HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 09-30-1997 - V t
ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Action Agenda
Item No.
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: September 30, 1997
SUBJECT: Informational Reports
DEPARTMENT: Manager's Office PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) ` Tp
BUDGET AMENDMENT: (Y/N)
ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT:
9/26/97 County Staff Memo Rod Visser, Assistant County Manager
9/25/97 CHCCS Superintendent Memo TELEPHONE NUMBERS: -- ext. 2300
Hillsborough 732-8181
Chapel Hill 968-4501
Durham 688-7331
Mebane 227-2031
PURPOSE: To receive written information on several County/school topics.
BACKGROUND: The attached staff memos include information on the following topics of
interest to the Boards of Education and Commissioners:
• impact fee collections
• impacts of charter schools
• Meadowmont middle school site
• Southern Village Elementary design/construction status
No staff presentations are planned on these topics for the September 30 meeting, but staff will be
available to respond to any questions from Board members.
RECOMMENDATION(S): Receive as information.
MEMORANDUM
TO: Orange County Commissioners
John Link, County Manager
FROM: 4 od Visser, Assistant County Manager
DATE: September 26, 1997
RE: Impact Fee Collections
This memo provides a brief update on impact fee collections since Orange County `s ordinance took effect on
July 1, 1993. Ken Chavious has prepared the attached spreadsheet, which shows collections in, and
disbursements from,the trust funds that have been established to account for impact fees collected from new
residential dwelling units in each school system.
Impact fee collections in both systems have been sufficient to meet the portion of each system's CIP that was to
be funded from impact fees. Both systems have a positive balance in their trust funds as of June 30, 1997. For
OCS, the balance is $427,107. For CHCCS, the balance is $355,931.
The trend in OCS impact fee collection has been consistent with the impact fee revenue budgeted in the CIP.
For example, collections in 1996-97 were about$330,000, with programmed disbursements of$337,500. The
CHCCS impact fee collection trends were also generally consistent with the CIP budgets during the first several
years, but in 1996-97, there was a significant dropoff from 1995-96 collections (down from $851,000 to
$480,000).
One possible explanation for this dropoff is related to a change in when impact fees are being collected in the
development process. For example, we understand that when impact fees were implemented, it was the Town
of Chapel Hill's practice to collect the impact fee when the building permit was issued. Since the impact fee
was increased to $3,000 in the CHCCS district effective July 1, 1996, we understand that the Town generally
collects the impact fee later in the process, when the certificate of occupancy is issued (this practice is consistent,
with the requirements of the County's impact fee ordinance, and the interlocal agreement between the County
and the towns of Carrboro and Chapel Hill regarding impact fee collections). In that there is a lag of many
months between the issuance of a building permit and a certificate of occupancy, it is possible that the drop in
1996-97 impact fee collections will be offset by greater collections in 1997-98 for buildings permitted in 1996-
97, but for which impact fees have not yet been collected.
County staff have begun a detailed review of building permit records and the impact fee collection process to
ensure that procedures for the accurate and timely collection of all impact fees due throughout the County are
working. We will be working with the town and schools staffs as needed during the next several months on
checking impact fee trends as we work together to develop the 1998-2008 Capital Improvements Plan for the
Board's consideration next Spring.
STATUS OF IMPACT FEES AS OF JUNE 30, 1997
ORANGE COUNTY SCHOOLS
Revenues:
Fees 1993-94 111,000
1994-95 309,000
1995-96 357,460
1996-97 330,820
Total Fees 1,108,280
Interest Earnings 80,077
Total Revenues 1,188,357
Expenditures:
1995-96 423,750
1996-97 337,500
Total Expenditures 761,250
TOTAL FUNDS AVAILABLE 6/30/97 427,107
CHAPEL HILL CARRBORO SCHOOLS
Revenues:
Fees 1993-94 219,750
1994-95 536,250
1995-96 851,000
1996-97 480,000
Total Fees 2,087,000
Interest Earnings 128,369
Total Revenues 2,215,369
Expenditures:
1995-96 716,438
1996-97 1,143,000
Total Expenditures 1,859,438
TOTAL FUNDS AVAILABLE 6/30/97 355,931
Pagel
CHAPEL HILL-CARRBORO CITY SCHOOLS
Lincoln Center, Merritt Mill Road
Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27516
Telephone: (919) 967-8211
Nell G. Pederson Ann Hart, Assistant Superintendent
Superintendent for Instructional Services
Chester Preyar, Assistant Superintendent
for Support Services
TO: John Link,Manager
Orange County
FROM: Neil G. Pedersen
Superintenden
RE: Information for September 30th Meeting
DATE: September 25, 1997
The Board of Education discussed most of the items on the September 30th agenda
at its meeting held on September 18th. We are happy to follow up with the information that
you requested.
