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1 <br /> APPROVED 9117193 MINUTES <br /> ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> BUDGET WORK SESSION <br /> JUNE 14, 1993 <br /> The Orange County Board of Commissioners met in Regular Session on June <br /> 14, 1993 for the purpose of holding a budget work session at 7:30 p.m. at the <br /> Homestead Community Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. <br /> COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Moses Carey, Jr. , and Commissioners Alice <br /> M. Gordon, Stephen H. Halkiotis, Verla C. Insko and Don Willhoit. <br /> COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager John M. Link, Jr. , Assistant County <br /> Managers Albert Kittrell and Rod Visser, Clerk to the Board Beverly A. Blythe, <br /> Finance Director Ken Chavious, Budget and Management Analyst Donna Dean, <br /> Personnel Director Elaine Holmes, and Budget Director Sally Kost. <br /> PRESENTATION BY THE COUNTY MANAGER <br /> John M. Link, Jr. presented highlights of the school budgets. He stated <br /> that he was struck by the fact that citizens spoke to specific needs, programs <br /> and functions at the two public hearings. Also, there were comments that he <br /> was recommending or not recommending certain programs. <br /> John Link gave a summary breakdown of the components of the funding <br /> requests from both school systems and an analysis pertaining to some of the <br /> considerations involved in developing the funding recommendations that would <br /> address as much as possible of the schools' stated needs, balancing those <br /> against the impact on Orange County taxpayers. <br /> At the two public hearings held, some citizens spoke about recurring <br /> school capital needs. John Link stated that the Orange County Capital Policy <br /> has expired and he would encourage additional capital funding to come from <br /> sales tax and not the property tax. <br /> In answer to a question from Commissioner Insko, John Link stated that <br /> the schools can ask that large roofing jobs be placed in the CIP. <br /> Commissioner Insko noted that it is hard to compare the additional <br /> continuation requests for each school system because they use different ways <br /> of figuring this. This may be an issue for the School Issues Task Force to <br /> discuss. <br /> In answer to a question from Commissioner Willhoit, John Link explained <br /> that there is no way of knowing if the fund balance was used and if it was <br /> used on continuation or base budget. <br /> Commissioner Gordon would like for the Board of County Commissioners and <br /> the two school boards to decide on goals for class size, teacher supplements, <br /> square foot per child, etc. Until that is accomplished, there are no <br /> benchmarks for comparison. She agrees that funding needs to be increased for <br /> the schools but is not sure by how much. <br /> Chair Carey stated he feels it is important to talk and set priorities <br /> and it is important for the Board and the public to understand these goals and <br /> priorities. <br />