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APPROVED 11/17/98 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BUDGET WORK SESSION WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 1998 4:00 P. M. The Orange County Board of Commissioners met in regular session on Wednesday, June 10, 1998 at 4:00 p.m. in the Southern Human Services Center, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The purpose of this meeting was to hold a work session on the County Manager's 1998-99 recommended budget. COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Margaret W. Brown, and Commissioners Moses Carey, Jr., William L. Crowther, Alice M. Gordon and Stephen H. Halkiotis. COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager John M. Link, Jr., Assistant County Managers Rod Visser and Albert Kittrell and Clerk to the Board Beverly A. Blythe (All other staff members will be identified appropriately below) NOTE: ALL DOCUMENTS REFERRED TO IN THESE MINUTES ARE IN THE PERMANENT AGENDA FILE IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE. ALL RECORDINGS OF THE MEETING WILL BE KEPT FOR 5 YEARS. CONTINUATION OF THE REVIEW OF COUNTY DEPARTMENT BUDGET REQUESTS Tax Assessor John Smith explained that one of their initiatives is to annually send out listing forms to all property owners explaining the necessity of listing taxable personal property, new construction, partial construction, renovation and upfit. He would like to use outsourcing for this initiative. Commissioner Gordon asked if everyone would complete this form and John Smith said that it would be completed unless they did not have personal property. If nothing changes, the taxpayer does not need to return the form. Commissioner Crowther asked what would be taxable personal property and John Smith made reference to the list on the form which is in the permanent agenda file in the Clerk's Office. Chair Margaret Brown said that she would be interested in having on this form how the County spends their tax dollars. Commissioner Halkiotis asked if John Smith was familiar with what Durham County did last year in hiring a firm to come in and check for property that is not listed. John Smith said that they do that inhouse. They have discovered approximately $10 million in property value that produces an additional $85,000 in tax revenue and they do not plan to outsource this process. He has a three person team that focuses on this effort. He doubts that we have the capacity for discoveries as Durham has. Commissioner Gordon asked about the form and John Smith said that it would be laser printed and returned by those who have experienced a change during the year. He would be glad to include additional information on this form. Commissioner Halkiotis asked about site visits and John Smith indicated that eleven staff members accomplish all the work in this department. Tax Collector Tax Collector Ginger Rolfe explained her budget including justification for the new position she is requesting. She said that they have a lot of issues driving this request. One is the collection of motor vehicle tax which is quite extensive because of its complexity. They send out 82,000 bills for motor vehicles. It is a complex law and people have a lot of questions.