Orange County NC Website
Commissioner Gordon made reference to page 5-79, and Previously Unfunded Outside <br />Agencies, and she would like to see them listed and given a description like the other ones. <br />Donna Dean said that this is included in the package for June 16t" <br />Commissioner Halkiotis asked about the Schaffer House, which has been in the budget <br />far many years. He asked if this was still actively serving students. Nancy Costan said that <br />they are serving 5-6 kids only in OCS. <br />Chair Carey asked about the Senior Care Program that is requesting $40,000. Assistant <br />County Manager Gwen Harvey said that this was originally funded to the Department on Aging <br />and it was the intention of the Board for this organization to become its own entity. In this fiscal <br />year, it comes forward as an outside agency, requesting that the Board appropriate the $40,000 <br />as the original appropriation for Senior Care of Orange County, Inc. This is chaired by Florence <br />Soltys. On page 5-4$, Department an Aging Administration, there is a corresponding reduction <br />of $40,000 in operations. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis made reference to page 5-74, Alliance of AIDS Services, which <br />is assistance to low-income people living with HIV-AIDS. North Carolina ranks at the bottom of <br />the 50 states in providing services to poor people with AIDS. <br />Section 6: <br />Commissioner Jacobs said that Hillsborough gave $5,000 for the library and asked if it <br />was conditioned at all. Assistant County Manager Gwen Harvey said that she verified that with <br />Town Manager Eric Peterson that this is a general appropriation far the library, but it is <br />specifically for Hillsborough. <br />Commissioner Jacobs said that it looks as if the operations budget is unchanged. He <br />thought that one of the recommendations of the Library Services Task Force was to try and <br />raise the level of support for library services in Orange County. He asked if there was any <br />thought about putting more money into the budget. Library Services Brenda Stephens said that <br />she held the line this year. <br />Chair Carey asked if there was something related to the strategic plan that the County <br />should be doing that it is not doing. Commissioner Jacobs said that Orange County is way <br />below the State average for the per capita allocation for library services. <br />Assistant County Manager Gwen Harvey said that the update to the report conducted <br />last summer was dealing with the adequacy of space and did not address questions from the <br />original task force. <br />Chair Carey said that it would help him mare if there were some qualitative information <br />on what the County should invest in for library services. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis suggested asking the staff what $50,000 more would buy and <br />what $100,000 more would buy so that they know exactly what they would get with additional <br />money. He thinks the County is sending the wrong message with library services. <br />Chair Carey said that they could increase the per capita by funding the Town of Chapel <br />Hill's request. This would not serve the needs of people all over the County. <br />Commissioner Jacobs made reference to page 6-13, Recreation and Parks, and asked <br />about the increase in revenues because of additional fees collected. Recreation and Parks <br />Director Lori Taft said that it is not an increase in fees, but more fees because more people are <br />signing up for activities. <br />Rod Visser said that the Board will adopt the fee schedule on June 23~d, and any <br />changes will be shown. <br />