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9 <br />and to build a simplified designed elementary school,. The expanded space at <br />Chapel Hill High could have been turned into a middle school in the future and <br />the land purchased for the high school could be used later when a new high <br />school is needed or be used for a desperately needed elementary school. This <br />plan was not considered and bids far exceeded the available money causing <br />significant cuts in the design leaving a school that many will find inadequate <br />when complete. He feels that increases in the impact fee will not provide <br />enough money to build additional schools. PCF recommends the following: <br />(1) Hold the impact fee at $750.00 <br />(2) Use all political and legal influence to have the Chapel Hill- <br />Carrboro school system fully implement the recommendations of the Panessi <br />Report, thereby saving anywhere from one to three million in overhead and <br />administrative costs each year. <br />(3) Immediately appoint a committee to study school standards <br />(4) Demand zero-based budgeting in program accountability in the Chapel <br />Hill-Carrboro City Schools. After the school system has demonstrated fiscal <br />responsibility, submit a bond issue to the voters and accelerate the proposed <br />building program to prevent the projected overcrowding. <br />(5) Fund new schools through bond issues and not certificates of <br />participation. <br />PETER MORCOMBE expressed a concern about the overcrowding in the <br />schools. In Putting Children First, they care about education. He feels the <br />proposed impact fee is not sufficient to meet the financial needs. Raising <br />property taxes by an amount to solve the problem will face massive opposition <br />from certain sectors of the community. The only viable option is to reduce <br />cost. Last year the Chapel Hill-Carrboro school system threatened to cut <br />certain programs unless taxes were raised. The Orange County Commissioners <br />refused their request. He asked that the Board demand more creativity. There <br />are ways tv save large sums of money without affecting instruction or <br />successful programs. He listed some of the salary cuts that were made in <br />Durham County for their administrative staff. By cutting administrative <br />positions that are not needed, the system will save salary, fringe benefits, <br />office space, etc. He feels it is time for Neil Pedersen to work on a similar <br />list. <br />LOUISE COLE, mother of six children, said that it is impossible to get <br />enough money from the impact fees and the certificates of participation have <br />been used for the next ten years. She complimented Commissioner Halkiotis for <br />showing how two or three elementary schools could be built for what they paid <br />for one elaborate school. She feels that a message of mismanagement and <br />mistrust has been sent out to the community. She praised Commissioner Gordon <br />for her suggestion that the schools develop more cost-effective building plans <br />by appointing a committee with representatives from the two school systems. <br />She supports the forming of this committee. She feels there is no <br />accountability for the 40 million dollar Chapel Hill-Carrboro budget. She <br />made reference to the Panessi report which stated that one to three million <br />could be saved from overhead costs. She is asking that the school board cut <br />their budget by five percent to pay for the schools that are needed and show <br />the taxpayers that they are willing to invest in the future of all children. <br />The most important part of the Panessi report is the zero-based budgeting that <br />begs the accountability necessary to show where the money is going. She asked <br />