Minutes - 09-25-2000 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Commissioner Jacobs asked questions about Elementary School #9. He feels it would be helpful to have a document that analyzes Paul Thames' analysis from 1997 about the suitability of the site. There are still some questions about Meadowmont and how to specifically address the difference in cost between Scroggs Elementary and Elementary School #9. He would like some more information and analysis of Elementary School #9 at minimum. This information will be provided. c. Long Range Facilities Plan Nick Didow made reference to the Long Range Facilities Plan document and said that this was an attempt of his board to look ten years forward at what would be required of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City School system. The document does recommend an Elementary School #9, relocating their administrative offices, planning for 500 more high school students, planning for Elementary School #10, and acquiring school sites. He has begun to calculate the amount of the investment this involves and it would be 40-60 million dollars of capital projects over the next ten years. The school board has begun to work through action and making decisions about each of the projects identified in the Long Range Facilities Plan. The first and most immediate need is Elementary School #9. The County Commissioners and the County Manager has received a formal request for moving forward with Elementary School #9. This request is documented in the memorandum dated August 28, 2000. Nick Didow said that their school board needed some guidance from the County Commissioners. The money they need over the next ten years will far exceed what can be allocated from the County budget. He said that if a bond could be put before the voters in 2001, it could possibly be enough to take care of the needs for the next 8-10 years. He said that the school board needed some advice on the following issues: Assuming a bond would be part of these projects, how soon would the County Commissioners be willing to put a bond before the people? Could the bond be brought before the voters in the spring of 2001 or the fall of 2001? Prior to that, what is the timeline for the school board getting a list of projects to the County Commissioners? Chair Carey said the Board of County Commissioners had not had the opportunity to discuss the proposal for the 9t" Elementary School. He said that there was na possibility of taking a bond issue to the boards with all of the outstanding issues that needed to be addressed in the spring of 2001. He said that the earliest date for the band would be November 2001, depending or the other issues facing the Board at this time. John Link made reference to the orange sheet, Bond Referendum Timetable (Preliminary), and said that there was a limit on how much debt the Board could get approval far at any given time. He said that the Board needs to pursue capital projects for the next 4 or 5 years. Commissioner Halkiotis suggested having a couple of work sessions on considering a bond issue. There are a lot of issues to consider including space for judicial buildings, etc. He said that the Board needed to set a priority order and figure things out. Nick Didow said that he would like for the bus tour of school buildings to include the Lincoln Center. Chair Carey pointed out that merely sharing all of the plans and proposals far the school systems does not mean that the County was making a commitment to fund it all. 4. Adjournment A motion was made by Commissioner Halkiotis, seconded by Commissioner Jacobs to adjourn the meeting at 10:15 p.m. The next meeting on the approved meeting calendar will be held on Monday, October 2, 2000 at 7:30 p.m. at the Southern Human Services Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Moses Carey, Jr., Chair Beverly A. Blythe, CMC