HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 02-17-2015 - 6a ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: February 17, 2015
Action Agenda
Item No. 6-a
SUBJECT: MINUTES
DEPARTMENT: PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No
ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT:
Donna Baker, 245-2130
Draft Minutes
PURPOSE: To correct and/or approve the minutes as submitted by the Clerk to the Board as
listed below:
May 29, 2014 BOCC Budget Work Session
January 22, 2015 BOCC Regular Meeting
BACKGROUND: In accordance with 153A-42 of the General Statutes, the Governing Board
has the legal duty to approve all minutes that are entered into the official journal of the Board's
proceedings.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: NONE
RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends the Board approve minutes as
presented or as amended.
1
1 Attachment 1
2
3 DRAFT MINUTES
4 BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
5 BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING
6 May 29, 2014
7 7:00 p.m.
8
9 The Orange County Board of Commissioners met for a Budget Public Hearing on
10 Thursday, May 29, 2014 at 7:00 p.m. at the Southern Human Services Center in Chapel Hill,
11 N.C.
12
13 COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Barry Jacobs and Commissioners Alice M.
14 Gordon, Earl McKee, Bernadette Pelissier, Renee Price, and Penny Rich
15 COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: Mark Dorosin
16 COUNTY ATTORNEYS PRESENT:
17 COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: Interim County Manager Michael Talbert and Assistant County
18 Managers Clarence Grier, Cheryl Young and Clerk to the Board Donna Baker (All other staff
19 members will be identified appropriately below)
20
21 NOTE: ALL DOCUMENTS REFERRED TO IN THESE MINUTES ARE IN THE PERMANENT
22 AGENDA FILE IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE.
23
24 1. Opening Remarks
25
26 Chair Jacobs called the meeting to order at 7:01 p.m.
27
28 Chair Jacobs noted that there is a need to add a closed session at the end of the meeting
29 for the purpose of:
30
31 To discuss matters relating to the location or expansion of industries or other businesses in the
32 area served by the public body, including agreement on a tentative list of economic
33 development incentives that may be offered by the public body in negotiations. The action
34 approving the signing of an economic development contract or commitment, or the action
35 authorizing the payment of economic development expenditures, shall be taken in an open
36 session per NCGS § 143-318.11(a)(4).
37
38 A motion was made by Commissioner McKee, seconded by Commissioner Pelissier to
39 add this closed session to the end of the meeting.
40
41 VOTE: UNANIMOUS
42
43 Chair Jacobs said Commissioner Dorosin will be unable to attend tonight because he is
44 out of town on business.
45
46 2. Presentation of County Manager's Recommended FY 2013-14 Budget (PowerPoint
47 Presentation)
48 A copy of the County Manager' Recommended FY 2014-15 Budget can be found at the
49 following website: http://www.orangecountync.gov/finance/index.asp
50 Michael Talbert gave a brief overview of the recommended budget of$195, 638,505. He
51 said this is an increase of 4.21 percent, and it attempts to address many of the Boards goals.
52 He said there are several things happening in the future that need to be taken into
2
1 account, including: a future $100 million bond referendum; a revaluation of real property in
2 2017; and $300 million in school needs.
3 Michael Talbert said the budget does address core services and keeps them intact. He
4 said County employees are also supported with a cost of living increase and a 401-k match
5 increase.
6 Clarence Grier reviewed the following PowerPoint slides:
7 County Manager's Recommended FY 2014-15 Annual Operating Budget and Capital
8 Investment Plan
9 Presentation
10 Southern Human Services Center, Chapel Hill
11 Orange County, NC
12 May 20, 2014
13
14 Guiding Principles
15 • Balances County's operating budget without a property tax rate increase—6th
16 Consecutive Year
17 • Provides funding for County services at current levels
18 • Funds local school districts enrollment growth, operational funding and debt service.
19
20 Recommended General Fund Budget
21 • Totals $195.6 million
22 • Represents an increase of$7.9 million from original current year budget of
23 $187.7 million, which is a 4.21 percent increase from previous year original
24 budget
25 • Represents a $2.1 million decrease in the current year's amended budget
26 • Components of General Fund Budget
27
28 Tax Savings Generated By the Use of Fund Balance
29 Orange County Projected Cash flows for FY2014-15
30 Orange County Budget
31 Past 6 Fiscal Years
32
33 Proposed Ad Valorem Tax Rate Effective July 1, 2014
34 • Proposed tax rate of 85.8 cents per $100 of assessed valuation
35 • This rate produces $140.6 million in property tax revenues for FY 2014 - 15
36 • Overall Real Property Valuation increased 1.9%
37 • One cent on property tax estimated to generate $1,638,241
38
39 Orange County Property Tax Revenues Past 6 Fiscal Years
40
41 Sales Tax Revenues
42 • Recommended Sales Tax Revenues of$19.0 million is $1.8 million higher than the
43 $17.2 million budgeted in FY 2013-2014 due to increased in consumer spending , and
44 current year projections
45 • Actual sales tax revenues are down over 16% since the peak of$22.5 million in fiscal
46 year 2007-2008
47
48 Orange County General Fund
49 FY 2014-15 Revenues
50
51 Proposed Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools District Tax Rate Effective July 1, 2014
52 • Recommended tax rate of 20.84 cents per $100 of assessed valuation
3
1 • Represents no increase in the property tax rate for the District
2 • Recommended tax rate will generate $21.8 million for the Chapel Hill —Carrboro
3 City School District
4 • This represents an additional $1,764 per pupil above the County's allocation
5 • One cent on district tax is estimated to generate $1,044,521
6
7 Recommended Funding for Chapel Hill - Carrboro City and Orange County Schools
8 • Total General Fund appropriation totals $92.3 million
9 • Funds day-to-day operations, repayment of school related debt, and capital
10 • Equals an appropriation of 49.3 percent of total General Fund Revenues
11 • Reflects $2.9 million increase from current year General Fund appropriation
12 • Equates to a current expense allocation of$3,364, a $95 increase, per student
13 for each of the 20,202 students in both districts for day-to-day operating funds
14 and projected enrollment growth.
15
16 Components of the Education Funding
17 County Education Funding
18
19 Additional Funding for Local Schools
20 • In addition to the $92.3 million for operations, debt and capital, recommended budget
21 allocates $1.25 million to fund non-mandated safety net initiatives for both school
22 districts Some of these initiatives are:
23 • School Health Nurses - $697,380
24 • School Resource Officers - $556,424
25 • School Social Workers - $0, due to the of loss State revenue
26 • With these additional non-mandated funding initiatives, the total funding for the local
27 school districts total 49.9% of the General Fund Revenues
28
29 Major Funded County Initiatives
30 • Maintains all County services at current levels
31 • Funds the increase in medical insurance and fully funds the 401(k)/457 plans for non-
32 sworn employees
33 • A cost of living and merit increase equating up to 2% in compensation for employees
34 • Provides for an increased funding for Emergency Services to address the
35 recommendations of the Emergency Services Study and Work Group
36 • Provides funding to the Town of Chapel Hill Library totaling $568,139
37 • Allocations provided to non-profit organizations total $1,074,100 for FY 14-15.
38 • Long range/pay-as-you go County capital is $464,800.
39 • Debt service for the General Fund will be $26.5 million.
40
41 Orange County General Fund
42 FY 2014-15 Expenditures
43
44 Solid Waste Initiatives
45 • Provides for an increase in the Landfill Fees due to both an increase in tonnage and a
46 $2 increase (from $42.50 to $44.50) in the City of Durham's tipping fees.
47 • The closure of the landfill with public education and other related planning efforts.
48 We expect to incur $3.7 million in closure cost in FY 2013-14.
49 • Provides for $1.36 million in Urban Curbside/Multi-Family Fees to fund the cost of
50 recycling programs and operations for urban curbside collections. This is a new contract
51 for urban curbside recycling, with a fee with a rate of$59/unit. The program will transition
52 from 18 gallon bins to 95 gallon roll carts.
4
1 • Provides for $840,106 in Capital Outlay for the Recycling Division; $462,106 of those
2 funds are in the Vehicles account and are for the replacement of vehicles based on the
3 replacement schedule, the remaining $378,000 is in the Equipment account and will be
4 used to purchase 7,000 roll carts for the rural roadside recycling program.
5 • The General Fund contribution to Sanitation in the FY14-15 Manager Recommended
6 Budget is $1.8 million; this equates to 1.13 cents on the current property tax rate.
7 • Provides for construction for the Eubanks Solid Waste Convenience Center
8 improvement
9
10 Additional Funding Options
11 • Appropriate Fund Balance, if necessary; The Board may use up to $650,000 without a
12 negative impact on fund balance
13 • Property tax rate increase
14 • Increase in CHCCS Special District Tax
15
16 Revenues Generated By Property Tax Increase
17 *1 cent increase generates $1,638,241 — Per pupil equivalency is $81.09
18
19 Revenues Generated By Increase in CHCCS Special District Tax
20 *1 cent increase generates $1,044,521 — Per pupil equivalency is $84.50
21
22 County Capital Investment Plan
23 Concerns and Issues for FY 2015-2016
24 • Federal State Budget Issues
25 • Debt Service
26 • County Capital Projects
27 • School Capital Projects
28 • Health Insurance
29 • Post-employment Insurance benefit for retirees
30 • Economic Development
31 • Economy
32 • Revaluation
33 • General Fund Revenues
34
35 FY 2015—2016 Budget
36
37 Public Hearings and Work Sessions
38 (All Meetings Begin at 7:00 p.m.)
39
40 Document Availability
41 • Clerk to Board of Commissioners
42 • County Finance &Administrative Services Office
43 • Orange County Library
44 • Chapel Hill Public Library
45 • Carrboro/McDougle Branch Library
46 • Cybrary, Carrboro
47 • Orange County Website
48
49 Commissioner Price arrived at 7:06 p.m.
50
51 Clarence Grier said fund balance is important because the cash flow is negative during
52 several months of the year.
5
1 He noted the change in the state collection of motor vehicle taxes and the corresponding
2 increase in revenue. He said it is anticipated that the collection rate will increase from 89
3 percent to 99 percent in the next couple of fiscal years.
4 Clarence Grier noted that the largest source of general fund revenues is property tax, at
5 72.8 percent, followed by sales tax at 9.7 percent.
6 Clarence Grier said the largest component of expenditures is education, at 48.7 percent,
7 with the next highest being Human Services at 16.8 percent.
8 Clarence Grier noted that current property valuations are assessed 5.5 percent higher
9 than sales. He said if a revaluation were to happen now, a property tax increase of 4.2 percent
10 would be needed to generate the same revenues for the general fund.
11 He said fund balance revenues have been used over the past 5 fiscal years to balance
12 the budget, but this is unsustainable moving forward. He said additional revenues or cuts in
13 expenses are needed.
14 Clarence Grier reviewed the projections for 2015-16 and said the expected fund balance
15 for this year is $4.5 million. He said the projection shows the budget at $3.9 million short, which
16 equals 2.5 cents on the current property tax.
17 Commissioner Gordon asked for clarification on the unassigned fund balance. She
18 asked if the $36.7 million is after the $8.5 million has been removed.
19 Clarence Grier said after the $8.5 million is removed, this will generate some fund
20 balance, and it will be a little higher than $36.7 million. He said it will not be less than this
21 amount.
22 Commissioner Gordon asked about the goal of maintaining 17 percent. She asked what
23 percentage these projections will be and what amount would equal the 17 percent.
24 Clarence Grier said 17 percent would be $31.5 million, and the goal is to maintain this 17
25 percent. He said the early projections show the percentage to be 20.17 percent. He said this
26 includes any increases, less the $8.5 million and the $3 million for OPEB.
27
28 3. Public Comment
29 Todd Lofriese said he is here to speak on behalf of CHCCS. He said the Senate
30 approved their budget, and it will have drastic effects if enacted. He said there is a long
31 overdue need for teacher raises, and this proposal provides a raise, but it has strings attached.
32 He said this proposal places a large increase in exchange for giving up tenure. He said the
33 district proposal was 3 percent, and the state proposed average increase is 11 percent. He said
34 the financial impact of this proposed raise would be $3.1 million, which is $1.7 million above the
35 budget estimate. He said the senate proposal pays for this by cutting state funding for teacher
36 assistants in half. He said this would cause a district funding loss of$1.8 million. He said a
37 reduction of 22 assistant positions has already been considered, but the state reduction would
38 result in the loss of an additional 57 assistant positions. He said central office and
39 transportation cuts from the state would result in the loss of an additional $100,000. He said the
40 total impact of the Senate proposal to the district could be as high as $3.6 million. He said this
41 current scenario would mean a reduction of over $6 million would be needed to balance the
42 budget, and the district feels it is important for the Commissioners to know this. He said both
43 school districts are under a tremendous amount of pressure, and they need the Board's
44 continued support.
45 Jeff Hall is President of the CHCCS PTA Council, and up until a few hours ago he had
46 planned to read an official statement from the council, asking for full funding of the budget. He
47 said it was a great statement, but he has changed it up. He said he was recently asked where
48 he would cut the budget to fund the schools. He said this body has historically shown their
49 support for schools, but this year is different because things are different in Raleigh and in the
50 district. He said there is no more fund balance, and grant monies have been spent. He said
51 failure to fully fund schools means a loss of teaching jobs and a loss of educational
6
1 opportunities for kids. He asked the County to fully fund the schools by whatever means
2 necessary.
3 Linda Foxworth read from the following written comments:
4 My name is Linda Foxworth. I am the Director of the KidSCope Program. I want to start by
5 thanking the Commissioners for supporting KidSCope since its beginning. KidSCope is a
6 program that provides early intervention and family support to children and families where
7 concerns about child development, both physical and mental health are present. As you know,
8 KidSCope was originally funded for one year, received an increase, and was then reduced to
9 $75,000. We have not requested an increase since 2009.
10
11 I am speaking to you tonight to ask that KidSCope receive the full amount of funding requested
12 for 2014-15. The increase requested is $23,562. With this increase, KidSCope will be able to
13 achieve the best outcomes for children and families by offering the evidence-based mental
14 health therapies that have been implemented since 2007. Most of our clients are Medicaid
15 funded, and currently Medicaid rates have changed, dropping too low and allowing too little time
16 to complete the therapy session in the manner recommended. Additional funding will allow
17 longer sessions and travel time to and from homes. Some of the advantages to implementing
18 these types of therapies are:
19
20 - They are good foster care prevention strategies
21 - They have both immediate and longer benefits to children and their families, including
22 enhanced child cognitive and social emotional development, academic success, and
23 strengthened child-parent interactions
24 - They reduce barriers that office visits create such as transportation, fuel costs, and no shows.
25
26 KidSCope is the only program in Orange County singularly focused on children birth to five, their
27 families, and caregivers. We all want families to succeed and children to have happy, healthy
28 childhood experiences that lead to a lifetime of productivity and responsible citizenship. Over
29 the years, KidSCope has been able to help families tackle problems that interfere with children's
30 healthy development. This past year, 210 Orange County children and family members were
31 served just through our Outreach therapy program. Over 1000 Orange County citizens were
32 served in other projects under KidSCope. With your partnership over the years we have been
33 able to find the resources to use innovative ideas to promote child mental health and head off
34 problems sooner rather than later. But times change and increased needs become reality. The
35 increased funding that we are asking for will be a proactive approach to insuring Orange
36 County's young children a successful life and affecting our community's well being. Thank you
37 for your time.
38
39 Kathy Eden read from the following written comments:
40 Hello, my name is Kathy Eden. Thank you for supporting KidSCope and our work providing
41 therapy with very young children. Doing therapy with the very young is a specialized type of
42 work that is very focused on the family and is best delivered in the home. When therapy takes
43 place in the home, the barriers can be understood and the rest of the family can be drawn in to
44 supporting the child.
45
46 Many of the families I work with are referred through involvement with CPS child protective
47 services and have difficult lives. Many of the families I work with are grandparents raising their
48 grandchildren or children in foster care, and the issue of how to raise children who have been
49 exposed to toxic stress is our focus, and seeing those children in their homes is more helpful for
50 seeing what their triggers might be and helping them feel secure. It simply helps to see the
51 child within their context.
52
7
1 There are many parents I work with who have transportation problems or problems paying for
2 gas and the financial barriers are there even though they don't have to pay a co-pay. Working
3 with families in their homes makes sense from a logistical point of view for the families, and it
4 gives me an opportunity to see many more family members who would not attend a child's
5 therapy appointment. Working from a multi-generational point of view and having the child's
6 various caregivers all understand what the child needs are, helps changes need to be made.
7 Many of the families I work with have been fractured and traumatized and meeting them in their
8 home presents the opportunity to understand the barriers as well as the opportunities they have
9 for supporting their children.
10
11 Many of the parents I work with have their own mental health issues and organizational
12 problems. Having therapy take place in their home can help them practice the interventions in a
13 more genuine way rather than through discussion in an office setting.
14
15 I have worked with families who do not really want to help initially but are referred through Child
16 Protective Services. I worked with the mother of a very young child who had nearly died
17 because of her lack of experience and failure to recognize her infant's needs, who, the entire
18 time we met, denied any need for my help, but because I came to the house she would open
19 the door. Came to find out through her CPS worker that she was telling him the very things I had
20 been talking to her about for helping her child. It wasn't until much later that she was willing to
21 accept the fact that she benefitted from therapy.
22
23 Therapy with young children cannot be done on the child alone but must involve the family, and
24 in order to have access to the family, one needs to have access to the home. The current pay
25 structure benefits office-based therapy, which has been the tradition and what most people think
26 of as therapy. There is mounting evidence that early intervention can prevent the need for
27 those in office visits down the road. But in order to do that the economics have to be
28 understood and adjustments need to be made. Your support has been crucial in making this
29 kind of outreach possible. I thank you and hope you will support us through this difficult period.
30
31 Susan Pritchard Moore said six and half years ago a judge gave she and her husband
32 custody of their five grandchildren. She said these children were out of control, and a
33 pediatrician referred them to KidSCope. She said KidSCope saved these children and their
34 family. She said the mother had set the home on fire, and the children were rescued from
35 inside. She said the children were once kidnapped by their parents after the grandparents had
36 custody, and the police found them in Ohio. She recounted other instances where the mother
37 was abusive to her children, and she discussed the resulting behavior. She said it was helpful
38 that the therapist was able to come to their home and work with all of the family. She said the
39 older child is doing well in high school, and is a life scout. She said the child that did not speak
40 is now completing 5th grade with above average grades, and all of the children are adjusted and
41 doing well in school. She said this program turned her from being overwhelmed to being able to
42 raise these children with faith and not fear.
43
44 Myra-Gwin Summers read from the following written comments:
45 My name is Myra Gwin-Summers. First I want to thank the Orange County Board of
46 Commissioners for supporting KidSCope services from the very beginning. It's been clear over
47 the years that the Commissioners realize the positive impact of KidSCope services on children
48 and families. Preparing children for success in schools saves our school systems dollars off the
49 bottom line when children are successful.
50
8
1 I am here tonight to advocate for KidSCope's evidence-base therapy program. This is the
2 program that provides mental health services for children prior to their entry into the school
3 system.
