HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 03-22-2016 - 7-a - Consideration of a Third Party Analysis to Prioritize School Capital Projects 1
ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: March 22, 2016
Action Agenda
Item No. 7-a
SUBJECT: Consideration of a Third Party Analysis to Prioritize School Capital Projects
DEPARTMENT: County Manager
ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT:
None Bonnie Hammersley, County Manager
919-245-2306
Travis Myren, Deputy County Manager
919-245-2308
PURPOSE: To authorize staff to proceed with the solicitation of a consultant to conduct a
comparative analysis of school facility needs and to prioritize those needs based on standard
criteria.
BACKGROUND: During the September 29, 2015 joint meeting of the Board of County
Commissioners, the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Board of Education, and the Orange County Board of
Education, the Boards discussed the possibility of the County engaging a third party consultant
to compare and prioritize the capital needs of both districts. Since that time, no final decision
has been made by the Board of Commissioners about whether to proceed with this type of
analysis.
During the joint meeting, staff from each of the school districts presented facility improvement
needs. These needs were based on comprehensive facility assessments conducted by
architectural firms. The assessments focused on repairs, renovations, and upgrades of existing
school facilities. The Chapel Hill-Carrboro analysis included the District's ten oldest schools
while the Orange County Schools analysis studied all of the District's facilities. The combined
cost of the recommended improvements totaled approximately $330 million.
Since the total cost of the recommendations exceeds the amount of funding contemplated by
the bond referendum for school facility improvements, the Boards discussed whether the County
should hire a third party consultant to prioritize projects. The consultant would review the facility
assessments prepared on behalf of each of the school districts and would apply a set of
standard criteria to rank and prioritize those projects. The criteria would include life, health, and
safety needs, security needs, sequencing based on operational needs, and structural and
mechanical needs. This process would establish an empirical element to the consideration of
capital projects and may help inform the Board of Commissioners' deliberations on how to apply
the proceeds of a bond referendum and other Capital Budget and Capital Investment Plan
funds.
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Several concerns were raised during the joint meeting about the merits of a third party
consultant process. These concerns included timing since the bond referendum is scheduled
for November, the potential duplication of effort since consulting firms had already evaluated
school facility needs, the inability to compare projects between the districts due to the unique
nature of each district's needs, the potential to create divisiveness between the districts, and the
unique position of the elected school boards to best express and prioritize the needs of each of
the districts.
If the Board elects to proceed with this analysis, staff would solicit competitive proposals from
consulting firms and negotiate a contract with the most qualified firm. The solicitation and
selection of a consultant could be accomplished in six weeks. Once a contract is approved, the
consultant would need another six weeks to conduct the analysis and prepare a report.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: The estimated cost of conducting a comparative analysis is between
$38,000 and $43,000. A budget amendment would be required to fund the contract.
SOCIAL JUSTICE IMPACT: The following Orange County Social Justice Goal is applicable to
this agenda item:
• GOAL: CREATE A SAFE COMMUNITY
The reduction of risks from vehicle/traffic accidents, childhood and senior injuries, gang
activity, substance abuse and domestic violence.
RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board deliberate as necessary
and provide direction to staff on whether to proceed with the solicitation of a consultant to
prioritize school capital needs as presented in the districts' facility analyses.