Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 10-17-2000-5bJ ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: October 17, 2000 Action Age ~ I Item No. i~ SUBJECT: Creation of School Issues Task Force DEPARTMENT: County Commissioners PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: Moses Carey, extension 2125 Proposed Resolution TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Hillsborough 732-8181 Chapel Hill 968-4501 Durham 688-7331 Mebane 336-227-2031 PURPOSE: To adopt a resolution appointing a standing school issues task force that would, as its first task, provide recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners regarding school construction standards and student capacity, as they relate to the development of a possible November 2001 bond referendum. BACKGROUND: At its October 10, 2000 meeting, the Board of Commissioners received a report regarding the timetable for a possible November 2001 bond referendum. There are several outstanding issues related to both school and county long range needs that the Board must finalize by the end of January 2001 in order far the Capital Needs Advisory Task Force to begin work in spring 2001. The Board suggested that a task force, similar to the School Funding Options Task Force that met several times during the first part of 2000, be convened to look at two major outstanding items related to school needs -school construction standards and student capacity. At the joint schools work session on September 25, 2000 and at the mast recent monthly meeting between the school superintendents and the County Manager, there seemed to be general agreement that it would be beneficial for a standing work group of elected officials from all three governing boards to meet periodically as needed to address matters of mutual interest to all three entities. The attached resolution would endorse the creation of such a task force composed of two representatives each from the Orange County Board of County Commissioners, Orange County Board of Education and Chapel HiIITCarrbora Board of Education. The County Manager and Superintendents, along with their respective staffs, would provide the necessary management, technical, and administrative support to the task force. The task force would begin work by November 2000 on school construction standards, school capacity, and other related matters having a bearing on a probable November 2001 bond referendum. A report on these matters would be delivered to the BOCC no later than January 18, 2001. The task force would meet periodically thereafter as needed to address other County/School matters. 2 FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no direct financial impact associated with the creation of this task force, although Commissioner and staff time will be allocated to the completion of this task force's charge. The decisions about long-range school capital needs, which are decisions that ultimately lie with the Board of Commissioners, will have a substantial, but undetermined, impact on future County operating and capital budgets. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board adopt the resolution and appoint two Commissioners to serve on this task force. ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS A RESOLUTION APPOINTING A STANDING TASK FORCE TO REVIEW AND DISCUSS MATTERS OF MUTUAL INTEREST TO ORANGE COUNTY, THE CHAPEL HILL-CARRBORO CITY SCHOOLS, AND THE ORANGE COUNTY SCHOOLS Whereas, a task force comprised of two members each of the Orange County Board of Commissioners, the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Board of Education, and the Orange County Board of Education met productively several times in 2000 to discuss matters related to school funding options and a proposed policy an planning and funding school capital projects, and Whereas, a topic at the September 25, 2000 joint work session among those three governing boards was the possible establishment of a standing work group to meet periodically to discuss matters of mutual interest that arise out of such joint work sessions or through other circumstances, and Whereas, the Board of County Commissioners recognizes the need for a possible November 2001 bond referendum to fund some School and County long-range capital needs, and Whereas, the Board of Commissioners views school construction standards and school capacity as integral components in projecting the need for future capital facilities, and Whereas, the Board of Commissioners believes that it would be beneficial to receive direct input from school elected ofFicials regarding these components and the need for future schools; Now, therefore be it resolved that the Orange County Board of Commissioners does hereby endorse the creation of a standing School Issues Task Force that will meet periodically as needed to address matters of mutual interest, to be comprised of two members each from the Orange County Board of Commissioners, Orange County Board of Education, and Chapel Hill-Carrboro Board of Education, with those governing boards to designate their own representatives, and Be it further resolved that this task force should undertake as its first set of tasks the development of recommendations concerning school construction standards, school capacity, and any other related matters that have a bearing on the scope and elements for school facilities that might be included in a probable November 2001 bond referendum, with task force work to begin by November 2000, and delivery of a report on these matters to the Orange County Commissioners no later than January 18, 2001. This, the 17~' day of October 2000.