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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 11-19-2019 Business Meeting1 APPROVED 12/10/2019 MINUTES BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BUSINESS MEETING November 19, 2019 7:00 p.m. The Orange County Board of Commissioners met in a business meeting on Tuesday, November 19, 2019 at 7:00 p.m. at the Southern Human Services Center in Chapel Hill, N.C. COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Penny Rich and Commissioners Jamezetta Bedford, Sally Greene, Earl McKee, Mark Marcoplos, and Renee Price COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: Commissioner Mark Dorosin COUNTY ATTORNEYS PRESENT: John Roberts COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager Bonnie Hammersley, Deputy County Manager Travis Myren, and Deputy Clerk Sherri Ingersoll (All other staff members will be identified appropriately below.) Chair Rich called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. 1. Additions or Changes to the Agenda Chair Rich said Item 4-b: Care to Share Day Proclamation is to be added to the agenda. She noted the following handouts at the Commissioners’ places: • Driving is Exhausting presentation • Care to Share Day bulletin • Item 6-a; Link Government Services Center Remediation Project Options • Revised Presentation 5-a; Piedmont Metalworks, LLC A motion was made by Commissioner Price, seconded by Commissioner Greene, to add Item 4-b, Care to Share Day Proclamation, to the agenda. VOTE: UNANIMOUS PUBLIC CHARGE Chair Rich acknowledged the public charge. Arts Moment Tim Hoke, Arts Commission member, introduced the artist: Sonya Drake is a sophomore at Cedar Ridge High School, where she enjoys history and English classes. She attended Duke School before that, an independent school where she learned to think creatively. Duke School's curriculum was based in project work and presentation, so she became comfortable with being onstage. In her free time, she reads and listens to music. And, of course, she writes. Writing is many things for Sonya: a de-stresser, an outlet, a vessel, a gift. Writing helps her remember things she doesn't want to forget, and forget things she wishes she didn't remember. She writes mostly poetry and short stories. Lately, she's been experimenting with songwriting-- she plays the drums in a band, and they plan on performing some original songs. Even though her favorite season is fall, she loves the summer because there's so much more time to write. Often, she meets people or finds places that inspire her and her writing. 2 Sonja Drake read an excerpt from a piece of her work. 2. Public Comments a. Matters not on the Printed Agenda Miranda Bridgeford, student, said she really enjoyed Sonja’s story, and liked that it ended in a cliffhanger. b. Matters on the Printed Agenda (These matters will be considered when the Board addresses that item on the agenda below.) 3. Announcements, Petitions and Comments by Board Members Chair Rich said Commissioner Dorosin is out of town, and unable to attend tonight. She said Commissioner McKee was running a few minutes late. Commissioner Greene said she attended the Voluntary Ag District breakfast last week, and it was remarkable to hear the stories of the farms. She said the keynote speaker talked about agri-tourism, which was very interesting. Commissioner Greene said, based on the UNC School of Social Work presentation last week, she would like to petition staff to have the housing workgroup reconvene to further look into their ideas about transportation and affordable housing, and discuss to see if they are viable. Commissioner Marcoplos said his appointment to the GoTriangle Board will end on November 30, and the average term on this board is four years. He said Orange County is the only member on this board that has annual appointment, and he is completing Commissioner Jacobs’ term. He asked if his appointment could be extended to the Board of County Commissioners’ (BOCC) December 10 meeting, when new board representation is decided. Chair Rich asked if staff would need to send a letter. John Roberts said the Clerk’s office can send a letter to GoTriangle requesting to extend the appointment. A motion was by Commissioner Bedford, seconded by Commissioner Price, to extend Commissioner Marcoplos’ term on the GoTriangle Board until December 10, 2019, and have the Clerk’s office send a letter acknowledging this extension. VOTE: UNANIMOUS Commissioner Marcoplos acknowledged the minutes from the collaboration meetings between the BOCC and other local governments, as well as the school boards, and asked if these minutes are accessible to the public. Chair Rich said the County Manager suggested that the minutes be included as part of the agenda, as information items. She said she is not sure how people would know the meetings were held, but the County could put the minutes on the front page of the website for easier accessibility. Commissioner Price said she also attended the Voluntary Ag District breakfast, and sometimes one can forget that farmers are stewards of the environment, and wanted to make note that they do take care of resources and take this role very seriously. 