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that have been neglected that should be addressed. He does not recommend that the committee be <br />reconvened because he does not feel that a consensus will be reached. <br />Commissioner Jacobs suggested that this report be discussed jointly by the two school boards and <br />the County Commissioners. Considering all the input, he and Chair Carey will present a final report. <br />Commissioner Brown made reference to the letter signed by the School Governance Committee <br />members. She asked if this letter should be answered because it does have same inaccurate information. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis said that there was misinformation that needs to be addressed. He feels <br />that the Commissioners should respond with a letter in a positive way. <br />The Board will wait until the report is adopted before a response is sent to the School Governance <br />Committee members. <br />5. CIP PRESENTATION <br />John Link said that this would be a brief overview of the CIP and a more thorough discussion would <br />occur at the budget work session on March 29t". He said that the total funding plan for the next 10 years is <br />$225 million dollars and he feels that this represents a significant investment in the County and the schools <br />infrastructure. He said that the school districts are addressing a number of the older schools and there are <br />several new schools that are being constructed. There have been three affordable housing projects funded <br />in the last two months and the County has taken steps to increase open space and to improve existing <br />facilities. <br />Budget Director Donna Dean said that the primary funding for the ten-year plan includes the half- <br />cent sales tax that is projected to increase about 5% on an annual basis. Also, approximately nine cents of <br />the current property tax rate is earmarked to repay debt service. Other funding sources include grant funds, <br />school impact fees (increasing about 3% per year), state public school building funds, and the peak debt <br />service for Orange County Schools. <br />Donna Dean said that the upcoming bond sale would affect next year's available funding sources for <br />the CIP. The annual debt service for the first $40 million is between $3-3.5 million, and the first installment <br />would be due next fiscal year. <br />Regarding future debt, Donna Dean said that about $21 million of the 1997 bonds remains to be <br />sold, and the sale would depend on the remaining needs of the schools in the County. The annual debt <br />service for the $21 million is projected to be $1.5 million. <br />Donna Dean made reference to page two of the Manager's memo regarding the funding for the <br />Orange County Schools, and said that the Orange County School system identified the need for a new high <br />school and the projected cost would be $25,000,000. Of that total, one half was included in the 1997 bonds. <br />At that time, the Orange County School Board agreed to fund the remaining half of the $25,000,000 with their <br />pay-as-you-go money. The school board has decided to pursue a private placement loan and repay the debt <br />with their pay-as-you-go money. <br />Donna Dean reviewed some projects of smaller scope in the County and the future needs identified <br />by the schools. She made reference to the new elementary school for Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools that <br />is projected to cost $17.8 million. She said that this was an unmet need that the County has not been able to <br />fund. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis asked about the work that was done on the School Construction Standards <br />Task Force for elementary and middle schools. He said that the task force spent a lot of time on this issue <br />and he feels that the information shauld be utilized. He feels that $17.8 million is an inflated figure for the <br />new elementary school. He would like to have copies of the standards developed by the task force on the <br />table at the joint work session with the schools on Monday, March 27t" <br />John Link said that the staff is not proposing that the County fund a new elementary school for $17.8 <br />million, he is just reporting what is in the school board's documents. <br />John Link said that he would like the Board to consider establishing a timeline for the next 12 to 18 <br />months for funding various projects. <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Brown, seconded by Commissioner Gordon to hold a public <br />hearing on the GIP on Tuesday, April 17, 2000. <br />VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br />6. LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVE PROCESS - no discussion <br />7. EFLAND SEWER FUND -REVISIONS TO FEE SCHEDULE <br />Commissioner Brown would like to know what Hillsborough's sewer capacity is when this item comes <br />back so that the Board knows what to do. <br />