Orange County NC Website
:_. <br />~~ <br />the use of joint resources. <br />Commissiener Pinney stated that with the use of Lincoln Gv7ri, the <br />county would be able to provide county-wide services to the southern <br />portion of the County. <br />Phyllis Sockwell stated she felt there should be a clearer definition <br />of county-wide programs and that monies be put into the Recreation Depart- <br />ment as monies to be used for county-wide programs, These monies should <br />have no bearing on what goes to•other areas of the County. <br />Mr. Strayhorn stated a concern of the Council is that if an equal <br />amount of money is to be returned to Chapel Hill and Carrboro that per- <br />haps the Advisory Council should be reorganized, i£ Chapel Hill and <br />Carrboro is not to be part of the service area. <br />Mr. Willhoit responded that he felt the recreation program should be <br />county-wide, however, there are some programs provided by the County which <br />Chapel Hi11 and Carrboro already have and should not be duplicated. He <br />added that recreation is an opportunity to bring the County together by <br />participation and involvement. <br />Mr. Strayhorn stated that this gave a distorted picture of the cost <br />of recreation in the County. He added that the Advisory Council had <br />nothing to do with the monies allocated as municipal support for the Chapel <br />Hill-Carrboro Recreation Program, however, this is included in the total <br />County Recreation budget. <br />Chairman shitted provided those present with a brief history of the <br />Recreation idea for the County. He stated that the County asked con- <br />sultants to provide a detail report of a study committee which had been <br />formed for recreation and parks in Orange County. A portion of that report <br />was accepted by the County Commissioners and the Orange County Recreation <br />Department was established. In lieu of establishing an over-seeing <br />Commission, the Commissioners chose to establish a council to, among other <br />things, provide input from all areas o£ the County anc~ to make certain <br />recommendations back to the Commissioners in respect to recreation, and <br />in particular the type of permanent commission, council, or board there <br />should be for recreation. He spoke of the number of problems which exist <br />tahere recreation is provided by existing municipalities and where citizens <br />are paying taxes in support o £ the municipalities' recreation program, <br />The Intergovernmental Task Force has studied the problem and has made re- <br />commendations to the Commissioners as to how funding could be channeled <br />into school facilities in the southern part of the County. The facilities <br />re operated by the municipalities to provide recreation, but are available <br />to all citizens without fee. This recommendation was to provide ea__uity <br />in funding to reduce the financial burden which municipalities are facing. <br />Commissioner Gustaveson spoke further o£ the consultant's recommenda- <br />tion and the problems involved. He stated that he hoped the double taxa- <br />tion issue would not be gotten into by the Advisory Councils, but that <br />concern be placed on three major emphasis: 1) this is to be a Parks and <br />Recreation Program, and to provide long range planning for parks and <br />recreation, 2) a concern on the part of the Commissioners is that there <br />are major gaps i.n County areas in terms o.f good recreation programs, 3) the <br />need to focus on programs which appeal to adults, as well as the traditional <br />programs. <br />Mr. Gustaveson stated that he felt the establishing of the Advisory <br />Council had been a wise move. The Council has quickly recognized problem <br />areas and he stated now is the time to resolve some of the problems and <br />to establish some type of permanent body for recreation. <br />Gary Giles stated he felt the Recreation program for southern Orange <br />was at a stand still. He stated that one problem was in the inequity of <br />funding. There has been no real cooperation between the three Recreation <br />Departments in the County and further, Mr. Giles spoke of the different <br />needs of the urban resident as compared to the county resident. <br />Further discussion ensued regarding the inea__uity problem of pro- <br />viding funding and services county-wide. <br />Mr. Strayhorn stated that it is the consensus of the Advisory Council <br />that the problems of inequity in funding should be a concern of the Board <br />of Commissioners. <br />