Minutes - 09-24-2001 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Chair Halkiotis said that each County Commissioner has received a copy of the report an the environmental management program for Chapel Hill High School. He noted that the State of Florida recently enacted legislation that severely limits carpeting being placed in new schools. He thinks that this is a good idea. He said that it was almost impossible to maintain and clean carpets. Commissioner Jacobs made reference to the list of priorities far renovations on page two of Nick Didow's letter as presented by the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools. Superintendent Pedersen said that with the exception of the acquisition of the high school site, the list reflects the priorities for renovations. Commissioner Jacobs thanked both school boards for addressing the most significant health and safety issues first. He feels like as a County Commissioner that he would be derelict if he did not encourage both school boards to address the health and safety issues first in any renovations that are planned. This should be the highest priority in the schools. Nick Didow said that they have changed the way they think about renovations during the last six months. Prior to that time, they thought of renovations from building to building and while they did many things that were needed, they did not address some of the health and safety issues. These issues are now first priority. He is quite pleased with the change in mindset, which the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City School Board has adopted. Commissioner Gordan made reference to the letter from Nick Didow dated September 17t" and asked about High School #3. Nick Didow said that if they open High School #3 in 2005, they would have two years in which they would need 500 more seats at the high school level somewhere else. They expect to revisit the enrollment figures and projections in thinking through the specifics of High School #3. By the earliest possible time that they might be able to open High School #3, they expect to have a deficit of 500 seats. Chair Halkiotis noted that the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools received over a quarter of a million dollars more than it should have because the projections for this year were 700 more students and the actual student increase was just over 400. Regarding fund balance, Superintendent Pedersen said that $2,579,184 is the best estimate of their undesignated fund balance at this time. They will have a firm figure once the audit is finished. John Link said that bath school systems have spent some of their fund balance for items, which will be continuing. He will bring a list to the County Commissioners for their review. Commissioner Jacobs asked if the school system has an undesignated fund balance, why would they need $150,000 in a contingency account. Superintendent Pedersen said that the contingency is used to move money into accounts that need funds. f. Review of Policy on Planning and Funding School Capital Projects & Capital Funding Policy John Link explained the various attachments. He said that there are three major projects that are part of the bond referendum in November -the two elementary schools in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City School system and the middle school in the Orange County School system. The County Commissioners have received information on Elementary School #9 and the first two phases are complete. The next phase is the design and construction approval stage. He made reference to Elementary School #10 and said that he would recommend that, knowing that the school board and the County Commissioners need to move expeditiously on Elementary School #10, the County Commissioners should consider this as an item for the work session agenda for October 22nd. He recommended that the Commissioners invite school board representatives and Carrboro representatives as Environment and Resource Conservation Director David Stancil presents what can be done an this site based on Carrboro's requirements. Attachment 1f-4 gives a tentative timeline far moving on with this process. With reference to the planning money for Elementary School #10, Chair Halkiotis said that he has a concern with moving ahead with planning money before the bond referendum is approved by the voters in November. Nick Didow made reference to the timetable in attachment 1f-4 for Elementary School #10 and asked when would be the earliest date to begin construction. John Link said that the timetable should probably be amended because there is also consideration for a park on this site. Nick Didow said that they were fortunate to be able to use Elementary School #9 or the Scroggs design as a prototype in order to have some chance to meet the 2003 opening date. They would like to open both schools at the same time. They plan to bid these in parallel to realize some construction cast savings and only go through the redistricting process once. He said that the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City School Board would