Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
4 <br />BOB FOLEY, 13-year resident of Chapel Hill, said that with the influx <br />of some 360 students per year from year 1990 to 1995 and the inadequate rate <br />of new school construction, the present facilities are being utilized over the <br />design capacity. At the start of the school year at Ephesus School, where he <br />and his wife tutor, there were 634 students. As of this week, there were 686 <br />students. They have five trailers and classes are being held in the library <br />and the lunchroom. He said that with this growth, the system needs a new <br />school every two years to avoid overcrowding. He feels that an objective and <br />careful examination of the true impact of new home construction on student <br />population needs to be done. He urged the County Commissioners to meet with <br />the governing boards of Chapel Hill and Carrboro and the School Board and <br />officials to measure the level of overcrowding, agree upon a forecast of <br />student population growth to the year 2002 and establish a realistic building <br />program. He asked that the County Commissioners hold a public hearing to hear <br />public comments to arrive at a new impact fee that accurately reflect the <br />costs of school construction. <br />RAY TROUTNER said that the High School is 25% over capacity. He feels <br />his son is being shortchanged on his education. His life and health are at <br />risk and his well-being is held in jeopardy. He feels that overcrowding <br />changes behavioral patterns. It is an established fact that no school system <br />in this country has ever been able to attain its proper goal which is the <br />education of the children unless growth is balanced within the community. In <br />this county, all of the growth is residential. This area must be open to <br />commerce, business and clean industry which is the major portion of the tax <br />base. He noted that residential tax base will not support a school system in <br />the short term. He urged the County Commissioners to address the real problem <br />and establish a tax base which will support the schools. <br />SHERRY T. JONES, 25-year resident with a husband who commutes 90 miles <br />a day and a daughter who is a fifth grader, made reference to the Money <br />Magazine article about the area being one of the top five best places to live <br />in the country. She asked that all the governing bodies and the builders pull <br />together and work on this problem. They are behind and must catch up. She <br />supports the increase in the impact fee. She feels the sliding scale is <br />important as well as the affordable housing issue. They have a $3,000 fee for <br />water and sewer hookup and a $750.00 for schools. She supports an increase <br />in the impact fee. <br />DENNIS ALWON agrees with what the other speakers have said. He is an <br />electrical contractor and while he benefits from the houses being built, he <br />feels that the impact fee must be increased. The increase to $1,000 will not <br />touch what the schools need. If the fee is a burden on builders who build 40 <br />houses at a time, maybe they can pay the impact fee when they sell the house <br />rather than at the permit time. <br />LIVY LUDINGTON asked that the Board be especially careful with what is <br />happening with the schools. They are beginning to realize that this is a <br />crisis situation and crisis management is not the way to go. All the schools <br />in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro system are overcrowded to the point that they are <br />losing the quality they had. The Stop Overcrowding Schools (S.O.S.) <br />organization urges all citizens to work together on this problem. They feel <br />