4
5 I have had a personal relationship with children who received KidSCope's therapy services. I
6 have seen firsthand how their lives were changed for the better. I have seen children who were
7 traumatized, as well as children who had significant difficulties with common life events such as
8 death in the family, divorce, or birth of a sibling.
9
10 These mental health/therapy services have a positive impact and life-changing effect on the
11 child and their families. When the child enters school, this positive effect spreads like a ripple
12 impacting their teachers and classrooms. This saves a tremendous amount of money in our
13 school budgets, in addition to putting the child on a mainstream track.
14
15 The extra funds that KidSCope is requesting help support these evidence-based practices that
16 produce positive outcomes for children, their families and our school systems.
17
18 As you assess this request for mental health funds, I ask you to remember that:
19
20 KidSCope is the only mental health provider in Orange County that is specially trained and
21 singularly focused to provide these mental health services to young children, birth to age five,
22 their families, and care givers. Thank you for your consideration.
23
24 Kathleen Ponder is a member of the advisory council of KidSCope. She said the recent
25 tragedies at Sandy Hook Elementary, Virginia Tech, and UCLA were all perpetrated by mentally
26 ill young men, and she wonders what might have been different if these young men had access
27 to services like those provided by KidSCope. She asked the Commissioners to fully fund
28 KidSCope and the schools systems.
29
30 Steven Jones is part of the Ephesus Elementary School improvement team. He thanked
31 the Commissioners for their service. He said one of the great values of this community is its
32 schools, and failing to fund the school budget requests will have a major impact on the
33 education of their children. He said everyone wants to maintain their schools as the best in the
34 state, and fully funding these requests will send a message to their parents that they matter. He
35 said strong stewardship from school management has gotten rid of the "fat", and lack of full
36 funding will mean cuts that impact students. He asked the Board of County Commissioners to
37 fund their schools.
38 Jill Simon is a parent at Frank Porter Graham, and she thanked the Board for their
39 support of education. She listed the successes and accomplishments that have been made
40 through past funding. She asked the Board to be creative with their budget in order to fully fund
41 the schools this year.
42 Adrian Vrouwenveldor thanked the Board for their service. He said everyone owes it to
43 themselves to make good public education available. He said good education makes for strong
44 contributing citizens, and good schools help attract good, high paying employers, which leads to
45 a better community. He said it is our responsibility and duty to support our schools and our
46 teachers. He said good public education must be the community's highest priority, and he is
47 willing to pay higher taxes to insure this.
48 Angie Shatas said she recognizes that the Board's job is not easy. She is a parent of a
49 middle school child at Phillips and two who have already graduated, and she is here to ask for
50 full funding of the schools. She said education drives growth, and the County's economic
51 strength is dependent on high quality schools. She said State funding is inadequate, and she
52 asked the Board to be creative in order to pick up the slack. She encouraged the Board to
9
1 increase taxes if this is needed. She said this is a price that she and other citizens are ready to
2 pay.
3
4 Eileen Regan read from the following written comments:
5 From: Carrboro Elementary School Improvement Team
6 Presented at tonight's meeting by: Eileen Regan, teacher/member of CES SIT
7
8 The Carrboro Elementary School Improvement Team is in favor of full funding for city and
9 county education budgets. It is critical that our schools maintain all of our current educational
10 programs and services.
11
12 The CES SIT understands that other county services are experiencing funding cuts. Educational
13 and social program cuts have a direct impact on all families and, in particular, our most fragile
14 families. We know that finding ways to raise revenues are difficult because it can
15 disproportionately affect these same communities.
16
17 Our story at CES demonstrates for you the changing demographic and community issues. We
18 recognize the struggle for the smaller number of revenues, and your difficult role in allocating
19 shrinking funds for essential programs that are facing increased demands. However, we need
20 commissioners to understand that these same families are increasingly relying on our school's
21 support to maintain quality of life for their children as well as provide educational excellence.
22 Each year that funding is cut to community programs, schools have increased their efforts and
23 outreach to help meet these essential needs. This has been done through new community
24 parent-education initiatives, expanded responsibilities for the social worker and counseling staff,
25 and increased workloads for our EC specialists, literacy coaches, interventionists and teacher
26 assistants.
27
28 I am a reading specialist at Carrboro Elementary as well as a member of the Carrboro SIT. As a
29 reading specialist, I teach children daily who must work very hard to develop academic literacy
30 when their families are struggling. All of my students have the potential to become successful
31 students and productive citizens. If we want to continue to have a strong, vibrant and
32 economically robust community, it is vital that these children, and all our children, receive the
33 support and resources they need to thrive.
34
35 On behalf of all of the children in our care, please fully fund the school budgets for both the
36 county and city school systems.
37 Thank you.
38
39 Kim Talikoff thanked the Board for their support. She is a 4th grade teacher in the
40 Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools (CHCCS) and she asked the Board to fully fund their schools
41 to include a teaching assistant (TA) in every class in their elementary schools. She said these
42 TA's are co-teachers and are part of their essential services. She said it takes a team to
43 provide basic services, and the schools are far away from meeting their goals in Orange
44 County. She said she had the great privilege of working with the most wonderful TA this year,
45 and if the state budget goes through there will be no TA's in grades 3-5 next year. She said
46 TA's are invaluable, and she would not be able to compensate for that loss. She asked the
47 Board to provide full funding and put TA's in every classroom.
48 Jen Weinberg-Wolf is a parent and a representative of the school improvement team at
49 Northside Elementary school. She said this school is a community of over 500 young scholars
50 who are excited to learn and master teachers who are working on curriculum planning across
51 grade levels. She implored the Board to fully fund CHCCS to support students and teachers.
10
1 Kat Wilson is a parent of two children in CHCCS. She requested that the Board support
2 students and staff by fully funding school systems.
3 Benjamin Landman thanked the Board of County Commissioners for their continued
4 support of the schools. He requested full funding for the CHCCS. He and his wife are acutely
5 aware of the struggles the schools face, and they have supported them through the provision of
6 supplies. He expressed support for a tax increase or creative allocation to fund the schools.
7
8 Gayane Chambless read from the following written comments:
9 My name is Gayane Chambless, and you probably expect me to talk to you about substance
10 abuse. Today I wish to express my concern for those with mental health issues. As Kathleen
11 pointed out, mental health issues are a mounting concern across the nation. It is an issue we in
12 Orange County cannot ignore.
13
14 I serve on the KidSCope Advisory Board, and as you've heard, their services save lives and
15 save costs for our schools. Without early diagnosis and interventions, children can develop
16 problems at home, in schools and into adulthood.
17
18 According to the CDC, 1 in 5 children experience some mental disorder in a given year. How
19 many children do we have in Orange County? What types of interventions are available to
20 them? How are they receiving access?
21
22 As you've heard, KidSCope is the only mental health provider in our County that is specially
23 trained and focused on serving young children to help them and their families be successful.
24
25 KidSCope offers one of the most cost-effective mental health measures in our community.
26 Their programs are offered in both English and Spanish, providing cultural diversity. They can
27 provide services, as you've heard, in the home, office, or child care center.
28
29 I humbly ask you to fully fund the amount requested for KidSCope for 2014-15.
30
31 Jennie Bell is speaking on behalf of Farmers Food Chair who requested fully funding for
32 their proposal this year. She said Orange County has a rich agricultural history, yet one in five
33 residents is food insecure. She said over 20,000 people in the County are at risk for hunger and
34 malnutrition. She said her non-profit partners with social service agencies and food pantries to
35 get fresh produce to kids, seniors, and everyone in between. She noted their partnership with
36 Club Nova.
37 Anna Richards is a new resident, a parent of a freshman at Carrboro high school, and a
38 volunteer at that school. She requested full funding for the CHCCS. She said the impact goes
39 beyond the schools and impacts the community as well.
40 Faith Nager is a parent and graduate of East Chapel Hill High school. She said her son
41 has high functioning autism; however, because of the care and diligence of the teachers in this
42 school district, he is a contributing member of society. She asked the Board to fully fund the
43 schools.
44 Laura Hayes Morgan is a parent of CHCCS students. She said this problem is laid at
45 the Board's feet because of the state budget decisions. She said full funding is needed for their
46 staff, and this cannot be done with box tops and bake sales. She asked the Board to do what it
47 takes to fully fund the schools.
48
49 Mary Jean Seyda is the Chair of the Orange County Partnership to End Homelessness.
50 She said their top priority this year was affordable rental housing. She read from the following
51 letter, which was sent to all of the municipalities:
11
1 We, the Leadership Team of the Orange County Partnership to End Homelessness (OCPEH),
2 support a dedicated funding source for affordable housing in our community. We believe that
3 access to a wide range of housing opportunities, spanning all income levels, strengthens the
4 fabric of our neighborhoods and makes our community stronger. Experience shows that when
5 affordable housing is attained, people put down roots and become connected to their
6 community.
7
8 We also support funding for affordable rental housing for persons who are homeless and those
9 who have disabilities. We have observed directly the impact that access to safe, adequate
10 housing can have for our homeless and /or disabled neighbors: health and well-being can be
11 enhanced significantly by something as simple as having a kitchen in which to cook food, a
12 refrigerator for medications, and a safe place to sleep. Additionally, the access to schools, a
13 strong healthcare systems, faith-based communities, and employment opportunities, helps to
14 move the focus from crisis intervention to a focus on recovery and participation in community
15 life.
16
17 We urge Orange County to consider all options that could provide more affordable housing to
18 our most vulnerable citizens.
19
20 Signed,
21 Mary Jean Seyda, CASA, OCPEH Chair
22
23 Tim Copeland said no one wants to pay more taxes but everyone is willing to pay more
24 taxes if that has to be done. He said the ripple effect of not fully funding the schools will cost far
25 more. He asked the Board to be bold and to fully fund the schools.
26 Tina Smith is the mother two students in the CHCCS. She noted that this room is full;
27 the hallway is full of about 250 people; and the parking lot is also full. She said she spent about
28 five hours calling parents in the community yesterday about this public hearing. She said one
29 call stuck with her. She said that caller said they were leaving the district next year because
30 they felt the public education was no longer worth the value of living here. She said the Board
31 cannot let this be true, and there is nothing more important than exceptional education in
32 Orange County. She said funding schools must be the highest priority. She said the property
33 taxes exist because of the exceptional schools. She asked the Board to be creative to fully fund
34 schools and make a statement about the priority of education in Orange County.
35 Rachel Danner is a student at Chapel Hill High School. She asked the Board to fully
36 fund both school districts.
37 Courtney Limerick's daughter attends the CHCCS. She said funding the budget is a way
38 to show support for their teachers, and she asked the Board to fully fund schools.
39
40 Joyce Kuhn handed out letters regarding support for Pre-Trial Relief Services.
41 Jim Woodall said Pre-Trial Services is a small budget item for the County, but it is
42 essential. He said this program is important everyday in the court system. He said this program
43 allows them to get people out of jail that should not be there, and it saves the County money.
44 He asked the County to look at the letters from the judges and to fund Pre-Trial Services.
45
46 Sarah Black is the Director of the Exchange Club Family Center, who provides child
47 abuse prevention and treatment services in Orange County. She asked the Board to re-
48 consider them for funding through the outside agency funding. She said her organization is
49 addressing issues related to juvenile crime, homelessness, and mental health services in the
50 home.
51
12
1 Sherri Carmichael said she is speaking on behalf of Smith Middle School, which has 800
2 students. She said the families here are doing their best to advocate on a state and local level
3 for full funding of their school system. She said cuts have been made in existing resources,
4 staff has been lost, and raises have been given up. She urged the Board to take bold action
5 and do whatever needs to be done to fully fund the schools.
6 Elizabeth Welsby has been a resident of Orange County since 1987, and she has three
7 children in the school systems. She said this has become personal, and Texas is having job
8 fairs to lure teachers away with higher salaries. She advocated for full funding of education and
9 an increase to teachers' salaries.
10 Bonnie Hauser said she is here to support fully funding the schools. She suggested
11 using the County's well funded reserves. She said she would also like to suggest several
12 savings ideas, including waiting on the Eubanks convenience center and the roll carts for
13 recycling. She said there is no plan, and the costs are not sustainable. She said the
14 convenience centers are funded mostly out of the general fund, which also funds the schools.
15 She questioned why the convenience center and recycling services cost more than in other
16 counties. She suggested simplification of services and a hold on the Eubanks facility and roll
17 carts in order to avoid committing millions to services before a plan is in place. She asked the
18 Board to take the time to get this right, and to fully fund the schools in the meantime.
19 Gillian Schmidler has three children who hope to be using the CHCC schools for the
20 next 18 years. She volunteers in the kindergarten classroom, and she understands the value of
21 the teaching assistants. She is concerned with anything that would affect this, and she and her
22 husband fully support full funding of the school system.
23 Melinda Abrams has lived in Chapel Hill since 1980 and she has students in CHCCS.
24 She said a group of Carrboro High School students went to the legislature with a sign that said
25 "Don't let our teachers move to Texas." She said these students love their schools and asked
26 about attending this meeting as well. She told them that the Orange County Board of
27 Commissioners love the school system and will probably fund it.
28 Patrick McDonough said he is a parent of two students in the CHCCS and the son of two
29 public school teachers. He said this County has built two of the best school systems in the
30 southeast over the years. He said the state has reduced their investment in education, and they
31 intend to tear down what the Board and this community have built. He said no one wants to
32 raise property taxes, but it may be time to do this. He said every child deserves an education,
33 and every teacher deserves a fair wage.
34 Deborah Gerhardt is a law school teacher at UNC, and she has three children in the
35 public school system. She said research has shown that the most important thing in a child's
36 education is a quality teacher, and her biggest fear is that the County will lose their best
37 teachers this year if the school's budget requests are not funded. She said three of five of the
38 most impactful teachers at Carrboro High School are leaving. She said the Board needs to
39 send a strong message this year, and she asked for full funding for the schools.
40 Matt Bailey is a parent of a child in the CHCCS and he asked the Board to fully fund both
41 schools' budget requests. He said he is a cheapskate, but he is willing to have higher taxes for
42 the schools. He said the school system is the direct reason for the stable property values in this
43 area.
44 Jane Kerwin thanked the Board for their support and their time. She said all of the
45 people here are Orange County residents, and the two school districts are one community. She
46 asked the Board to fully fund the schools' budget requests.
47 Jim Siplon said he came there to thank the Board as they find themselves in the midst of
48 this maelstrom. He said fortune does not pick its time, but the Board has a responsibility to
49 lead, and it is hard. He thanked the Board in advance for the courage it takes to make the long
50 term investments.
51 James Barrett delivered to the Board the names of 223 citizens who are out in the
52 hallway. He said everyone is here because they value education.
13
1 Steve Marshall thanked the Board for their past support and their current help. He said
2 the art wing at Carrboro High School has become a home for many kids, including his son. He
3 said his son will go to the School of the Arts next year to begin his education in theater arts as a
4 result of the education he has received in the public schools.
5 Michele Smith is a parent of a child in the CHCCS. She said she does not make a lot of
6 money, but she stays here because of the schools. She is afraid the schools will lose teachers,
7 and this will affect her child. The teachers are being asked to do more with less, and this is not
8 fair. She asked the Board to fully fund the schools.
9 David Schwartz is a resident of Chapel Hill, a product of the CHCCS, and parent of a
10 child there. He asked the Board to fully fund the schools' requested budget. He said he wished
11 the schools would be more ambitious in asking for money, so that there would not be a need for
12 so many fundraisers. He said he hoped the Board would prioritize any tax increments received
13 back from the re-development of Ephesus Fordham area to be dedicated first to the schools.
14 Elizabeth Losos said she is a parent of two students, and she supports fully funding the
15 schools. She works internationally, and she sees many other countries that are putting more
16 money into education. She said this is an opportunity to stay at the top in funding education.
17
18 PUBLIC COMMENTS SENT IN VIA EMAIL
19
20 From: Ken and Charlotte Pearce
21 Phone Number: 919-969-8119
22 Message:
23 Dear Orange County Commissioners,
24
25 We are writing to express concern over the proposed funding to the Chapel Hill Carrboro City
26 Schools system for the upcoming year. When we moved here 16 years ago, we picked the
27 Chapel Hill/Carrboro area because of the excellent reputation of its schools. Having excellent
28 schools drives the economy and makes people want to live and work in the area. It is
29 heartbreaking to see the hits to education that have occurred recently in our state. We would
30 gladly support an increase in taxes and efficient use of the funds to support our schools
31 adequately. We strongly recommend funding CHCCS at the full amount proposed by the
32 superintendent and school board. Thank you for your consideration and we look forward to the
33 discussion this week on the budget.
34
35 Sincerely,
36 Ken and Charlotte Pearce
37
38
39 Dear Orange County Commissioners:
40
41 I am writing to ask that you fully fund the requested per-pupil allocation for the Chapel Hill
42 Carrboro Schools in the 2014-15 Orange County budget. I understand that this involves a
43 significant increase over the County Manager's recommended $95 per pupil allocation.
44
45 I live in the Chapel Hill Carrboro School district and have a seven-year old who attends Morris
46 Grove Elementary. Last year I was disheartened that our Governor and state legislature opted
47 to permanently cut so much funding for our public schools. Now, I have learned that the
48 Governor's recent proposal for a teacher raise is to be funded by further cuts to education in
49 other areas (like the UNC system and teacher assistant support), and by shifting certain other
50 costs from state responsibility to local schools.
51
14
1 Those same budget cuts resulted in a reduced tax bill for me and other Orange county
2 taxpayers. I would gladly return the difference if doing so would help fully fund our local public
3 schools. Please, use whatever creative means you have at your disposal to fully fund the
4 requested per-pupil allocation for the Chapel Hill Carrboro School System.
5 Finally, thank you for your public service. I appreciate your selfless (and at times thankless)
6 work to make our county a better place to work and to live.
7
8 Sincerely,
9 Wayne Hodges
10 1315 Tallyho Trail
11 Chapel Hill, NC 27516
12
13
14 I am writing in honor of the hardworking Chapel Hill and Carrboro School teachers and staff. I
15 promised my children, I would send a note.
16
17 Today as most state professionals are celebrating Memorial Day with their family and friends,
18 our district teachers are working toward building a stronger and brighter future. They are in class
19 teaching our children and future voters.
20
21 The hardest part of sending my children to school today was knowing that teachers are being
22 forced to make very tough decisions. They are being forced to leave our state or their profession
23 to find better opportunities. With a 15.7% drop in average pay for our teachers and forced
24 increase of attention placed on testing, accountability and restrictions is a direct attack on the
25 teaching profession.
26
27 We appreciate and recognize the dedication of our public school teachers everyday, especially
28 today. We hope you will do the same by committing to maintaining school funding and district
29 required levels and by working to bring the North Carolina pay levels up to the national
30 average.
31
32 I hope you enjoy your day off with your family and friends.
33 Sincerely,
34 Alicia Altmueller
35 Chapel Hill, NC
36
37
38 From: Carol Brooke
39 Phone Number: 919-933-6041
40 I am writing to ask that you fully fund the requests of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools and
41 Orange County Schools. There is no more important investment that you can make.
42
43 As the parent of a first grader with special needs, I can attest to the critical role of teacher
44 assistants in ensuring her academic and social success.