3 Commissioner Price re-petitioned for a statement to be sent to UNC to find out about reducing the usage of coal. She said she wants to follow up and find out if a reduction has happened since there has been a change in administration. Commissioner Price said she attended board meeting of UNC students about food instability, and would like to have a presentation brought to a future BOCC meeting about this topic. Commissioner Price thanked the North Carolina Supreme Court for including Orange County on its 200th anniversary tour, which was very interesting. She said it was good for the County to have them here. Commissioner Bedford said she attended the Department of Social Services (DSS) Board meeting yesterday, and learned that the Medicaid transformation has been halted due to lack of state funding. Commissioner Bedford said Cardinal Innovations is still taking applications for the Local Orange County Council or the regional council, and the deadline to apply is November 24. She said the Board Retreat Committee has met, and will include the topic of systems management. Chair Rich petitioned the Board to have a proclamation at the December meeting for Katherine Cheek at Schley Grange and Robert Dowling from Community Home Trust, both of whom are retiring soon. Chair Rich petitioned the Board to write a letter about the new White House Executive Order on refugee resettlement. She said Durham recently sent a response to this Executive Order, and the BOCC could use this as a guideline. She said, without a letter stating the County’s intention, refugees will not be able to resettle in Orange County. John Roberts said the Executive Order restricts where thoroughly vetted refugees can go, and governments must make an affirmative step before refugees will be allowed to resettle. Chair Rich said this is an important step for Orange County, as many residents have moved here over the years. Commissioner Price asked if this Executive Order affects the ability of churches to bring people to communities. John Roberts said he only aware of the Executive Order applying to local and state governments, and the state has the overarching authority to allow or not allow resettlement. Chair Rich said the County celebrated a new business called “Well” coming to Chapel Hill today. She said Well will bring about 400 jobs to Franklin Street, and Commissioners Green and Marcoplos also attended. She said the County is excited to partner with Chapel Hill on this project. She said the County is really on a roll with economic development, and it is important to recognize those in the Economic Development and Manager’s offices, which have made this progress happen. 4. Proclamations/ Resolutions/ Special Presentations a. Driving is Exhausting Campaign BACKGROUND: The student-led Driving Is Exhausting campaign attempted to spark awareness about the links between transportation, health and climate change. Yard signs were posted on all Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools campuses from October 28 through November 10, 2019, encouraging drivers to turn off their cars when waiting for more than 10 seconds. The students created a website (www.DrivingIsExhausting.com) that offers an Idle-Free Schools Toolkit to help students generate more awareness and action. Resources included on the website are aimed at helping the community reduce idling around the schools and encouraging 4 everyone to prioritize biking, walking and taking the bus whenever they can, reducing traffic and air pollution. Chair Rich said this initiative started with former Commissioner Jacobs and Commissioner Marcoplos, and the kids helped to spread the word and to make it happen. Todd McGee, Community Relations Director, said there are a lot of smart, talented kids in Orange County, who started this campaign. Mary Parry, parent, thanked Phillips Middle School teachers Kelly Fox and Lisa Clark, who worked with the students on this project after school. The students introduced themselves, and made the following PowerPoint presentation: 5 6 Commissioner Marcoplos thanked the students for this work. He said it is great to hear about the media events, and the students have done a wonderful job to spread the message beyond this community. He said the students are local heroes. Commissioner Price said this was an excellent presentation, is an important issue, and hoped the campaign will spread to many others. Commissioner Bedford asked if Green Teams are still doing waste recycling at cafeterias. The students collectively said yes. Commissioner Bedford said this group is an example of adding things to education that affect our lives. Chair Rich said this presentation will be posted to the County website, so others can see the work. b. Care to Share Day Proclamation (added) Chair Rich said the Orange Water