Minutes - 20050602 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

with the state as a whole. The schools still scrape by. The proposed increase is barely enough to keep up with inflation, salaries, and materials. He said that he does not see a lot of strong progress on collaboration and funding equalization. He said that it is the time to move toward funding equalization and improved funding far education. He asked the citizens to consider what he is going to do - send a check to the schools. Terri Tyson is a CHCCS parent of four children. She is serving an the Board of the Phillips Middle School PTSA and her son will be attending Smith Middle School in the new Leap program. Both groups have encouraged her to speak. She said that it is the County Commissioners' direct responsibility to provide for the public safety of citizens. Therefore, she asks that the County specifically fund the resource officers for the middle schools. This should be done under the Public Safety budget. She said that the SROs help prevent possible bad events. She spoke highly of the SROs in the schools. She also asked for full funding of the CHCCS budget request. Robert Dowling is the Executive Director of Orange Community Housing and Land Trust. He said that they appreciate what Orange County has provided aver the past 14 years. They would like to request $110,000 rather than $100,000 in operation funding. He said that they rely on periodic increases from local government funding in order to remain a financially viable organization. Their workload has increased dramatically in the last five years. Five years ago this month they placed the first house in the land trust, and today there are over 100 houses in the land trust. Land trust homes are built to be affordable forever. The bulk of the land trust homes are currently in Chapel Hill, but the next 100 homes will be more evenly distributed among Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and Hillsborough. Their budget next year is projected to be $347,000, and they are projecting a $12,000 deficit next year, including the additional $10,000 requested of the County. He provided a line item budget to the County Commissioners and said that no one gets rich working far anon-profit organization. This year he had to recommend to his board to reduce the retirement benefits for his staff. He said that their services are very valuable to the residents of Orange County because the homes are affordable and dispersed in new neighborhoods. He asked for the County Commissioners' assistance in the additional $10,000. Sally Boericke was representing the Historic Hillsborough Commission, which owns and operates the Burwell School historic site. She asked for a grant of $4,000 in capital funding for urgently needed repair to the exterior of the Burwell School. The building is threatened by moisture damage that has compromised the structural support system. The total cost for the repair project is estimated at $107,000. She said that Orange County has previously supported restoration at the Burwell School. The Commission is seeking a mix of funding from the State, County, Town of Hillsborough, private foundations, and local organizations. She spoke about the historical significance of the Burwell School. It is the site of one of the earliest female academies in the state. The school also houses an important Orange County archival collection. It also holds concerts, art exhibits, lectures, and Last Friday events. Finally, it functions as an educational resource with interpretive programs, teacher workshops, and a heritage education program that has served 1,200 school children since 2002. Carolyn Wade is an employee of the Orange County Health Department. She is an outreach worker and does home visiting. She is an advocate for mothers that are on Medicaid, and she goes to some dangerous places. She spoke in support of the Manager's recommended budget for Orange County employees. She has been an employee for 19 years and she said that a lot of new employees come in making mare than she does now. Andrea Tullos was representing the Orange County Schools Parent Leadership Council as the elected president. The PLC represents all of the PTOs and PTAs of each