45
46 Our quality school systems in Orange County build property values, economic growth, and most
47 importantly, engaged and informed citizens. Your vote this week can lead to real, concrete
48 losses for students and teachers, or it can continue to provide the support our schools need to
49 be great. Thank you for your serious consideration to this request.
50
51
52
15
1 From: Chris van Hasselt
2 Phone Number: 9193605375
3 Message:
4 As a parent with a daughter in the CHCCS school system, I have been very impressed with the
5 quality of education my little girl has received from teachers at Carrboro Elementary. As a child,
6 I attended a private Catholic elementary school. Our schools easily rival if not surpass the
7 educational quality I received as a child.
8
9 But that quality depends on funding, as you know. A vote to reduce funding will seriously
10 undermine the reputation for school excellence that all of us - educators, parents, politicians,
11 and school staff and administrators - have worked for over the years. I hope that you will work
12 to find a way, even if it involves tax or fee increases, to fully fund the budget requests of our
13 school districts. And I hope you will take a unanimous, principled stand by encouraging your
14 fellow elected officials in Raleigh to fully support public education that is inclusive of our whole
15 community.
16
17 Sincerely, Chris G. van Hasselt
18 Resident and taxpayer, living in Carrboro for over 20 years.
19
20
21 From: Julie Primost Farkas
22 Phone Number: 9199047039
23 Message:
24 Dear Orange County Commissioners,
25 As a former publicly educated student, a parent of two children in the Chapel Hill/ Carrboro City
26 Schools, and a public school teacher (in Durham), a citizen, a neighbor and a voter, I
27 enthusiastically support full funding for public education with my tax dollars and my votes. I vote
28 in every local, state and national election. A quality, well-funded public educational system is
29 the foundation of a strong democratic society and I urge you to use your authority as elected
30 representatives to support our public schools with the financial resources needed and
31 requested.
32
33 A healthy, well-funded school system supports the economic development of a community, and
34 to short-change the schools at this critical time in our nation's economic recovery would be
35 penny-wise and pound-foolish. The dividends of an educated and skilled workforce for the future
36 of our region are well worth the investment of financial resources in the present. I firmly believe
37 that all citizens benefit from a quality public school system in maintaining property values, in
38 providing skilled workers for the economic system, and in promoting the critical thinking skills of
39 future voters and citizens. Even if I did not have children in the school system, even if I were
40 not myself a public school teacher, I would nonetheless support our public schools as a member
41 of this community.
42
43 At this critical juncture, when the whole nation is looking at North Carolina (with incredulity, I
44 might add - and some cities, Houston TX, for example, are actively recruiting NC teachers) it is
45 more important than ever to reaffirm our support for public education. There is never enough
46 money for all the projects one would like to fund, but budgeting is about choices and priorities.
47 When I budget for my household, I prioritize my children and my family's future. Our community
48 should similarly prioritize our children and our collective future.
49
50 Sincerely,
51 Julie Farkas
52 Chapel Hill
16
1
2 You must fund the budget shortfall. Being 46th in the nation is just humiliating! As a scientist, it is
3 already hard to recruit experts to NC. This will get worse and worse as poor schools will lead to
4 a brain drain. Highly educated people will certainly not move here and will leave NC if this trend
5 in lack of support for public education does not reverse.
6
7 Best,
8 Liza Makowski Hayes
9
10
11 From: Ranee Montgomery
12 Phone Number: 9198697911
13 Message:
14 Dear Orange County Commissioners,
15 I am writing and pleading to you to not cut the budget for the education of our children. The
16 schools need to be full funded. The teachers need to be paid well in order to be able to continue
17 with their jobs and to have some sense of self-worth as they seek to shape and nurture the
18 generation that will be leading our country in the not-so-distant future.
19
20 Many of us chose this area for the school systems and already have seen the negative
21 consequences of conservative legislation. Orange County needs to show that we take education
22 very seriously while those in the legislature and Governor's mansion may not. Orange County
23 needs to set an example for the state to show other counties that they can take a stand and
24 fight for what is right.
25
26 I am confident that you know the issues and are behind full funding of our teachers and schools.
27 As county citizens, my family and most of the other families I know are willing to pay more taxes
28 in order to cover the budget deficit. Please give us the chance to do this.
29
30 Thank you for all of your hard work and thank you for representing and fighting for our teachers
31 and children!
32 Sincerely,
33 Ranee Montgomery
34
35
36 From: Dena Papazoglou
37 Phone Number: 919-968-7964
38 Message:
39 Dear County Commissioners,
40
41 I thank you for your strong support for the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools (CHCCS) in the
42 past. I am so gratified to live in this community, with leaders like you who truly understand the
43 value of investing in the future. I am writing because I am deeply concerned about the 2014-
44 2015 CHCCS District budget. I am the mother of two daughters who are currently finishing
45 Kindergarten and 3rd grade at McDougle Elementary School (MES) in Chapel Hill. My
46 daughters are thriving in school because they have had the benefit of high quality resources,
47 instruction, and teachers.
48
49 I am well aware that the past several years have been very difficult financially, and this year
50 those challenges are even tougher. I have been active with the MES PTA for the past four
51 years. The PTA does everything we can to provide some financial support for classroom needs
52 and to sponsor activities that complement the school's curriculum and build a sense of
17
1 community. Our District has been very frugal and efficient, dipping into the rainy day fund; and
2 cutting everything possible to manage with a lean budget while still providing a rich, effective
3 academic experience for students. But now, the rainy day fund is depleted and there is simply
4 nothing else to cut without adversely affecting our kids' education. I urge you to fully fund the
5 CHCCS budget that was requested by the School Board.
6
7 I know that you are facing similar impossible budgetary decisions about worthy projects and
8 services throughout the county. I understand that the money must come from somewhere. I
9 would be very much in favor of a property tax increase that would allow you to fully fund the
10 CHCCS budget request and keep Orange County moving in the right direction. You are in a
11 very difficult decision, and I want you to know that I have your back.
12
13 Sincerely,
14 Dena Papazoglou
15 216 Cobblestone Drive
16 Chapel Hill, NC 27516
17
18
19 From: Laura Weaver
20 Phone Number: 9199673684
21 Message:
22 Please do not cut the theatre techs at the high school. No performance could go on without
23 them. These school events, plays, music concerts and more are part of educating our whole
24 child. Jeff Alguire at East Chapel Hill is a valuable leader, teacher and mentor to many, many
25 students at East. My child has developed a very genuine passion for the arts, and real problem
26 solving skills through her involvement in theatre with his direction.
27
28
29 From: Rania Combs
30 Phone Number: 8325453955
31 Message:
32 Dear Commissioners,
33
34 I am a parent of three children who attend Chapel Hill/Carrboro City Schools. I am writing to
35 urge you to fully fund the Orange County and Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools budgets.
36
37 I attended a town hall meeting in Chapel Hill, North Carolina recently. The focus of the meeting
38 was to discuss the financial straits many of our state's teachers find themselves in as a result of
39 low teacher pay.
40
41 We heard about teachers who have to rely on food stamps to feed their families and who have
42 to borrow money to pay for gas so they can drive to and from their jobs. Teachers spoke about
43 needing to supplement their income with other jobs to make ends meet and how unappreciated
44 and disrespected they feel because of the lack of fair compensation. One experienced teacher
45 shared the reasons why she and her husband, also a teacher, will be teaching in another state
46 next year, where they will be paid significantly more to do their jobs.
47
48 My daughter's outstanding middle school math teacher was one of the many who resigned this
49 year. Although he was well-qualified for jobs outside of education, his passion was teaching
50 children. However, when he and his wife, also a teacher, found out they were expecting a baby,
51 he quit. He did the math and realized he could not support a family on his income.
52
18
1 The average public school teacher's salary dropped 15.7% from 2001-2012. This means that
2 North Carolina was 51st in the country in terms of growth in teacher pay during that decade. At
3 the same time, the state is requiring more and more student testing and other expectations of
4 teachers. Teachers are now getting paid less for more work. No one goes into teaching to get
5 rich, but anyone would be demoralized under those conditions.
6
7 Much of the CHCCS budget request would provide funding to support a raise for locally paid
8 teachers and staff; funding to cover mandated medical and retirement matching increases; and
9 funding to support positions that had been previously supported by fund balance. Not fully
10 funding the budget would require cutting more than $3 million and would result in significant
11 position losses and services in our school.
12
13 I'm sure you have been trying your best to do so despite increasing pressures from state
14 reductions, but please increase the amount of funding for public education. Our students are
15 worth it.
16
17 Sincerely,
18
19 Rania Combs
20 110 Garden Gate Drive
21 Chapel Hill, NC 27516
22 (919) 537-8079
23
24
25 From: Daniel Bernard
26 Phone Number: 9199045541
27 Message:
28 County commissioners: I know the problem is not of your creation, but you are our last resort.
29 Public schools in this state are slipping to an unacceptably low level of quality. I am saddened to
30 hear the commissioners only funded $95 per pupil when the CHCCS school district asked for
31 $314. You need to do more to keep the schools from slipping into disaster. Please tell me how
32 we can find more local funds for the school district.
33
34
35 From: Sara Skinner
36 Phone Number: 9199292565
37 Message:
38 Dear County Commissioners,
39
40 I am writing to ask you to please fully fund the Orange County and Chapel Hill-Carrboro City
41 Schools budgets. Here's why:
42
43 1. Education drives economic growth; and my husband's business needs good schools.
44
45 We chose Carrboro because of the great schools. After moving here, my husband founded a
46 medical device start-up in Chapel Hill. His company needs good public schools in order to
47 thrive: so that he can hire well-educated employees from here, and so that he can recruit talent
48 from out of state. (One of the first questions people ask a head-hunter is: How are the public
49 schools?) This is just one example of how good schools drive economic development.
50
51 2. Our kids are worth it.
52
19
1 I have two children, ages five and nine. Their future, and the future of all our children in Orange
2 County, depends on getting a good education. The rainy day fund is gone. There is no more to
3 trim from the budget. If you do not fully fund the schools' budgets, my children will be in
4 overcrowded, poorly maintained schools, with fewer teachers. Those teachers will have more
5 responsibilities with less support from TAs, gifted specialists, and other staff.
6
7 3. Our property values, and thus our tax revenue, depend on it.
8
9 As I said before, we moved here for the schools; and we were willing to pay the higher cost of
10 housing to live here. Most of our neighbors did the same. Strong schools keep our property
11 values high; thus we support funding the county's budget and services.
12
13 We are counting on you to fully fund the Orange County and Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools
14 budget.
15
16 Sincerely,
17
18 Sara Skinner, MPH
19 2407 Pathway Dr.
20 Chapel Hill, NC 27516
21 919 929-2565
22
23
24 Hello Commissioner Jacobs!
25
26 How are you?
27
28 Unfortunately, I will not be able to attend either of the Public Hearings on the county budgets so
29 am writing to submit questions and give input.
30
31 Overall, I am not in favor of a tax increase this year for many reasons, including the impact on
32 affordability for low income/workforce residents and county/town ability to retain and attract
33 businesses.
34
35 In general, I do not mind paying more in taxes than other areas of the state but believe that the
36 quality and level of service should reflect the extra monies spent. At this point, data suggests
37 that we pay some of the highest costs in the state for many of our services - school, solid waste
38 and emergency response services to name a few. This information, suggests the need for re-
39 assessment and revised planning instead of an increase in taxes to continue on.
40
41 Below are my initial questions and comments:
42 School Funding:
43
44 Question: What projects or repairs make up the $40,000,000 in the capital budget for schools
45 over the next five years? Does that cover repairs that are needed immediately?
46
47 Request 1: Establish a policy which mandates on-going repair and maintenance of school
48 facilities as a top-priority each year, making sure that monies are earmarked for those costs.
49 Request 2: Fund necessary school repairs immediately either by postponing non-essential
50 capital items or using existing debt capacity (or both).
51 Request 3: Ensure, each year, that our teachers are being well-paid, as a priority, by
52 earmarking monies for those costs.
20
1 I was pleased to see that staff has indicated concern about the squeeze that increasing
2 maintenance for aging buildings puts on the school budget. Aging buildings and teacher exodus
3 are two symptoms which underscore the need for the county to make changes to the way that
4 school funding is handled — both at the county and district level.
5
6 In targeting a minimum of 48% of county property taxes to the schools, the county has assured
7 its residents that schools are a top priority however, as county staff points out, the impacts of
8 changing conditions such as increased maintenance needs for aging buildings or decreases in
9 state funding for teacher pay, put squeezes on those monies.
10
11 Adherence to the 48% target combined with the yearly "dance" between the school boards and
12 commissioners over funding clouds the picture — making it hard for parents, in particular, to
13 advocate for anything other than a tax increase.
14
15 It is understandable that county commissioners are reluctant to have a say in how school
16 monies are spent; however, as the ones who hold the purse strings, I believe you have a
17 responsibility to ensure that the monies we entrust you with covers two basics:
18- - Adequate, well-maintained school facilities
19- - Well-paid, experienced teachers (salary policy not specific teacher salaries)
20
21 Neither building maintenance/repair nor teacher salaries should be at the mercy of changing
22 conditions, the desire for new programs etc... I look to you to make that clear in the budgeting
23 and funding process.
24
25 Not only will this ensure that our children have adequate facilities and good teachers, but it will
26 also facilitate a more transparent discussion between parents and school leaders about how
27 remaining monies are being spent and what school needs are.
28
29 Capital Expenditures
30 Question: What is included in the $150,000,000 in capital expenditures for schools in years 6—
31 10?
32 Question: Is there a section in the budget which projects increased operating and maintenance
33 costs associated with new facilities over the next five to ten years?
34 Request: Create a facilities plan and timeline which combines school and other community
35 needs so that
36- - Decisions related to the county's debt capacity are transparent
37- - Spending reflects priorities and needs first
38- -Taxpayers are not blindsided with tax increases to operate and maintain these facilities
39
40 Until our county begins to see the benefits of economic development, costs of new facilities
41 (schools, community centers, improvements to the Southern Human Services center, a new jail,
42 libraries, parks) will have to come from taxpayers. It is important that the community understand
43 these decisions in terms of priorities and trade-offs. It's also important, particularly in the case
44 of the schools, that we begin to understand the cost to all of us when we use "equity" rather
45 than "need" as a reason for capital spending.
46
47 Solid Waste:
48 Pending creation of a cohesive plan for recycling, please do not approve purchase of roll carts
49 or additional trucks for unincorporated residential service.
50
51 Thank you for your consideration.
52
21
1 Sincerely,
2 Jeanne Brown
3 Chapel Hill
4 919-475-1535
5
6
7 From: Alexis Rudolph
8 Phone Number: 919-428-3160
9 Message:
10 To All of the County Commissioners,
11
12 Thank you for your service to our communities. As a lifetime resident of Orange County, I have
13 always appreciated the fact that our community makes great effort to support each other
14 regardless of stature, race, sex, economic standing, etc. One of the pillars of that ethos is the
15 longstanding, well recorded, exemplary school systems.
16
17 As a resident and product of the Chapel Hill/Carrboro school system myself, as well as a parent
18 of 5th graders currently at Glenwood Elementary school, I can say with great confidence that
19 the schools are a backbone to the greatness and success flowing here. The schools support
20 the residents of today and tomorrow, not only families and students, but the faculty and staff and
21 the greater community. As a real estate broker for the last eight years, I can tell you with the
22 same great certainty that when speaking with potential new residences and business' every
23 week, the quality of the schools are a priority when making relocation decisions. People and
24 business' weigh the school systems very heavily when deciding whether to relocate to an area, I
25 am told this very regularly. Communities with high education standards are more attractive to
26 employees relocating, and to business' looking to have a deep pool of local talent and
27 camaraderie. This all starts at the basic education level, for which we are so well known.
28
29 Without proper funding, we have already seen many of our programs being cut, phenomenal
30 teachers and staff leaving for greener grasses, children less prepared for higher education and
31 their future, and a huge drop in our young adults willing to go into education - we are losing
32 talent at an exponential rate already. PLEASE FUND THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM WITH
33 EVERY DOLLAR THAT THEY NEED. We cannot loose anymore funding than we already
34 have. The results are clear; and we need our local commissioners to stand up for us, to support
35 our local communities.
36
37 $1.2 million is not enough for the Chapel Hill/Carrboro schools to be efficient in their already
38 emaciated capacity. The district needs $3.9 million from the county to continue what it offers
39 today. The county has every opportunity to make this happen. I urge you to support the
40 schools, the community, the citizens, the staff and our collaborative future. It is for the
41 individuals, the communities and the greater state and world communities' health and well
42 being. We cannot produce the amazing thinkers and doers that we are known, respected and
43 desired for without financial support. Education funding needs to be a priority.
44
45 Thank you again for your service, and your attention to this very serious issue. Please use your
46 power to make a difference. We are depending on you.
47
48 Sincerely,
49 Alexis Rudolph
50 alexislynnhayes.com
51
52
22
1 From: Stephanie Palmer
2 Phone Number: 919-740-5243
3 Message:
4 May 27, 2014
5
6 Dear County Commissioners,
7 I am writing to ask you to please fully fund the Orange County and Chapel Hill-Carrboro City
8 Schools budgets. Here's why:
9
10 1. Education drives economic growth
11 My husband works for Rambus, Inc. on E. Franklin Street. His California-based business chose
12 to open an office in Chapel Hill because of the strong school system and the amount of highly
13 educated applicants from local schools and universities. Keep our schools funded so that more
14 large businesses choose to locate here and Rambus is able to keep its office open in NC!
15
16 2. Our kids are worth it.
17 I have two children, ages four and eight. Their future, and the future of all our children in Orange
18 County, depends on getting a good education. The rainy day fund is gone. There is no more to
19 trim from the budget. If you do not fully fund the schools' budgets, my children will be in
20 overcrowded, poorly maintained schools, with fewer teachers. Those teachers will have more
21 responsibilities with less support from TAs, gifted specialists, and other staff.
22
23 3. Our property values and thus our tax revenues depend on it.
24 We bought a home in Chapel Hill for the schools and we were willing to pay the higher cost of
25 housing to live here. Most of our neighbors did the same. Strong schools keep our property
26 values high. We are counting on you to fully fund the Orange County and Chapel Hill-Carrboro
27 City Schools budget.
28
29 Sincerely,
30 Stephanie Palmer
31 305 Autumn Drive
32 Chapel Hill, NC 27516
33
34
35 From: D. Neil Hayes
36 Phone Number: 919-357-3387
37 Message:
38 Dear Orange County Commissioners,
39 We are parents of 2 children in Glenwood Elementary School in Chapel Hill and a daughter who
40 will be there soon. We share the interest of millions of parents in the state of North Carolina in
41 the quality education of our children, the future citizens of our democracy.
42 In our lifetime, my wife and I have never seen such tangible and direct negative consequences
43 of human decisions as we have in the public schools as a direct result of our political leaders in
44 North Carolina State Government. Morale is palpably low. Infrastructure and resources are
45 lacking even to the casual observer. These changes have happened quickly and as a visible
46 result of decisions made by our lawmakers.
