Minutes - 20041214 - Laserfiche WebLink

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The staff is recommending that the budget be set at $4.1 million. Staff will come back at the January meeting with a set of funding options for the Board to define where the money comes from and the opportunities for private funding. PUBLIC COMMENT: Robert Seymour spoke in support of this proposal. He is a member of the design committee. He recognized two members of the Board of the Friends of the Chapel Hill Senior Center and two members of the staff. He thanked the County Commissioners that have worked to bring this item forward. He especially thanked Commissioner Foushee for publicly supporting this in her recent campaign. He also thanked John Link for his support. He said that 15 years has passed since he proposed a new senior center for Chapel Hill. There was some reluctance on the Board at that time to move forward. He said that the County agreed to put in 213 of the cost of leasing the space and the seniors have been raising the final third for 15 years. He said that the senior population is estimated at aver 10,000 in southern Orange County. The RSVP program now has over 600 seniors that are placed in volunteer positions all around the County, particularly in the public school system, hospital, library, and non-profit groups. He said that the senior population represents a significant percentage of the tax base of the County. He made reference to the kitchen of the proposed building and said that they very much need a commercial kitchen. One of the great frustrations at the current center is that they have had to rely on caterers and there are many occasions where they would like to be able to prepare food on site for large groups. One of their other visions is that Meals on Wheels be a base at the Chapel Hill Senior Center where the seniors would provide meal service to homebound seniors from the senior center. He hopes that the new senior center will serve the seniors for at least another 15-20 years, but that it be built in such a way that it can be expanded if needed. He regrets that the bond that was passed for senior centers does not provide enough money to build what they need. Commissioner Jacobs made reference to page 4 and the list of owner supplied items, where it mentions added storm water detention pond. He asked where this was on the property. Pam Jones said that this has not been designated yet. Commissioner Gordon asked the architect, Richard Gurlitz, how the proposal to build the building, without outfitting it completely, would work. Richard Gurlitz said that the typical way to do this is to set priorities and build what is absolutely needed and then add on from that. For example, the classrooms could be one large area to be subdivided at a future time. The office area may be one large area as opposed to small offices that would be subdivided later. Commissioner Gordon asked the architect to confirm that the $4.1 million would be enough to build at least the 25, 000 square feet, although some of the building might need to be the basic shell, and Richard Gurlitz said yes. Commissioner Halkiotis said that this has been going on for 15 years and this facility needs to be built now, even if it means just having a shell in some areas and outfitting it later. If a detention pond is needed, the cost should be shared with other projects going on and not put solely on the back of the senior center. A motion was made by Commissioner Halkiotis, seconded by Commissioner Gordon to approve establishing a budget of $4.1 million to support the facility program far the new 25,000 square foot Southern Orange Senior Center, being developed in collaboration with the Southern Orange Senior Center Planning Committee; and direct staff to bring forward funding options by January 2005, that addresses the construction of both senior centers. VOTE: UNANIMOUS b. 10-Year Student Membership Projections and Schools Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (SAPFO) Implications