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2 <br />In answer to a question about timing, Geoffrey Gledhill said that the best time to put this <br />on the ballot would be on May 7. This election is also scheduled and they would not have to have a <br />separate referendum. This would allow the funds to be used for the fiscal year beginning July 1, <br />1996. <br />Chair Carey asked if Chapel Hill/Carrboro School system needed the money that soon <br />and what they felt about having a referendum in May. <br />Neil Pedersen said that their upcoming budget was not contingent upon supplemental <br />tax money being available but it would certainly speed up the process. <br />Geoffrey Gledhill explained that a referendum may be called by (1) 25% of the registered <br />voters petitioning the school board or (2) by the Chapel Hill/Carrboro Board of Education requesting <br />the Board of Commissioners to call the election and (3) the Board of Commissioners call for the <br />referendum. The County Commissioners have no choice in the first two options. <br />John Link noted that based on the proposal from the school system on the timing of the <br />new elementary school and the addition to the new high school, he would recommend that based on <br />cash flow, the first private placement financing take place as of May, 1997. He said that there is not <br />any question about having money to cover the new elementary but there is a question about funding <br />for the addition to East Chapel Hill High School. The School System may want to go ahead with the <br />tax referendum either in May or November. <br />Rod Visser mentioned that the Board of Elections must have a decision by March 6, <br />because they have to have absentee ballots ready to mail by March 17. <br />Commissioner Willhoit noted that one cent on the district tax is $325,470. <br />Nick Didow said that twenty cents would translate to $6.5 million per year that could be used for <br />construction. He noted that including the new construction in the CIP has put at risk many of the <br />maintenance and improvements that need to be done at present facilities. <br />Mark Royster said that they have never been funded at the level they need to be funded. <br />School personnel are asking when they will get new technology. They have to use most of their funds <br />for facilities to house students. <br />Chair Carey said that the Board will know by November what the North Carolina General <br />Assembly is going to do. He feels making a decision to move ahead by March 6 is not realistic. <br />Mark Royster said that people know the schools are virtually bursting at the seams and that <br />they are trying to come up with alternatives to fund the needed facilities without endangering the funds <br />for constant maintenance and upkeep. He feels that by expanding the use of the district tax they can <br />provide the facilities and also use some of the money for maintenance and upkeep. He thinks they <br />can do it by March 6. <br />Ken Touw said that it feels it would be challenging to education the public by May. By waiting <br />until November, they would still have the money to meet their. needs. The maintenance needs have <br />been postponed to the second five years of the CIP, which may not be reasonable. They have older <br />schools that have needs that must be addressed before that time. <br />