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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 05-18-2017 1 APPROVED 6/20/2017 MINUTES BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING May 18, 2017 7:00 p.m. The Orange County Board of Commissioners met for a work session on Thursday, May 18, 2017 at 7:00 p.m. at the Southern Human Services Center in Chapel Hill, N.C. COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Commissioners Barry Jacobs, Earl McKee, Mark Marcoplos, Renee Price and Penny Rich COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: Chair Mark Dorosin and Commissioner Mia Burroughs COUNTY ATTORNEYS PRESENT: John Roberts COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager Bonnie Hammersley, Deputy County Manager Travis Myren and Clerk to the Board Donna Baker (All other staff members will be identified appropriately below) Vice Chair Rich called the meeting to order at 7:03 p.m. Vice Chair Rich said Chair Dorosin and Commissioner Burroughs would be unable to attend tonight, and that Commissioner McKee would be late. 1. Opening Remarks PUBLIC CHARGE Vice Chair Rich dispensed with the reading of the Public Charge 2. Presentation of County Manager's Recommended FY 2017-18 Budget FY2017-18 COUNTY MANAGER RECOMMENDED BUDGET FY2017-18 Recommended Budget • Expenditures — Revenues -Tax Rate- graph • Assumptions-graph • Initiatives-graph' • School Funding-graph • Outside Agencies • Fire Districts 2017 Tax Year Revaluation (chart) ■ The revaluation resulted in a 6.5% increase in real property value, increasing the property tax base by over$1 billion to $16.8 billion. ■ Since the County's overall tax base increased, the County's revenue neutral rate decreases from 87.80 cents per$100 of value to 83.77 cents per$100 of value. Budgeted Expenditures and Revenues (graph) Budget Assumptions 2 ■ Revenue Neutral Rate = .8377 ■ Tax Growth* = 1.2% ■ Sales Tax Growth = 4% ■ General Fund Reserve = 17% * New construction/Development Budget Request Complication (chart) Recommended Budget Initiatives: ■ Increase funding Orange Connect Scholarship Program ■ Increase per pupil funding for CHCCS and OCS ■ Compensation package for County employees ■ Paid Parental Leave for County Employees ■ Increase funding for Orange Public Transit ■ Implement collaborative initiative for Housing Rehab ■ Planning funds for Economic Summit and a Local Festival ■ Advance the Criminal Justice Resource Office to County Department status Commissioner McKee arrived at 7:12 p.m. Recommended Budget: Education, ADM (chart) Recommended Budget: Education, School Funding (chart) Recommended Budget: Education, School Funding (chart) Recommended Budget: Education, Durham Technical Community College (chart) Functional Leadership Teams • COMMUNITY SERVICES ■ Additional Positions— 11 FTE (Fees/Article 43/Program Revenue ■ Community Centers agreements with Neighborhood Associations. ■ Increase Solid Waste Program Fee $21 to $128 per year ■ Implement a Mattress Collection Program • GENERAL GOVERNMENT ■ Board of Elections will conduct three (3) elections • HUMAN SERVICES ■ Additional Positions—5.5 FTE (2nd Family Foundation/State/GF) ■ Behavioral Health Assessment Study ■ Family Success Alliance (FSA) • PUBLIC SAFETY ■ Additional Positions—2.5 FTE (ABC /MOE) • SUPPORT SERVICES ■ Website Redesign will improve operation Orange County Employee Compensation - chart Outside Agencies - chart 3 Outside Agencies - chart Orange County Fire Districts - chart FY2017-18 Capital Investment Plan ➢ Detention Facility—$622,114 ➢ Environment &Ag Center—$3.4 million ➢ Solid Waste—$990,268 ➢ Sportsplex—$465,000 ➢ Community Centers—$75,000 ➢ Economic Development—$2.3 million ➢ EMS Substation Co-location — $845,000 ➢ Facility Accessibility & Security—$30,000 ➢ Rural Broadband —$500,000 ➢ School Capital Improvements—$7.8 million ➢ Blackwood Farm Park— $100,000 ➢ Fairview Park—$50,000 ➢ Hollow Rock Nature Park—$10,000 ➢ Park Renovation & Repairs —$191,000 ➢ Soccer Center Phase II — $300,000 ➢ BOCC Initiatives - $50,000 ➢ Fiber Connections—$1.2 million ➢ Infrastructure—$700,000 ➢ ITGC Initiatives— $510,000 ➢ Mobile Radios —$920,000 ➢ Facility Enhancements—$450,000 ➢ HVAC Projects—$122,000 ➢ SHSC Renovation— $4.0 million ➢ Roofing and Facade—$102,444 Budget Timeline Date County Manager presents FY17-18 Recommended Budget May 2, 2017 Budget Public Hearings Budget and Capital Investment Plan (CIP) May 11 and May 16 Budget Work Session Schedule Capital Investment Plan (CIP) Prioritization May 9 Schools and Outside Agencies May 25 Fire Districts, Public safety, Support Services and Gen. Gov. June 8 Human Services and Community Services June 13 Budget Amendments and Resolution of Intent to Adopt June 15 BOCC Regular Meeting FY2017-18 Operating and CIP Budget Adoption June 20 Budget Document Availability ■ Clerk to Board of Commissioners ■ County Finance &Administrative Services Office ■ Orange County Library ■ Chapel Hill Public Library ✓ Carrboro/McDougle Branch Library ■ Orange County Website - http://orangecountync.gov 4 3. Public Comment Denise Moody said she and Sandy work at OE Enterprises, and they thanked the Board of County Commissioners for its continued support of this outside agency. Sandy said she worked at OE Enterprises last year, but is now employed at Harris Teeter, and she has her own apartment with a roommate. Bill Hendrickson said he is representing WCOM, community radio in Carrboro, and is here to support their staff. He said WCOM is a non-profit, volunteer run station. He said there are three underwriters for the station, who all depend on support of people like the Board of County Commissioners. He said guests on the station include residents from all over Orange County, from varied walks of life. He said WCOM is an Orange County station, and he is not asking for a specific amount of money, but is appreciative of the Board's financial support. Lisa Vandeman said she is the Executive