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Sam Weir: Good evening Commissioners. My name is Sam Weir. We live here in Hillsborough about three blacks up the road. I work in Chapel Hill. I have two kids. Neither of them is in either of these school systems. I came down here tonight to talk because there is na basketball on TV, because I wanted to get some practice public speaking. Thank you for the opportunity to come to speak to you tonight. And I want to thank you far the time that you're putting in, no just on this issue, but for all the issues that face the County and residents. I do not envy you in the next few weeks as you deliberate how you're going to approach this decision, and how you're going to vote an it. Clearly, there are a lot of feelings on this issue in our County. No matter what you do, you're going to make same people unhappy. I'm just here to perhaps suggest same ways to approach your decision, and tell you how I at least approach it. I think it's appropriate that we're meeting in the courtroom tonight. It's appropriate to remind ourselves as previously was so very eloquently done. We live in a country where the rule of law is above the rule of emotion and the rule of the strong individual. Under that rule of law, North Carolina General Statute calls for the provision for a system of free public schools throughout the State, wherein equal opportunity shall be provided for all schools. And so I submit to you Commissioners tonight that the central question for you to consider as you approach this issue is what's the best way to provide equal educational opportunities for all children in Orange County. I'm familiar with your proposals, and I am speaking in the distinct minority, but I am still speaking in favor of Commissioner Corey's proposal to merge the two school districts in Orange County. And again, I do not have a child in either district. I have one kid that's in a middle school and that's a private school, and I have another kid that's in a charter school in Durham County. Equal funding, which is suggested in several of the Commissioner proposals, will not ensure what the law requires, which is equal educational opportunity. Equal funding will not ensure that the child with Down's syndrome in the Cameron Park school district will have the same educational opportunities as a child with Down's syndrome in the Frank Porter Graham Elementary School district. Equal funding will not ensure that a child currently attending East Chapel Hill High, who has aspirations to become a farmer, or who has aspirations for vocational training will have the same educational opportunity as a child that is attending Orange County High. And finally, equal funding will not ensure that a child at Orange High School will have the same opportunities to learn about college opportunities as a child who attends Chapel Hill High. In conclusion, funding equality is insufficient to provide what the law requires, which is equal opportunity far all Orange County students. I therefore submit to you that the only proposal that's currently before you that will adequately ensure the timely provision of educational opportunity for all Orange County students is Commissioner Corey's proposal to merge the two school systems, to seek the school systems' input as to how best to da that, and to do it in such a way that it absolutely minimizes any redistricting that might at some point occur. In conclusion, I might say that I am a product of the North Carolina public school system; I'm a product of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg system, which merged while I was a student there. Merger is not the end of the world. And I think that na matter what happens, many students in Orange County will do well. And I'm sure that you guys will wrestle with this, and I wish you well. Karl Knapp: I want to applaud you for the sentiments you expressed at your November 11t" meeting. You have recognized that the voices you've heard at the first two public hearings were not those of Chapel Hill parents trying to keep their money away from