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Last summer, the County issued $17.4 million of the 1997 voter approved bands. This represents two cents of the proposed tax rate increase. This budget does not include increases in cost-of-living, in-range salary increases, or meritorious service awards for County employees. It also postpones the implementation of the Countywide Classification and Pay Study until fiscal conditions improve. The County has funded a projected 18°I° increase in employee health insurance. The proposed budget includes $250,000 to fund the increases for salaries for Deputies, Telecommunicators, and Paramedics. This is a result of the Public Safety Study, which implemented a 5°~ retention salary increase. The proposed budget provides $12,000 a month for three months to continue the transportation contract with the Orange EMS and Rescue Squad. The staff will examine options and develop recommendations regarding EMS transportation beyond October 1, 2002. Solid Waste Enterprise Fund The Rogers Road neighborhood waterline has been installed. The recycling drop-ofF center at Carrboro Plaza is complete. The proposed budget includes four additional staff positions to bring the multi- family recycling service in-house. There are two new positions associated with the County's recent adoption of the Regulated Recyclable Materials Ordinance. There will be no increase in the per ton tipping fee for mixed solid waste. The top priority for the upcoming year is to evaluate alternative financing mechanisms to supplement the fund's traditional revenue structure. On the Horizon There will be increased debt service for the first installment of the Board's approved debt-financing plan. It is important to implement the County Classification and Pay Study. There are also start-up and construction costs associated with Elementary School #9. A continued high profile item for the County will be development and implementation of the OPC Mental Health business and financial plans associated with State mandated mental health reform. There will also be a major reworking of the County's comprehensive land use plan, and joint park and recreation facilities will be developed. The budget document is available in the office of the Clerk to the County Commissioners, the County Budget office, the Orange County Library, the Chapel Hill Public Library, the Carrboro Library, and some portions are available on the County's Internet site, which is http:/lwww.co.orange.nc.us Chair Jacobs said that, for the schools, the County Commissioners give a lump sum for the operating budget and the schools make the determination for programming. 2. PUBLIC COMMENT Robert Schreiner, Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Chapel Hill Public Library, thanked the County Commissioners for their continuing support. The funds this year bought additional books, equipment, and Internet access. He asked for continued and expanded support for all public libraries in Orange County, in particular, the Chapel Hill Library. He made reference to three studies of library services in the County in the past three years. Each of the studies concluded that libraries in Orange County have inadequate resources to provide services to their patrons and resources overall do not meet the level of national State norms. The Chapel Hill Library Board has already endorsed the two Chapel Hill studies and they are here to support the recommendations of the Orange County report. Specifically, they recommend increased operational funding for all public libraries in Orange County to the State average level over the next three years, initiation of library projects both north and south in the County without competition and exploration of ways of cooperating between the two library systems. Andrea Rohrbacher, Vice-Chair of the Chapel Hill Parks and Recreation Commission, said that they understand the financial circumstances of these times, but they wanted to point out some statistics about level of use of facilities and services versus the volume of funding of the services. County funding per capita for Chapel Hill residents is $1.72 and the County funding per capita for residents outside of Chapel Hill is $10.35. Chapel Hill includes 41 °lo of the County population and Chapel Hill receives approximately 12% of the total County parks and recreation operational funding. The per capita funding for residents of Chapel Hill is 17°~ per capita for residents of the rest of Orange County. Last year they received $83,760 from the