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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 01-11-1996 / ,FJe c�us e 07" Gv�f�1 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WORK SESSION AGENDA JANUARY 11, 1996 GOVERNMENT SERVICES CENTER I . Resolution Finalizing the $2 Million Private Placement Financing for the Jail Addition and Southern Human Services Center and Courthouse Add (7 :30-7 :40) The County Attorney will present a resolution, with associated documents, that will enable him to complete the closing on the $2 million loan from NationsBank to help finance the Jail Addition and Southern Human Services Center. The closing is expected to be completed on Friday, January 12, 1996 . II . Skill Development Center Lease (7 :40-8 : 15) Staff sent the Board a memo (Attachment 1) dated December 19 , 1995 outlining an opportunity to lease space on West Franklin Street in Chapel Hill as a site for the Skills Development Center. If the Board wishes to pursue such a lease, the Board must make a commitment to do so at this work session, with a lease to be prepared for formal approval at the February 5 Commissioners, meeting. The landlord has indicated that it may have offer the space to another prospective tenant if the County does not indicate now its intent to lease the space. III . Issues for January 29 Joint Work Session with Boards of Education (8 : 15-9 : 30) Accompanying this agenda (Attachment 2) is a list of topics that the Board may wish to discuss with the Orange County and Chapel Hill-Carrboro Boards of Education at the joint work session scheduled for January 29, 1996 . This list was compiled based on issues touched on at the Commissioners` Planning Retreat on December 9, 1995, and from other discussions with the school boards earlier in 1995 . Based on Board discussion at this work session, staff will prepare an agenda for dissemination prior to the January 29 work session. Staff also needs Board direction on background materials and/or presentations (if any) that the Board needs to be prepared for the January 29 work session. MEMORANDUM TO: BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS JOHN LINK, COUNTY MANAGER FROM: TED ABERNATHY AND PAM JONES RE: POTENTIAL LOCATION(S) FOR SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND SMALL BUSINESS FACILITY DATE: DECEMBER 19, 1995 On December 4, 1995 you received the final report from the Skill Development Board. One of the recommendations cited in the report was that permanent, consistently available spaces for training be obtained. Since the time the report was issued we have been presented with an opportunity to lease a building in Chapel Hill. The building itself so closely parallels the physical needs of the training and small business facility, and those buildings are so rare in Southern Orange County, that we felt the need to bring it to your attention immediately. Some specific information about the building is as follows: • Located on West Franklin Street in the Midway area; • Total of 12,793 square feet; • The configuration of the space (see attached floor plan) as required by the current tenant (a printing company) includes large open areas, such as what would be needed for our computer lab and industry training functions. The area is served by a roll-up door, which would be particularly advantageous when considering the movement of equipment and materials necessary for the industry training component. • Although it would require some reconfiguration, there are areas already established for offices, thereby hopefully minimizing upfit costs. • There are approximately 40 parking spaces which would be part of the lease. Although we have by no means finalized any lease terms, the discussions about lease rates seem to indicate that it will fall between $6.50-$8.50 per square foot. This would not include utilities, which the present tenant indicates have historically been around $1,100 per month. Nor would this include any cost for upfit, which amount would be pure speculation at this point. As you ponder the possibilities of this venture, it would be interesting to note that the Capital Improvements Plan includes $25,000 this year, $25,000 next year, $50,000 in 1997-98 and $105,000 in 1998-99 for a Skill Development Center. As a reminder, the Skill Development and Small Business Facility would include, but not be limited to, programs such as: • Computer training; and • Industry training (Includes clerical skills, early childhood care, EMT training, GED, etc.); and • Possibly Health Tech and Telemarketing training. We have identified several entities as potential partners in the this endeavor. To date, they include: • Durham Tech; Orange County satellite campus • "Employment Security Commission (ESC); • ''Small Business Technology Development Center(SBTDC) • "The J.O.B.S. program through DSS; and • ""JTPA through JOCCA. Others to consider include Good Work and Midway Development Corporation. The entities designated by"' carry with them a POTENTIAL revenue stream which could help offset the cost of space and facility operation. It is notable, that while Durham Tech cannot provide direct monetary support, they may be able to provide other services which are yet to be identified. It is our understanding that the Board will include discussions about the training/small business facility on the January 11 worksession agenda. We will be prepared to present more definitive information at that point, but did want to provide preliminary information as early as possible. If the Board chooses to pursue a lease for the aforementioned property, it is likely that we would need to give the owner some indication of that fact through formal action within a few weeks. Space is limited in Chapel Hill and we expect that this building will not be available for long. Although there is no decision required at this point, the Board should be aware that the Chapel Hill facility is only one component of the Training/Small Business facility. Discussions are on- going with the Orange County School Superintendent regarding the possibility of a "satellite" facility being included at the Hillsborough Elementary School site. The offerings at the Hillsborough site could include such programs as computer training, adult GED and paralegal. Additional information should be available for the January 11 worksession as well. Should you have questions regarding any of this, please feel free to call either Ted or Pam. POSSIBLE TOPICS OF DISCUSSION FOR JOINT MEETING ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION CHAPEL HILL-CARRBORO BOARD OF EDUCATION Orange County Government Services Center January 29, 1996 7 :30 - 9 :30 PM I . Discussion of Proposed Changes to Distribution of Recurring Capital Funding in Annual Budgets II . Review of Definition of "Equity" and Discussion of Other Relevant Issues from BOCs Current Goal on "Equitable School Funding" III . Amendment of Impact Fee Ordinance to Include Building Retrofit as Permissible Use of Impact Fee Proceeds IV. School CIPs and Ten Year Capital Needs Surveys Submitted to the State Capital Needs V. Sites for Future Schools VI . Year Round School Impacts on Recurring Costs VII . Joint School/Park/Recreation sites VIII . Update on After School Programs IX. Brief Staff Report on Status of Work by School Construction Standards Work Group OTHER SCHOOL RELATED ISSUES BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MAY WISH TO DISCUSS AT JANUARY 11 WORK SESSION * Possible Use of CHCCS District Tax to Address Startup Costs of New Elementary and High Schools * Desirability of Pursuing Changes in CHCCS District Tax to Permit Use of Proceeds to Pay for Capital Construction/Debt I O RANG E C O U N T Y P . 