Orange County NC Website
A public hearing would be needed on November 19t" and in December we would be able to go forward to <br />the focal Government Commission for them to approve the financing plan. <br />Regarding the bond issuance in March, Donna Dean said that the only difference is putting <br />additional money into the Orange County Schools to begin planning for the middle school. In order to <br />move forward with the March bond sale, a public hearing would be held in January 2003. The Board <br />would need to approve a resolution in February, and then the bond sale would be in early March. <br />Donna Dean made reference to the estimated impact on taxpayers for alternative financing <br />and the bond package and said that the impact would be seven to eight cents. Next year the impact <br />would be a little less than a penny. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis asked what aone-cent increase yielded and Donna Dean said <br />$924,000. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis verified that this is going to be shared with bath superintendents. He <br />said that he is involved in coordinating the move of the staff at the Central Office and they are going to <br />be going to a number of different facilities. He thinks that there is more of a personal discomfort level <br />because they are all one big family. They are going to Cedar Ridge High School, Orange High School, <br />Cameron Park, and a mobile unit. There are some similar issues with Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools <br />and both systems are going to be challenged. <br />Commissioner Brown verified that the renovation of Hillsborough Elementary School is going <br />to proceed. Six additional class rooms will be built in order to expand the population of the school by 100 <br />students because there is a waiting list of people who want their children in year round elementary <br />school. <br />Commissioner Gordon asked about the renovations and Commissioner Halkiotis said that the <br />air quality and bathroom problems would be taken care of and that there is going to be a complete <br />renovation of the existing media center. <br />Donna Dean said that the funding for this includes $900,000 in bonds and $500,000 in impact <br />fees that the Board approved with the CIP in June. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis said that the school board did a very deliberate plan to address <br />health and safety issues and bringing the facility up to current standards. <br />Chair Jacobs asked about the items the Board should address because it was now 10:15. <br />Commissioner Carey suggested acting on the Durham Technical Satellite Campus Advisory <br />Committee and the ABC Board appointments and then hearing the report on growth controls. <br />Commissioner Brown would like to send the Jury Commission back for more applicants. <br />b. Master Telecommunications Plan (MTP) (Wireless Facilities) <br />The Board received a report and discussed the creation of a master telecommunications plan <br />(MTP) (wireless element). <br />Craig Benedict reviewed this plan and said that over the last year the staff has been reviewing <br />applications and finding out what aspects of the existing ordinance need revision. In March, the County <br />invoked asix-month moratorium, which ends September 6`". The Master Telecommunications Plan <br />provides an opportunity for wireless facilities to occur on public property (parks, public safety areas, <br />Sheriff's office, EMS facilities, etc.). He submitted a proposal of where sites can be located in the <br />County. He has met with various departments and located all of the park sites within the County. <br />Another option is locating facilities on water tanks. He said that they have contacted all of the public <br />entities and asked them if they would like to participate in this plan. They have also asked all of the <br />volunteer fire stations in the County and they have need for communication services also. A lot of sites <br />have been identified and the staff is asking that the Board approve of proceeding with this general <br />concept to identify all properties and have an actual sign-up list of people that meet the criteria. The <br />towers would not be more than 200 feet tall on the public properties. If they needed to be more than 200 <br />feet tall, then it would have to go through a special use permit process. Another area that is considered <br />is voluntary agricultural districts. Some of these have been identified. The farming community is in favor <br />of having this opportunity. <br />Craig Benedict said that Master Telecommunications Plans throughout the country include <br />public rights-of-way and public property. He said that if an MTP does not get adopted at all by the <br />County, it does not harm the existing regulations that would be part of the Telecommunications <br />