Orange County NC Website
L+~ <br />referendum which has been discussed by the Board would include. The total of the <br />proposed bond issue would be thirty million with twenty-one million for schools, <br />eight million for public buildings and one million for water facilities. - ~' <br />Citizens Comments on the Proposed Bond Issue <br />CAROLYN HORN as a representative of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro School <br />District spoke in support of the bond referendum package as submitted by the <br />County Commissioners for citizen comment. In particular she supported the 21 <br />million for schools. She described the overcrowded conditions at the elementary <br />schools and emphasized that in order for the middle school plan to be put into <br />operation the High School must be enlarged to receive the ninth grade and the <br />junior highs renovated to receive the sixth grade. <br />SUE BAKER spoke as a member of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Board of <br />Education and as a member of the Citizens Advisory Committee that studied the <br />proposed bond issue. She stated that the proposed thirty million dollar bond <br />certainly follows the recommendations of the Committee up to a point. The <br />schools' total proposed building program and land acquisition for a reservoir <br />were a must for the. bond. The other items in priority order were (1) the Tax and <br />Records. Building, (2) the 91l Enhance System, (3) the Southern Human Services <br />Complex (4) Parks and Recreation and etc, She emphasized that the opinions from <br />those who served on the Citizens Advisory Committee should hold more weight than <br />those received through the telephone survey. She asked that before the Board <br />makes its final decision the recommendations from the Citizens Committee be <br />reviewed. She would prefer returning the three million dollar pool money to the <br />schools capital improvement needs. While the current proposal will help meet the <br />growing needs of the schools, it will not allow expansion of the elementary <br />schools as fast as the population dictates. She asked that the pools be given a <br />high priority for pay-as-you-go funding. She expressed interest in knowing haw <br />the County would fund those items that are not included in the bond referendum. <br />NEAL LITTMAN expressed support far all portions of the thirty million <br />dallar bond issue. A copy of his complete statement is attached to these minutes <br />in the minute book on pages 2. 3~ -~`~J . <br />KEITH COLEMAN spoke in support of the bond issue and in particular for <br />school facilities. He noted that there is a need for renovations to Cameron Park <br />and Central Elementary and for anew elementary school. He stated that this is <br />an opportunity to get the funds to get the school systems up to date. <br />KATHERINE EVERSON spoke on behalf of the Chapel Hill-Garrboro Federation <br />of Teachers, She stated that the bond referendum as proposed is inadequate, It <br />falls one-third short, or roughly nine million dollars, of the budgetary <br />requests. It means that the necessary renovations at the elementary schools may <br />not be able to be carried out, as well as, jeopardizes classroom construction at <br />the high school. She stated that the Basic Education Program calls for reduction <br />in class size and asked where those students would be placed and where those <br />students would go who are the result of population growth. She asked what will <br />happen in a few years when other renovations or new classrooms will be needed and <br />there are no funds. She emphasized that the public will support sufficient funds <br />for.what is needed for new classrooms and renovations now, <br />LUAN SMYTH stated that the Basic Education Act does not mandate belt <br />