47 Let's be clear, this is not business as usual; fiscal discipline resulting from responsible
48 leadership balancing competing interests or programs. To my knowledge, there are few arguing
49 any benefits for education. Data driven outcomes and changes in metrics (teacher losses, pay
50 statistics, etc) have generally been described as extreme, even compared to fiscally
51 conservative national trends. In most cases, the timing of declines leaves little uncertainty as to
52 cause being decisions in Raleigh.
23
1 Let's also be clear that these outcomes are not primarily the result of the economic downturn.
2 The resources that historically supported our kids and which in other states are supporting kids
3 did not primarily evaporate in the recession. These resources were returned to citizens in the
4 form of tax cuts which artificially and dramatically exacerbated any shortfalls created by
5 economic factors. As recipients of an NC State Tax refund this year, we have a check in our
6 bank account which cannot be argued is the result of an economic downturn. It is the result of
7 decisions by the state legislature to withdraw support for our children's school specifically at a
8 time when they arguably needed it more than in generation.
9 In all of this we recognize the phenomenal support, both historic and current, of the Orange
10 County Board of Commissioners for Orange County schools. You are being asked again to
11 support our children. But what other choice is there but for us to ask? Unlike our teachers, the
12 children cannot pack up and go to a state with better support for education. Please stand firm
13 for education. You are truly a last line of defense for the education of our future citizens of the
14 state.
15 Thanks for your service on behalf of the citizens of North Carolina.
16 Neil and Liza Hayes
17
18
19 From: Brandy Pickrell
20 Phone Number: 919-869-7924
21 Message:
22 Dear County Commissioners,
23
24 I am writing to request that you please fully fund the School Board's proposed budget this year.
25 I am a parent of a rising third grader in the Orange County school system and am very
26 concerned about the changes our schools will have to enact if they do not receive the necessary
27 funding. So many children (and parents!) are counting on this. I will be attending the budget
28 meeting on the May 29th and I do hope to hear positive news!
29
30 Thank you so much for your time and consideration,
31
32 Brandy Pickrell
33 203 Hanford Rd.
34 Chapel Hill, NC
35 27516
36
37
38 From: Sherri Williams
39 Phone Number: 919-537-8252
40 Message:
41 Dear Orange County Commissioners:
42
43 As a parent of two children in the Chapel Hill Carrboro School System I humbly request that you
44 consider full funding of the CHCCS budget for the upcoming school year. Currently, the school
45 system needs $3.9 million but only $1.2 million is being requested. I can't bear to imagine the
46 long-term impact this type of budget shortfall will have on such an amazing school system.
47
48 We relocated to Chapel Hill, NC from the depths of south Georgia and I can personally testify
49 that this school system has made such an incredible impact on my two children. Their thirst for
50 knowledge has blossomed. They both have thrived in all areas of basic academics as well as
51 cultural arts (switching from learning Spanish to learning French, for example).
52
24
1 In addition, with the influence of the higher-than-normal Asian populations in the area and in the
2 public school system it is EVIDENT that these children (whether they are in the Mandarin Dual
3 Language program OR traditional classroom) far surpass their peers in academics. There is no
4 way our children can compete with this level of academic competition in the long run without the
5 support of public figures like you.
6
7 Please do not allow our educational system to suffer by not supporting full funding of the
8 2014/2015 School Budget. I know this type of decision carries a heavy weight for you but I urge
9 you to support the full budget and show the community your commitment to investing in the
10 children of this area and as a result investing in the future of this nation.
11
12 Thank you for your time and for your consideration. Sherri Williams
13
14
15 Dear Commissioners,
16 I am urging you to do anything you can to fully fund the CHCC schools in the coming years even
17 if this requires a tax increase, I would be willing to do my part. My son starts Kindergarten in
18 September and is looking forward to another 13 years here in the public school system so I am
19 very invested in getting funding for these schools.
20 Sincerely
21 Anne W. Beaven
22 109 Braswell Rd.
23 Chapel Hill
24
25
26 From: Michael Kappelman
27 Message:
28 I live at 212 Turtleback Crossing Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516. My children go to Morris Grove
29 Elementary. I am writing to urge the board to fund the FULL budget request of CHCCS. The
30 education of our children is our highest priority. I sincerely ask that the board think creatively
31 about how to preserve the high educational caliber of our district, even if this means cutting
32 other programs and/or raising taxes. I strongly support whatever it takes to keep the full school
33 budget intact.
34
35 Thank you for your urgent attention to this matter.
36 Sincerely,
37 Michael Kappelman
38
39
40 From: Anna Ouchchy
41 Phone Number: 919-928-3727
42 Message:
43 As a community member, parent and teacher in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, I urge
44 you to find creative means to fully fund our school budget. In the past we have been able to
45 make up for budget shortfalls by using a rainy day fund. That fund balance is now gone. As a
46 result, failure to fully fund our schools will have serious consequences, including larger class
47 sizes, school overcrowding, cutting support staff and driving out quality teachers.
48
49 Our property values are high in Orange County because we have great schools. Our property
50 taxes drive the county's budget and services. Keeping school's great is in the financial interest
51 of the community.
52
25
1
2 Dear Orange County Commissioners:
3
4 My name is David Nason. I am writing to ask you to please fully fund the Orange County
5 and Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools budgets. Here's why:
6
7 1. Education drives economic growth.
8 Our family moved to North Carolina last year. We love our new home state.
9 Unfortunately, we moved here during the height of the legislative agenda that severely
10 cut education. My wife and I have two children in public high school. We chose to live in
11 Chapel Hill / Carrboro because of the reputation of the schools in the district. Education
12 should be a priority in our state over corporate interests. We must keep our students
13 competitive in today's globalized economy.
14
15 2. Our kids are worth it.
16 We have two children in public high school. Their future, and the future of all our children
17 in Orange County, depends on getting a good education. The rainy day fund is gone.
18 There is no more "fat" to trim from the budget. If you do not fully fund the schools'
19 budgets, our children will be in overcrowded, poorly maintained schools, with fewer
20 teachers. Those teachers will have more responsibilities with less support from TAs,
21 gifted specialists, and other staff.
22
23 3. Our property values — and thus our tax revenue— depend on it.
24 As I said before, we moved here for the schools —and we were willing to pay the higher
25 cost of housing to live here. Most of our neighbors did the same. Strong schools keep
26 our property values high —thus funding the county's budget and services.
27
28 We hear a lot about "family values" from our elected representatives. We believe that if
29 you really value our families you will fund a strong education system for our children.
30 Education is the great equalizer; both my wife and I came from working class
31 backgrounds and attended public school. We were able to achieve our goals and obtain
32 advanced degrees. We would like our children to have the very best education possible
33 to prepare them for the challenges they will meet in this complex world.
34
35 We are counting on you to fully fund the Orange County and Chapel Hill-Carrboro City
36 Schools' budget.
37
38 Thank you for your attention to this important matter.
39
40 Sincerely,
41 David Nason
42 COO & CTO, RDI Labs, Inc.
43 2404 Pathway Dr.
44 Chapel Hill, NC 27516.
45 919-903-8149
46
47
48 From: Juilanna Brinson
49 Message:
50 Please fund the CHCCS district more fully. Maintaining the high quality education provided by
51 CHCCS should be a TOP priority for our community.
52
26
1
2 From: Jean Cook
3 Phone Number: 919-968-3739
4 Dear Board members,
5 I am a long-time resident and the parent of two Carrboro high school students. I am writing to
6 urge you to support full funding for the county and city schools. There's no question that money
7 is tight again this year with the changing state leadership, but our local culture of investing
8 significant resources in our students, teachers, and programs should endure even in lean times.
9 If a tax increase is needed, so be it. Thank you for your willingness to listen and to tackle such
10 challenges thoughtfully and responsively. Your service is appreciated.
11
12
13 From: Abraham Palmer
14 Phone Number: 9193576034
15 Message:
16 I support paying more in property taxes if needed to fully fund all our schools in Orange County.
17 Perhaps we need to find a way to make the property taxes more progressive so that this isn't a
18 constant struggle, but our kids need more help than ever to be prepared in this difficult job
19 market.
20
21
22 From: Melanie Reynolds
23 Phone Number: 919-260-8119
24 Message:
25 Hello Commissioners,
26 Please fully fund the education budget for both school districts in Orange County. Our children
27 are our future. They deserve a first class education. Please do not deny our children a high
28 quality education. Thank you for taking the time to read my email.
29 Make it a great day!
30 Melanie Reynolds
31
32
33 From: Deborah McCormick
34 Phone Number: 919.270.2937
35 Message:
36 As the parent of two children who attend CHCCS schools, as a tax payer in the county and city
37 with the highest tax rate in the state and as a local realtor I beg you to fully fund the CHCCS
38 budget. Our schools are our future. Our children deserve a quality education. Our teachers
39 are being poached by other states that pay more. We are running out of time to fix the
40 problems. We have nothing left to cut and shouldn't have to. The budget must be fully funded.
41 There is no other option. I work with clients moving into the area often and am proud to talk
42 about the quality of our district schools. This quality and reputation is what has sustained
43 property values in the district. The economy is fully dependent on the schools and the desire for
44 highly educated adults to continue to stay and move into Chapel Hill. Such educated adults
45 expect top quality and are willing to pay higher taxes for the right causes- education! Again I
46 beg you, along with all of the other parents!
47 I know who have kids in the CHCCS schools. PLEASE do NOT ask our schools to make more
48 cuts. PLEASE show that education is a PRIORITY. And PLEASE fully fund the budget. Thank
49 you.
50
51
52 From: Layna Mosley
27
1 Phone Number: 9196235097
2 Message:
3 Dear Orange County Commissioners:
4
5 I am unable to attend the May 29 meeting, but I would like to urge you, in the strongest possible
6 way, to fully fund all schools in Orange County.
7 I have lived in Orange County since 2004. I'm a parent of three young children, and strong
8 public schools are key not only to my children's and family's success, but to the success --
9 economically and socially -- of Orange County and the surrounding area.
10 As a professor who routinely teaches introductory courses at UNC, I have seen firsthand the
11 difference that quality education makes in preparing students for adulthood, for higher
12 education, and for participation in an increasingly knowledge-based and globalized economy.
13 And, more immediately, I have observed our public school teachers and administrators
14 attempting to do their best in the context of shrinking resources. Please, please allow them to
15 continue their work by funding our schools completely.
16
17 Thank you for your attention to my concerns.
18 Sincerely,
19 Layna
20
21
22 From: Susan Bickford
23 Phone Number:
24 Message:
25 Dear Commissioners,
26 I write to urge you with all respect to please fully fund Orange County Schools. Please raise my
27 taxes if that is what it takes! We owe it to the children -- all children -- to make these courageous
28 decisions. I fully support you in doing what is required to fully fund our public schools.
29 Sincerely,
30 Susan Bickford
31
32
33 From: Christina Hinkle
34 Phone Number: 919-270-3121
35 Message:
36 Dear County Commissioners,
37
38 Thank you so much for all your work on behalf of our county. I am writing to ask you to fully
39 fund the local schools and to raise our property taxes to do so. I wholeheartedly support a tax
40 increase if it will prevent further cuts to our schools. School officials have cut every bit of fluff
41 from the budget. There is nothing left to cut except items that will result in a real and significant
42 decrease in the quality of our schools.
43
44 Thanks for your attention and efforts,
45 Christina Hinkle
46 Mother of 3 public school children
47
48
49 From: Laura Morgan
50 Phone Number: 9196244946
51 Message:
52 Dear Commissioners,
28
1 I write to you to please ask your kind consideration of funding our schools at their full level of
2 request. I am a Chapel Hill taxpayer and I respectfully ask you to consider a tax increase that
3 will go directly to our school funding.
4
5 Unfortunately the state has left us high and dry - there is no one left to help education and save
6 our schools other than ourselves. As our county officials, we will rely on you to make this right
7 for the children of Orange County and Chapel Hill-Carrboro schools.
8 Thank you so much for your consideration.
9 Laura Morgan
10
11
12 From: David Laudicina
13 Phone Number: 919-942-4444
14 Message:
15 May 29, 2014
16 Dear Commissioners:
17 I am writing to request that you implement as the manager has proposed, a 2014 budget that
18 does not increase the Orange County property tax rate.
19 A recent Chapel Hill news article states that a state analysis shows the county's (Orange)
20 assessed (2009) property values are 5.5 percent higher than the market value of those
21 properties; Of course this is an average but in reality many Orange County properties suffer a
22 much higher discrepancy. In my neighborhood I am seeing a discrepancy of actual sales being
23 15%-19% lower than the 2009 valuations. This means that since 2009 many Orange County
24 property owners have been paying way more than their fair share of property taxes. Until the
25 next revaluation and the system are fairly balanced, I don't think any increases on the property
26 tax rate are warranted or prudent.
27 Also I am asking to consider ability to pay in your decision. Many retirees see as much as a
28 50% drop in their monthly income after they retire and collect Social Security. After a lifetime of
29 investing in their homes and building equity suddenly retirees experience a huge drop in their
30 ability to pay.
31 I understand that given the state's position on funding education that these are really tough
32 times. I have also read many times that you all believe that Orange County relies too heavily on
33 residential property taxes to fund the budget.
34 You have done a marvelous job in holding the line on the property tax rate in the past few years
35 and am asking you to hold the line for 1 more year or even better until the next revaluation. You
36 are proposing a bond issue in the future. This will give the opportunity for voters to choose
37 whether they want to pay more property taxes.
38 Thank You
39 David Laudicina (laud9876bellsouth.net) Bingham Township
40
41
42 From: Matt Bailey
43 Phone Number: (678) 517-5317
44 Message:
45 I am writing to comment during the Budget Public Hearing period to request that the board
46 reconsider the budget request of the Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools and, specifically, to
47 request the board add $2.7 million to the amount tentatively budgeted to the district for the
48 upcoming fiscal year.
49
50 Our community enjoys a long tradition of valuing exceptional public education and consistently
51 expresses overwhelming support for making the financial investment necessary to maintain that
52 excellence. However, fully funding our schools is also a solid investment in the stability of our
29
1 county's property tax base, as the well-deserved reputation of our schools is a fundamental
2 reason our community's homes enjoy higher sales prices than neighboring communities
3 homes.
4
5 The board could fund the additional $2.7 by increasing the Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools
6 special district tax by approximately $93.40 per household.
7
8 I appreciate the increased funding the board has already included in the proposed budget and I
9 truly applaud the board for striving to avoid a tax increase this year. I also recognize that
10 increasing taxes would exacerbate the barriers to our community's affordability. However,
11 $93.40 per household is well within the means of most households in the district and a bargain
12 to ensure our schools have the financial resources they need.
13
14 Finally, while I don't want to speak on behalf of residents within the Orange County Public
15 Schools district, I would fully support raising property taxes throughout the county in order to
16 fully fund the budget requests of both our county's school districts.
17
18 Sincerely,
19 Matt Bailey
20 Chapel Hill, North Carolina
21 radiomattl(a7yahoo.com
22
23
24 From: Melissa Segal
25 Phone Number: 9199600409
26 Message:
27 Please fully fund our schools. I support whatever measures necessary to ensure that our
28 schools are fully funded. Thank you for your consideration.
29
30 From: Hannah White
31 Phone Number: 919-360-6868
32 Dear County Commissioners,
33
34 I am a resident of Chapel Hill and a parent to 3 young children, one of whom attends Morris
35 Grove Elem. We love our daughter's school and believe that the public education provided in
36 the district is vital to our family and for the community. Please support our schools by funding
37 the county budget to provide the teachers, facilities, and supplies that our children need to
38 continue their education.
39 Thank you,
40 Hannah White
41
42
43 From: Steve Marshall
44 Phone Number: 919-923-5905
45 Message:
46 In 2009 and 2010, the Orange County Commissioners were instrumental in providing the funds
47 that built the Arts Wing at Carrboro High School. I want you to know that your support of the
48 Arts Wing at Carrboro High School has had a very positive impact on my son, Aidan Marshall.
49 Aidan was always fascinated by the production side of theater, but the day the Carrboro High
50 School Arts Wing opened, his life was immeasurably changed for the better.
51
30
1 Access to high-quality theater environment allowed him to develop his creative talents in lighting
2 design and set design in ways that we never dreamed were possible. This isn't just access to
3 the facility and its equipment, but also learning to use the software products that control the
4 lights and sound equipment. Theater production is a very high-tech industry, and one that
5 brings revenue into the Triangle area. Aidan has been a key participants in EVERY production
6 staged in the Carrboro High School Arts Wing. He has grown enormously in his professional
7 skills in theater production as a result of your decision, five years ago, to fund the Arts Wing at
8 Carrboro High School.
9
10 Aidan is a senior at Carrboro High School. In the fall, he will go to the UNC School of Arts in
11 Winston-Salem to pursue his Bachelors in Fine Arts degree, with a concentration in Lighting
12 Design. He choose UNC School of Arts over very competitive funding packages from arts
13 conservatories at Shenandoah University and Ithaca College, in part because another theater
14 production major from Carrboro High School is thriving at UNC School of Arts.
15
16 My son's goal is a professional career in on Broadway in NY. When he gets there, he (and
17 others like him) will be well-prepared and ahead of the competition, thanks in no small part to
18 your decision. So THANK YOU for building the Carrboro High School Arts Wing.
19
20 I also have a request. When we parents asked you to fund the Arts Wing, we had no idea how
21 important it was to have a fulltime theater manager on staff. It is not clear to everyone that the
22 theater manager position is absolutely critical. This staff position ensures that the facility is well-
23 maintained, that all student production work is conducted in a safe manner (students work at
24 heights and using power tools in theater production), and that the Arts Wing is in good condition
25 for the many rentals that use it.
26
27 To my surprise, between rentals and school use, the Arts Wing is fully booked throughout the
28 school year. Rentals are helpful not only because they bring revenue into the county, but
29 because they provide mentored training experiences for students like my son. Although the
30 theater managers are not teachers, they do serve as supervisors for students who have
31 internships in theater production. Basically, this spring my son learned first-hand how to be a
32 production manager in a professional theater. He could not do this if there was no theater
33 manager to teach him these skills in a revenue-generating Arts Wing.
34
35 The theater managers are one of the things we will lose if the Chapel Hill-Carrboro schools are
36 not fully funded. For this reason, as well as many others, I am asking you to fully fund the
37 requested budget for the Chapel Hill / Carrboro and Orange County schools.
38
39 Thank you for your time and your service to our community. And thank you for the Carrboro
40 High School Arts Wing, which changed the course of my son's life, in an enormously beneficial
41 way.
42
43 -- Steve Marshall
44
45
46 From: David Denuo
47 Phone Number: 919-265-3305
48 Message:
49
50 Two minutes of your time, please:
51
31
1 My name is David Denuo. I am 53 yrs old with a 1st grader at FPG and a 3rd grader at
2 Scroggs. I won't be able to be at tonight's budget meeting; I'm choosing to be with my 3rd
3 grader before her first EOG in the morning.
