Orange County NC Website
A motion was made by Commissioner Crowther, seconded by Commissioner Halkiotis to <br />approve and authorize the Chair to sign an agreement between Orange County and UNC Hospitals <br />concerning medical direction of Orange County's emergency Medical Services program as presented. <br />VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br />X. REPORTS <br />A. LONG RANGE SCHOOL CAPITAL FUNDING OPTIONS <br />The Board received a report which provided several options for addressing the funding <br />required for the major new projects over the next few years. Budget Director Sally Kost made the <br />presentation and explained in great detail the options suggested and responded to Board questions and <br />comments. <br />In summary, all the options assume that elementary school #8 will be financed by private <br />placement and that the 1996 statewide school referendum will pass. The first four options primarily use the <br />same funding sources and board policies which are in place. Option five eliminates the present policies on <br />allocation of sales tax and property tax and puts all the monies into a single pot for distribution on an "as <br />need" basis. A bond referendum for $40 million would not increase the property tax rate. <br />In answer to a question from Commissioner Crowther, Geoffrey Gledhill said that a school <br />bond issue is usually separated from other projects on the ballot. <br />Superintendent of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City School District Neil Pedersen spoke in favor of <br />option 5 saying that this would provide additional monies to upgrade their present facilities. This also would <br />fund the new schools in the way they had suggested. It is a creative plan which has looked at a different <br />allocation of the CIP dollars and takes into account the fact that one system is growing so much more rapidly <br />than the other. He referred to information on page ;6 of the report which indicates that over the next ten <br />years, Orange County schools were scheduled to receive more dollars than Chapel Hill-Carrboro City <br />Schools and pointed that out as a problem with the present plan. The reason that the Chapel Hill-Carrboro <br />City School District figure is lower is that they had dedicated a significant portion of their CIP to support <br />elementary school #8 and an addition to their high school. He said that he felt that they were suffering under <br />the present plan because they were having to use funds, which were primarily dedicated to maintaining <br />existing facilities, for new facilities instead. He believes that the proposed plan for allocating $16 million for <br />Orange County and $24 million for Chapel Hill to maintain existing schools is probably fairly proportionate to <br />the present square footage in the schools or the present school population. Option #5 has much potential. <br />He is not sure it can be done satisfactorily within their system without additional dollars being placed in the <br />CIP to upgrade their present schools. Now that they have three new schools opened, citizens are looking at <br />the other schools as deficient and inequitable. He feels a bond is a good idea. There is a discussion that <br />needs to take place about whether or not it is fair to ask the residents of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City School <br />District to pay for capital needs when capital needs are suppose to be an obligation of the County. <br />this report. <br />Budget Director Sally Kost was commended for her creativity and hard work in putting together <br />This report was received at this time for information only. <br />B. ACTION ON THE SENIOR CENTERS DEVELOPMENT PLAN: 1996 - 2000 <br />FINAL REPORT <br />Director on Aging Director Jerry Passmore presented information on the final report on the <br />Senior Centers Development Plan: 1996-2000 as prepared by the Senior Centers Development Plan <br />Committee. <br />Commissioner Gordon said that she feels there should be priorities in the plan since the <br />funding will not be available all at the same time. She asked that the funding plan be prioritized. <br />Jerry Passmore indicated that this plan is to create a vision and then to set priorities and a <br />funding mechanism. <br />This report was received as information by the County Commissioners. <br />C. SKILL DEVELOPMENT CENTER PROGRAMMING