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refunding various debt obligations of the County; and to finance $2 million for the purchase of <br /> computer software, Sheriff's Department radios and telephone related equipment; and <br /> authorize Davenport and Company, LLC to serve as Financial Advisory and the firm of Sanford <br /> Holshouser, LLP represented by Bob Jessup to serve as Bond Counsel. <br /> VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br /> 7. Regular Agenda <br /> a. Eno River Parking Deck Access Gate Modifications and Agreement <br /> Revision <br /> The Board considered an agreement revision to facilitate parking needs for the public <br /> using County offices and facilities in downtown Hillsborough by modifying the access gate to <br /> the Eno River Parking Deck and authorizing the Chair to sign. <br /> Frank Clifton said that the County leases parking spaces in the Eno River Parking Lot <br /> and the lease agreement allows the County to lease 209 spaces. The lower portion is the 80 <br /> spaces for Orange County and 40 of those are free public spaces for those doing business <br /> with Orange County, and the top of the deck houses Orange County vehicles. There has been <br /> ongoing dialogue with the owners of the deck. The owner wants to close the gate because he <br /> believes people that are not doing business with the County are using the deck. The best <br /> solution at this time is to reverse the operation of the gates so that you have to have a card or <br /> a code to get out and each County office will post ( and change) the code every day so that <br /> people that visit the County offices can get out. If someone does not do business with the <br /> County and parks there, then they would have to pay to get out. <br /> Commissioner Gordon asked what happens after 5:00 p.m. and Frank Clifton said that <br /> the spaces become paid spaces for the public. <br /> Commissioner Gordon said that she understood that the County spent a lot of money <br /> on that parking deck and she is concerned that the public could not park after 5:00 p.m. for <br /> free. <br /> Frank Clifton said that theoretically, the County did not pay for the parking deck, <br /> because it is in the ownership of an individual. <br /> John Roberts said that the contract provides now that the spaces that the County <br /> leases are open to customers of the County, but the contract also provides that the owner of <br /> the deck shall have the authority to close those gates for maintenance or other purposes to <br /> control access. It is a problem and there are arguments on both sides. Right now, the County <br /> is trying to keep the gates open and the owner of the deck is trying to get the gates closed. It <br /> is headed towards litigation. <br /> Commissioner Jacobs said that the County absolutely, unequivocally requested that <br /> there be free parking available to members of the public who use the County facilities, which <br /> were served by the parking deck. He does not care if the developer wants to argue otherwise, <br /> because it is just not true. Further, the County urged the developer to put in gates that would <br /> better regulate who went in and out and the developer said that he would take care of it. He <br /> said that there is no way that the County would have agreed to this arrangement if people <br /> would have to pay to park to do Orange County business. <br /> John Roberts said that the contract does say that the public who is doing County <br /> business can park for free but not the general public that is visiting downtown. <br /> Commissioner Jacobs said that if they are going to talk about putting in a gate, then he <br /> would say that the spaces down below may not be the most viable. The public would be better <br /> served by the spaces nearest to the building on the second level. <br />