Orange County NC Website
6) County Fee Schedule <br />To adopt the County Fee Schedule to include changes included in the FY 2010-11 Manager's <br />Recommended Annual Operating Budget. <br />PUBLIC COMMENT: <br />Vivian Hearndon-Latta spoke on the Cedar Grove Library. She said that she hopes the <br />Board of County Commissioners will consider keeping the library open because it is welt <br />needed in the community. She said that this is a great service to the community and the <br />community uses it on a constant basis. <br />Commissioner Gordon asked about School Resource Officers (SROs) and it was <br />answered that the Chapel Hill Police Department is paid by CHCCS for this, but Orange County <br />pays for the ones for OCS. She said that this is worth noting. <br />Frank Clifton said that this may go back to the fact that Orange County schools are <br />served by the Orange County Sheriff's Department and the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools <br />chose to use the Chapel Hill Police Department. <br />Chair Foushee said that the Town of Chapel Hill received a grant that started the <br />funding for the SROs and then the Town of Chapel Hill picked that up for a period of time and <br />now the school system pays for it. <br />Chair Foushee said that Fire Chief Dan Jones is here tonight. Last week the County <br />Commissioners had questions about the fire district tax for the Chapel Hill Township. She <br />asked the Fire Chief to address-those questions about the six residents in Chapel Hill. <br />Commissioner Yuhasz said that the rate went up from 2 %2 cents to over 7 cents and <br />there are only 6 houses involved. He suggested that the change might be considered to be <br />phased in over a few years. He asked if the Chief made contact with these families about the <br />increase. <br />Dan Jones said that letters were sent and hand-delivered and he received one response <br />via phone call and she spoke in favor of the raise. He said that the reason they suggested this <br />increase was because it is a doughnut hole of two streets and for some reason it has never <br />been annexed. He said that these six residents have been paying only 2.5 cents for municipal <br />protection. <br />Commissioner Nelson spoke to Ms. Hearndon-Latta and thanked her for coming. He <br />said that this was the most painful cut for him, but he had to make it this budget season. He <br />spoke about the costs of the staff and maintaining the facility, which would be almost $150,000 <br />for this facility. He said that the Library Services Director has promised to come back in the fall <br />with a plan for library services fo'r rural Orange County. <br />Ms. Hearndon-Latta said that she wanted to fight for what she believed in and she <br />believed in education. She said that she and others were willing to volunteer to keep this facility <br />open. <br />Commissioner Nelson suggested that she talk with the Orange County Library Services <br />Director about this. <br />Chair Foushee said that Commissioner Nelson's comments were in line with the <br />sentiment of the entire Board. <br />VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br />