and Sewer Authority (OWASA) asked to add this proclamation in October, but it got delayed. She apologized for this delay. Denise Battle, OWASA Customer Service Manager, thanked the BOCC for considering Care to Share Day. She said this program helps to raise more funds to help community members who are having difficulties paying water and sewer bills. She said the Interfaith Council (IFC) has partnered with OWASA on this cause for a number of years. Commissioner McKee arrived at 7:30 p.m. 7 Commissioner Marcoplos read the Proclamation: ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS PROCLAMATION CARE TO SHARE DAY WHEREAS, over 21% of households in Chapel Hill and Carrboro are estimated to have incomes below $25,000; and WHEREAS, it is critical to public health and the vitality of our community for Orange Water and Sewer Authority (OWASA) to charge the true cost of service required to invest in our infrastructure, and OWASA is prohibited by law from providing discounted rates based on income; and WHEREAS, at 4,000 gallons of use per month, the average OWASA water and sewer bill requires over 10 hours of work at minimum wage before taxes; and WHEREAS, the Interfaith Council for Social Services (IFC) has partnered with OWASA since 1997 to provide water and sewer bill assistance to members of our community through the Care to Share program; and WHEREAS, the Care to Share Program has helped over 200 households every year to pay their bill and maintain vital water services; and WHEREAS, last year, funds raised through on-bill contributions fell short of covering utility assistance provided by the IFC; and WHEREAS, it is easy for OWASA customers to contribute on their monthly water and sewer bill or through a one-time gift to the Care to Share Program; and WHEREAS, during the month of November we celebrate thankfulness for what we have; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that, we, the Orange County Board of Commissioners, do hereby proclaim November 21, 2019 as “Care to Share Day” in Orange County, in conjunction with the Orange Water and Sewer Authority. This, the 19th day of November 2019. A motion was made by Commissioner Price, seconded by Commissioner Greene for the Board to approve a proclamation designating November 21, 2019 as Care to Share Day, and authorized the Chair to sign it. VOTE: UNANIMOUS 5. Public Hearings a. Public Hearing Regarding an Economic Development Recruitment Incentive for Piedmont Metalworks, LLC 8 BACKGROUND: Local and state government in North Carolina have the goal to promote economic development by encouraging the location of new businesses and the expansion of existing businesses. This activity serves to diversify the local tax base, increase employment opportunities and introduce desired job skills and related benefits to a community, and for the benefit of its residents. The Local Government Act, North Carolina General Statute (NCGS) 158-7.1 outlines the requirements of public hearings, and NCGS 158-7.1(a) specifically addresses the requirement that economic development appropriations “must be determined by the governing body of the city or county to increase the population, taxable property, agriculture industries, employment, industrial output, or business prospects of the city or county”. This public hearing has been scheduled in compliance. Project Description: Piedmont Metalworks, LLC is a locally-owned structural and sheet metal fabrication company serving industries throughout the Southeast United States. The firm’s staff of 12 metal-working professionals has over 100 years of collective sheet metal fabrication experience and has performed custom work for many facilities around the region, including the Raleigh-Durham International Airport (ticket counters and jetway entrances), the North Carolina Museum of Art and North Carolina Museum of Natural History in Raleigh, UNC Chapel Hill (HVAC mounting platform), and the U. S. Marine Corps (tethered aerostat / blimp towing vehicles). Manufactured parts include enclosures, cabinets, housings, railroad sinks and toilets, panels, brackets, racks and recycling collection boxes. Products are made with structural steel and various sheet metal including mild steel, aluminum, stainless steel, galvanized, brass and copper. Manufacturing skills include plasma cutting, welding, design and CAD engineering, powder coating and silk screening. The average annual salary is $41,236 plus full employment benefits including medical, dental, and 401(k) match. Piedmont Metalworks currently has operations at 1551 Cooper Street in Durham, but has determined to relocate to either Orange County, or, competing sites and available building options in Alamance County. Management of the firm contacted Orange County Economic Development in July of this year to inquire about potential financial incentives to consolidate operations here, and the BOCC met and discussed this project in closed session on September 3, 2019. Under the same ownership