HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 02-07-2008-ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
AGENDA
BOCC Work Session
February 7, 2008
7:30 p.m.
Southern Human Services Center
2501 Homestead Rd
Chapel Hill, NC
7:30 - 8:15 1. Annual Operating Budget - Budget Drivers
8:15 - 9:30 2. 2008-18 Proposed County and Schools' Capital Investment Plan -
Unfunded Needs
9:30 - 10:00 3. Options for Meeting current and Future Space Needs for
Department of Social Services and Health Department
ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: February 7, 2008
SUBJECT: Annual Operating Budget and Long-Range Capital Plan Work Session
DEPARTMENT: Budget
PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No
ATTACHMENT(S):
Attachment 1. October 18. 2007 Preliminary
Fiscal Outlook. Fiscal Year 2008-09 and Beyond
Attachment 2. 2008-09 Preliminary Budget
Drivers
Attachment 3. County Debt Capacity Chart
Attachment 4. Unfunded County and Schools'
Capital Protects
Attachment 5. Staff Response to
Commissioner Gordon's Request for
Clarification
Attachment 6. Summary of DSS/Health Space
Needs Options
INFORMATION CONTACT:
Donna Coffey, (919) 245-2151
PURPOSE: To continue discussions of emerging fiscal challenges and budget drivers that will
likely affect the upcoming 2008-09 fiscal year annual operating budget and 2008-18 Capital
Investment Plan.
BACKGROUND:
1. Annual Operating Budget - Budget Drivers
Tonight's Objective: Review information provided at the October 18, 2007 work
session (Attachment 1) and preview preliminary budget drivers that will likely impact
development of the County's annual operating budget for fiscal year 2008-09
(Attachment 2). No Board decisions are required or expected on this topic at this
work session.
On October 18, 2007, staff presented preliminary fiscal information that outlined historical
revenue and expenditure trends (Attachment 1). The purpose of that work session was to
share historical fiscal trends with the Board and to preview how State legislative action,
including the 2007 Medicaid Relief/Sales Tax Swap and new Local Revenue Options, along
with a slowing economy will impact the County's annual operating budget and future tax
rates.
While it is still early in development of the County's budget, preliminary analysis indicates
that the Board will face a number of funding challenges this spring. Attachment 2 of this
agenda abstract, 2008-09 Budget Drivers, offers a preliminary list of the challenges staff
anticipates will influence the upcoming budget. It is important to note that much more
analysis needs to occur before staff presents the final proposed budget to the Board in mid-
May 2008; however, it is worth pointing out that at this point in the planning process,
requests for new funding in fiscal year 2008-09 are approximately $18.7 million.
Considering that staff projects one cent on the tax rate to generate $1,297,795 for fiscal year
2008-09, the tax rate impact of the requests received thus far totals at least an additional
14.4 cents on the Ad Valorem property tax. As additional items are added to the budget
driver list, this amount is likely to increase.
As a point of reference, one of the major drivers includes continuation funding requests
recently approved by both the Chapel Hill Carrboro and Orange County Schools Boards of
Education. In summary, projected costs for both school districts' continuation budgets for
next fiscal year total $9 million - $6.6 million for Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools and $2.4
million for Orange County Schools. The estimated tax rate equivalent to fund the Schools'
continuation requests only totals 6.9 cents on the County's 2008-09 fiscal year ad valorem
tax rate.
Tonight's review is intended to provide the Board with a "big picture" of what lies ahead for
budget planning this spring. The Board may be aware of other budget drivers that are not
on the list at this time and request that staff add them to the list.
2. 2008-18 County and Schools' Capital Investment Plan (CIP) -Unfunded Needs
Tonight's Objective: For the Board to provide direction on how to pay for unfunded
County and Schools' capital projects for the period 2008-18.
The County's Capital Investment Plan (CIP) is a comprehensive multi-year plan for investing
in future County and Schools' capital needs in a strategic, "big picture" manner. The CIP is
considered a "living plan", meaning that each year, staff and the Board can reassess needs
identified in the previous year's plan to determine if future needs remain the same as those
outlined in previously approved plans. If needs and priorities change from year-to-year, the
Board can make appropriate revisions to previously adopted/approved plans to
accommodate new priorities and projects.
The County's draft 2008-18 CIP, as presented to the Board on November 5, 2007, identifies
County and Schools' projects whose funding needs will go beyond currently approved
revenue sources over the ten-year period. During the January 29, 2008 work session, staff
proposed the possibility of meeting unfunded capital needs with price tags of $5 million or
more with the issuance of future debt (Attachment 4). In addition to reference materials
provided in this agenda abstract, a copy of the proposed 2008-18 Capital Investment Plan
can be viewed on the County's website: www.co.orange.nc.us/budget/2008-18CIP-
ManagerRecommended.asp.
As staff has shared with the Board on a number of occasions, opportunities for the County
to issue debt beyond what is currently programmed between now and fiscal year 2009-10 is
very limited. However, as shown on Attachment 3 of this agenda abstract, in 2009-10,
based on the assumption that the County's annual General Fund budget will increase at a
rate of 7 percent each year, staff anticipates that the County's borrowing capacity will open
3
up thereby allowing the County to finance new projects and still remain within its current
Debt Management Policy.
Tonight's review offers the Board an opportunity to provide direction to staff on how to move
forward in developing plans to fund unfunded County and Schools' capital needs for the
period 2008-18.
3. Options for Meeting Current and Future Space Needs for Department of Social
Services (DSS) and Health Department
Tonight's Objective: For the Board to provide specific direction regarding DSS and
Health space needs so that staff can develop materials for the Board to approve at
their March 6, 2008 meeting.
Over the last year, staff has explored a number of options to meet State space mandates
and accommodate growing programs and clinics of the Department of Social Services and
Health Department. During the month of January 2008, staff discussed three options with
the Board for meeting current as well as future space needs for those departments:
• Lease/purchase of the Hillsborough Commons shopping center (lease old Wal-
Mart space for DSS/potentially purchase facility in 2012)
• Construction of a 50,000 square foot facility at the Southern Human Services site
as quickly as debt capacity will allow
• Construction of an addition to the existing Southern Human Services Center as
quickly as debt capacity will allow, with the eventual construction of a 50,000
square foot facility for use by the Department of Social Services in the future
Tonight's work session offers an additional occasion for the Board to discuss resolutions to
solving the current space limitations.
Attachments 5 and Attachment 6 of this agenda abstract provide staff responses to
questions Commissioner Gordon raised during the January 29, 2008 work session
regarding these solutions. With direction provided by the Board tonight, staff will be able to
develop materials for the Board to approve at their March 6, 2008 meeting.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: Included in attachments and background materials.
RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board of County
Commissioners:
1. Review information provided at the October 18, 2007 work session Attachment 1)
and preview preliminary budget drivers that will likely impact development of the
County's annual operating budget for fiscal year 2008-09 (Attachment 2).
2. Provide direction on funding unfunded County and Schools' projects for the period
2008-18
3. Provide direction regarding DSS and Health space needs so that staff can develop
materials for the Board to approve at their March 6, 2008 meeting