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APPROVED MARCH 4, 1998 <br />MINUTES <br />ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />JUNE 30, 1997 <br />The Orange County Board of Commissioners held a Special Meeting at 5:30 p.m. at the OWASA <br />Operations facility in Carrboro for the purpose of discussing the proposed bond referendum and/or CIP <br />issues. This meeting was followed at 7:30 p.m. by the Board of County Commissioners regular meeting. <br />COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair William L. Crowther and Commissioners Margaret <br />W. Brown, Moses Carey, Jr., Alice M. Gordon and Stephen H. Halkiotis. <br />COUNTY ATTORNEY PRESENT: Geoffrey Gledhill <br />COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager John M. Link, Jr., Assistant County Manager Rod <br />Visser and Albert Kittrell and Clerk to the Board Beverly A. Blythe (All other staff members will be identified <br />appropriately below) <br />NOTE: ALL DOCUMENTS REFERRED TO IN THESE MINUTES ARE IN THE PERMANENT <br />AGENDA FILE IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE. ALL RECORDING TAPES OF THE <br />MEETING WILL BE KEPT FOR FIVE M YEARS. <br />SPECIAL MEETING <br />BOND REFERENDUM DISCUSSION <br />John Link indicated that the purpose of this discussion is to determine the highest amount the <br />County Commissioners want to consider for the bond referendum. He explained the different bond <br />packages as distributed. There are five categories including schools, parks, public buildings and senior <br />centers, Efland sewer and affordable housing. <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Brown, seconded by Commissioner Carey to approve a <br />bond referendum using all five categories as listed above. <br />VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br />Discussion ensued on the highest amount for each category. <br />Commissioner Carey suggested adjusting the costs of new schools using the basic school cost. <br />Commissioner Brown asked about the $3 million dollars for East Chapel Hill High. <br />Superintendent of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Neil Pedersen said that the total cost of that school <br />will be $36 million. <br />In answer to a question about the $12.5 million for a new high school for Orange County Schools, <br />Superintendent Harrison said that the total cost of this school would be $25 million with $12.5 million funded <br />from the CIP using pay as your go funds or private placement. This school would be built for 1,000 students <br />and open in 2002 or 2003. Dr. Harrison said that this is a priority right now. The current Hillsborough <br />Elementary School could be used for 7 to 10 years. They plan to build anew Hillsborough Elementary school <br />and use that old building for an alternative school if one is not built by that time. <br />In answer to a question from Commissioner Brown, Budget Director Sally Kost said that the costs <br />of new schools include the cost of land for the elementary schools but not for the middle school. <br />Commissioner Carey noted that the capacity for Orange County High School was 1580 and they <br />expect 1678 students for this fall. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis expressed his concern about advertising that we plan to provide $22 <br />million dollars for a middle school in Chapel Hill/Carrboro City School district, $14 million for an elementary <br />school and $25 million for a high school. For example he feels that proposals should be invited for a 600