Orange County NC Website
APPROVED 9/7/2005 <br />MINUTES <br />ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />BUDGET WORK SESSION <br />June 9, 2005 <br />7:30 p.m. <br />The Orange County Board of Commissioners met for a Work Session on Thursday, June 9, <br />2005 at 7:30 p.m. at the Southern Human Services Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. <br />COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Moses Carey and Commissioners <br />Valerie P. Foushee, Alice M. Gordon, Stephen Halkiotis and Barry Jacobs <br />COUNTY ATTORNEY PRESENT: Geoffrey Gledhill <br />COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager John M. Link, Jr., Assistant County <br />Managers Rod Visser and Gwen Harvey, and Clerk to the Board Donna S. Baker {All other <br />staff members will be identified appropriately below). <br />NOTE: ALL DOCUMENTS REFERRED TO IN THESE MINUTES ARE IN THE <br />PERMANENT AGENDA FILE IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE <br />1. Chair Review of Schedule and Topics <br />Chair Carey made opening comments. <br />2. BOCC Technology Package <br />Chair Carey said that this relates to the recommended communications infrastructure <br />for County Commissioners. He said that the adoption of the cellular technology portion does <br />not require County Commissioners to select one of the models. If the Board approves the <br />option, the County Commissioners can decide to either select the one recommended by the <br />staff, or keep the one they have and receive subsidy to pay for the cost of it. The <br />recommended package for computer technology does include wireless communication. <br />Todd Jones said that there is only wireless capability at the Southern Human <br />Services Center, but there is money in the budget request to ga wireless at the F. Gordon <br />Battle Courtroom and the Government Services Center. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis asked about the total amount in the budget to accomplish <br />this, and Todd Jones said the standard charges are $80lmonth per location. Commissioner <br />Halkiotis would like to speed this process up and he suggested using the Commissioners' <br />Contingency Fund to get this done before August. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis asked what the wireless capability would include. Todd <br />Jones said that it enables anyone with a fairly modern wireless device to connect freely to <br />the Internet from that location. Commissioner Halkiotis asked if there were audio and video <br />capabilities that go along with this. Todd Jones said that the recommendation would be not <br />to rely on wireless for the transmission of video or audio data. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis asked why the staff was recommending IBM Thinkpads and <br />not Dell computers. Todd Jones said that they have had a lot of success with IBM. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis said that he has seen technology in County government and <br />there is a policy of trying to support North Carolina businesses. He has heard that IBM has <br />sold out to a Chinese conglomerate. He does not like IBM. <br />Commissioner Gordon arrived at 7.40 p.m. <br />Chair Carey asked to see the costs of Dell. <br />