Minutes - 08-27-2001 - Laserfiche WebLink

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School because they think that it is the best school in the County. She said that her daughter has been diagnosed as exquisitely allergic because she has a chronic bloody nose. Duke says that it is because of Hillsborough Elementary and the mold that is there. She urged the Commissioners to support the improvements at Hillsborough Elementary. She also voiced her support for Spanish classes in all of the elementary schools and for a consolidated school system. Rick Kennedy is a parent of three children in the Orange County Schools. He said that he has no argument for a third high school in Chapel Hill, but this should not be taken out on the students attending Orange County Schools. He said that if the middle school is not in the bond, then that is what is going to happen. Carolyn Miller, parent of three children in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, asked that the County Commissioners appropriate money from the bond issue for a new high school for Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools. She also spoke in support of soccer fields. Noah Ranells asked that parkland and open space be fully funded. He supports activities for all people in greater Orange County rather than Carrboro and Chapel Hill. He spoke about the cost of development and that the tax dollars are not really balanced in terms of the benefits of rural agricultural landowners and their families. He asked the Commissioners to try and balance growth in the County. He said that a specific opportunity is an environmental/agricultural center that serves the whale County. Norm Gustaveson endorsed affordable housing, senior centers, schools, and parks and open space. He greatly supports farmland preservation and land acquisition. Annette Jurgelski spoke on behalf of the Orange-Chatham Sierra Club. She is also a member of the Commission for the Environment. She spoke in support of open space. Susan Halkiotis, a member of the Orange County Board of Education, said that Orange County Schools received same late breaking projections that blindsided everyone. She said that the numbers for the bond referendum are also blindsiding and make checking and double-checking with the school staff nearly impossible. She spoke about Hillsborough Elementary School and the board's decision to keep the building open for the community. She said that the children have done so well because of the wonderful staff and parents. She said that the building is by no means adequate. Far example, the fourth and fifth graders have one bathroom for aver 150 children. She said that she is afraid that the building was kept open at the expense of lasing a new middle school. Dana Thompson, a member of the Orange County Board of Education, said that she supports senior centers, affordable housing, parks and recreation, and the schools. She assured the County Commissioners that the board members would be out there publicly supporting the other needs in the bond referendum. She reiterated that the paint of bringing up the proposal of shared space was not to say that a high school was not needed in Chapel Hill, but to be willing to work and smooth the process along. The board does think that a new middle school is needed in Orange County before a high school is needed in Chapel Hill. A motion was made by Commissioner Jacobs, seconded by Commissioner Brown to close the public hearing. VOTE: UNANIMOUS D. PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS 1. Orange County Stormwater Program for Lands within the Neuse River Basin a. Adjust fines to State minimum levels in order to receive delegated authority b. Make regulatory language more specific Planning Director Craig Benedict made this presentation. In order to comply with NCAC 15A 2B.0233 Item 12: `Requirements Specific to Local Governments with Stormwater Programs far nitrogen Control,' Orange County has two options for protecting riparian buffers within the Neuse Basin. These are