Minutes - 20031023 - Laserfiche WebLink

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PUBLIC COMMENT: Chair Brown: Well, I hoped that helped everyone just get a basic knowledge. And that is the report that the Commissioners asked for last January. And we're slowly, as you can see, adding the frequently asked questions -those that we can answer factually, and there's just questions we cannot answer. So we're trying to do the ones that we can as quickly as possible. This meeting is being filmed and it will be shown on the cable channels. A lot of people do get cable; if you don't, we can certainly make sure that you get a copy of it if you would like ta. We also have our County staff that is able to do a presentation if you have a group that would like to hear a presentation. If you would call the County offices and just ask us, and we'll set something up on our calendar to da so. And we also have the website we're getting lots of comments from, and we appreciate that. And I think individually the Commissioners are getting lots of interesting email, so we appreciate that too. I'm just going to start mixing up people on the three sheets that I have. So far there are 60. I'm sure there will be more. They'll be brought up to me. We had about 65 people speak last Thursday and it took us to almost 11:00. So we want to make sure everyone gets to speak this evening. Sa I'd like to call five people's names, and if you would came up here and just move on to the podium to speak right there, that would be great, and just keep moving along with it. She called up the ilrst lrve people. Mark Peters: Yes. Hi again. I speak on behalf of the Seawell Elementary 5GC PTA and Family Outreach Team. After researching the issues, hearing public comment, and receiving input from our constituents, we are opposed to merger at this time. It is clear that two primary problems need to be addressed. First, determining and providing an appropriate level of funding for County schools and second, increasing collaboration between the systems. Solving these two problems does not justify merging the school systems. Seawell's parents and teachers are very concerned about the likely impact of staffing and student reassignment due to our location. It is clear that citizens want a voice and an informed decision about possible merger and are strongly against an imposed merger. We continue to have the concerns we presented in the October 16tH hearing. We will continue to study information as it becomes available. We endorse Neil Pedersen's recommendations of October 9, 2003. I would briefly like to speak on behalf of INFORM by telling you that the INFORM website is at 4schools.us. And now I'd like to speak for myself. Most citizens in the community have expressed shock and outrage that a referendum is not part of this process. In Appendix O of the County merger documents, the County Attorney states that the law allows a straw vote referendum. However, in the County presentation, it is stated that this is not allowed. I would like to know why this interpretation changed. I spoke with Ms. Enscoe, our State House Representative. She was not aware of any prohibition on anon-binding referendum. However, if there is a prohibition, she informed me that the State House could entertain a motion in the short legislative session to allow a referendum if at least four Orange Commissioners vote for