by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Richie Richmond is the Orange County-based custom sheet metal fabrication company, Forma-Fab Metals, which manufactures enclosures, cabinets, housings, panels, brackets, racks, bus bars, and covers. That firm, which has two locations at 5816 U.S. Highway 70 and at 6600 E. Washington Street in Orange County (between the Cheeks community and Mebane), has 68 local employees, and 75,000 square feet of manufacturing space with a total Orange County property tax valuation of $2,916,600. This region of Orange County is part of a U.S. federally designated rural census tract area. The owner and CEO of both facilities, Ritchie Richmond, proposes to relocate Piedmont Metalworks from Durham to Orange County and be adjacent to his Forma-Fab Metals operation, which is located at 5816 U.S. 70, which is near the Buckhorn Road and U.S. 70 intersection. Illustration of metalworking machinery currently in use: 9 Orange County Site Location at 5816 US Hwy 70, Mebane, NC 27302: Aerial view of the Orange County facility: Examples of locally manufactured products for customers: (recycling bin, military vehicle, safety ladder, rail car sink, airport counter) 10 Basis to Calculate the Value of Orange County’s Performance-Based Incentive: (1) NEW INVESTMENT – Piedmont Metalworks, LLC proposes to relocate its current Durham- based sheet metal manufacturing facility to Orange County and build a new 40,000 square foot production space adjacent to the existing Forma-Fab Metals operation. This plan will increase real property valuation by approximately $3,050,000 and personal property valuation by approximately $1,100,000 to yield a total of $4,150,000 in combined real and personal property investment over the next 5 years. TOTAL NEW INVESTMENT BY 2024: $4,150,000 (2) NEW EMPLOYMENT – Piedmont Metalworks will maintain employment consistent with the hiring schedule outlined below during the term of the incentive agreement. If annual job targets are not achieved, the incentive payment will be reduced proportionally. By year #5, the Company plans to add 42 positions with an average salary of $41,236 per year (equivalent to an average salary of $19.83 per hour), plus health and related employment benefits. Of these 42 jobs, 12 positions will be existing jobs that will relocate to Orange County, and 30 positions will be new hires over the next 5 years. TOTAL NEW EMPLOYMENT BY 2024: 42 Jobs The proposed economic development incentive follows the County’s previously adopted incentive formula that has been utilized with other industrial prospects, and is calculated at an amount equal to 75% of Piedmont Metalworks’ projected investment in additional real & personal property tax valuation over each of the first 5 years. County policy ensures that annual revenues from this project’s additional property tax values, net of annual incentive payments, remain revenue positive in all years of the incentive agreement. The incentive will be performance-based, revenue positive, and require annual verification by the County of Piedmont Metalworks’ actual metrics over the next 5 years to note annual increases in (1) employment, wages & benefits, and, (2) new taxable real & personal property 11 additions. Incentives would only be paid following confirmation of the Company’s required annual threshold growth in these measures, and, on a pro-rata reimbursement in case the company’s targeted growth in any year lags current growth projections. Company CEO and President Richie Richmond has been invited to attend the meeting and will be available for comment and questions. O range Steve Brantley, Economic Development Director, thanked the BOCC for considering this project. He introduced Richie Richmond, owner/CEO Piedmont Metalworks, and Ron Hamilton, President of Piedmont Metalworks, who are present to answer any questions. He made the following PowerPoint presentation: 12 Steve Brantley said this project will be built in three phases. He said Piedmont Metalworks contacted the County in the spring stating a desire to move, and the Board of County Commissioners met in closed seession on September 3, 2019 about this company. He resumed the presentation: Steve Brantley said the company offers many types of manufacturing skills, and its customers include RDU, the NC Museum of Art and the NC Museum of Natural History, UNC, and has made military vehicles for the Marines. He resumed the presentation: 13 Steve Brantley said Forma-Fab metal’s location has sufficient land to enable the 40,000 square foot expansion. He resumed the PowerPoint presentation: Steve Brantley said this location is outside of the Mebane city limits, and has no connection to Mebane, except for water and sewer. He resumed the presentation: Steve Brantley said this incentive uses the same methodology as other incentives offered for Medline and ABB recently. He resumed the presentation: 14 Steve Brantley said this company has a low impact on the environment. Richie Richmond, Owner and CEO, thanked the BOCC for