Minutes - 20030610 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

APPROVED 912103 MINUTES ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BUDGET WORK SESSION June 10, 2003 The Board of County Commissioners met for a Budget Work Session on Tuesday, June 10, 2003 at 7:30 p. m. at the Southern Human Services Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Margaret W. Brown, and Commissioners Alice M. Gordon, Stephen H. Halkiotis, Barry Jacobs COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: Moses Carey, Jr. COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager John Link, Assistant County Managers Rod Visser and Gwen Harvey and Clerk to the Board Donna S. Baker (All other county staff will be appropriately identified below). NOTE: ALL DOCUMENTS REFERRED TO IN THESE MINUTES ARE IN THE PERMANENT AGENDA FILE IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE. Commissioner Carey was out of town and could nat attend the meeting. 1. Chair Review of Schedule and Topics Chair Brawn opened the meeting. 2. School Budgets and CIP • Caunty Manager Comments John Link referred to the yellow sheet, which is the mathematical equations for per pupil funding for school systems in the State. The blue sheet is the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools and Orange County Schools focal requests. He briefly explained the yellow sheet. He said that, by State law, the Caunty Commissioners appropriate money on a per pupil basis. He pointed aut that the Caunty Commissioners do not make any decisions on the specific programs that the board of education ultimately decides. Secondly, the County Commissioners have no latitude in changing the budget after it is adopted. He said that the increase in $50 per pupil equates to balancing the entire County budget, school expense, and funding versus the operations of the rest of County government. The target for funding of schools is 48.1 % of the entire County budget. The recommended budget is 48.3%. He made reference to the public comments that the County Commissioners fund the schools at full funding. Full funding would equate to another four cents on the tax rate, assuming the rest of the budget is approved by the County Commissioners. He made reference to the gap in the percentages of requested funds for each school system and said that UCS asked fora 25% increase and CHCCS asked fora 7% increase. He reiterated that the boards of education ultimately make the decisions on which of the line items are funded. • OCS Superintendent and Board of Education Presentation Mike Williams, OCS Interim Superintendent, gave a PowerPoint presentation. He said that the budget outlook for 2003-2004 presents a challenge to those who believe in a strong public school system. There are declining revenues at the State level, increasing student numbers at the local level, and a declining fund balance. He said that they chose the title of the report, "Budget Development Status Report" because the development of their budget is an ongoing project. He explained the six major funds that the school systems operate under -State Public School Fund, Local Current Expense Fund, Federal Grant Fund, Capital outlay Fund, Child Nutrition Fund, and