4
5 Before I tell you more about them, I want to tell you about me.
6
7 As a child my family lived in a government subsidized house and needed food stamps to
8 survive. Looking around me I thought my future was pretty much set for me; go to school,
9 maybe graduate, then either (1) get on welfare; (2) go to work in retail; (3) go to work in a
10 factory/warehouse; or (4)join the armed forces.
11
12 My only access to education was the local public school. I didn't like school; it kept me from the
13 things that I wanted to do - play with friends, play sports, explore; and after all, what was the
14 point. But, as I moved up through grade school and even more so in high school, I came in
15 contact with several caring teachers who didn't just teach me the material, but challenged me,
16 inspired me, believed in me. I was the first in my family to graduate from a college for higher
17 education [as opposed to a trade school]. I lifted myself out of that socioeconomic circle into a
18 contributing member of society; not only that, I started my own company and created jobs for
19 others.
20
21 I'd like you to reflect on the teacher, or teachers, that had the greatest impact on your life.
22 Perhaps they are the reason you are sitting in that seat. What if that teacher hadn't been there,
23 had switched jobs, moved school districts, moved to another state because they were frustrated
24 with the lack of funding for public education.
25
26 When looking at the budget request, please, I urge you to consider:
27 - those types of teachers,
28 - other children like me,
29 - other children like you.
30
31 Be creative. Find a way to fully fund the budget request that's in front of you. My children and
32 their friends need your leadership.
33
34 Thank you for your time, your consideration, your service to Orange County, and your
35 commitment to making a difference.
36
37 OC Board of Commissioners' Public Hearing, May 29, 2014
38 Written Testimony, Miriam Thompson
39
40 I submit my written testimony as the world grieves over the passing of Maya Angelou, teacher,
41 activist, artist, towering figure that demands we work harder, a phenomenon whose message
42 informs the effort you lead and that we pursue together: creating a sustainable, just and loving
43 community— in which all our children and grand children, families and neighbors can thrive.
44
45 We know that your labors tonight are set against a disturbing State legislative agenda that
46 includes: tax cuts directed primarily to the wealthiest corporations and individuals;** the denial of
47 health care to our neediest residents; denies extended unemployment benefits for so many of
48 our neighbors; creates and boasts an economy based on low wage jobs; defunds the public's
49 education system; offers the lowest paid teachers in the nation a token raise torn from the
50 coffers of our public university system and health and human services.
51
32
1 The burden to redress these cuts falls on Counties and Municipalities and School Districts.
2 Budgets, after all, are social and moral documents. Along with other faith and civil rights
3 activists, I have and will continue to join many of you at Moral Monday and other State lobby
4 events to expose and reverse these immoral practices. Tonight, Moral Monday comes to
5 Orange County through the budget lens. You are challenged as our elected leaders to
6 overcome the actions of the General Assembly and make your constituents whole.
7
8 Central to the public hearing tonight will be district school voices that plead for support for the
9 education environments upon which our children and their families depend. School
10 demographics are changing; economic hardships for many of our residents increase; schools
11 and their staff are called upon to provide not only education excellence and equity, but also
12 deeper engagement in securing the protection and well-being of our increasingly vulnerable
13 children and their families.
14
15 Orange County has a history of devoting close to half of its budget to the Orange and
16 Chapel/Carrboro School Districts, and at the same time assures a budget that supports the
17 community infrastructure and social services upon which our children, families, neighbors and
18 schools depend. Our elected Commissioners and county leaders are once again called upon to
19 find revenues to fulfill these mighty tasks with a budget that protects our children and the
20 community of adults who are mandated to protect their future and mediate the challenges and
21 struggles they endure.
22
23 I volunteer and help my children raise my grandchildren in the Chapel Hill/Carrboro Schools,
24 and know the major efforts the School District is undertaking to focus on the classroom and
25 reduce non-essential services. As a social worker and retired teacher, I watch my underpaid
26 colleagues perform and honor their mission.
27
28 Tonight, we turn to you and urge your consideration of creative and fair methods the County can
29 employ to generate the revenues to help our schools meet their mission and mandate. I urge
30 your decisions continue and amplify: revenues from heightened economic development; taxes
31 that are just and do not burden the least among us; and, like the message we direct to our
32 school districts and town governments, carefully and determinedly look to how we can
33 streamline our County Government, and how we can evaluate and assure the delivery of more
34 efficient and improved services, and review current and projected capital plans.
35
36 We are all aware that the struggles we face in the current budget season will not be the last.
37 With school and community partners, I look forward to working with all of you and the new
38 County Manager.
39
40
41 Miriam Thompson
42 Grandparent, Carrboro Elementary School*** and McDougal Middle School Students
43 CH/C Branch NAACP Education Committee
44 American Federation of Teachers Retiree Chapter Co-Convene
45 ** I urge you review the excellent research provided by the NC Justice Center's Budget and
46 Tax Policy Center (www.ncjustice.orq)
47 *** See letter and testimony from Carrboro Elementary School's School Improvement Team
48
49
50 From: Erika Lipkin
51 Phone Number: 919-584-5518
52 Message:
33
1 I am sending this message since I cannot make it to the BOCC meeting tonight. I wanted to
2 voice my support for the funding of the CHCCS budget. Quality schools enhance the area and
3 make people want to live in Chapel Hill, increasing property values, and thus increasing tax
4 revenue. If the budget is not approved, the schools will suffer since they could be affected in
5 attracting teaching talent, and they may have to cut programs that students benefit from. These
6 valuable funds also support the growth that the area is experiencing by enabling new facilities to
7 be built and current facilities to be expanded, so the schools are not overcrowded. Please vote
8 to fund the budget!
9
10
11 From: Katie Weber
12 Phone Number: 9199420890
13 Message:
14 Please fully fund all schools in Orange County. We truly value them and our children's
15 education. Thank you!
16
17
18 From: Diana Woodhouse
19 Phone Number: (919) 260-8853
20 Message:
21 Hello,
22
23 I am favor of the proposed school budget as is and strongly advocate for passing the budget.
24 This is extremely important for our kids and for their futures.
25
26 Thank you for the work you do.
27 Diana
28
29
30 From: Jen Bishop
31 Phone Number: 9199333748
32 Message:
33 Dear Orange County Commissioners,
34
35 First, thank you for your service during such a critical time for the county. We appreciate all
36 your hard work.
37
38 Second, I want to urge you to fully fund the budget request of CHCCCS and OCS. The schools
39 need the funding to hold the line and keep the current level of service. As a volunteer in the
40 schools, I see how tightly things are stretched, and how hard everyone is working.
41
42 I know this may mean a tax increase. This is always a hard decision. I, for one, would happily
43 pay more knowing we are investing in the future of our children in Orange County.
44
45 Commissioners,
46
47 I will be unable to speak tonight due to my graduating daughter's last orchestra concert and was
48 unable last week due to another commitment.
49
50 I know that the BOCC did not create this mess that we are in with the retreating state funding of
51 K-12, but I would like to ask you to shore up funding until the state comes around (hopefully via
52 some election loss turnover in other parts of the state).
34
1
2 I am willing to pay increased taxes for an increase in the ad valorem or district tax as necessary
3 to meet the CHCCS BOE budget request.
4
5 Thanks,
6 Mark Peters
7
8
9 From: Laura Kline
10 Phone Number: 919-933-9145
11 Message:
12 Please fully fund all school districts in Orange County this year. As a tax payer, I would
13 welcome raising taxes in order to fund the school districts. Many of us are actively advocating
14 for public education at the state level, but the battle to increase state funding may take several
15 years/election cycles. Please do not let our schools languish while we work to restore funding
16 from the state for public education. All citizens of Orange County--both current voters and tax
17 payers as well as future ones--thank you!
18
19
20 My name is Erin Dangler and I attended the budget hearing last night to support fully funding
21 education. I actually had planned to speak, but did not get on the list and at the end when it
22 was offered for people to speak up, I feared I would have been the dorky kid who had one more
23 question when the entire class was ready to go out to recess. However, I still want to share my
24 thoughts if you will so indulge me.
25
26 My husband, Brian, and I have two children who have attended the Chapel Hill Carrboro City
27 Schools since elementary school. Both students will be attending Carrboro High School next
28 year.
29
30 And, yet, oddly, I am not writing to you as a parent.
31
32 I am also an Arts Educator and a Teaching Artist in both the Orange County and CHCCS
33 School districts. Additionally, I have held a small, co-curricular position at Carrboro High School
34 as the choreographer of the musical productions for the past three years.
35
36 And, yet, oddly, I am not writing to you as an Educator.
37
38 I am actually speaking to you tonight as one who owns and operates a small business in
39 Orange County. I run a program called Broadway Bound that teaches the art of musical theatre
40 to elementary and middle school children. It has been my great joy to live in an area where the
41 schools have abundant arts programs and I have found that I have become an accidental
42 partner to the school systems.
43
44 The 450 students in grades 1 and 8 whom I teach every year in the private sector become
45 better prepared for the middle and high school theatre and music programs for which they are
46 entering. The district arts teachers and I become collaborators, as I talk to them about students
47 that may be entering their classrooms and allowing their programs to flourish. The current
48 students in the school theatre programs also become interns for me as they help run the shows
49 we put on and manage the children backstage.
50
51 However, if the school budgets are cut, I will not be able to continue to thrive in this wonderful
52 county and town as a small business owner.
35
1
2 Part of my job is to put on full productions with these children, as many as 13 productions a
3 year. The CHCCS schools provide a valuable resource to me in that I rent auditorium space for
4 my productions from several of the schools Since the start of my business in March of 2011
5 until now, I have invested over $25,000 in rent at the CHCCS and donated over $6000 from
6 ticket sales to various school arts programs.
7
8 One of the first positions to be cut if the budgets are not fully funded are the theatre manager
9 positions at the High Schools. If the budget is not fully funded, there are no more managers.
10 And it is the managers who assist me, a community member and business owner, when I rent
11 those spaces. My expertise is in staging and choreography and creating a show. I am not able
12 to run the lights, the sound, move heavy pieces of scenery, adjust the temperature in the room,
13 lock and unlock the building and maintain the upkeep of these beautiful theatres.
14
15 And then the money that I invest in those schools would be gone as well.
16
17 While I completely understand the BOCC has no control over what positions or programs get
18 cut if the budget is not fully funded, it is important to see how a budget cut would affect not just
19 the students, not just the teachers, but members of the community who benefit from living in an
20 area where education is the highest priority.
21
22 It is impossible to look at the school as separate from the community in which they reside. There
23 is an interdependency between my business and the schools continuing to provide quality arts
24 instruction and I am sure the same can be said for many other business owners and families in
25 the community whether they have children in the school system or not.
26
27 I thank you so much for your continued leadership and service to the community. I ask you,
28 passionately, to fully fund the school budgets so that we, our students, our parents, our
29 educators, our business owners and all members of the community can thrive.
30
31 With gratitude,
32
33 Erin Dangler
34 bdandernc.rr.com
35
36 4. Adjournment of Public Hearing
37
38 Adjourn Perdita Holtz Commissioner McKee and Commissioner Rich
39
40 Capital Investment Plan Budget Work Session — No Public Comment
41 1. Continuation of review and discussion of the Manager's Recommended FY 2014-
42 19 Capital Investment Plan (CIP)
43 Paul Laughton said prior to discussing the CIP he would like to note the memo and
44 additional information in the folders at their desk. He reviewed the list of these items, and he
45 said there is a separate packet to prepare for the upcoming June 5th budget work session.
46
47 He said the last meeting was on May 15th, and this meeting was added to the public
48 hearing to allow more time to discuss the CIP. He said an abstract has been prepared with
49 sections of bold print on revised green pages based on feedback and direction from the Board.
50 He said these should serve as replacement pages for their CIP Notebook.
51
52 County Projects
36
1 Paul Laughton referenced the bold note on the top of page 2 of the abstract, and he
2 said, on County projects, the replacement page is consistent with the scenario given to the
3 Board on May 15th. He reviewed the notes in the abstract regarding the Environment and
4 Agricultural Center(EAC) (CIP page 34), and the Proposed Jail(CIP page 32), which are based
5 on the discussion on May 15th
6 Paul Laughton said the Life SafetyADA (CIP page 37) has been updated to reflect
7 moving projects from years 6 -10 into years 1-5. He said the list of projects and the amounts
8 have been kept the same.
9 Commissioner Price asked about year 4 of the Life Safety/ADA page, and the fact that
10 there is nothing in year 4.
11 Paul Laughton said there are a lot of other projects already in year 4.
12 Commissioner Price said she is concerned with the fact that there are life safety issues
13 that are spread out. She asked for a rationale on delaying these issues.
14 Paul Laughton said staff attempted to prioritize by need, but these are small projects that
15 can be moved if necessary.
16 Jeff Thompson said the access priorities are in year 1 and will be completed by the end
17 of the fiscal year.
18
19 Sportsplex Projects
20 Paul Laughton said the Sportsplex (CIP pages 84-85) information has been updated, per
21 Commissioner Gordon's request, to show the debt service impact.
22
23 Paul Laughton said page 3 of the abstract contains two items that have been revised
24 based on Board action at the May 8th meeting.
25
26 County Projects
27 Paul Laughton said one of these is the Cedar Grove Community Center(CIP page 21),
28 which looks at approving the alternate plan to add $822,000 to that center. He said the $2.8
29 million is in year 1, and the impact will be in year 2.
30
31 Water and Sewer Projects
32 Paul Laughton said the Buckhorn EDD Phase 2—Efland Sewer to Mebane (CIP page
33 72), with the revised design costs, reflect an additional $121,400.
34 Commissioner Gordon referred to 2 lines on page 72 of the CIP, regarding a shift of
35 projects to the general fund, and she said she thought the Board had asked that no more money
36 be switched to the general fund.
37 Paul Laughton said this is for the Efland to Mebane project and this is not solid waste.
38 He said this would be paid mostly with article 46, but it was started with general fund money
39 from the Efland sewer situation.
40 Commissioner Gordon said she would like to watch this item and be mindful of
41 protecting the general fund.
42
43 Paul Laughton reviewed the following information from page 3 of the abstract:
44
45 The following projects have been revised(changes highlighted in yellow) based
46 on the Manager's Recommended Budget for FY 2014-15 reducing the Pay-As-
47 You-Go (PAYG)funding and increasing Debt Financing a total of$770,110:
48
49 County Projects
50 • Roofing Projects (CIP Page 28) - reflects a change of$179,010 from PAYG funding to
51 Debt Financing in Year 1.
37
1 • Information Technology (CIP Page 29) — reflects a change of$450,000 in PAYG
2 funding to Debt Financing in Year 1.
3 • Eurosport Soccer Center, Phase 11 (CIP Page 50) — reflects a change of$125,000
4 from PAYG funding to Debt Financing in Year 1.
5
6 NOTE:All County Debt Service and Debt Capacity— General Fund Only(CIP
7 Pages 108-109) has been revised to reflect all the changes listed in this abstract.
8
9 The following project has been revised(changes highlighted in yellow) based on
10 a pending action item by the Board of County Commissioners at their upcoming
11 June 3,2014 regular meeting:
12
13 Solid Waste Projects
14 • Sanitation (CIP Page 80) - reflects a reduction in the cost of the replacement Hook-Lift
15 truck in FY 2013-14 from $197,282 to $190,548, and moves the other replacement
16 Hook-Lift truck from FY 2014-15 to FY 2013-14 and reflects a reduction in the cost from
17 $206,944 to $193,225.
18
19 Commissioner Gordon asked where the money will come from to move the truck from
20 2014-15 to 2013-14.
21 Paul Laughton said Gayle Wilson has monies available this year to purchase this, and it
22 will not be paid with general fund monies.
23 Commissioner Gordon said at one point the fund balance for solid waste was $18.1
24 million, but there was a recommendation to use some of this to fund the convenience centers.
25 She questioned whether this fund balance is available.
26 Michael Talbert said the total fund balance is $18.1 as of June 30, 2013. He said, of that
27 money, almost $12.5 million was reserved for closure and post closure. He said there are also
28 reserves for debt service for the outstanding debt on the facility and for post employee benefits.
29 He said this leaves about $3 million.
30 Michael Talbert said if things move forward with the recycling options, this amount will be
31 depleted by $750,000, and one of the options would deplete it down to $1 million.
32 Clarence Grier said the post closure costs will go down by $3.7 million in the next six
33 months. He said this will leave about $8 million, which will be amortized over the next 15 to 20
34 years. He said this is why the funds are available now, as the funds from the methane and
35 other sales will offset the landfill closure cost and allow for the rebuilding of the fund balance.
36 Michael Talbert said the Board just approved a contract to close the landfill for about $3
37 million.
38 Commissioner Gordon said her point is that there are general fund dollars being
39 transferred into this fund. She said $190,000 is a lot of money.
40 Chair Jacobs said the Board had also looked at moving some of the general fund
41 expenditures on Solid Waste into the fee structure, and this is on the agenda for June 3rd
42 Paul Laughton reviewed the follow up items listed on page 4 of the abstract.
43
44 Fairview Park— Parking Options
45 Dave Stancil referred to attachment B for Fairview Park—Parking Options. He said
46 there are several ways to address this issue, and there is no way to know how often the
47 overflow in parking actually happens at Fairview.
48 Chair Jacobs said the County paid for half of the community center and then gave that
49 half to the town. He said it would not be an unreasonable request to ask the town to help with
50 the parking.
51 Chair Jacobs asked who would monitor the parking problems.
38
1 Dave Stancil said the current arrangement with the town is that they open and close the
2 gate for the existing parking lot. He said this lot is located at the police substation, and it does
3 not have a gate, so many of the police officers are leaving their vehicles there. He said this
4 would mean a change of approach might be needed.
5 Chair Jacobs asked how many times there has been overflow.
6 Dave Stancil said he has not heard about this, but the expectation is that this only
7 happens with a large family reunion or weekend event using the picnic shelter. He said this
8 makes it hard to know how far to address this issue.
9 Commissioner Price said she has been over there on occasion, and it has been difficult
10 to find a space. She said people may use this facility more often if there was more parking
11 available. She suggested use of the upper corner of the field.
12 Dave Stancil said Rainey Street may be an option for adding parking on the right side of
13 the street only. He said this would require coordination with the town. He said there is an
14 existing playground that is scheduled for replacement or removal beside the existing substation
15 parking lot. He said this might be a possible area for expansion.
16 Commissioner Price asked about the objection to putting gravel down in the upper
17 northeastern corner field.
18 Dave Stancil said the master plan does show this parking area and a driveway. He said
19 the only issue is the necessary funding of$500,000. He said it might be possible to build the
20 driveway, but it will not be cheap even if the parking area is gravel. He said gravel parking
21 could be done near the end of the existing public works driveway, but this would require a path
22 to be cut to the walking trails.
23 Commissioner Price said many of the residents want this to be finished, and she feels
24 the park would be used more if there was more parking.
25 Commissioner McKee said he would suggest finding out how often crowds actually limit
26 the parking, and he suspects it is fairly often. He said this is a major issue for those who live
27 across the street.
28 Commissioner Rich asked how many more spaces would be needed.
29 Dave Stancil said this need may be something the Town of Hillsborough would want to
30 weigh in on.