0 . Box 8181 Hillsborough , NC 27728 FAX No . : 644-3004 FAX COVER SHEET TO., ���r cn� ., ... CC FROM: '. DATE: f /-0 Number of pages transmitted including this cover sheet MESSAGE: Cir T NOTE: If you do not receive all pages or if the transmission is not legible please call . Hillsborough - 732-8181 Chapel Hill 968-4501 Mebane - 227-2031 Durham - 688-7331 Extension SCHOOL EQUITY MEETING May 3, 1989 NOTES ON SCHOOL EQIIITY DESIRED OUTCOMES: 1) Funding Equity Make significant progress toward funding equity. (We have previously stated that this goal will have been met when the difference between the total funding per student for each district is not more than 4 or 5%) . 2) Fairness for Taxpayers Although it is clear that taxpayers in the Orange County must pay a greater share than has previously been the case, we should avoid any large increases in taxes for any taxpayers. 3) Funding for Both School Systems School budgets for both CHCCS and OCS should contain increases sufficient to allow progress in meeting school objectives. OTHER ISSUES: DEFINITION OF EQIIITY We have agreed that equity will have been accomplished when the total funding per student of one system is not more than 4 to 5% greater than that of the other system. USE THE TOTAL FUNDING PICTURE Our definition of equity depends on the consideration of all major revenues to a school system, rather than only County- funded revenues. Because the Orange County system receives more State funding per student, this distinction makes a substantial difference. - ADOPTED 4/3/95 SUl`ri1IARY - PROPOSED SCHOOL CAPITAL FUNDING PROGRA.il1 rn`; At its iivarch 30, 1995, the Orange County Board of Commissioners considered the following elements of a program aimed at alleviating school facility concerns: IMPACT FEES 1• Update the technical report to recalculate the maximum flat fee that can be justified for each school system. Conduct another public hearing to receive input an a more substantial increase in the impact fee, including a higher fee level for the Chapel Hill-Carrboro school system if justified by the revised technical report. ImPl tation: Technical Report Update May 1 Public Hearing May 25 2. Authorize the Planning Department to employ interns to gather data necessary to prepare a "sliding scale" proposal through which to assess higher impact fees on larger homes, provided the study demonstrates that larger homes generate more school age children. IMPlementation: If interns are used, two would be needed during the May-July period. Based on an hourly wage of$8.00 and a total of 66 work days during this period, each intern would cost approximately $4,485, including F.I.CA The total cost for two interns, $8,970, would have to be allocated between two fiscal years.$6,135 in FY1994-95 and$2,835 in FY1995-96. FY 1994-95 Appropriation April 18 FY 1995-96 Appropriation June 26 Data Collection May 1 -July 31 BOCC Work Session August 10 Public Hearing August 30 3• Update the technical report annually as part of the required Annual Report on impact fees. IinPltation: Deuelop a schedule for preparation of the Annual Report; including the technical report update, which allows the Board of Commissioners to consider the reports, conduct a public hearing, and adjust the schedule of impact fees annually as part of the budget process. LAND FOR FUTURE SCHOOL SITES 4. Request both school systems to identify future school sites,and request Towns to incorporate sites into their land use plans. Incorporate future school.sites identified within the County's planning and zoning jurisdiction into the land use plan. _bnPl ion: Authorize the Chair to send a letter to the School Board Chairs and Mayors requesting that such actions be taken. 5. Request municipalities to consider limiting the rate of approval of new residential development so as not to out-pace the ability of the County to provide additional schools. ImPlementatiorL Schedule an Assembly of Gouernments meeting for the purpose of . discussing public school capital needs as well as methods of assuring that needs do not exceed facility capacities. 6. Request the Town of Chapel Hill to reserve a school site in the proposed Meadowmont development. Implementation: Authorize the Chair to send a letter to the Mayor requesting such reseruation. SCHOOL FACILITY CONSTRUCTION & UTILIZATION 7. Request Chapel Hill-Carrboro and Orange County.school systems to consider implementing a multi-track, year-round school program as an interim measure to reduce classroom size. Implementation: Authorize the Chair to send a letter to the School Board Chairs requesting that such a program be considered. 8. Develop uniform school building construction standards. Implementation: Appointments have been made to a committee responsible for undertaking this task. DESIGNATED PROPERTY TAX FOR SCHOOL FACILITIES 9. Consider assessing a certain number of cents on the tax rate to meet immediate school capital needs, beginning with the 1995-96 budget. Funds raised from this designated tax could be used to acquire school sites, pay for architectural design fees, etc. Implementation: Consider as part of the FY 1995-96 budget process. CAPITAL FUNDING OPTIONS 10. Develop alternatives for funding identified school needs(currently estimated at approximately$61 million) and criminal justice facility needs (currently estimated at approximately $20-30 million) during the next ten years. Options that could be considered could range from complete general obligation bond funding to combinations of bonds and funding from one or more existing(or new) pay-as-you-go funding sources, such as impact fees, earmarked property taxes or one-cent sales taxes (authorization pending in the General Assembly). Implementation: Staff could prepare rough scenarios as early as the April 18 meeting,for one of the May meetings,and/or for discussion during the 1995-96 budget deliberations.