the opportunity to speak tonight. He said this expansion will offer over 40 new jobs, with the possibility of further expansion. He said Orange County offers a good opportunity for his company. He said he runs Forma-Fab Metals, and it will be convenient to run the two companies in close proximity to each other. He said the company has a few other sites it is considering, and wants to make the best financial decision possible. Chair Rich said the addition of 42 new jobs is important, and this type of company supports the County’s work with Durham Tech. A motion was made by Commissioner Bedford, seconded by Commissioner Price, to open the Public Hearing. VOTE: UNANIMOUS Public Comment None A motion was made by Commissioner Price, seconded by Commissioner Bedford, to close the Public Hearing. VOTE: UNANIMOUS 15 A motion was made by Commissioner McKee, seconded by Commissioner Price, to approve the “performance-based” economic development incentive agreement between Orange County and the Company, Piedmont Metalworks, LLC, subject to final review by the County Attorney, and authorize the Chair to sign the agreement on behalf of the County. VOTE: UNANIMOUS 6. Regular Agenda a. Link Government Services Center Remediation Project Options for Consideration BACKGROUND: The Link Government Services Center has experienced long-term water infiltration into the building envelope. A remediation project has been planned, and the project has been let for bid twice. On October 20, 2019, moderate rainfall occurred at the Link Center and resulted in visible quantities of water penetrating the interior of the building. During this same time, indoor air quality tests began to indicate higher levels biological contaminants compared to identical tests taken throughout the prior year. These changing conditions warranted a root cause analysis to confirm that the scope of the remediation project would correct the deficiencies that were allowing the additional water penetration. On October 24, 2019, Boomerang Design performed a series of investigative demolition cuts into the building’s cavity wall. According to the architect’s report, these cuts revealed, “…a critical element of the building envelope, the continuous sheathing, was in fact, not continuous.” The architect and engineer further reported that, “The breaches were irregular enough to confidently say that a contractor would not be able to find all breaches and seal them to prevent future water intrusion without removing all of the brick and cast stone.” The scope of the current remediation project that was bid on September 5th and September 25th does not include this additional scope of work which would add approximately $2 million to the projected cost of the project and would add months to the project duration. These additional costs and timing may warrant an examination of alternatives for administrative office space. As the remediation project proceeds or alternatives are explored, the current Link Building occupants have been relocated to alternative office spaces based on the recommendations of occupational health professionals. Funding for this relocation was approved on November 7. Building occupants are scheduled to move to temporary office spaces on November 21 and 22. The intermediate budget for relocation included funds to renovate the temporary office spaces to accommodate a long-term relocation. During the meeting, Boomerang Design will be provide a presentation that explains the current conditions of the Link Building and the work necessary for a comprehensive remediation. The architect is recommending expanding the scope of the remediation project to remove the exterior brick and provide continuous sheathing and waterproof the building. Under this scenario, the aging mechanical and electrical systems would also be replaced to meet current building codes, efficiency goals and standards, and to ensure building longevity and resilience in the future. The total estimated cost of pursuing this comprehensive remediation is $8.1 million. 16 Following the presentation, the Board can discuss options for next steps and provide direction to staff. These options include but may not be limited to the following: 1. Authorize staff to proceed with a more comprehensive facility planning effort. The Northern Campus Project will be completed in the spring of 2021. As a result, the site of the current Detention Center and the site of the current Environment and Agricultural Center will be available. As these sites are vacated, the County will need to plan for their future and could use this opportunity to evaluate future facility needs in that context including the disposition of the Link Government Services Center. 