31 Commissioner Gordon suggested, since the extent of the need is not known, that the
32 free options should be explored first.
33 Dave Stancil agreed and said the simplest solution might be to see if the police
34 substation lot can be freed up.
35 Chair Jacobs said there has been discussion about the fact that building that driveway
36 and parking lot would make it more of a County park instead of a neighborhood park, as it would
37 give more access. He said there is a very active neighborhood association that may be able to
38 keep an eye on the parking and report on the times when the parking lot is full. He said, as a
39 short term solution, signage could be posted to note the overflow parking area at the police
40 substation.
41 Chair Jacobs said he is hearing that more data is needed.
42
43 Efland-Cheeks Community Center
44 Paul Laughton said information on this item is found in attachment C. He said there is a
45 question of whether or not this center is sufficient for the community's needs. He noted the
46 attachment of a brochure outlining the summer and fall programming.
47 Chair Jacobs asked if there will be a placeholder in the CIP for any improvements.
48 Paul Laughton said there are no placeholders at this point, but that could be done at the
49 discretion of the Board.
50 Chair Jacobs said the Board just approved two other community center upgrades. He
51 said this Efland Community has been very involved in using the center, and he likes the idea of
52 finding out what is needed. He would like to have some placeholder funding in years 6 - 10.
39
1 Chair Jacobs said part of the problem is that people in the community want to have
2 senior activities in that center, but the Department on Aging does not want to provide activities
3 there and wants them instead to come to Hillsborough. He said this should be dealt with at the
4 manager level.
5 Michael Talbert asked how often the center is used now.
6 Dave Stancil said it is used quite a bit, and it is reserved about one-third of the time. He
7 said he can pull the usage data to get the specific information.
8 Michael Talbert said upcoming transportation improvements would put a regional route
9 that could tie into the senior center multiple times per day. He said this would make the senior
10 center more accessible. He said this does not address the community needs, but it may
11 provide a short term solution.
12 Chair Jacobs said multiple departments may need to come out there and have a
13 conversation with the community.
14 Commissioner Gordon said it is important to see the whole picture of the role and
15 function of the community center in order to have a principled answer.
16 Dave Stancil said staff has come to that conclusion with the parks and recreation master
17 plan. He said the goal is to define the purpose of these facilities.
18 Commissioner Price said people have told her that they want the center to be open more
19 often.
20 Dave Stancil said this is a challenge and the groups out in that area have different
21 opinions about when they would like the center to be open. He said a part time staff person can
22 be moved back out there after the summer camps are over.
23 Commissioner McKee said there is interest by one community organization in working
24 with the County to increase hours of the center.
25 Chair Jacobs said the Central Orange Senior Center is already talking about a needed
26 expansion. He said this makes it even more important to have some of these other facilities
27 available for more services. He suggested staff denote a commitment in the CIP to show that
28 there is a commitment to visit this issue.
29 Paul Laughton said this can be done prior to the June 10th work session, and this will
30 affect debt financing in years 6-10.
31 Commissioner Gordon said she would like to discuss it first.
32 Paul Laughton said there will be no commitment yet, but options will be presented.
33
34 Year 1 (FY 2014-15) Recommended Projects
35 County Capital Projects
36 Paul Laughton said this item is outlined in attachment D. He said the CIP is a five- year
37 plan, with the first year funding being approved. He said attachment D outlines the projects
38 being considered for funding approval in year one, and this includes revisions highlighted in
39 yellow. He said the largest change is the addition of the $822,000 to the Cedar Grove
40 Community Center under the County capital projects.
41
42 Special Revenue Fund(Article 46 Sales Tax)
43 He noted that there are no changes to the Article 46 sales tax.
44 Commissioner Rich asked about the Launch project. She said the lease on their
45 building is up in 2015, and the rent is being raised. She said this may change the amount for
46 2015-16.
47 Commissioner Gordon asked about the $750,000 Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools
48 (CHCCS) has requested for renovations for older schools to help delay the building of new
49 schools. She asked if this is a capital item or an operating item.
50 Michael Talbert said this is a capital item.
51 Commissioner Gordon said she would like to see this flagged.
40
1 Paul Laughton asked if she would like to see this proportionate to Orange County
2 Schools (OCS).
3 Commissioner Gordon said yes. She said CHCSS submitted a plan already, and she is
4 not sure about OCS.
5 Paul Laughton said he is not sure that OCS has approved a plan yet, but the goal was to
6 have this before the summer.
7
8 Proprietary Capital Projects
9 - Water and Sewer Utilities
10 Paul Laughton said the Efland Sewer Flow to Mebane accounts for the increase in the
11 design cost.
12
13 - Solid Waste
14 Paul Laughton said this includes changes reflecting the movement of the hook lift truck,
15 to the current year.
16 Commissioner Gordon asked about the Eubanks Road improvements and the possibility
17 of the town doing something at their town operations center and how this relates to economies
18 of scale.
19 Michael Talbert said the town board has talked about the possibility of a transfer station,
20 but this would be at least a two year process.
21 Michael Talbert noted that pages 108 and 109 show updates to the current debt amount
22 for this year, as well as the general fund budget.
23 Clarence Grier said the increase in the budget and the debt capacity adds almost $25
24 million in debt capacity.
25 Chair Jacobs said it may be necessary to be more aggressive in borrowing since the
26 capacity is there. He said if the County has the capacity, they should be discussing a bond
27 issue of at least$100 million. He said if the goal is to expedite it to the spring primary in 2016,
28 then the planning process needs to start soon after the Board reconvenes in the fall.
29 Commissioner Gordon said it is good news that there is $25 million more in debt
30 capacity.
31
32 CLOSED SESSION
33 A motion was made by Commissioner Gordon, seconded by Commissioner McKee to
34 adjourn to a closed session at 10:11 p.m. for the purpose of:
35
36 To discuss matters relating to the location or expansion of industries or other businesses in the
37 area served by the public body, including agreement on a tentative list of economic
38 development incentives that may be offered by the public body in negotiations. The action
39 approving the signing of an economic development contract or commitment, or the action
40 authorizing the payment of economic development expenditures, shall be taken in an open
41 session.
42 § 143-318.11(a)(4).
43
44 VOTE: UNANIMOUS
45 RECONVENE INTO REGULAR SESSION
46 A motion was made by Commissioner Gordon, seconded by Commissioner Rich to
47 reconvene to regular session at 10:48PM.
48
49 VOTE: UNANIMOUS
50
51 ADJOURNMENT
41
1 A motion was made by Commissioner Gordon, seconded by Commissioner Rich to
2 adjourn the meeting at 10:48PM.
3
4
5 Barry Jacobs, Chair
6
7 Donna Baker, Clerk to the Board
8
1
1 Attachment 2
2
3 DRAFT MINUTES
4 BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
5 REGULAR MEETING
6 January 22, 2015
7 7:00 p.m.
8
9 The Orange County Board of Commissioners met in regular session on Thursday,
10 January 22, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. at the Whitted Building in Hillsborough, N.C.
11
12 COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair McKee and Commissioners Mia Burroughs,
13 Mark Dorosin, Barry Jacobs, Bernadette Pelissier, Renee Price and Penny Rich
14 COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ABSENT:
15 COUNTY ATTORNEYS PRESENT: John Roberts
16 COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager Bonnie Hammersley, Assistant County
17 Managers Clarence Grier, Cheryl Young and Clerk to the Board Donna Baker (All other staff
18 members will be identified appropriately below)
19
20 Chair McKee called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m. He asked for a moment of silence
21 in honor of Martin Luther King.
22
23 1. Additions or Changes to the Agenda
24 Chair McKee reviewed the following information at the Commissioner's places:
25 - Blue Sheet— Revised Copy of Item 4a — revised Human Relations Month Proclamation
26 - Yellow Sheet - Correction to the Dec. 1, 2014 minutes
27 - Pink Sheet— Revision to Item 61 — Meeting Calendar Change
28 - Orange County Partnership to End Homelessness Community Report
29
30 County Manager Bonnie Hammersley introduced the Board to Ms. Audrey Spencer-
31 Horsley, the new Housing, Human Rights and Community Development Director.
32 Gayle Wilson said the new roll carts are ready for distribution to the rural parts of the
33 County. He said delivery of the carts will start on Saturday and full delivery should take about 3
34 weeks.
35 Commissioner Jacobs asked if customers would still be allowed to use the older orange
36 bins.
37 Gayle Wilson said yes.
38 Commissioner Price asked about collection of the older orange bins once the new carts
39 are delivered, and discussion ensued.
40
41 PUBLIC CHARGE
42 Chair McKee dispensed with the reading of the public charge.
43
44 2. Public Comments
45 a. Matters not on the Printed Agenda
46 Don O'Leary said he has not heard back about the issue on fluoride, and he hopes the
47 information he has supplied is helpful. He said he would like to point out some other issues with
48 water in the County. He said people living outside of Hillsborough city limits are charged
49 exorbitant amounts for their water. He said this should be investigated, and he encouraged the
50 Board to see what can be done to reduce rate costs for these residents.
2
1 Chair McKee said that is best addressed to the Town of Hillsborough rather than the
2 Board of Commissioners.
3 Don O'Leary said the County is still responsible for the fluoride in this water, and the
4 Board of County Commissioners should be able to regulate what Hillsborough and OWASA
5 charge for water.
6 John Roberts said Hillsborough is statutorily authorized to charge an extra amount on
7 water rates for those residents who live outside the town limits. He said this is to pay for the
8 infrastructure that is required to go outside their corporate limits, and this applies to all towns
9 with water systems. He said this is not something the County can impact or regulate, as it has
10 been granted by the state legislature.
11 Ida Evans Lawson said she is a concerned resident. She said her water bill is about
12 $105 per month, and she used to pay $20 per month at her previous residence. She said she
13 lives in Fairview and lives on a fixed income. She has taken this issue to the town.
14
15 b. Matters on the Printed Acienda
16 (These matters will be considered when the Board addresses that item on the agenda
17 below.)
18
19 3. ' Petitions by Board Members
20 Commissioner Rich asked if the Board had received an answer from the County
21 Attorney about the resolution that was passed in Greensboro on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and
22 Transgender (LGBT) rights. She would like to know if Orange County can create a legal
23 resolution that mirrors that one.
24 John Roberts said he asked Greensboro's attorney to call him, but he has not received
25 any communication yet. He said he also asked one of his staff attorneys to contact the City of
26 Greensboro housing director for the same information on what authority was used in creating
27 the resolution, and he will let the Board know as soon he gets more information.
28 Commissioner Rich said her petition would be to create a resolution once that
29 information is gathered.
30 Commissioner Rich asked for a report on how the County handles jobs for at-risk teens.
31 She noted that Durham has a program that addresses this issue.
32 Commissioner Rich said there is a program called "Just Economics," which is an
33 initiative that started in Asheville and is now being done in Durham as well. She said the
34 program allows local shop owners to go through a certification program on living wages, after
35 which they receive a plaque to let people know that their store pays a living wage. She will
36 forward more information to the Commissioners.
37 Commissioner Dorosin said he is the representative on the ABC Commission. He said
38 the commission annually gives funds back to Orange County. He said it appears that there is
39 no policy as to how these funds are calculated or allocated. He noted that the amount has been
40 around $400,000 for the past 5 years, but there is no formula for how this number was
41 generated. He suggested the creation of a policy to address the allocation of these funds. He
42 said sales are increasing, and there is a cap on how much the ABC Commission can retain. He
43 requested that this be added as an agenda item for discussion.
44 Commissioner Dorosin said these petitions are done at the beginning of the meeting and
45 then Board comments are done at the end of the meeting after the public and the media have
46 already left. He requested that the Board comments be moved up on the agenda.
47 Commissioner Dorosin said the Town of Hillsborough has engaged the School of
48 Government to do a study regarding the options for the Colonial Inn. He feels that the Board
49 should also be engaged in getting information and deciding whether or not there is a role that
50 the County can play.
3
1 Chair McKee said he discussed this with the mayor earlier this week, and he will share
2 that information at a later time.
3 Commissioner Jacobs responded to Commissioner Dorosin's comments. He said there
4 is time set aside at the retreat for discussion of Board procedures. He noted that several
5 Commissioners have brought up their desire to change where Board comments are structured
6 on the agenda.
7 Commissioner Jacobs referred to the discussion about the Colonial Inn, and he said the
8 County manager has already done some investigation on this issue. He said he has also talked
9 with the Mayor, and there is agreement that there are possibilities for a partnership. He
10 suggested it would be good to get Steve Brantley involved in these discussions.
11 Commissioner Jacobs noted that there is a policy stating that the Commissioners should
12 receive information about upcoming closed sessions, and he received no information about the
13 closed session tonight.
14 Commissioner Price referred to Commissioner Rich's comments on the gender issue.
15 She said this was discussed in the legislative issues work group, and this would be welcomed
16 as part of their legislative packet.
17 Commissioner Price said some of the artists in the community have expressed concern
18 about the Arts Commission website and marketing. She said the website is very out of date,
19 and needs to be updated. She suggested an evaluation of the effectiveness of"EverWonder,"
20 which is used for the uploading of advertising information, and she asked for an update to the
21 website.
22 Commissioner Price referred to a memo she had sent to the Board in December
23 regarding the "My Brother's Keeper" challenge. She invited the Board to be part of this
24 challenge, and she said a mini summit has been scheduled for February 13th.
25 Chair McKee referred to the petition regarding "My Brother's Keeper." He said the Board
26 policy is not to vote on petitions at the initial presentation. He said Commissioner Price did
27 bring this item to the Board's attention on December 21, but it has not been addressed because
28 of the recess. He said the efforts of this community challenge align with the goals of the Board
29 and the County, and he noted that there is no fund request or staff time required. He said there
30 seems to be Board consensus and support from the mayors. He said, unless there is anyone
31 who objects, he will look into getting a press release out to support this.
32 The Board agreed by consensus.
33 Commissioner Dorosin asked John Roberts to provide a copy of the Greensboro
34 ordinance on gender equality.
35 John Roberts said he would provide this.
36 4. Proclamations/ Resolutions/ Special Presentations
37
38 a. Human Relations Month Proclamation
39 The Board considered adopting the Proclamation officially proclaiming the month of
40 February 2015 as "Human Relations Month" in Orange County and authorizing the Chair to
41 sign.
42
43 Human Relations Commission Member Matt Hughes read the proclamation:
44
45 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
46
47 HUMAN RELATIONS MONTH PROCLAMATION
48 WHEREAS, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners established the Human
49 Relations Commission in June 1987 with the desire to "encourage mutual understanding and
50 fair treatment of all citizens"; and
51
4
1 WHEREAS, the Orange County Human Relations Commission believes that in order to achieve
2 justice and equal opportunity for all Orange County residents, we must all strive to create an
3 atmosphere where people are valued and accepted rather than merely tolerated, and therefore
4 continue to promote the ideal of social justice for all; and
5
6 WHEREAS, the Orange County Human Relations Commission has diligently served Orange
7 County since 1987 and remains committed to promoting equal treatment, opportunity and
8 understanding throughout the community; and
9
10 WHEREAS, the Orange County Human Relations Commission enforces the County's Civil
11 Rights Ordinance which specifically prohibits discrimination based on an individual's race, color,
12 creed, religion, national origin, sex, disability, age, veteran status and familial status; and
13
14 WHEREAS, the Orange County Human Relations Commission encourages Orange County
15 residents, as individuals, to take a stand against social injustice and continue to work together to
16 make freedom,justice, and equal opportunity available for all; and
17
18 WHEREAS, Orange County is committed to preserving the progress made thus far towards
19 equality and leading the challenge for equal opportunity using all the means at our disposal.
20
21 NOW, THEREFORE, We, the Orange County Board of Commissioners, do hereby proclaim
22 February 2015 as "HUMAN RELATIONS MONTH" in Orange County and challenge our
23 residents to promote the ideology of social justice for all by celebrating and encouraging
24 multiculturalism in the County and encouraging all residents to embrace diversity in Orange
25 County.
26
27 THIS THE 22nd DAY OF JANUARY, 2015.
28
29 A motion was made by Commissioner Jacobs, seconded by Commissioner Rich for the
30 Board to adopt the Proclamation and authorize the Chair to sign.
31
32 VOTE: UNANIMOUS
33
34 Matt Hughes noted that a forum on voting rights would be held by the Human Rights
35 Commission on Saturday, January 5th at 2:30 at the Century Center in Carrboro.
36
37 5. Public Hearings
38
39 a. CDBG Program — Scattered Site Housing Rehabilitation Program
40 The Board conducted a public hearing to receive public comments prior to official close-
41 out of the County's FY 2010 Community Development (CDBG) Scattered Site Housing
42 Rehabilitation Program and then closed the public hearing.
43 James Davis opened this discussion and read the following background information from
44 the abstract:
45 BACKGROUND: In February 2011 Orange County was officially awarded a $400,000
46 Community Development Block (CDBG) Grant from the N.C. Department of Commerce for a
47 Scattered Site Housing Rehabilitation Program. Funds from this grant were intended to be used
48 to repair eight (8) deteriorated housing units in the County. All CDBG activities have now been
49 completed and seven (7) homes were substantially rehabilitated. A summary of the program
50 beneficiaries is attached to this abstract. A public hearing was conducted on December 2, 2013
51 to receive public comments and the grant was "closed out". However, the notice for the hearing
5
1 was void of the N.C. Department of Commerce's mandatory Spanish-language notification
2 designed to ensure that the Spanish speaking LEP community was properly informed. In order
3 to complete the official grant closeout process, the N.C. Department of Commerce is requiring
4 that another notice including the referenced Spanish information be published and an additional
5 public hearing occur. Proper notice for this public hearing has been published.
6
7 FINANCIAL IMPACT: This grant provided $400,000 in this community for the repair of seven
8 (7) homes. The total hard cost for the completion of the housing rehabilitation was $311,257
9 plus $40,000 administrative costs for a total of$351,257. The remaining $48,743 was
10 associated with one of the selected houses that were determined to be too deteriorated for
11 repair. Thus, $48,743 was retained by the State Community Development Program.
12
13 Commissioner Jacobs referred to the $48,000 retained by the state and asked how
14 these houses are vetted in order to avoid forfeiting this money in the future.
15 James Davis said there is a process to evaluate the homes, and this home appeared to
16 have met the qualifications but had more deterioration than was first determined.
17 Commissioner Jacobs said this seems to indicate that there is a flaw in the process, and
18 he asked if this will be changed to avoid future issues.
19 James Davis said yes. He said this is not a new incident, and it was discussed with the
20 Board at a previous meeting. He said staff is in the process of making sure homes meet the
21 specifications for a future rehab program through the N.C. Housing Finance Agency.
22 Commissioner Rich said she had the same question as Commissioner Jacobs, and she
23 would like the process to be reviewed.
24 Commissioner Price asked if the guidelines allow funds to be switched or rolled over
25 from one project to another.
26 James Davis said there is a good likelihood that funds could be used to complete a
27 similar project.
28 Commissioner Dorosin asked if there are any controls in the project regarding the
29 amount of rehab needed as compared to the value of the house. He wants to make sure funds
30 are being maximized.
