenues • Estimated real property tax base growth for fiscal year 2004-05 will be about 4 percent - Property Tax revenue increases about $7.65 million from original 2003-04 budget • Approximately $3.1 million camel from natural tax base growth and the balance produced by the proposed tax rate increase • Projected overall growth in sales tax is 4.5 percent • Able to appropriate $1.6 million out of fund balance - Equivalent of about 1.6 cents on tax rate • State and Federal assistance to local governments continues to erode - Overall expected growth in other County revenues, including those revenues received from State and Federal sources, totals $300,000 Growth in Property Tax Base Compared to County Operating Budget Growth General Fund Expenditure Highlights Qrange County Has Historically Led The State in Education Funding Source: Annual Public School Forum Report Public Education Funding for Fiscal Year 2004-05 • Total General Fund appropriation for Education increases by 5.6 percent and totals $66.3 million - Reflects a $3.5 million increase from 2003-04 • Overall share of County budget is 48.4 percent - BOCC funding target is 48.1 percent - According to the Public School Forum of North Carolina, "county education funding generally consumes one-third of local budgets." • CHCCS District Tax remains at 20 cents per $100 valuation - Anticipated collections of $12.9 million • Equivalent of $1,178 per student Proposed Per Pupil Appropriation of $2,620 • Orange County Board of Commissioners allocate school funding to each district based on an equal per pupil amount - Commissioners do not appropriate money to the Schools far individual line-items or specific purposes • Increase of $54 over the FY 2003-04 allocation of $2,566 • Both systems experiencing increases in student membership - Orange County Schools - 127 students - Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools - 277 students • Cast to fund increase in students totals $1,036,664 or the equivalent of 1.03 cents on the tax rate County Highlights • County assumes responsibility for providing animal services effective July 1 • Budget reflects rising demand for public assistance and public health needs of residents • Homeland Security capital grant funds of $1.4 million will enable County to improve the reliability and linkages for emergency responder agencies • Completes transition of Emergency Medical Transportation from rescue squad to County functions • Retains Social Safety Net to help address budgetary crises in human services programs County Highlights • Allows far debt repayment of first two issues of 2001 voter approved bonds and alternative financing plan - Examples of financed projects include new schools, parks, affordable housing, Orange County satellite campus of Qurham Tech • Maintains employee pay and benefit plan • Provides funding for new General Fund positions to address increased demands for service and staff new parks • Implements long-range cost saving initiative by bringing Rural Curbside Recycling Program "in-house" • Significant impacts related to capital equipment that must be purchased for day-to- day operations such as public safety and solid waste On the Horizon • Factors shaping County budgets, policies, and programs for 2005-06 and beyond: - Future BOCC decisions on school funding equity • Collaboration opportunities between the two school systems • Educational Excellence Work Group • Assessment of the efficiency of school resources - Operating/maintenance/support services far new facilities • Orange County satellite campus of Qurham Tech, Senior Centers, Justice Facility, Animal Shelter, new parks - Operating impacts from the opening of three new schools • OCS Middle School #3, CHCCS High School #3, and CHCCS Elementary #10 - Additional park acquisition and development through 2001 bonds and Lands Legacy program - Sustainability of Orange County government in terms of organizational mission, functions and resources Public Hearings and Work Sessions (All Meetings Begin at 7:30 p.m.) Document Availability • Clerk to Board of Commissioners • County Budget Office • Orange County Library • Chapel Hill Public Library • Carrboro Library • Cedar Grove Library • Orange Caunty Website: - www.co.orange.nc.us Chair Jacobs asked everyone to limit their comments to three minutes so that everyone could speak. He said that the Board does not start talking about the budget until it hears what the public has to say. PUBLIC COMMENT: Kate Sanford read a prepared statement. She has worked in the field of childcare for 27 years in Orange County, and 21 of those years as a director. In 1997, her daughter was enrolled in childcare at the center where she was the director, but she could not afford to pay for her care without help from Childcare Services. She is a single mother with an income of an administrator and could not afford to pay far childcare. She said that she was fortunate to receive assistance, because today if she applied, she would be placed on a waiting list. She said that research indicates that children who receive the benefits of quality childcare are better able to be successful in further education and beyond. She said that finding and keeping degreed employees is challenging and finding and keeping degreed employees with young children is almost impassible when the children are placed on waiting lists for subsidies. She said that teachers are leaving childcare centers across Orange County because they cannot afford to pay for the childcare for their children. She asked that $306,000 be put into the County budget to pick up the families on the waiting list who work in childcare, the public schools, and County employees. These are the three groups that support the economic base for Orange County. Kimberly Johnson read a prepared statement. She is the Director of Brooks Day Care Center in Hillsborough. She spoke on behalf of every parent that needs subsidy to provide quality childcare for their children. She spoke in support of education for young children. She said that every penny that is budgeted towards the education of our children increases the wealth of the County. She asked the County Commissioners for $306,000 to provide