Director of Kidzu Children's Museum, and this is Kidzu's first year of applying for an outside agency grant. She thanked the Manager for recommending 50% of Kidzu's funding request, but is here to request that 100% of the request be funded for their organization. Kate Sullivan read a letter, found in the agenda packet, from Carrboro Elementary, a Kidzu partner, who supports funding 100% of Kidzu's outside agency funding request. Andrea Tanner said she is here in support of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools (CHCCS's) full funding request, and specifically for teaching assistants. Colin Tanner is a fourth grader at Seawell Elementary, and spoke in support of more teaching assistants in the 4th and 5th grades at Seawell Elementary. Lauren Boening said she is a 3rd grade teacher in the CHCCS, and is asking the Board to fully fund the schools' funding request. Staff recognized that Ms. Boening is the CHCCS Teach of the Year. Miriam Thompson reviewed the following comments: I want to open my testimony tonight with a keen recognition of the challenges you face and responsibilities you bear to navigate compassionate budget choices: a. that acknowledge changes in our County's population demographics and critical service needs that assure the well-being of our entire community; b. that are impacted by our State General Assembly majority that is intent on tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest of our residents; c. that make some modest and overdue changes in school personnel salaries, while at the same time fail to fully fund public education; d. that fail to make adequate companion social investments that support the well- being of the vast majority of our children and families and the increasing number of the most vulnerable, particularly in the areas of health care access, affordable housing, living wage jobs, and a sustainable safe environment. I urge all go on line and read today's NC Policy Watch's grim analysis of the Senate Budget roll out. I have studied the County Manager's recommended budget and the CHCCS' BOE response that estimates a dramatic shortfall in the amount it requested from the County, including the budget compensation for salary and benefits. I am certain that our County Manager and her team, our new Superintendent, Dr. Pam Baldwin and her District staff recognize the budget and revenue challenges ahead, and have and will continue to look to use every public school dollar and staff position to assure equitable school outcomes for every young person in our 20 schools. I want to share a personal experience, a story about one school that puts a face on County/District budget negotiations, and whose needs cry out for attention. This is my story - a grandmother of a Chapel Hill High School sophomore. I have also worked with School Improvement Teams, tireless and devoted Principals and staff in my grandson's previous 5 Elementary and Middle School. And I have lobbied to support our public schools. CHHS `s Principal has turned her school upside down: accommodated the largest EC, ESL at risk, economically disadvantaged, free and reduced lunch population among the 3 District high schools; reorganized her teaching staff, introduced important equity and critical race theory teacher training and professional development; recognized and invited innovative teaching and curriculum initiatives; introduced alternative discipline and restorative practice models; and revised and restructured academic schedules, and instituted a Black Male Academy to rescue young people who struggle to find pride in themselves, have faced school failure, feel unwelcome and are at risk of dropping out. BUT THIS PRINCIPAL NEEDS RESOURCES TO CONTINUE TO BUILD AND LEAD A SCHOOL THAT WORKS. The schools and community budget you adopt are filled with such stories. Marywinne Sherwood is here on behalf of the Boys and Girls Club of Durham and Orange Counties, and she thanked the Board of County Commissioners for its past support and continued support going forward. James Stroud said he is the Executive Director at the Center for Home Ownership and Economic Development, and is here on behalf of the Affordable Housing Coalition. He thanked the Board for its support, and emphasized the need for affordable housing inventory. Sue Florence said she is here on behalf of the Cedar Grove Community Center, and she thanked the Board for their great support of this center. She said they serve a variety of groups, and are proposing to collaborate with Kidzu so that Orange County kids can participate in the STEM/STEAM programming. Maggie Holly is an educator in the Orange County Schools (OCS). She thanked the Board for its funding support last year, and asked the Board to think of the educators in the 2017-18 budget process. Tana Hartman Thorn is a member of the Department on Aging's Project EnGAGE. She said many of the seniors they serve have great transportation needs, and she asked the Board to support these needs. She also thanked the Board for its support of WCOM. Dr. Pam Baldwin, CHCCS Superintendent, said she appreciated the Board's support for all schools, and asked the Board to fully fund the school's budget request. She emphasized the desire of the school systems to be great partners with each other and with the County. Commissioner Jacobs asked if Bonnie Hammersley would speak about what transportation department is doing to increase ridership in the rural areas. Bonnie Hammersley said grant funding has been received for a position focused on mobility coordination, to help those who need transportation. She said more bus drivers are needed, and staff is looking at other modes of transportation for seniors, and those who are disabled. Commissioner McKee asked if ride sharing apps (Uber, Lift, etc.) are being considered as well. Bonnie Hammersley said yes. 4. Adjournment The public hearing was adjourned at 7:54 p.m. Penny Rich, Vice Chair Donna Baker Clerk to the Board