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Commissioner Halkiotis made reference to a letter from the Chair to the Chair of the Chatham <br />County Commissioners regarding what the county borders really are. He thought that there was an <br />agreement and the Chatham County Board of Commissioners seems to have changed its view. He said <br />that the bigger issue seems to be that we thought the boundary issue was settled ten years ago and now <br />it has resurfaced. He asked that the Chair and the Manager get together and open up some dialogue <br />with the Manager and the Chair of Chatham County. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis said that he ran into a concerned citizen from Efland today who is also a <br />member of the Efland Fire Department. This person told him that there was a fire the other evening <br />where an elderly woman's house burned to the ground and the Fire Department people called 911 and <br />asked 911 to get up with the Red Crass to help this person. He was told that 911 could not locate <br />anyone from the Red Cross. He asked about the protocol and if the Red Crass responds to minor <br />situations like this. EMS Director Nick Waters said that the Red Crass does offer service for individual <br />citizens. EMS has a paging system with the Red Cross and can attempt to page them. Nick Waters will <br />check an this. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis said that this citizen was very upset. Nick Waters will follow up with the <br />Red Cross and report back to the Manager. <br />Commissioner Gordon made reference to a DOT hearing on the subject of U-4012, which is the <br />bridge modification that the Board supported recently. There will be a design public hearing about the <br />widening over New Hope Creek on 15-501 on February 26th at Githens Middle School. The time and <br />room location will be announced. <br />Commissioner Gordon said that she brought greetings from the County Commissioners at a kickoff <br />celebration for Human Relations Month. Commissioner Jacobs was also there. <br />Commissioner Gordon made reference to a memo from her concerning the siting of the third high <br />school and co-location of the park and the meeting with the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Chapel Hill- <br />Carrboro City School Board Valerie Foushee and Gloria Foley. She gave a complete copy of the memo <br />and attachments to the Clerk. She met with the Chair and Vice-Chair on January 30th and Steve <br />Scroggs came in for part of the meeting. They wanted to focus the attention on the Southern Community <br />Park and the property that is an the comprehensive plan in the Town of Chapel Hill for a school but had <br />some constraints. It is an 80+-acre site. She said that to acquire the additional properly needed for the <br />concept of the park and Schaal location, the Board of County Commissioners will need to be involved. <br />The school board would like to pursue the concept of the school/park concept. She thinks they want to <br />use same of the flatter land on the park site. The concept was that no park functions would be lost, <br />although some park functions might be across 15-501. If it all worked out, there would be more open <br />space. The school board wants the Board of County Commissioners to be involved. There is no <br />committee outside of the High School Planning Task Force. She said that the Chair and Vice-Chair <br />indicated that they wanted to follow the formal process as outlined in Orange County policy on planning <br />and funding school capital projects, which both the County Commissioners and the school board has <br />approved. They acknowledged her role as the representative far the County Commissioners. The <br />committee would consist of Commissioner Gordon, the Chair, and the Vice-Chair of the school board. <br />Jahn Link said that the school board can go out and determine what they think is the best site. <br />However, they cannot spend any money without the County Commissioners' approval in terms of capital <br />funding. The wording in the policy was carefully worked out a few years ago and it speaks to the fact <br />that school boards have the responsibility or the authority to try to site a school. At the same time, it <br />speaks to the fact that the funding for the site and the school comes from the County. He thinks it is a <br />mistake for any of the governing bodies to dwell on the language of the policy. He thinks we should all <br />work together to get a site and get the school built by 2006. <br />Commissioner Gordon agreed with John Link. She read from the policy. She said that as far as <br />she is concerned January 30th was the first time she ever functioned as a representative on the <br />committee. She chose to write a report and present it at an open session. She said that the school <br />board claims that all of the information is public right now. She said that she would keep everyone <br />informed. She thinks the school board is trying to work with the County Commissioners in good faith. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis asked Chair Brown to find out from Mayor Foy when Chapel Hill plans to <br />make a decision with respect to the request from the school board regarding the Southern Park site. <br />Chair Brown said that the Chapel Hill Tawn Council information would go out in their packet this <br />Thursday. <br />2 <br />