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11 <br /> A motion was made by Commissioner Willhoit, seconded by Commissioner Halkiotis to <br /> authorize an appropriation of$15,000 from the Commissioners' contingency to fund the facility <br /> improvements at the Community School for People Under Six and encourage the Town of Chapel Hill to pay <br /> the remaining amount of$5,300. County appropriations to the Community School will be dispersed after <br /> parking improvements have been completed. <br /> VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br /> C. ARTS COMMISSION POSITION <br /> Economic Development Director Ted Abernathy presented for the Board's consideration the <br /> information which is in the agenda abstract. Betty Cloutier and Carolyn Leith of the Arts Commission spoke <br /> in support of this request to create a new permanent part time, time limited position. <br /> A motion was made by Commissioner Crowther, seconded by Commissioner Gordon to <br /> approve (1) Establishing the new permanent part time (20 hour or.5 full time equivalent) Information <br /> Specialist as a time limited position for up to one year from the date filled, (2) changing the organization <br /> alignment of the Arts Commission from Recreation and Parks to Economic Development, and (3) amending <br /> the Orange County Classification and Pay Plan to change the title of the current class of Information and <br /> Referral Specialist at salary grade 65 to Information Specialist at salary grade 65. <br /> VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br /> D. ANNUAL TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS (SIP A TIP) <br /> Planner Gene Bell presented for Board approval the Draft Orange County Transportation <br /> Priority List. This list will be used by the N.C. Department of Transportation and the Durham-Chapel Hill- <br /> Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization in the development of the 1998-2004 state and Metropolitan <br /> Transportation Improvement Programs. <br /> A motion was made by Commissioner Gordon, seconded by Commissioner Crowther to <br /> endorse the Orange County Transportation Priority List and authorize the Vice-Chair to sign it and the cover <br /> letter to Dr. Gorman Gilbert. <br /> VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br /> For the record, Commissioners Crowther, Halkiotis and Willhoit indicated they oppose the <br /> improvements to Elizabeth Brady Road being proposed by the Town of Hillsborough which will reroute <br /> traffic around Hillsborough. It was decided to add a statement to the letter to indicate this opposition. <br /> John Link said that he will be contacting DOT for their procedure on improving bridges and <br /> will let the Board know what he finds out. <br /> E. TO CONSIDER THE Chapel Hill/Carrboro School system CITY SCHOOL REFERENDUM <br /> BALLOT <br /> County Attorney Geoffrey Gledhill explained that the wording for the ballot was approved on <br /> September 3, 1996 and is so noted in the minutes of that meeting. On Friday, October 11, 1996 a section <br /> of the ballot language was called into question. That section stated that if the current special district tax rate <br /> were expanded it would be at a rate "not to exceed the current rate of thirty five cents ($.35) per one <br /> hundred dollars ($100) of property valuation." It is contended by the person or persons calling it into <br /> question that as written, the ballot language will mislead the voters to believe that the current tax paid by <br /> Orange County taxpayers is $.35 per one hundred dollars of valuation whereas it is actually$.19 per one <br /> hundred dollars of valuation. The maximum authorized tax which can be levied is $.35 per one hundred <br /> dollars of valuation. Geoffrey Gledhill does not think the ballot language as approved will confuse voters. <br /> However, in order to clearly and unambiguously tell the voters that this referendum will not affect the current <br /> authorized maximum tax rate of$ .35 per hundred dollars of valuation, he recommends that the ballot for <br /> the November 5, 1996 referendum be rewritten. <br />