Minutes 05-25-2010 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Miriam Thompson is a grandmother of two elementary school kids and a member of the school improvement team and other committees. She said to offset the per pupil allocation, the County Manager proposes reducing the school's district capital expenditures for essential school maintenance. She said that they need to find ways to avoid this choice. One way is for the Board of County Commissioners to give the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City School System authorization to float low-interest bonds and the flexibility in accessing lottery funds. She spoke about the State budget, which causes an unfair burden on the local budgets. She said that the Senate budget proposal slashes education, health and human services, housing assistance, and more. She asked everyone to raise their voices for a just State budget, especially in an election year, where it is unacceptable for the State elected officials to ignore proposals that will ease the burden of service cuts for children and families, working people, the elderly, and voters. Marjory Moe is a Co-Chair of the Rashkis School Improvement Team. She said that they came here to ask for full funding for the CHCCS budget request. She said that the Durham County Manager has just submitted a budget that calls for a tax increase to support public education. However, the Orange County Manager recommended the same per-pupil as last year with no tax increase. Kim Spaulding-Collins is also a Co-Chair of the Rashkis School Improvement Team and said that they ask for the future of the children. She said that the Chapel Hill-Carrboro school system has exhibited a stellar record of addressing ever-changing academic demands by emphasizing problem solving and critical thinking skills among students. She said that they need the staff and resources to teach the children. She asked the County Commissioners to fully fund the County Manager's budget recommendations for the school system. Bonnie Hauser was representing Orange County Voice and she distributed an outline. She made reference to page 33-8 in the budget book, which says that, "the County will dedicate a portion of the 3R Fee Revenue Sanitation Services. This revenue will subsidize recyclable, materials collection, and disposal services at the Solid Waste Convenience Centers." The amount will vary each year; in FY 2010-11, the revenue will total $324,893." She said that this looks like a shift in the allocation from the General Fund to the 3R fund. If not, she asked that the language be clarified because it is ambiguous. She said that the 3R fee is only supposed to fund recycling. She also made reference to page 33-10, which says that the $1.4 million will be transferred to the Enterprise Fund from the General Fund in monthly installments. This is concerning to Orange County Voice. She said that the budget is silent on landfill tipping fees and 3R fees. She said that budget recommends a reduction in consultants, but does not say anything about the consultants that are being funded. She asked the County Commissioners to please fund the convenience centers only from the General Fund, have the 3R fees only fund recycling, expand rural recycling only if it is optional, terminate the use of consultants in the Solid Waste Department, and have all fees revealed before the budget is approved. Kate Sanford read a prepared statement: "Good evening, my name is Kate Sanford and I have worked in the field of child care for 36 years; 27 years in administration. I am here on behalf of the provider community and the countless families calling looking for child care. On an average, I receive between 5 and 10 calls a week by families looking for child care. Families looking for child care call asking about available space at the center and I can hear strain in their voice as they begin to make their inquiry. I also hear the relief in their voice when I refer them to Child Care Services, our local information and referral agency. All of a sudden these families know there is a place to go for support. Leaving your child in the care of others is scary for families of young children. Child Care Services has been the local information and referral agency for Orange County for over 15 years. Child Care Services helps identify and educate parents to child care that best matches family's needs. This agency understands the importance of parent choice.