2. Amend the FY2019-20 Capital Budget and proceed with the remediation project; 3. Include funding in the FY2020-21 Capital Budget to proceed with the remediation project in July 2020 in order to evaluate it against other capital requests. Travis Myren made the following PowerPoint presentation: 17 18 19 Travis Myren said the waterproofing work that was done in 2018, seems to have contained the problem on the lower level. He resumed the presentation: 20 Travis Myren said the dark blue indicates moisture intrusion. He resumed the presentation: 21 22 Travis Myren introduced Angie Easterday with Boomerang Design. Commissioner Price asked if there rest of the building was reviewed for these types of issues, when the County sealed the lower level. Travis Myren said there was some visible water seepage, but the scope of the project was confined to the exterior waterproofing of the lower section. Angie Easterday, of Boomerang Design, said this report is based on what has been seen, and this is a confusing and complicated issue. She said the remediation to the existing building was put out to bid twice, but the scope has increased due to what happened in October. 23 Angie Easterday said the existing building has two types of construction: the lower level is a CMU block wall, and above grade is a masonry veneer wall. She said masonry veneer walls will always take on water, but should drain through the building’s flashing to take the water out of the building. She said when the project started the cause for concern was in the original building design. She said it is a sensitive facility, and no one wants to release toxic substances into the air. She reviewed the following slides: 24 Angie Easterday said water drainage away from the building relies on the sealant joints. She said the original design of the building did not include continuous sheathing, which is a concern. Chair Rich asked if this was a flaw in the original design, or the construction of the original design. Angie Easterday said it was a flaw in the original drawings, and there were other areas of concern. She said there were breaches in the design in the sheathing, which was included in the original bid documents on how to fix. Angie Easterday said at some point in time, the weeps have been sealed so moisture was not able to go outside of the building, causing rusted lintels, flashing failure, not continuous flashing, cast caps should have been anchored, and the seals have failed. She said the rusted deck is unusual. She said the building is structurally sound, but water is entering the cavity. She said the original bid documents addressed the removal of all the lintels; removal and replacement of all windows; resealing the cast bands; removal of all dry wall along perimeter walls; removal of all fiberglass insulation; sealing everything, with an external test to be conducted by the contractors; new finishes; new flooring; stair continuity issues; ADA upgrades; landscaping; etc. She said the County also requested a new roof and repairs to second floor lobby area. Angie Easterday said when the additional water infiltration happened in October, investigations were done from the interior of the building and more results were received. She said there are numerous additional breeches that were not in design documents, and it is not know when these breeches occurred. She said this will always be a problem, if one cannot control water from getting inside. She said the building structure is still sound, but there is cracking in the tile between columns which is unusual, and the waterproofing done in 2018, which was applied to the exterior walls, is starting to fail. She said it is unclear if this is because of exposure, weed whacking, or other things, but the repairs are already starting to fail. 25 Angie Easterday said the October report states the only way to confidently have a safe building is to remove the brick on the building, which exposes the interior walls and is very complicated. She said all drywall and mechanical systems will need to be replaced, and once ductwork is exposed to the environment, it will need to be replaced. She said the original bids were $4.5 - $5.2 million, and the new bids do not include furniture, fixtures, equipment, services, permit fees or design expenses. She said these are rough estimates, which have not been bid. Angie Easterday said a new building will cost $8.3 million, but it is important to understand that if a new building is built on the same site, there are new stream buffers required so the building would need to be in a different configuration. She said everything currently slopes to the creek, and at a minimum would need re-grading to remove the water around it. She said construction schedules impact the amount of time needed for the remediation, as this will be tedious work. She said new construction will be faster paced, but the design will take longer. She said it is no longer necessary to remediate in phases, since the building has been vacated. Angie Easterday said there have been significant changes in the building code since 1992, especially as pertains to water infiltration and moisture. She said a new building would allow the County to take into account new advances in construction, but either option would be good. 26 Commissioner Marcoplos said he noticed several problems just by looking at the western wall of the building when it was being constructed in the early 90s. He said a new building would be more energy efficient, and this building does not use solar options. He said it would be interesting to quantify the energy savings with a new building design. Commissioner Price said new construction may be wise, but asked if a new site location would be needed. She asked if this current site could be used. Angie Easterday said it is possible to rebuild on this site, but the building would need to be reconfigured. 