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~jSS MINUTES OF THE. ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS June 20, 1974 The Board of Commissioners of Orange County met on Thursday, June 20, 1974, at 8 p.m. in the Commissioners Room at the Courthouse in Hillsborough, North Carolina. Members Fresent: Chairman C. Norman Walker, and Commissioners Henry 5. Walker, Flora Garrett, Richard Whitted and Melvin Whitfield. Members Absent: None. 5. M. Gattis, County Administrator, and Betty June Hayes, Clerk to the Board, were also present. Chairman Walker recognized Bobby Efland, Chairman of the Efland Volunteer Fire Company, Inc. Mr. Efland had previously filed a budget request with S. M. Gattis, County Administrator. (For copy of the budget request see Commissioners Minute Docket #8 at page ~?i Mr. Efland reviewed the budget request and stated that the Trustees of hiss fire district were requesting a five cent (St) tax value in order to defray the operations of that department. Discussion ensued concerning the presented budget. Chairman Walker recognized Eddie Mann, Jr., one of the Trustees for the Orange Grove Fire District. Mr. Mann had previously filed a budget request for the Orange Grove Fire District. (For copy see Commissioners Minute Docket #8 at page Mr. Mann reviewed the budget with the Commissioners and stated that he felt it would require a twelve cent (12G) tax value in order to meet the districts budget. Mr. Mann requested permissicn to allow Edward Johnson, Chairman of the Orange Grove Fire District, an-opportunity to speak. Mr. Johnson advised the Board that the Orange Grove Fire District had filed a petition with the Triangle J Council of Governments for their approval to enter into a loan agreement with the Farmers Home Administration. He stated that if the petition was approved then the Orange Grove Fire District would request the County of Orange to consider joining with the fire district in the execution of a contract with Farmers Home Administration, in that, the Farmers Home Administra- tion would foot allow fire districts to borrow money until the County agreed to assure the indebtedness. Mr. Johnson presented a copy of the Farmers Home Administration contract to the County Administrator. It was agreed that the County Administrator would have the County Attorney review the contract and give his opinion. Lindsay Efland of the Efland Fire District advised the Board that his district had petitioned the Triangle J Council of Governments to enter into a Farmers Home Administration loan and that the approval for their petition had been verified by letter from the Triangle J Council of Governments and that the Efland District was interested in securing the same type of agreement that had been prepared by the Orange Grove Fire District. Mr. Johnson stated that there had been an agreement between the Efland Fire District and the Orange Grove Fire District to swap territories in order to place each area in a better position of rendering protection for their district, however, the territory swaps could not be done unless each district maintains the same tax rate. It was pointed out the Efland District was requesting five cents (Sq) and that the twelve cents (120) rate that was being presented by the Orange Grove Fire District was not equal. Discussion ensued as to how the two districts could equalize their proposed tax rate and the territory swap be arranged this year. Commissioner Richard Whitted questioned Mr. Mann and Mr .. Johnson as to the date the Orange Grove Fire District would become operational. It was estimated that it would be after the first of the year before the needed equipment could be Qelivered and the.proger facilities for housllzg•_the equipment could be built. Commissioner Whitted then suggested that the tWo groups consider making the teritorial swap next year as he felt the difference between the two tax rates could not be properly equlized at this time. Discussion ensued. It was further pointed out that the Efland District would lose some of its valuable property and that Orange Grove would be gaining this property if the switch was made. Discussion ensued between representatives of the two districts and the Board of Commissioners. Bobby Efland of the Efland Fire District spoke in favor of the land swap and in favor of an eight cent (SC) tax value in order to equalize the two district's tax and thus allow the two districts to establish their boundary area. He assured the Board that the extra money from the additional three cents (3t) could be used to reduce the proposed amount of the loan the group planned to secure. Eddie Mann and Edward Johnson conferred on the matter of lowering theiz twelve cent (12C) tax rate to eight cents (8C). The County Administrator pointed out that the eight cent (8C) tax rate would mean a collection of 516,000. The County Administrator advised that this was the best time to equalize the rate and to perform the land swap.