subsidy for parents who work in early childcare education and other educational fields within the County. She summarized her "selling points" as the education of our young children, the wealth of our County (monetarily, cultural, spiritual, and emotional), and how these can make our Caunty prosper to new heights. She provided letters from parents, board members, and staff. Pam Anderson is the Director of Chapel Hill Day Care Center, anon-profit, five-star childcare program that has been a part of Chapel Hill since 1967. She gave some history of the center. The center currently serves 88 children, representing 73 families and 129 working adults. Other parents are in school preparing to enter the work force. She said that for every fulltime teacher the center employs, approximately eight other people are able to work. She said that every time a teacher starts a family of her own, she is concerned about whether she will be able to return to work and if she will be able to afford childcare. The average salary for her teachers is $11.20, or $23,303 a year. She said that childcare could only have a positive affect on children when it is high quality, and high quality programs must have experienced teachers who are trained in early childhood education. She said that Chapel Hill Daycare Center's financial resources are very limited and the cost of providing care is increasing. To cover her casts next year, infant tuition will be $1,195 per month and preschool tuition will be $870 per month. For these reasons, she thinks it is in the County's best interest to help these families have childcare so that other people can go to work. She spoke in support of funding for scholarships for the children of childcare providers. Melissa Williams is a parent and board member of the Chapel Hill Daycare Center. Her son has been attending there for almost two years. She said that this center is very high quality. She said that her son has bonded with his teachers and she and her husband have also bonded with his teachers. She said that these teachers are helping her raise their son and they deserve the chance to have their children raised in a quality daycare that allows them to work in a job they love without sacrificing the welfare of their own children or their desire to work. She asked that County money be provided to fund childcare scholarships for childcare employees. N. Maria Martin-Holland is a former early childhood educator and a parent subsidized by DSS of Orange County. She explained the benefits of having subsidy in Orange County. She is a single parent of two small children, one of which is a special needs child. Having this subsidy allows her the ability to go to work and know that her children are in a nurturing, warm, and educational environment so that they will be mare productive when they go into public school. Claudia Haskins is a resident of Carrboro and teacher of English as a Second Language at Culbreth and Phillips Middle Schools. She has come before the Board in the past to present the needs of growing minority groups. She thanked the Board for listening and financially supporting the two school systems so that they could establish and fund emerging programs. She said that they are all now caught in serious economic difficulties. She is frightened by the school budget shortfalls because she is afraid that essential programs already in place will be lost. She asked haw the County Commissioners would determine where to draw the line in choosing wham or what or how much to fund in the upcoming years. She said that Orange County's future is in the children and all are worthy of a solid education with support when and where needed. She said that if the community cannot fully educate its children without sacrificing in other areas, the future of the community is bleak. She asked that the County Commissioners continue to carefully contemplate what will determine the future. She said that her grandfather six or seven generations back came to Orange County in 1767 as an indentured servant and the leaders of Cane Creek supported him financially as he helped them build Orange County. Through difficult times, they educated their children and brought us to where we are tonight. She said that the County Commissioners hold the most valuable possession of the County's future -our children. She asked the County Commissioners to please help bath school systems by continued funding to the highest percentage possible. Pat Chancer is a third grade teacher at McDougle Elementary School and also an Orange County taxpayer and a parent. She is representing several teachers that had other commitments. She urged the County Commissioners to increase the educational budget or fill it as much as possible. She is concerned about the fulltime teaching positions in K-3. This is her 33~d year of teaching and she said that the children have not changed, but the way the educational system is set up and the expectations for each child to succeed has changed. The pressure to make sure that each child makes significant growth points in a given amount of time is enormous. Times have changed and the classrooms are very diverse academically, socially, culturally, and emotionally. The only way to meet the need is to teach in small groups. This can only be continued with the help of fulltime assistants, like the one she currently has. She said that lowering the class size and then taking away the fulltime assistants gives the children less attention. It is not the same when the assistants have to travel room to room part time and do not get to know the students. She said that North Carolina needs 10,000 new teachers every year and only graduates 2,500. She asked the Board to support the educational budget. Nancy Bierman said that she requests that the Board fully fund Superintendent Neil Pedersen's budget. One of his goals is to have fulltime teacher assistants in grades K-3. Without enough money, this will not be possible. She is a third grade Teacher Assistant (TA) at McDougle Elementary with Pat Chancer. She said that if being a TA only involves such tasks as correcting papers and using the copier, she would have left years ago. The special part of her job is