27 Bonnie Hammersley said one option is to look at other sites that the County owns. She said the Northern campus will be completed soon, leaving the vacant detention center and Revere Road sites. She said other sites may be available and considered, as well as looking further into this site. She said an answer is not needed tonight, but staff wanted to bring the BOCC up to date on the project. She said, as of Friday, all staff will be in new locations, and can continue to function. She said a long-range plan is now needed, and she wants to come back to the Board with something that will be functional for longer than 25 years. She said the Link Center will be closed as of Friday, November 22. Commissioner Price asked if the extent of the rusting in the structure could be identified. Angie Easterday said, at times, there is significant water, but the building is not structurally unsound. Commissioner McKee said when there is more information it would be helpful to know how this occurred. He said it is curious to him that there are 60-year old county buildings that have not had these problems, and he wonders how this occurred so quickly. He said he would also like to know if there is a way to reroof the building the avoid water infusion. He said he does not understand why it will take $8 million to fix the problem. He said if necessary, building new versus remediating old is a no-brainer, especially as there does not appear to be a significant cost difference. Bonnie Hammersley said staff can bring this information to the BOCC. She said there were a lot of elements happening at the same time; maintenance may not have been done with best practices, and there were flaws in the design. She said staff was not looking for the cause, but will look into this more thoroughly. Commissioner Bedford said this situation is a lot like Chapel Hill High School, and for a bit more money, it would be better to build new. She said the Link Center interior design is not functional, and lacks good meeting space, which a new design could incorporate. She said it would be great to work with the architects to see what government functions should be housed together. She said there are historical restrictions within the town limits, but it would be good to consider the opportunity of using these other sites in terms of affordable housing or economic development. She said there are other options for this land. Commissioner Bedford said a new building would be more ADA compliant, and this building cannot be made so without a full gutting. She said the bigger picture is that the BOCC is here to serve the residents, and has employees to consider. She said she would like to consider energy efficiency and solar options. She said the County is at debt capacity through 2021/2022, and there many projects going on, which may need to be deferred. She said the current site may be buildable, but it is not great. Commissioner Greene said as the saying goes, fool us once, shame on you; fool us twice, shame on us. She said this land is not a good option. Commissioner McKee said, due to the high cost of this project, he would like staff to come back with a prioritization of other projects that may need to be removed from the capital plan, in order to get this project completed. He said this project has some urgency. Commissioner Marcoplos said the Board of Elections building also needs to be considered, which is in a similar water situation, and is cinder block construction. He asked if this building can be incorporated as well, as it is a hard place to work, and is not energy efficient. Chair Rich said discussions about the Board of Elections building have been ongoing. She said it is disappointing that a 1992 building is in this condition, and that the Manager has inherited the problem. She said someone missed the boat back then, and the problems have just compounded. She said she agrees, after reviewing the root analysis, that building new is probably wiser, noting all the aforementioned comments related to energy efficiency and design. She asked if the BOCC is to receive the report, or provide a decision this evening. 