Orange County NC Website
John Link said that the minutes of two meetings of the High School Planning Task Force <br /> were in the agenda packets — May 13`h and September 3''. At the last meeting, there was a <br /> discussion on collaboration with both school systems. This is the yellow sheet. The other area of <br /> major discussion was having the County staff cost out a regular sized high school (1,000-1,500 <br /> students) and compare it to two smaller high schools (500-600 students) and seeing what the <br /> difference is in costs. Secondly, the County staff offered to demonstrate how by taking the bond <br /> money designated for Elementary School #10 and using it for creating high school space. This <br /> could move up the construction of the third high school earlier than what was anticipated. <br /> Alternative financing could then be used for Elementary School #10. The County is still waiting for <br /> a definitive response from the Chapel Hill-Carrboro School Board on this high school space. <br /> Budget Director Donna Dean made reference to attachment 1a-1-c, which is an outline on <br /> how to fund the high school by reverting some funds earmarked for Elementary School #10 to the <br /> high school. The major piece would be the 2001 bond funds of$12.8 million designated for <br /> elementary School #10 and revert it to the high school. There has also been $11.3 million <br /> identified in the 2002-2012 CIP and School Construction Impact Fees. Also, in the alternative- <br /> financing plan, there is $3.7 million identified for new high school studies of some sort. This would <br /> postpone Elementary School #10 and it could be financed with alternative financing. <br /> Chair Jacobs asked for an explanation about moving funds from the elementary school to <br /> the high school and Assistant Manager Rod Visser said that there is nothing against statutory <br /> standards to use the bond money in this way. In Orange County, bond orders are written rather <br /> broadly and as long as the funds are used in the general category of school facilities it will be fine. <br /> Donna Dean referred to the hand-out (pink area) that pointed out that a 750-student high <br /> school is what the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools would like. She talked with Bill Mullin, and <br /> the Department of Public Instruction has included in their package a 600 and an 800-student <br /> school. The total square footage for an 800-student school is 145,000 square feet. For a 600- <br /> student school, it would cost about $17.5 million and $23.9 million for an 800-student school. Two <br /> 600 or 800-student schools could probably not be built with the funding that is outlined. <br /> John Link said that, given the discussion of the improvements to the Lincoln Center, the <br /> County staff cannot project how to project generating more than $27 million for high school space <br /> through debt financing. <br /> Superintendent Neil Pedersen asked for clarification on what John Link said. Donna Dean <br /> said that the debt capacity would allow for what is outlined on the funding possibilities for Chapel <br /> Hill-Carrboro City Schools. At that point, we would be coming close to the limitations according to <br /> the debt policy. <br /> Neil Pedersen asked about the time frame under these funding scenarios. <br /> Donna Dean said that there was a 36-month planning process and this would allow the <br /> school to open in three years and the elementary school could be planned at the same time. <br /> John Link said that he thinks we could come pretty close to what CHCCS's timetable would <br /> require. <br /> Chair Jacobs suggested that he and the Chair of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City School <br /> Board write a letter to the Mayor of Chapel Hill and inquire of the Town to look at sites that are <br /> available outside of the urban services area. At this time, there is a lack of clarity. We need to get <br /> a viable answer from the Mayor. He said that he had a 3-way call with Superintendent Pedersen <br /> and Mayor Foy last week and Chapel Hill was welcomed to participate in the discussion as to <br /> where school sites are located. <br /> Valerie Foushee said that the letter should be written as soon as possible. <br /> Chair Jacobs made reference to the school construction impact fees and said that these <br /> projections are based on a scenario that does not include the Schools Adequate Public Facilities <br /> Ordinance. There may be an impact on the actual income derived from impact fees as a result of <br /> the SAPFO. <br /> Donna Dean said that a certain amount of these impact fees have already been collected <br /> by the school system. <br /> John Link said that we need to get a handle on the impact fees. <br />