getting to know the kids in the class and contributing to their education. She said that she plays a significant role in achieving much needed differentiation in the classroom. While the teacher is leading a whole group lesson, she can sit with children who need a helping hand. She said that pushing paper far a living couldn't begin to compare to this. She said that many TAs have discussed resigning rather than returning in August, perhaps to find that their job description has been altered. If she will be split between two or more classes, she will only escort children to specials, lunch, and recess; do double the copying, record keeping, and correcting that she does now; and have little meaningful contact with the children. She asked the County Commissioners to increase the proposed funding of Dr. Pederson's budget so that K-3 classroom assistants are not sacrificed. She said that assistants are a bargain and they should not be passed up. Michael Cureton is with the CASS office at CHCCS. He distributed a handout. CASS stands for Community Alliance for Student Success. The program was started to help parents be more involved in their children's education. There is a community board of parents and faculty representatives. He said that parent involvement is key to children succeeding in school. CHCCS has funded ahalf-time position to encourage parents to be more involved in their children's education. This program also has great potential for collaboration with Orange County Schools. The budget is $14,000. He is also the coordinator far Connect A School Hame Loaner Program. This is designed to make sure that every student in CHCCS has a computer and also has free Internet access. They have written grants to get the Internet service providers for parents. He understands the County Commissioners' position, but he hopes there is some way to make sure that this budget gets funded. Caroline Lindsey read a prepared statement. She is a member and mentor in the Blue Ribbon Mentor Advocacy (BRMA) program for six years. The money made available to this program by the CHCCS has made a big difference in the girl that she mentors and the possibilities far her future. They raise 50°~ of the money privately. She has been mentoring this young girl since the 4t" grade, and she just started high school. The significant difference has been the BRMA high school specialist hired by the mentoring program. The specialist has been there as a friend and counselor and has found tutors for the girl. The specialist has set limits and challenged the young people to reach out. She fears that if the money is not provided at the requested level, that these positive experiences will not happen and our young people will not succeed. The additional monies needed are $30,000. Paul Lindsey is Caroline Lindsey's husband. He is also very concerned about this item of $30,000 that has been left unfunded in the proposed budget. He said that the purpose of this program is to help close the achievement gap between minority and white children. He said that this is one of the most effective programs. The parents must be involved in this program, the child must be committed, the mentors are carefully screened, and the mentors are thoroughly trained before they start and are supported continually. Each student knows that if he or she succeeds, there is money in this program for scholarships for college or other education after high school. He said that it would be outrageous to cut this back. Jean Hamilton is a mother of two children in the CHCCS. She said that she was going to abandon her written comments because others have already spoken about fully funding the CHCCS budget to meet the needs of the students. She said that this County might have the highest funding of schools in the State, but it is not adequate. The diversity and the demands of the federal government and state cause them to need more funding than they have in the past. Having a target of 48.1 percent means nothing if it is not meeting the needs of their students. She said to raise the County tax andtor the district tax to meet the needs. Anne Schroder is a parent of a first grader in the CHCCS. She said that they need sufficient funding for fulltime teaching assistants. She said that children come to the schools that do not speak English first and there is full diversity. The demands are so high and it is so fundamental to get young children on the right track from the beginning. She said that there needs to be a teacher that is a full partner who knows the children. Mary H. Brookhart said that she has been a mentor in the CHCCS Blue Ribbon Mentor Advocacy Program since the girl she has been mentoring was in the fourth grade. The program has always been valuable. She said that the high school specialist is there for the students in crucial ways and actively nurtures leadership, responsibility, and academic excellence. She agreed to an increase in property taxes for these important issues. Jack Nestor spoke in support of the County school system. He is a parent of two children at Grady Brown Elementary. He said that once again the students, teachers, and parents of Orange County find that the County Manager is proposing a budget that will not allow any program or personnel expansion. Once again, the citizens of Orange County are asked to accept a budget increase that will barely cover state mandated salary increases; a budget that represents another year of the status quo in the County school system; another year of under funding. He said that the weakness of this budget proposal is all the more disturbing as it follows a year of school merger debate. This consistently highlighted the inequity in the funding mechanisms between the two school systems. Even Commissioner Gordon, a stalwart friend of the CHCCS district tax, commented that we need to get more money for the County schools. He said that a school system needs to be vibrant and it cannot flounder and stall. He said that this is a great opportunity for the County Commissioners to demonstrate their commitment to the County schools, to the superintendent, teachers, and students. He urged the Board to fund the Orange County school budget in