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6 <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Willhoit, seconded by <br />Commissioner Gordon to increase the public school impact fee in the Chapel <br />Hill-Carrboro school district to $1,500, effective July 1, 1995. <br />Commissioner Willhoit said that this increase for the Chapel <br />Hill-Carrboro district recognizes that there are more lower priced units <br />in the Orange County district -- not that there are a greater number of <br />needs in one system or the other or because one school board wants the <br />increase and the other one doesn't. It is a question of having enough <br />money for building schools. He sees this as an intermediate step until <br />the study on sliding scale of fees is completed. There is still a need to <br />address affordability. <br />Chair Carey said that equal funding pertains to operational <br />funding. Capital needs must be addressed as they are identified by both <br />school systems and may not necessarily be the same for both systems. He <br />emphasized that the Impact Fee is not going to meet all the building needs <br />of the two school systems and that there will have to be other sources of <br />funds . <br />Commissioner Crowther said that his opposition to raising the <br />impact fee at this time is based on equitable issues. He feels the County <br />is not using the enabling legislation in looking at other than residential <br />development to generate money through the impact fee. <br />Commissioner Willhoit feels there is no justification to base <br />the impact fee on anything other than residential. <br />Geof Gledhill clarified that the County would be at some risk <br />charging an impact fee which is earmarked for school construction to <br />commercial development. <br />After a brief discussion on charging commercial development an <br />impact fee, Chair Carey said he does not want staff to spend anytime <br />investigating the connection between commercial development and their <br />impact on schools. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis said that he supports the increase to <br />$1,500 for the Chapel Hill-Carrboro district. He feels the Board should <br />be concerned about affordable housing but the responsibility of the Board <br />of County Commissioners is to fund schools and provide schools for <br />students. He is really worried about one school system falling behind the <br />other and that is what is happening in Orange County. The kids in the <br />northern end are being left behind the kids in the southern end of the <br />County. He feels that all children deserve the best education that can be <br />provided. He said for the record that he is afraid that more children are <br />going to show up in the northern end of the County than expected next <br />fall. Also, there will be more kids in the southern end than they are <br />projecting. <br />Commissioner Gordon noted for the record that she favors this <br />increase only as part of a long-range plan that is comprehensive and <br />proactive for school funding. <br />VOTE: Ayes, 4; Nos, 1 (Commissioner Crowther) <br />B. ORANGE COUNTY RADIO ~,MATEURS FUNDING REQUEST <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Halkiotis, seconded by <br />Commissioner Willhoit to approve the request for funding as outlined in <br />the agenda and that the $8,000 be taken from the Commissioners' 1994-95 <br />contingency account. <br />VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br />