28 Travis Myren said extensive research has already been done, and the roof on the current building is not the primary problem, but rather the exterior wall. He said he is hearing interest from the BOCC to engage in a facility-planning project. He said there will be two sites available in the not-too-distant future, and the BOCC could consider building on those sites. He said tonight, staff is asking the Board to consider a budget amendment to get a rough estimate of what the costs will be. He said all occupants will be out of the Link Building this week, and the building will be vacant for some period of time. He said expectations are that the building will be vacant for years, not months. He said staff have negotiated leases, and envision the Whitted facility as a longer-term solution for the Manager’s office and BOCC office. Chair Rich asked if the number of staff moving out of the Link Building could be identified. Travis Myren said about 30 remain, and all are moving this week. He said Human Resources and the County Attorney have already moved, and the grand total is about 60 relocated staff. He said it is not ideal that the departments will be spread out, but staff will make it work. Chair Rich said she hates to see staff lose downtown access, as it impacts downtown services and restaurants. Commissioner Price asked if it is known how long the building will be vacant before the final disposition. She said she would not want to live across the street from a vacant building. Travis Myren said the County will continue to provide basic maintenance for the building, but will get a better timeline from the facility-planning phase, which will probably be a yearlong process. The Board agreed by consensus, and no formal vote was needed. 7. Reports None 8. Consent Agenda • Removal of Any Items from Consent Agenda • Approval of Remaining Consent Agenda Chair Rich said she was asked by a resident to list the items on the consent agenda that are up for approval, which she did. A motion was made by Commissioner Greene, seconded by Commissioner Price, to approve the items on the Consent Agenda. VOTE: UNANIMOUS a. Minutes - None b. Fiscal Year 2019-20 Budget Amendment #3 The Board approved Budget Amendment #3 for the Department of Social Services, Health Department, Department on Aging, Chapel Hill Fire Service District, Animal Services Department and the Sheriff’s Office. c. Joint Driveway Easement – 306 Revere Road, Hillsborough The Board approved and authorized the Chair to sign the attached Declaration of Easement and Joint Driveway. d. Change in BOCC Meeting Schedule for 2020 The Board approved the addition of a Joint Meeting with the School Boards on February 25, 2020 at 7:00 p.m. at the Whitted Building, 300 West Tryon Street, Hillsborough, N.C. 29 e. Authorization for the County Manager to Execute Contracts for the Purchase of a New Ambulance and Ambulance Remount The Board authorized the Manager to execute the contracts and any amendments to the contracts for the new and remount ambulances described above and any other for Emergency Services vehicles approved in the FY 2019-20 Board Approved Annual Operating Budget and Capital Investment Plan following review and approval by the County Attorney. 9. County Manager’s Report Bonnie Hammersley said the intergovernmental collaboration meetings minutes, which are attached, are shared with the towns by Maggie Chotas at the Dispute Settlement Center. She said staff will make an effort to make them more visible on the website. She said this is a pilot program, and will have one more meeting in the spring that has been scheduled, and then gather feedback from the BOCC as to how to proceed. Chair Rich said the minutes are very thorough, and a draft came to all Commissioners in the room. She said she sent an email to Travis Myren noting a mistake on page 32, and asked if there is a process to make a correction. She said the statement made at the meeting was inaccurate. Bonnie Hammersley said she should let Maggie Chotas know, and, while she may not change the words, if they were in fact as the speaker stated them, she can make a notation in the minutes about the concern being raised. Chair Rich said she had not realized the statement made was incorrect, until she read through the minutes. She said she does not want to change what the Mayor said, but it is important to have the correct information when starting the transportation steering committee. Commissioner Price asked if there should be some type of addendum or editor’s note, if this is to be put online. Chair Rich said this is not factual, and she will work with Travis Myren to get this properly noted. Commissioner Bedford said it would be nice to note the position/job/role for the meeting attendees, so it is clear who everyone is. 10. County Attorney’s Report None 11. Appointments None 12. Information Items The Board received the following information items: • November 7, 2019 BOCC Meeting Follow-up Actions List • Minutes – Intergovernmental Collaboration with Municipal Partners • FY 2019-20 First Quarter Financial Report 13. Closed Session None 14. Adjournment A motion was made by Commissioner Marcoplos, seconded by Commissioner Greene to adjourn the meeting at 8:46 p.m. 30 VOTE: UNANIMOUS Penny Rich, Chair Sherri Ingersoll Deputy Clerk