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The Department of Public Instruction is telling them that there will be a reduction in enrollment to 6,142. He is afraid that they will have additional students. He feels that if they do came in with an enrollment about what DPI projected that money will not be available far teachers and supplies for these additional students. They have opened two new schools in the last two years -Pathways Elementary and Cedar Ridge High School this August. This has put a severe strain on the fund balance and the ability to address other needs. They need eight to ten new certified teaching positions and eight classified positions for Cedar Ridge. Their fund balance is $2.1 million with unappropriated funds of $928,795. They expect their health insurance increase to be 30 percent with utilities increasing an additional $55,000 and the lass of six state teaching positions totaling $311,370. He gave a list of what positions and other items they would need at Cedar Ridge High School. They had to go to their K through 5 schools and reduce staff which may increase the student teacher ratio from 1:22 to 1:23 or greater. The startup costs for Cedar Ridge will total $1 million to $1.2 million. They had to transfer 13 existing teaching positions to Cedar Ridge, which is a reduction of $674,635. The total budget request for 2002-03 is $880,237. They are about one half million dollars short of having what they need to open this High School. He said that when the superintendents went to Raleigh, they asked that the State make their decisions on the budget quickly. He showed what a percentage of State reductions would cost the Orange County School system. A 2% reduction would cast $553,995.08; a 2.5°~ reduction would cost $692,493.85; a 3% reduction would cost $830,992.62; a 3.5°~ reduction would cost $969,491.39; and a 4% reduction would cost $1,107,990.16. The total State Allotment for 2001-02 would be $27,699,754.00. Chair Jacobs made reference to the Cedar Ridge start-up costs and the $380,000 for athletics and asked if they thought about delaying these activities for one year. Randy Bridges said that they considered cutting it out of the middle schools, but it got a very negative response from the community. Some of the athletes in the high school are college prospects so they never thought about delaying the athletic program at the high school level. Susan Halkiotis said that there is already enough disruption with moving students from one High School to another and opening a school with less programs would be awful. A full athletic program is important to any school and particularly in this case. Chair Jacobs asked how they would address aone-half million dollar shortfall. Randy Bridges said that he is waiting until he knows far sure what cuts the State will make to their budget. They will have to cut programs, personnel, and supplies and increase teacher-student ratios, etc. He said that it has been two years that they have not been able to fund expansion items and next year will make three years. Chair Jacobs asked if the school board had had any conversations with the State legislators about these issues. Dana Thompson said that when she talked with a person in the legislature that it was suggested that the governing boards meet with the Orange County delegation to talk about those issues that impact schools and County government. Chair Jacobs suggested going to Raleigh to meet with the Orange County delegation for dinner to discuss these issues. Chair Jacobs made reference to the CIP and asked if each school system has a priority list of their items in the CIP. Randy Bridges said that they will be looking at those items that address the safety needs of their system. Neil Pedersen said that their priorities address health and safety issues first. Commissioner Gordan asked John Link if all the questions asked by the County Commissioners of the school boards have been addressed and John Link said yes.