full. Arlene Furman is a parent of two children in the OCS. She was shocked and dismayed by the County Manager's proposed increase of 4% for the Orange County schools. It seems as if the arguments, pleas, and proposals delivered during the merger debate over the past year fell upon deaf ears. The current budget proposal perpetuates and aggravates the funding inequity that sparked the merger debate to begin with. Orange County's teachers, staff, and students deserve more. With the current proposal, they barely meet the mandates. She said that under funding from the past few years has depleted any reserve funds they once enjoyed. The Orange County system is continually required to operate under the anxious threat of personnel and program cuts. She was hopeful and impressed this year by the expansion items presented by the Orange County School Board. She asked the County Commissioners to reconsider the County Manager's budget proposal and figure out away -possibly lowering the Chapel Hill district tax, because by increasing the district tax, it decreases the amount of money that Orange County can get. James Henninger spoke for the OCS primarily. He is a small businessman. He said that 9/11 hit his business hard, and he learned what happens when you go under budget year after year. The first thing that happens is that you eat up the cash reserves. He thinks this is happening in the County school system. The next thing is that maintenance is put off. This will cast more in the long run. After that, it gets dire and employee benefits are cut. Every year that his son has been in middle school, he has lost some of his best teachers to surrounding districts. He said that it is like the County district is a minor league for the surrounding districts. He said that eventually, budget shortfalls affect product quality. The children are not products and numbers that are crunched; they are the moral obligation of the community. He said that Orange County parents had hoped, through the merger discussions, that this year things would get better and that maybe the gap would begin to lessen. He asked the Board to look at the children other than just as numbers. Susan Houck said that she is dismayed that the budget proposal does not even begin to reverse the 34 percent funding disparity. She said that holding the district tax level is good, but it really needs to go down. She said, to the Chapel Hill parents that requested an increase in the district tax, that she appreciates that they want to increase funding for their schools, but it adversely affects the County. She invited these parents to request that the tax go dawn and the property tax go up proportionately. This would be a win- win situation for both school districts. The question over the past year has not been whether to merge or not, but the inequity so that OCS can finally move forward -pay teachers what they deserve, provide foreign language in elementary schools, start an IB program, hire needed social workers and teacher assistants. With the current formula, the disparity has grown from five percent to 34 percent in the past ten years. She understands the methodology for the per pupil funding, but the County has a unique situation with the district tax. In actuality, they are not receiving equal per pupil funding since the County Commissioners set both the district tax and the state mandated per pupil funding. It is time to be creative and do something different. Tracey Benson is the Proficiency Specialist and Site Director of Jump Time at Mary Scroggs Elementary School in Chapel Hill. He urged the County Commissioners to fund their after school program. He said that this program helps hundreds of at-risk and non- proficient students to improve their academic skills and feel more connected to their overall school community. Jump Time provides supplemental academic instruction and homework support for those that need it most. Jump Time also acts as a social center for the at-risk program. He quoted a fifth grade student, "I feel so different during the day, but at Jump Time, I fit in." This benefit is immeasurable and invaluable. He said that the grant for this program was over, which would mean that the program was over. If this program were not funded, these children would be left to their awn means. He spoke in support of continuing this program. Jocelyn Sargent is the Assistant Director of the Stone Center far Black Culture and History at UNC. She is also a mentor in the Blue Ribbon Mentor Advocacy program. She spoke about their relationship with the school district at the Stone Center. She explained the "Communiversity" program, where college student volunteers provide supplemental education services through cultural literacy and homework assistance. She said that gaps still remain between white students and students of color in terms of academic performance. She urged the County Commissioners to fully support the school budgets. Kelly Monroe-Porco said that she has heard the County Commissioners say before that they provide the money and it is up to the school boards to spend it. She said that with the 4% increase, OCS would only be able to meet mandates. She asked the County Commissioners' advice on what the school board should cut. She said that the items in their budget were not fluff. She asked far help in coming up with creative ways to fully fund the budget. Liz Brown said that this is her fifth year of asking for Spanish teachers and other expansion items. She said that she would not give up. She thanked John Link for not raising the CHCCS district tax. It will take courage to lower it, but that is the only way to chip away at the disparity that exists between the two school systems in the same County. She asked why one student should get mare money ($1,200) than another because his parents can afford to buy a house in a district that has the extra tax or because her parents have just moved here, unlike the farm kid whose parents cannot just pick up the hay fields and move to town. This is a social justice issue. She said that Orange County is 17t" in the state in overall funding but the state is 39t" in the nation in dollars spend on education. Last year OCS