Agenda - 09-30-1998 - 1 - Laserfiche WebLink

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MEMORANDUM TO: Neil Pedersen, Superintendent, Chapel Hill - Carrboro City Schools Randy Bridges, Superintendent, Orange County Schools FROM: John Link, County Manager DATE: July 1, 1998 RE: 1998 -99 School Budget Issues This memo outlines direction I have received from the Board of Commissioners during the 1998 -99 budget review process regarding issues related to school funding. I want to solicit your assistance in carrying out each of these measures: • The Board and I agree that it is important for you and me to meet on a monthly basis so that we can all stay abreast of issues of mutual interest. I will be asking my administrative assistant, Ann Rimmer, to contact your support staff about scheduling the first of these meetings sometime in August. Some of the issues that would be agenda items for our discussions are included below. • The Board endorsed my recommendation in the Manager's Budget Message that establishes the expectation that each school board will communicate to the Board of Commissioners, well before implementation, anticipated policy or program initiatives that will have budgetary impacts. With advance notice, the Board of Commissioners will better be able to respond to funding requests associated with such initiatives or programs than they would be if the funding implications are not articulated until the next budget request. I believe this " "early warning" approach will be a logical outcome of the regular meetings I mentioned above. • The Board endorsed the accompanying "Parameters for Appropriation of School Fund Balance". While decisions to appropriate school fund balance are the final responsibility of the Boards of Education, the Board of Commissioners wanted to make clear the circumstances under which they would be willing to - consider school fund balance appropriations as part of the base of subsequent years' school budgets. I would be happy to discuss this further with you during our next meeting in August. It is important to note that as part of their decision - making in adopting the 1998 -99 budget, the Board of Commissioners indicated they would be comfortable with the Orange County Board of Education's appropriating up to $410,000 in additional fund balance. If the Board of Education deems it advisable to appropriate additional fund balance, consideration of that as part of the 1999 -2000 base would be guided by the provisions of the "Parameters" document. • As has been past practice, the Board of Commissioners would like to receive written reports from each school board concerning their adopted budgets for 1998 -99. These reports would compare County funding requested with actual appropriations (to include fund balance) made by the school board. The reports would provide explanations of differences between amounts requested and - ultimately appropriated. The anticipated outcomes from funding for new initiatives or expansion items would also be highlighted.