The Board appointed Ken Touw and Elizabeth Carter to serve on the High School
Construction Standards Task Force. I would like clarification,however, of your
September 22, 1997 memo in which you enumerate four areas that will be studied by the
Task Force. These areas include strategy for expanding high schools to 1500 students,
locating new schools,energy efficiency standards and daylighting, and cost control and
construction management. Although these are worthy topics,they are not specifically
limited to high school standards and were not included in any detail in the elementary or
middle school standards. Clarification of the name and charge of this committee would be
appreciated.
You also might clarify what you mean by"School System Reports on ABC
Program Progress." Nine of our ten elementary and middle schools were rated as
exemplary under this plan. The other school,McDougle Elementary,was rated as meeting
expectations. Culbreth Middle School was recognized as being a Top 25 School with
respect to gains made by students and Phillips Middle School was the second highest
achieving middle school in the state.Please inform me if there is more information that you
need.
As of today,Thursday,September 25,the Village Charter School has not been able
to provide us with accurate information regarding enrollment of our district's students in
this charter school. At the meeting on September 30, we will have an accurate count from
all three charter schools to share with the County Commissioners as well as the financial
implications.
Little progress has been made with respect to the middle school site at Meadowmont
since the Town of Chapel Hill Council approved a special use permit. We arc in the
process of selecting an architect. Most of the funding for this school ($18 million) is
included in the school bond package which will be presented to the voters in November.
At this time,we have not altered our plans for opening the school in the summer of the year
2000 in spite of the law suit that has been filed by residents in the Oaks. The
Commissioners reduced the budget for this school by approximately$3 million;therefore,
we have some concerns about the budget and the amount that the facility will need to be
scaled back.
The Southern Village Elementary School's design is nearing completion and the
project will be put out to bid in early December, 1997. The site work already was bid and
has been awarded. The cost was within the projected budget. Site work should begin
shortly and will be completed by January, 1998. The Commissioners already have
reviewed the design for the school when the issue of an expanded gymnasium was raised.
If there are specific concerns or questions about the design,please forward them to me as
soon as possible so that we can respond to them next week at our meeting.
Our Board of Education would like for you to include"alternative schools"as
another topic for the meeting. The two school boards had planned to cooperate in the
development and opening of an alternative school to serve students in both school districts.
Evidently,there now is some uncertainty about the availability of finding in the OCS
budget. Clarification of the OCS Board's position on this issue would be helpful_
We are looking forward to a productive meeting on September 30.
cc: CHCCS Board of Education
Randy Bridges,OCS Superintendent
orange Countp 36oarb of Outatton
RANDY BRIDGES, SUPERINTENDENT
AltRoborouab, ,alt 27278
BOARD MEMBERS M EAST KINO STREU
LARRY HAVERLAND.CHAIR TELEPHONE:DIV-732.0126
DELORES SIMPSON.VIDE CHAIR FAX:919-732.6120
ROBERT H.BATEMAN
KErTH COOK
SUSAN DOVENSARGER
R1CMwRD KENNEDY
DAVID KOLSINSKY
MEMORANDUM
TO: John Link
FROM: Randy Bridges
RE: information for September 30"Meeting
DAi .: Scptemtx r 26, 1997
The Orange County Board of Education discussed the agenda and supporting materials you sent to my
office fur next week's joint meeting. I hope this information is an adequate response to your request.
Boars! Members Ms.Susan Dovenbarger and Dr.Rick Kennedy will serve on the High School Task Force.
There was some discussion by our Board as to when the Task Forcc recommendation will come into effect
for future school construction. Specifically,if the bond passes will our new high school be subject to what
the Task 1=otre recommends?
Orange County Schools had eight schools which wale a part of the ABC's report for last year. Seven of the
eight whtxAs met expected growth Four of the seven received exemplary status. New Hope Elementary
was recognised as a Top 25 school. one school,Hillsborough Elementary,missed meeting expected
growth by a slim margin.
We are having some difficulty determining the final enrollment of our students in Charter Schools. These
arc the best figures we have at this time.
1. V illagc Chancr School 10 students
2. School in the Community 7 students
3 Orange Charter School 1
Total 127 students
The financial implications for our systwn for the tmusfer of these students to Charter Schools are
apptoxi mutely$239.903.00 in local funds,and $433.660.00 in state funds. We will be making a
recomincodatiun to our Board at our October 6, 1997 Board Meeting as to how we can address these funds.
1 did not discuss the Alternative School with our Board last week. We only discussed the items on the
agenda you sent to us. We were involved with solute discussions with representatives from the Chapel Hill
System conecrning a joint effort in creating an Alternative School last year. We did not give serious
cun:idcration to the matter bteattse at the time a building and location could not be determined. We did not
makr provisions in our budget for an Alternative School. Since my Board has riot discussed this mauer,1
would prclur it not be an agenda item.
Thanks for your support and we look forward to seeing you next week.
tha