received only 85 percent of the requested budget. Over the past six years, OCS has been 50 percent shy of their budget. Marjory Moe said that she is the faculty co-chair of the Rashkis Elementary School governance committee. She is also the Media Specialist at Rashkis. She said that the current recommendation from the County Manager gives the CHCCS a $1.3 million increase in the current expense budget. This figure will barely cover the anticipated increase in state salaries, health insurance, and retirement contributions. This figure will not cover the additional 277 students expected to enroll next year. She asked the County Commissioners to increase the CHCCS by $1.9 million, which would be a total increase of $3.2 million, which is what Dr. Pederson requested. This amount does not address any program expansion or enhancement. Nerys Levy spoke an behalf of the Carrboro Branch Library and asked the Board to approve the additional six hours budgeted. These hours are needed to have standardized weekday hours and to be open several hours on Saturday. In order to use these hours, there much be an additional 25-hour a week permanent position for the facility. They are 3.5 fulltime employees short for their facility. Theoretically, new positions are applied for in January. She asked that the County Commissioners make an exception in the case of the Carrboro Branch Library. Without this proposed position, the extra hours will have little real value. She will also email her comments to the County Commissioners. Maria Savasta Kennedy has two sons at Glenwood Elementary School. She said that the parents are panicked over the Manager's proposed budget far the school system. She said that Glenwood does an excellent job of educating her children with little resources. Her children are part of the Mandarin Chinese dual immersion program and it allows her children to learn Mandarin Chinese and to get to know the culture and the children in the class that come from Mandarin-speaking homes. She said that this budget is not sustaining the school, but dismantling the school system. She said that if the schools go downhill, then the County would also go downhill because people will not be attracted to this area. Mary Kakefudo is a parent with two children in daycare. She asked the County to assist in funding for child daycare. She said that they secured the spot in the five-star daycare center before they moved here and purchased their house in the same area as the center. The teachers and staff have been excellent. Her daycare bill is almost as large as her mortgage and she knows that other people cannot afford this kind of payment. She supports Orange County to raise taxes to pay for the necessary daycare. She also supports raising taxes to pay for public education. She thinks North Carolina is quite low compared to other states in public education funding. Chris Qeschene has a daughter in first grade at Glenwood Elementary. He said that the school systems are good and they are willing to pay higher taxes to support the school system. He said that they moved here mainly for the educational system. He said that he could see, looking at his school that the teachers and staff are stretched to the limit and many parents volunteer to help. He spoke in support of full funding for CHCCS. Bill Spang has a daughter at Glenwood Elementary and spoke in support of the Superintendent's budget. He said that they came to Orange County primarily because of the schools. The growth rate of the students comes largely from the attraction of the County to the schools. He suggested that these schools require the priority that the County Commissioners can assess, and that the citizens are prepared to increase their taxes in order to pay for the schools. He asked that the County Commissioners fully fund both school systems and the daycare subsidies. Thad Jennings said that he appreciates what the County Commissioners are doing for the County. He said that the teachers are also working hard. He said that, with declining resources, the teachers could burn out and leave the profession. He asked the County Commissioners to work together with the school boards and review their budgets and fully understand what they are asking for. The following people signed up to speak but were not present when their names were called: Gloria Gonzales Eva Montelongo Dyrita Bhargana Tammy Havener David Beck Miguel Valdez Jennifer Blackwood is a teacher at Chapel Hill Daycare Center. She has been there far three years and has been teaching young children for five years. She said that she would not be able to continue to do what she does when she starts her own family because she will not be able to afford the daycare costs. She asked the County Commissioners to support the funding for teachers that are on subsidy. Delores Bailey is Co-Director of Empowerment Incorporated. She said that Empowerment provides housing for low to moderate-income people. She spoke in support of the CASS program. This is the CHCCS program for parent involvement. This program is requesting that $14,000 be added to the budget for operational expenses. These communities need the CASS program, not just for students, but parents. She asked the County Commissioners to do the right thing and increase the budget to include the CASS program so that it could continue to intervene for their students and parents. Bill Brady lives in Chapel Hill and he said that people move here far the school systems. He said that he and several people that he knows moved here and based their decision to come to this area because of the reputation of the school system. He thinks this is a great economic driver and a tremendous asset to the community. He urged the Board to support the school system moving forward. Janet Walters has a kindergartner at Glenwood Elementary. She is a parent volunteer because she saw haw stretched the teachers were. She said that the teachers need help from the teacher assistants. She urged the Board to support both budgets. A motion was made by Commissioner Gordon, seconded by Commissioner Halkiotis to adjourn the meeting at 9:30 p.m. VOTE: UNANIMOUS Barry Jacobs, Chair Donna S. Baker Clerk to the Board