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APPROVED 6121199 <br />ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />JOINT MEETING <br />ORANGE COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD AND CHAPEL HILL-CARRBORO SCHOOL BOARD <br />MARCH 31, 1999 <br />MINUTES <br />The Orange County Board of Commissioners met in regular session with members of the Orange <br />County Board of Education and the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Board of Education on March 31, 1999 at 7:30 <br />p.m. in the Southern Human Services Center <br />COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Alice M. Gordon and Commissioners Margaret <br />W. Brown, Moses Carey, Jr., and Stephen H. Halkiotis. <br />COUNTY COMMISSIONER ABSENT: Barry Jacobs <br />COUNTY ATTORNEY PRESENT: Geoffrey Gledhill <br />COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager John M. Link, Jr., Assistant County Manager <br />Rod Visser, Planning Director Craig Benedict and Deputy Clerk to the Board Kathy Baker. Other staff <br />will be identified as necessary below. <br />ORANGE COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Chair Delores Simpson, and <br />members Robert Bateman, Keith Cook, Susan Dovenbarger, Rick Kennedy, David Kolbinsky and Brenda <br />Stephens, <br />CHAPEL HILL-CARRBORO SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Chair Harvey Goldstein <br />and members Elizabeth Carter, Nick Didow, Valerie Foushee, Roger Waldon, and Ken Touw <br />NOTE: ALL DOCUMENTS REFERRED TO IN THESE MINUTES ARE IN THE <br />PERMANENT AGENDA FILE IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE. ALL RECORDINGS OF THE <br />MEETING WILL BE KEPT FOR FIVE YEARS. <br />COUNTY/ORANGE COUNTY SCHOOLS/CHAPEL HILL-CARRBORO CITY SCHOOLS DISCUSSION/POLICY <br />ISSUES <br />CHAPEL HILL-CARRBORO CITY SCHOOLS <br />Superintendent Neil Pedersen stated that the monthly meetings between the County Manager and the <br />Superintendents have brought about a much greater understanding of the issues facing each unit of government. <br />The issues currently driving the Chapel Hill-Carrboro School System with regard to the budget are the opening of <br />Scroggs Elementary School in Southern Village and the expansion at East Chapel Hill High School. He pointed out <br />that, as usual, the start up costs for these new schools have increased the budget for this fiscal year. Also, <br />according to the State projections, enrollment is expected to increase by 316 students for the next school year. <br />Another issue which continues to affect the budget are mandates from both state and federal governments. These <br />mandates have increased in recent years because of the Excellent Schools Act. This Act includes a four year plan <br />to upgrade the salaries of teachers and principals as well as the salaries of other non-certified employees. They <br />have also been notified to expect a 35% increase in the cost of health insurance. Other issues driving this years <br />budget are: <br />1) proficiency standards - This will be the first year that the proficiency standards take effect which means that both <br />5th and 8th graders will be tested prior to being passed into the next grade. Those who are not proficient will not <br />be promoted to the next grade. There will be both preventative strategies and intervention actions implemented <br />this year. Summer school will be required for all non-proficient students and Prep Academies will be offered for all <br />5th and 8th graders who are not promoted. Many of the schools have requested additional reading and math <br />specialists. The School Board has also included a modest proposal to reduce class sizes. <br />2) compensation designed to maintain a competitive work force - There will be an across the board salary increase <br />funded statewide. On a local level the school system needs to look at ways to remain competitive within the state <br />and across the nation. There is a growing teacher shortage. They have implemented measures in this year's <br />budget request which are intended to attract new teachers and administrators while retaining current ones. <br />3) technology. They are investing between one-half million and one million dollars a year for hardware purchases. <br />The school system is currently understaffed in terms of supporting technology and suffering from excessive turn- <br />over in this field.