Orange County NC Website
A new Chapel Hill Senior Center will open in the summer 2006. This allows time to plan and <br />select a site for NorthernlCentral Orange Center. This will be funded with bonds and alternative <br />financing. <br />Affordable housing will receive $4 million phased in aver the first three band sales. <br />Commissioner Brown would like an update from Housing and Community Development Director Tara <br />Fikes an what funds are available for affordable housing. <br />Commissioner Gordan wants to go back to having the Capital Investment Plan public hearing in <br />late March or early April, which will allow time far the County Commissioners to consider the plan for the <br />budget cycle. <br />Donna Dean said that there are funds in the alternative financing plan to fund the $4 million <br />match for the community college. There could be funds available as early as June 2004 to begin <br />construction. <br />The alternative financing plan also includes $3 million phased in over five years to purchase <br />farmland conservation easements. Some funding could be available as early as July 2002. <br />Other identified needs include an Orange Enterprises addition, the justice facility, Government <br />Services Center addition, Planning and Agricultural Center renovations, and a farmers market. <br />An optional timetable that the Board of County Commissioners may wish to consider in light of <br />recent fiscal news from the state is to postpone all bond sales and alternative financing issues for six <br />months. By doing this the County will save $600,000 next year. This would not affect the timetables of <br />the projects. <br />Commissioner Gordon made reference to the list of school projects far the band and asked for <br />the same level of specificity far the parks, recreation, and open space projects. <br />Commissioner Gordon brought up the necessity of high school #3 and asked for additional <br />information from <br />Chapel Hill-Carrbora City Schools on this project. <br />Donna Dean said that they have not received the information on the timetable from the schools <br />Commissioner Gordon suggested having each project on a sheet -the timetable, rationale for the <br />project, funding sources, and to what extent we have the project planned. Regarding the charts, they <br />should be done showing the financing from year to year. <br />John Link emphasized that we are trying to pursue a timetable over the next five years that <br />accomplishes $110 million dollars worth of projects for only aseven-cent tax increase. He said that he <br />has empathy for the schools and the towns in terms of their hard work in coming up with plans and <br />projects, but Orange County government is facing a huge challenge in terms of budget operations. He <br />said that he spoke with Superintendent Neil Pedersen about the proposals relative to high schools. <br />Superintendent Pedersen said that the proposals include pursuing two smaller high schools over the next <br />10 years as opposed to the large one. The staff has drafted some questions far the Board of County <br />Commissioners to consider for the regular meeting on Tuesday night. <br />Chair Jacobs asked what would be the next step in addressing the timetables and John Link said <br />that they could be addressed along with the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP}. <br />Commissioner Carey said that he feels the Board should make the decision to delay the issuance <br />