31 James Davis said there are currently no funds available from the legislature, but there
32 are monies available from the N.C. Housing Finance Agency, and this agency is much stricter
33 on the homes they select. He said the homes can only increase to a certain value, so as not to
34 affect the value in the neighborhood.
35 Commissioner Dorosin said he is thinking more broadly about a policy and what kind of
36 parameter funds like this should have in order to maximize resources.
37 Renee Holmes is the Health and Homes Program coordinator, and she has worked on
38 these grants. She said staff was initially told that the maximum spending was $40,000 per
39 home. She said rehab specialists evaluate the homes to determine the amount of rehab
40 needed to bring the house up to code. She said the state has made exceptions as many
41 houses required more than $40,000. She said there is an application period and homes are
42 selected from those applicants.
43 Commissioner Dorosin said there were seven homes in this project. He asked if there
44 were more applicants and how the projects are prioritized.
45 Renee Holmes said the state requires that the income for the scattered sites must be 50
46 percent of area median or less. She said this is how these sites are prioritized. She said the
47 economic recovery is 80 percent of area median income, and it is first-come, first-served.
48 Commissioner Dorosin said the County has made housing a priority, and the state has
49 guidelines, but those should be the floor. He said there are priorities that should be set and
50 guidelines on when it is worthwhile to spend $75,000 on one house, versus spending that much
51 on two homes. He wants to make sure the program is maximized.
6
1 Commissioner Jacobs said Orange County does have a housing rehab program that is
2 built into their budget annually. He said, with a new director, it would be a good idea to have a
3 chart listing all of the housing programs administered by the County, including information on
4 the criteria, and available funds. He said this would help them understand the full gamut of
5 opportunities and challenges.
6
7 A motion was made by Commissioner Price, seconded by Commissioner Jacobs to
8 open the public hearing.
9
10 VOTE: UNANIMOUS
11
12 PUBLIC COMMENT:
13 NONE
14
15 A motion was made by Commissioner Price, seconded by Commissioner Jacobs to
16 close the public hearing.
17
18 VOTE: UNANIMOUS
19
20 b. CDBG Program — Economic Recovery Program
21 The Board conducted a public hearing to receive public comments prior to official close-
22 out of the County's FY 2010 Community Development (CDBG) Economic Recovery Program,
23 and then close the public hearing.
24
25 A motion was made by Commissioner Rich, seconded by Commissioner Burroughs to
26 open the public hearing.
27
28 VOTE: UNANIMOUS
29
30 James Davis reviewed the following background information:
31
32 BACKGROUND: In February 2011 Orange County was officially awarded a $500,000
33 Community Development Block (CDBG) Grant from the N.C. Department of Commerce for an
34 Economic Recovery Program. Funds from this grant were intended to be used to repair eight
35 (8) deteriorated housing units, reconstruct one (1) dwelling unit and provide urgent repair
36 assistance for an additional 15 dwelling units in the County.
37 All CDBG activities have now been completed and eight (8) homes were substantially
38 rehabilitated and 15 dwelling units received urgent repair assistance. The targeted home for
39 reconstruction activity was not completed due to the owner's reluctance to participate in the
40 program. A summary of the program beneficiaries is attached to this abstract.
41 A public hearing was conducted on December 2, 2013 to receive public comments and the
42 grant was "closed out". However, the notice for the hearing was void of the N.C. Department of
43 Commerce's mandatory Spanish-language notification designed to ensure that the Spanish
44 speaking LEP community was properly informed. In order to complete the official grant closeout
45 process, the N.C. Department of Commerce is requiring that another notice including the
46 referenced Spanish information be published and an additional public hearing occur. Proper
47 notice for this public hearing has been published.
48
49 FINANCIAL IMPACT: This grant provided $500,000 in this community for this grant program.
50 A total of$484,000 was expended for this program, which includes $359,000 in hard costs
51 associated to rehabilitate the homes, and $125,000 in administrative and other costs. The
7
1 remaining $16,000 is associated with the clearance and relocation costs for a home that
2 withdrew from the program. Therefore, the $16,000 was retained by the State Community
3 Development Program.
4
5 PUBLIC COMMENT:
6 Ida Lawson said she is so grateful for this rehab program and the beautiful work done on
7 her own home. She hopes this program will continue.
8
9 A motion was made by Commissioner Price, seconded by Commissioner Rich to close
10 the public hearing.
11
12 VOTE: UNANIMOUS
13
14 6. Consent Agenda
15 • Removal of Any Items from Consent Agenda
16 Commissioner Price asked to remove item 6-h for discussion.
17
18 • Approval of Remaining Consent Agenda
19 A motion was made by Commissioner Pelissier, seconded by Commissioner Burroughs
20 to approve the remaining items on the consent agenda.
21
22 VOTE: UNANIMOUS
23
24 a. Minutes
25 The Board approved the minutes as submitted by the Clerk to the Board for the following
26 meetings: November 6, 2014 BOCC Regular Meeting; November 11, 2014 BOCC Work
27 Session; November 18, 2014 BOCC Regular Meeting; November 19, 2014 AOG Meeting;
28 December 1, 2014 BOCC Regular Meeting; December 9, 2014 BOCC Regular Meeting.
29 b. Motor Vehicle Property Tax Releases/Refund
30 The Board adopted a resolution, which is incorporated by reference, to release motor vehicle
31 property tax values for twelve (12) taxpayers with a total of sixteen (16) bills that will result in a
32 reduction of revenue. Approval of these release/refund requests will result in a net reduction of
33 $4,758.62 to Orange County, the towns, and school and fire districts. Financial impact year to
34 date for FY 2014-2015 is $25,425.86.
35 c. Property Tax Releases/Refunds
36 The Board adopted a resolution, which is incorporated by reference, approving the
37 release/refund requests in accordance with North Carolina General Statute 105-381 for thirteen
38 (13) taxpayers with a total of twenty-three (23) bills that will result in a reduction of revenue.
39 d. Applications for Property Tax Exemption/Exclusion
40 The Board approved the attached resolution for eleven (11) untimely applications for
41 exemption/exclusion from ad valorem taxation for eleven (11) bills for the 2014 tax year.
42 e. FY 2014-2015 Budqet Amendment#5
43 The Board approved budget ordinance amendments for fiscal year 2014-15 for the Health
44 Department, Department of Environment, Agriculture, and Parks and Recreation, Solid Waste
45 Enterprise Fund, Human Services Non-Departmental, and Department of Social Services.
46 f. Comprehensive Plan and Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) Amendment
47 Outline and Schedule for Sign Regulation Amendments
48 The Board approved the process components and schedule for a government initiated Unified
49 Development Ordinance (UDO) text amendment for the February 2015 Quarterly Public Hearing
50 regarding sign regulations and direct staff to proceed accordingly.
51 g. Request for Road Additions to the State Maintained Secondary Road System
8
1 The Board approved a recommendation to the North Carolina Department of Transportation
2 (NCDOT), and the North Carolina Board of Transportation (NC BOT) two petitions to add one
3 (1) subdivision road in Triple Crown Estates Subdivision, and one (1) industrial access road to
4 the State Maintained Secondary Road System.
5 i. Buckhorn Mebane Sewer Phase 2 Extension Project Easements & Pump Station
6 Property
7 The Board: 1. Authorized the Chair to sign easement and real estate offer/closing documents on
8 behalf of the Board; 2. Authorized the payment of negotiated easement and real estate
9 purchase value to individual property owners, LLC's, etc.; and 3. Authorized the County
10 Attorney's office to proceed with legal acquisition of utility easements and/or real estate with
11 court filing, if necessary.
12 j. Amending the County Manager's Employment Contract
13 The Board amended the County Manager's employment contract, increasing the costs
14 associated with the Manager's compensation by approximately eight thousand dollars ($8,000)
15 plus other minor associated costs related to benefits, to be paid an annualized salary of
16 $168,000.00.
17 k. Right-of-Way Agreements for Duke Energy for the Provision of Electrical Service
18 to Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
19 The Board approved and authorized the Chair to sign Right-of-Way Agreements with Duke
20 Energy for the purpose of providing electrical service to Brightfield electric vehicle charging
21 stations to be built next to the Skills Development Center and the Farmers Market Pavilion.
22 I. Change in BOCC Regular Meeting Schedule for 2015
23 The Board changed the County Commissioners' regular meeting calendar for 2015 to add a
24 Joint Planning Area (JPA) Public Hearing on March 26, 2015 at 7:00pm with the Towns of
25 Chapel Hill and Carrboro prior to the joint meeting between Orange County BOCC and the
26 Town of Chapel Hill at Southern Human Services Center, 2501 Homestead Road, Chapel Hill;
27 and to add a BOCC Work Session on Thursday, March 19, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. at the Whitted
28 Building, 300 West Tryon St, in Hillsborough, N.C.
29
30 • Discussion and Approval of the Items Removed from the Consent Agenda
31 h. Revised Memorandum of Agreement between the NC Sedimentation Control
32 Commission and Orange County
33 The Board considered approving revisions to the current Memorandum of Agreement
34 (MOA) between the Sedimentation Control Commission (SCC) and Orange County for the
35 purpose of clarifying roles in the enforcement of the Sedimentation Pollution Control Act of
36 1973, N.C. General Statute Chapter 113A, Article 4 and any rules adopted pursuant to the Act
37 and authorize the Chair to sign the agreement.
38
39 Commissioner Price said she pulled this to bring attention to what this agreement does,
40 and to let the public know that the Board has no choice in this matter. She said the agreement
41 has to be signed, or money is lost.
42
43 A motion was made by Commissioner Price, seconded by Commissioner Jacobs to
44 approve the revisions to the current Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the
45 Sedimentation Control Commission (SCC) and Orange County for the purpose of clarifying roles
46 in the enforcement of the Sedimentation Pollution Control Act of 1973, N.C. General Statute
47 Chapter 113A, Article 4 and any rules adopted pursuant to the Act and authorize the Chair to
48 sign the agreement.
49
50 Commissioner Dorosin said he echoes Commissioner Price's comment. He said this
51 change is being made to sanctify continued plans for fracking in this state, and this is the state
9
1 asserting its authority to prevent local government from restricting or regulating fracking. He
2 said he appreciates Commissioner Price speaking up.
3 Commissioner Jacobs noted that he had shared an article related to this issue, regarding
4 Dillon's rule.
5
6 VOTE: UNANIMOUS
7
8 7. Regular Agenda
9
10 a. Updated Orange County Partnership to End Homelessness Memorandum of
11 Understanding
12 The Board considered adopting the updated Orange County Partnership to End
13 Homelessness Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Orange County and the Towns
14 of Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and Hillsborough and authorizing Chair to sign the same.
15 Commissioner Pelissier said the Board needs to vote on this MOU. She said when the
16 partnership was created in 2007, it was a ten year plan to end chronic homelessness, and it
17 would have ended in 2017. She said, since that time, the federal government has seen that
18 there were other best practices, and ending homelessness is now an ongoing focus that
19 includes prevention of homelessness.
20 Commissioner Pelissier said the four elected officials on the committee got together and
21 reviewed and revised this MOU. She said the towns have already adopted this, and the County
22 is the last to look at it.
23 She said the major changes are designed to recognize that this is an ongoing program,
24 and the goal was to have some certainty about funding. She said any party can withdraw from
25 the program, but a one year notice is required. She said if one party withdraws, it does not
26 obligate any other parties to continue, though hopefully they will.
27 She said another major change is that the coordinator's position will be in the County
28 Manager's office. She said four elected officials from the different towns will comprise the
29 executive committee, and these officials will assess the progress and meet with the coordinator
30 on a regular basis. She said this is the first year that Chapel Hill will spend more than the
31 County in the funding of the coordinator position, because this is based on population.
32 Mary Jane Seyda is the Chair of the Partnership to End Homelessness. She recognized
33 Commissioner Pelissier and her work on this committee. She said the purpose of the
34 partnership is to have all service providers, municipalities, and public entities collaborate
35 together to prevent and end homelessness. She said the overarching goals of the partnership
36 are to: 1) Reduce the number of people who experience homelessness; 2) reduce the length of
37 time people are homeless; and 3) to reduce the number of people who return back to
38 homelessness.
39 Mary Jane Seyda said their leadership team is the large group that provides the vision,
40 and there are 25 active voting members. She said this is a very engaged partnership,
41 composed of many different members of the community. She said there are 6 work groups that
42 are comprised of different service providers and agencies in Orange County.
43 She said one of these work groups is the 100,000 Home Task Force, which not only
44 counted the homeless population, but also did surveys to see how people's mental health is
45 compromised by their homelessness. She said the goal was to house these people first, and in
46 the three years since this survey, 26 of these people—who typically have been on the street for
47 5 to 20 years - have been housed.
48 Mary Jane Seyda said another initiative is the Outreach Court, which is the first and only
49 special court in North Carolina for homeless people with misdemeanor charges. She said this is
50 an alternative program in which the service providers are right there in court to give people the
51 ability to engage in services.
10
1 Jamie Rohe reviewed the following background information about her position as the
2 Homeless Programs Coordinator:
3
4 The Partnership budget supports the Homeless Programs Coordinator (Coordinator) position,
5 the cost of participating in the national homeless database, and miscellaneous expenses. The
6 Coordinator is responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of local
7 strategies to end and prevent homelessness including:
8 • Building partnership and collaboration among homeless housing and service providers;
9 • Applications for federal funding (approx. $700,000 annually) and pursuing other funding
10 sources;
11 • Promoting evidence-based practices;
12 • Determining unmet needs of those experiencing or at-risk of homelessness and developing
13 strategies to fill those needs; and
14 • Collecting homelessness data.
15
16 The evolution of the Partnership reflects the progress it has made over the past six (6) years as
17 well as changes in the national approach to ending homelessness. These changes are mirrored
18 in the updated MOU — specifically, from ending chronic homelessness in 10 years to ending all
19 homelessness on an ongoing basis.
20
21 Jamie Rowe said the $700,000 in funding supports the Continuum of Care Program, and
22 the Emergency Solutions Grant. She said this money helps pay for emergency shelters, and
23 provides housing vouchers for people who are disabled and homeless. She said funding also
24 pays for the Rapid Re-housing program, which helps about 30 people annually.
25 Commissioner Rich said she was on the partnership when she was on the Chapel Hill
26 Town Council, and she participated in the initiative to count the homeless. She said the
27 program does an amazing job with this collection of data. She said this program is very
28 successful.
29 Commissioner Price thanked the Partnership for their work. She asked about the data in
30 the MOU. She said the percentages are pro-rated according to the 2010 census, and she
31 wonders what happens when the homeless move from place to place and these numbers
32 change.
33 Mary Jane Seyda said the monies put in by the municipalities are for the Programs
34 Coordinator position. She said the work groups are just providing services for any homeless
35 person, and this does not involve tracking where the person is from. She said funding is based
36 on the number of people that actually live in the towns.
37 Commissioner Price asked about the chain of command related to the coordinator's
38 position. She asked for clarification on item 3a in the MOU and the terminology used.
39 Jamie Rohe said there is an Executive Team made up of the 4 elected officials, and then
40 there is a Leadership Team, or Board of Directors, with 20 members.
41 Bonnie Hammersley said the coordinator position has been moved from the housing
42 department to be under the County Manager. She said this is a coordinator position, so it does
43 not involve supervisory responsibilities. She said the coordinator reports directly to the County
44 Manager.
45 Commissioner Price asked about the wording that refers to supervising of"town or
46 County staff."
47 Commissioner Pelissier said it is because, being a partnership, it is possible for a staff
48 member from Chapel Hill to attend their meetings. She said, for example, Chapel Hill can ask
49 this staff person to help Jamie Rohe, but Jamie Rohe will have no supervisory responsibilities
50 over this person.
51 Commissioner Jacobs asked for the names of the other elected members.
11
1 Commissioner Pelissier answered:
2 Alderman Damon Seils -Town of Carrboro
3 Council Member Sally Greene -Town of Chapel Hill
4 Commissioner Kathleen Ferguson - Town of Hillsborough
5
6 Chair McKee said people often think of the homeless as those living in the woods or
7 sleeping in the alley, but it is his understanding that the homeless also includes those who are
8 "couch surfing." He asked for clarification on this.
9 Jamie Rohe said the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has a
10 restrictive definition of homelessness, which includes those people staying in emergency
11 shelters, transitional housing (which is really a long term shelter), and people living in places not
12 meant for human habitation. She said this does not include people who are in institutions. She
13 said this conservative definition is designed to be clear about who is receiving assistance, and
14 to make sure data is measurable.
15 Mary Jane Seyda said the number on the street is very conservative, as it does not
16 include these people who are just one night away from being on the street.
17 Jamie Rohe said their partnership is starting to look more closely at affordable housing
18 issues.
19 Commissioner Dorosin asked if there has been consideration of the tiny house
20 movement.
21 Commissioner Rich said she has asked the Board to look at information on the tiny
22 houses, and it should be coming back for discussion.
23 Commissioner Rich said it would be good to treat affordable housing as a County-wide
24 initiative, like the issue of homelessness.
25 Mary Jane Seyda said there have been discussions with the municipalities about this.
26 Jamie Rohe said every five years any jurisdiction that receives state and federal is
27 required to do a five year consolidated plan. She said the County is due to complete its updated
28 five year strategic plan. She said some of the home funding is used to give rental assistance to
29 the homeless, so the partnership is encouraging the town and the County to use this planning
30 tool to look at the current stock, the current needs and the big picture.
31 Bonnie Hammersley said Commissioner Pelissier had petitioned for Orange County to
32 take the lead in the affordable housing discussion with the Towns. She said the newly hired
33 Housing, Human Rights and Community Development Director, Audrey Spencer-Horsley, has a
34 strong background in this area.
35 Commissioner Pelissier said the Partnership to End Homelessness cannot be the
36 affordable housing entity for the entire County. She said the elected officials need to be
37 engaged in this as well. She said her petition also included a request for researching the idea of
38 tiny houses.
39 Chair McKee asked Audrey Spencer-Horsley if she would like to make any comments.
40 Audrey Spencer-Horsley, the new Housing, Human Rights and Community Development
41 Director, said she believes that problems are solved through collaboration to maximize
42 resources. She said she is excited about being a part of this conversation.
43
44 A motion was made by Commissioner Pelissier, seconded by Commissioner Price for
45 the Board to adopt the updated Partnership to End Homelessness Memorandum of
46 Understanding and authorize the Chair to sign.
47
48 VOTE: UNANIMOUS
49
50 b. Recommended Uses of General Fund Unassigned Fund Balance as of June 30,
51 2014
12
1 The Board considered a recommendation for the use of the General Fund unassigned
2 Fund Balance in excess of the BOCC's fund balance policy of$1.5 million of the excess fund
3 balance to continue the funding of the Other Post Employment Benefits (OPEB) Fund; $450,000
4 to replenish the Social Justice Fund or for FY2014-15 appropriations as needed; and the
5 remaining balance of$1.1 million available unassigned balance be used to balance the FY2015-
6 16 budget; and provided direction and feedback to staff on the other potential uses of
7 unassigned (available) fund balance.
