Orange County NC Website
Commissioner Brown asked if it should be established that there would be funds for a Senior <br />Center in Chapel Hill and one in the northern portion of the County. <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Brown, seconded by Commissioner Gordon, to approve <br />the bond order authorizing the Issuance of General Obligation Public Building Bonds of Orange County, <br />North Carolina, in the maximum amount of $4,600,000. <br />VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br />PARKS AND RECREATION FACILITY BONDS <br />Commissioner Gordon requested that the Southern Village Park be specified as a use for a <br />portion of this money. <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Gordon, seconded by Commissioner Brown, to include <br />$500,000 for the Southern Village Park. <br />VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Brown, seconded by Commissioner Gordon, to approve <br />the Bond Order authorizing the issuance of General Obligation Parks and Recreation Facilities Bonds of <br />Orange County, North Carolina, in the maximum amount of $6,000,000. <br />VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br />SCHOOL BONDS: <br />Assistant County Manager Rod Visser, at the request of Commissioner Gordon, reviewed the <br />history of the progression of funding for school renovation needs. He mentioned that the Board of <br />Commissioners had expressed a desire to balance the needs for new schools with the need to renovate <br />older facilities. <br />Commissioner Gordon questioned if the rationale had been lost in the allocation for renovation. <br />She supported the concept of allocating this money for pre-1990 schools. She also mentioned that it <br />appeared that both school systems needed between $25 and $30 Million Dollars over the next 10 years. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis felt that the Orange County Schools need the 4.8 Million dollars for <br />renovations and the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools need at least the $3 Million dollars for <br />renovations, if not more. He strongly felt that the schools need to be visited individually to determine <br />their specific needs. <br />County Manager John Link mentioned that the $7.8 Million for renovations have already be <br />incorporated into the C.I.P. and could be kept as a part of the entire bond package. The education <br />campaign could stress that these figures do not meet the already documented needs for renovation of <br />pre-1990 schools. He also mentioned that the Fiscal Control Act requires that the Board of <br />Commissioners adopt each capital project with its own project ordinance. To date, each project has <br />been scrutinized. In the future ground rules could be established to evaluate each project based on its <br />meeting certain criteria. It is important to stress to each school system that they must address the <br />priority needs as they become apparent. Both systems already have projects scheduled which must be <br />taken into account. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis voiced opposition to lowering the Orange County amount and indicated <br />that he would consider increasing the Chapel Hill-Carrboro amount after the needs have been reviewed <br />and documented. <br />In response to questions about the Capital Budget, John Link indicated that the funding for the <br />current year, in this case 1997-1998, is all that can actually be committed. The Capital Budget is for <br />current funding. The County Commissioners have authority to appropriate Capital Funds as they deem