8 Clarence Grier said staff has made some recommendations for the unassigned fund
9 balance in excess of the BOCC's fund balance policy of 17 percent. He reviewed the following
10 information from Page 6 of attachment 2:
11
12 General Fund Balance Available for Appropriation as of January 22, 2015
13 Attachment 2
14
15 Totals
16 Fund Balance Available for Appropriation (A), June 30, 2014 $ 44,940,204
17 Fund Balance, Assigned
18 FY2014-2015 Budget $ 10,068,343
19 Total Assigned Fund Balance (B) 10,068,343
20
21 Fund Balance Unassigned (A less B), June 30, 2014 $ 34,871,861
22
23 General Fund Expenditures for the year ended June 30, 2014 $186,998,772
24
25
26 General Fund Unassigned Fund Balance as of June 30, 2014
27 As a Percentage of General Fund Expenditures 18.65%
28 BOCC Fund Balance Policy - 17 % 17.00%
29
30 General Fund Unassigned Fund Balance as of June 30, 2014
31 In excess of the Board's policy $ 3,082,070
32 Less: OPEB Funding (1,541,035)
33 Less: CY Appropriation of Fund Balance -
34
35 Additional Unassigned Fund Balance Available for Appropriation
36 As of November 30, 2014 $ 1,541,035
37
38 Suggested Current Year uses of the Additional Fund Balance Available to
39 avoid financing cost: Replenish the Social Justice Fund or General Fund
40 appropriations (as needed) for FY2014-15 (450,000)
41
42 Additional Amounts Available for Appropriation $ 1,091,035
43
44
45 * 17% Fund Balance totals $ 31,789,791
46
47 Clarence Grier noted the information on attachment 3. He said the fund balance has
48 increased by 57.83 percent since 2008. He said it has increased 105 percent since 2009. He
49 said the outstanding liability for OPEB is now$59.1 million.
13
1 Chair McKee referred to Bonnie Hammersley's response to a question from a
2 commissioner in reference to the Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools (CHCCS) request of
3 $750,000 for older schools, as included below:
4 "My reluctance for recommending additional funds to the schools at this time is threefold. One,
5 I am always concerned about appropriating additional funds, even from fund balance, outside of
6 the normal budget process. Even if the purpose is worthy, as the CHCCS request is, it gives
7 special treatment to that request when competing requests cannot be equally considered. To
8 do so, would necessitate conducting a mini budget process. As I am sure you know the County
9 has a number of needs that go unmet every year that should be considered as well. It has been
10 reported that state revenues are coming in lower than expected which might necessitate that we
11 appropriate more in county funds to avoid further reductions. Two, as you suggest, with only 6
12 months into the fiscal year, we do not have a good idea of where we will end up at year-
13 end. Although, I am sure we won't have a problem with keeping the budget balanced, I wouldn't
14 want to end up with a fund balance at year-end lower than what the credit rating agencies
15 consider necessary or prudent to maintain our credit rating. The County just earned our third
16 AAA rating this past summer, which helps ensure reasonable borrowing costs for both the
17 County and schools. Third, as with any budget there are uncertainties that may result in urgent
18 or unexpected requirements that the county has to fund and we need to be in a position of
19 having funds available to meet those needs. At the January 27 BOCC work session, I will
20 provide more information on the upcoming budget revenue and expenditure projections."
21
22 Bonnie Hammersley said she and Clarence Grier felt it was also important, with the
23 $450,000, to restore the social justice fund, as all of this fund money has been fully allocated
24 and the childcare issue may not be fully resolved.
25 Commissioner Dorosin asked if the $59 million in outstanding liability for OPEB is a
26 static amount, or if it changes every year.
27 Clarence Grier said it changes every year based on actuarial assumptions of employees
28 coming on to the plan and those retiring. He said over the next 4 to 5 years the liability should
29 come down.
30 Commissioner Dorosin said the state wants local governments to make deposits into this
31 fund, and he asked if there is a formal requirement or time for the contribution of specific
32 amounts.
33 Clarence Grier said no. He said the state would like for the County to fund at least 90
34 percent. He said Orange County is one of very few counties in the state that are making actual
35 contributions to the OPEB fund. He said this will become an issue over the next couple of
36 years, as there is a new standard out for pension liabilities that is the same as the OPEB
37 liabilities. He thinks there may be more stringent requirements about contributions for both of
38 these at that time.
39 Commissioner Dorosin asked if the coverage is ten percent.
40 Clarence Grier said yes.
41 Commissioner Dorosin asked if there is a formal policy as to what the Board of County
42 Commissioners should be contributing.
43 Bonnie Hammersley said Orange County does not currently have a policy regarding
44 OPEB; however, she will be looking at this during their budget process. She said this is
45 important, and 10 percent is not a good number, so it is important to have a policy.
46 Clarence Grier said one of the stipulations from the bond agency a few years ago was
47 that Orange County needed to decide how to address OPEB.
48 Commissioner Dorosin said there is an impression in the public that excess fund balance
49 is found money, and then everyone wants a piece of the pie. He said it would be easier to
50 address this if there was some structure or policy in place. He appreciates that this is going to
51 be more formalized, and he thinks it is important.
14
1 Commissioner Jacobs said he appreciated the manager's response about budgeting out
2 of phase. He said he hopes that this can be communicated as a formal response to the Chair of
3 the Chapel Hill Carrboro School Board. He said he voted against the parking deck in
4 Hillsborough, not because he did not think it was needed, but because it was out of phase with
5 the budget. He feels more comfortable with things being looked at holistically, so that
6 judgments can be made about priority.
7 Commissioner Jacobs said he is still getting used to OPEB, as it popped up in the mid
8 2000's. He said prior to that, the County was supposedly following best practices, and this was
9 not on the radar. He knows this is law, and he feels there may be a political component as well.
10 He would like to understand more about it as a policy is developed.
11 Commissioner Jacobs referred to an earlier comment from Commissioner Dorosin about
12 the ABC Board money. He suggested that the ABC Board money could go directly to the social
13 justice fund.
14 Commissioner Price thanked Clarence Grier for this final report and for his service to
15 Orange County.
16 Commissioner Burroughs said she was the Commissioner who asked the question about
17 the uses of the fund balance. She said she understands the issues of not knowing what the
18 state will do in this next budget cycle. She said she does appreciate the school system bringing
19 the issue forward, and she said this issue of a time window will come up again. She said if the
20 County waits for a bond to pass before planning and building, it will mean doing that concurrent
21 with having to build a new elementary school. She said there is an opportunity, with this
22 window, to get ahead of that and delay building a new elementary school.
23 Commissioner Burroughs thanked Clarence Grier for his service to the County.
24 Chair McKee also thanked Clarence Grier for his service to Orange County.
25 Clarence Grier thanked them all for the opportunity to serve the Board of County
26 Commissioners, the employees, and the residents of Orange County.
27 Commissioner Dorosin said the recommendation is to put $1.5 million in the OPEB fund
28 now. He asked, given the comments about phasing, why this cannot be done in June.
29 Clarence Grier said when the County wants to issue debt they may have to go to the
30 public markets to do this. He said this will be reviewed through the local rating institutions and
31 the Local Government Commission LGC), who will ask whether the County has done what was
32 promised as part of the budget policy. He said if this money is not put in now, it should not be
33 delayed for long. Clarence Grier said there is an established policy of putting the funds into
34 OPEB when there is an excess in fund balance.
35 Bonnie Hammersley echoed Clarence Grier's comments. She said this is the year end
36 of 2014. She said if you wait and do not put anything in now, it means missing a budget year.
37 Chair McKee asked if an implied policy has been established by putting the money in
38 during this time frame over the past several years.
39 Clarence Grier said yes, this is an implied practice.
40
41 A motion was made by Commissioner Dorosin, seconded by Commissioner Jacobs to
42 put $500,000 to the Post Employee Benefit Funds (OPEB); $450,000 to replenish the Social
43 Justice Fund; and to leave $2.1 million as unassigned balance to be used to balance the FY
44 2015-16 budget.
45
46 VOTE: Motion Fails 3-4
47 Ayes, 3 (Commissioner Jacobs, Commissioner Dorosin, and Commissioner Rich) - Nays, 4
48 (Commissioner Burroughs, Commissioner Price, Chair McKee, and Commissioner Pelissier)
49
50 A motion was made by Commissioner Pelissier, seconded by Commissioner Burroughs
51 to approve the following recommended uses of the General Fund available fund balance:
15
1 • $1.5 million of the excess fund balance to continue the funding of the Other Post
2 Employment Benefits (OPEB) Fund;
3 • $450,000 to replenish the Social Justice Fund or for FY2014-15 appropriations as
4 needed; and
5 • the remaining balance of$1.1 million available unassigned balance be used to balance
6 the FY2015-16 budget;
7
8 VOTE: Motion Passes 4-3
9 Ayes, 4 (Commissioner Burroughs, Commissioner Price, Chair McKee, and Commissioner
10 Pelissier) - (Commissioner Rich, Commissioner Jacobs, and Commissioner Dorosin)
11
12 8. Reports
13 NONE
14
15 9. County Manaqer's Report
16 Bonnie Hammersley said the Board will be receiving the agenda for the January 27 work
17 session, and she reviewed the following items from that agenda:
18 Projected January 27, 2015 Reqular Work Session Items
19 • Follow-up on Ephesus Church Road/Fordham Boulevard Public Improvements and
20 Request for County Investment in the Project
21 • Application and Guidelines for the County's 1/4 Cent Sales Tax Business Investment
22 Grants &Agriculture Investment Grants
23 • FY 2015-16 Budget Assumptions/Fiscal Outlook/Budget Update/Budget Drivers (in Prep
24 for BOCC Retreat)
25 • Board Appointments to Advisory Boards/Commissions
26
27 Bonnie Hammersley said the first quarterly fiscal report, ending Sept. 30, 2014, is
28 included in their information packets.
29 Clarence Grier said the second report will be available on January 27th
30
31 10. County Attorney's Report
32 NONE
33
34 11. Appointments
35 Commissioner Jacobs noted that the Board is going to finally address appointing people
36 who have not been recommended. He said there are cases where there is a preponderance of
37 females as opposed to males, or Chapel Hill residents as opposed to Orange County residents.
38 He said he would be moved to recommend additional people to fill these recommended
39 positions, but only in deference to the fact that the Board has not had this conversation, will he
40 be quiet about that tonight.
41
42 a. Affordable Housinq Advisory Board —Appointments
43 The Board considered making appointments to the Affordable Housing Advisory Board.
44 A motion was made by Commissioner Jacobs, seconded by Commissioner Price to
45 appoint the following to the Affordable Housing Advisory Board:
46
47 • Appointment to a first full term (Position #2) At-Large for Ms. Vanessa Soleil ending
48 09/30/2017.
49 • Appointment to a first partial term (Position #4) At-Large for Ms. Traci Wooten ending
50 06/30/2016.
16
1 • Appointment to a second full term (Position #5) At-Large for Ms. Nannie M. Richmond
2 ending 06/30/2017.
3 • Appointment to a second full term (Position #8) At-Large for Ms. Patsy Barbee ending
4 06/30/2017.
5 • Appointment to a first full term (Position #11) At-Large for Mr. Noah Oswald ending
6 06/30/2017.
7
POSITION NAME SPECIAL EXPIRATION
NO. REPRESENTATIVE DATE
2 Ms. Vanessa Soleil At-Large 09/30/2017
4 Ms. Traci Wooten At-Large 06/30/2016
5 Ms. Nannie M. Richmond At-Large 06/30/2017
8 Ms. Patsy Barbee At-Large 06/30/2017
11 Mr. Noah Oswald At-Large 06/30/2017
8
9
10 VOTE: UNANIMOUS
11
12 b. Arts Commission —Appointments
13 The Board considered making appointments to the Arts Commission.
14 A motion was made by Commissioner Pelissier, seconded by Commissioner Price to
15 appoint the following to the Arts Commission:
16
17 • Appointment to a partial term (position #6) At-Large for Ms. Lynne Albert expiring
18 09/30/2016.
19 • Appointment to a partial term (position #12) At-Large for Mr. Ian Bowater expiring
20 03/31/2015.
21 • Appointment to a partial term (position #15) At-Large for Ms. Kim Roberts expiring
22 03/31/2015.
23
POSITION NAME SPECIAL EXPIRATION
NO. REPRESENTATIVE DATE
6 Lynne Albert At-Large 09/30/2016
12 Ian Bowater At-Large 03/31/2015
15 Kim Roberts At-Large 03/31/2015
24
25
26 VOTE: UNANIMOUS
27
28 c. Commission for the Environment—Appointment
29 The Board considered making an appointment to the Commission for the Environment.
30 A motion was made by Commissioner Pelissier, seconded by Commissioner Jacobs to
31 appoint the following to the Commission for the Environment:
32
33 • Appointment to a partial term (Position #6) At-Large for Dr. Thomas Eisenhart expiring
34 12/31/2016.
35
POSITION NAME SPECIAL EXPIRATION
NO. REPRESENTATIVE DATE
6 Dr. Thomas Eisenhart At-Large 12/31/2016
17
1
2
3 VOTE: UNANIMOUS
4
5 d. Economic Development Advisory Board —Appointment
6 The Board considered making an appointment to the Economic Development Advisory
7 Board.
8 A motion was made by Commissioner Rich, seconded by Commissioner Burroughs to
9 appoint the following to the Economic Development Advisory Board:
10
11 • Appointment to a first full term (Position #6) Core Business Community for Ms. Paige Zinn
12 expiring 06/30/2017.
13
POSITION NAME SPECIAL EXPIRATION
NO. REPRESENTATIVE DATE
6 Ms. Paige Zinn Core Business Community 06/30/2017
14
15 VOTE: UNANIMOUS
16
17 e. Orange County Housing Authority—Appointments
18 The Board considered making appointments to the Orange County Housing Authority.
19 A motion was made by Commissioner Jacobs, seconded by Commissioner Price to
20 appoint the following Orange County Housing Authority:
21
22 • Appointment to a first full term (Position #1) At-Large for Ms. Evelyn Johann expiring
23 06/30/2019.
24 • Appointment to a second full term (Position #2) At-Large for Ms. Jean Bolduc expiring
25 06/30/2019.
26
POSITION NAME SPECIAL EXPIRATION
NO. REPRESENTATIVE DATE
1 Ms. Evelyn Johann At-Large 06/30/2019
2 Ms. Jean Bolduc At-Large 06/30/2019
27
28 VOTE: UNANIMOUS
29
30 Commissioner Jacobs asked about the position on this board that is filled by the Interim
31 Housing Director.
32 Donna Baker said when the by-laws were redone this position was designated as
33 whoever was in that director position. She will follow up with providing information on this to the
34 Board.
35
36 12. Board Comments
37 Commissioner Price attended the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners
38 (NCACC) Legislative Goals conference. She said the suggestion of County Commissioners
39 being able to carry guns into meetings was defeated.
40 Commissioner Price said she also attended an open session on board procedures, and
41 some of the issues raised are things that should be discussed as the Orange County Board
42 revises various processes.
18
1 Commissioner Jacobs de facto represented the Board at an event at the UNC LAUNCH
2 center. He said some of the program alumni were present, and it was amazing to see how
3 successful many of them have been.
4 Commissioner Pelissier said the Orange Durham Express has started service in
5 Mebane, and it now provides service all the way to Durham and Duke University.
6 Commissioner Pelissier she is attending an upcoming breakfast sponsored by the UNC
7 Institute for the Environment. She said the former mayor of Bogata will be speaking, and he is a
8 world renowned expert on sustainable transportation.
9 Commissioner Pelissier said Wake County is revising their transit plan, and the timeline
10 for a proposal is this summer. She said the Triangle Transit Special Tax Board met today and
11 there were several attendees from Wake County.
12 Commissioner Pelissier said the annual Mental Health Legislative Breakfast is January
13 24th
14 Commissioner Dorosin said he attended an informational meeting in Efland, and many
15 residents were excited about the new circulator route, but they have had difficulty getting
16 information on the times and the route. He asked the planning department if there were any
17 handouts or information that could be provided.
18 Commissioner Dorosin said he attended a public hearing on the proposed new
19 economic development in Carrboro. He said a developer wants to move the art center building
20 in order to build a new hotel on the property. He said there are many changes proposed to this
21 property, and the Board needs to be monitoring the impacts. He said the development plan
22 seems as if it would require some support from the County.
23 Commissioner Rich said she supports the idea of having Board comments at the
24 beginning of the meeting.
25 Commissioner Rich said she volunteered for the first time with the Department of Social
26 Service's (DSS) Toy for Tots, and it is an awesome program.
27 She thanked David Stancil for the mini parks tour in northern Orange County this past
28 weekend.
29 Commissioner Rich said her various commissions met over the break. She said the
30 Durham Orange Chapel Hill work group met and discussed changing the path of the light rail.
31 She said Durham is also purchasing some land around where the light rail will be located, and
32 this is intended for affordable work force housing.
33 Commissioner Rich said the Home First calendar is out, and the retreat will be February
34 14th at the Carolina Inn.
35 Commissioner Rich said the Visitor's Bureau met yesterday, and numbers are on target.
36 She said a lot of large jobs are being completed, and occupancy numbers may go down as a
37 result. She said there were also a lively discussion about the proposed hotel in Carrboro, as
38 well as a discussion of"Airbnb."
39 Commissioner Rich said ParkontheHill.com is a new app for parking in Chapel Hill.
40 Commissioner Price said the Agri Summit will be on Feb 16th, and registration is
41 available on-line.
42 Chair McKee said he attended the MLK Banquet this past weekend, which was put on
43 by the NAACP, as well as another event at the Kenan Center.
44 Chair McKee said he spoke at the event in Hillsborough on voices of Martin Luther King
45 and others who have moved us forward on social justice issues. He said all citizens need to
46 step up to reiterate these voices from the past and bring new voices on how to move forward.
47
48 13. Information Items
49 • December 9, 2014 BOCC Meeting Follow-up Actions List
50 • Tax Collector's Report— Numerical Analysis
51 • Tax Collector's Report— Measure of Enforced Collections
19
1 • Tax Assessor's Report - Releases and Refunds under $100
2 • Major Fund Financial Statement for the Quarter Ended September 30, 2014
3 • BOCC Chair Letter Regarding Petitions from December 9, 2014 Board Meeting
4
5 14. Closed Session
6 A motion was made by Commissioner Rich, seconded by Commissioner Pelissier to go
7 into closed session at 9:28p.m.for the purposes of:
8
9 "To discuss the County's position and to instruct the County Manager and County Attorney on
10 the negotiating position regarding the terms of a contract to purchase real property," NCGS §
11 143-318.11(a)(5).
12
13 RECONVENE INTO REGULAR SESSION
14 A motion was made by Commissioner Price, seconded by Commissioner Rich to
15 reconvene into regular session at 10:55 p.m.
16
17 VOTE: UNANIMOUS
18
19 15. Adjournment
20 A motion was made by Commissioner Jacobs, seconded by Commissioner Price to
21 adjourn the meeting at 10:55 pm.
22
23 VOTE: UNANIMOUS
24
25 Earl McKee, Chair
26
27 Donna Baker, Clerk to the Board
28
29
30