Orange County NC Website
Item 36 includes the full funding of the present 4% in-range salary adjustment that the <br />County Commissioners approved this year. Items 42-43 are the anticipated increases in health <br />insurance. <br />Beginning with item 45, they are anticipating addressing transfer of development rights, <br />updating school construction impact fees technical report, telecommunications study for EMS, <br />payment-in-lieu fee technical report update, and rental space needs for temporary relocation of <br />court-related functions. Section 5 totals $5.3 million, which is 3.9 cents on the tax rate. <br />Section 6 includes $900,000 for removing the hiring delay. He will probably be <br />recommending that the hiring delay be continued in some form. The Green Tract payback must <br />be executed at some point in the future and it is $607,375. Also included is the Orange County <br />Rescue Squad Request and elevating the per capita funding for library services. Other items in <br />section 6 do not have a number, but the County Commissioners have stated the importance of <br />addressing the items. <br />Section 7 includes the Efland/Buckhorn Community Water and Sewer, which must be <br />completed for Gravelly Hill Middle School to open, and Orange County campus of Durham <br />Technical Community College Green Building Initiatives. <br />Section 8 is the increase necessary to fully implement the County's Capital Funding <br />Policy, which is $1,200,000. <br />The total potential impact of sections 1-8 is $20.8 million or 16.8 cents on the tax rate. <br />He said that the revenue picture does not include $20.8 million of additional funding. <br />Dennis Whitling said that for years they have heard the guideline of 48°~ for funding <br />schools and he asked where this came from and if there was any discussion of changing that <br />guideline. <br />Rod Visser said that this was a detailed process involving elected officials. The <br />historical context had something to do with it. It is a target and not a cap. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis made reference to the list of non-departmental agencies that the <br />County funds that serve the students of both school systems. The total amount was close to $2 <br />million. He asked that this list go to both school boards. He said that people need to see the <br />additional monies that are put out to non-departmental government agencies that are providing <br />services across both school systems to all children. <br />Chair Jacobs said that the equity line is zero right now for the per pupil, but it will go up <br />to some degree. He asked who would like to volunteer to be part of a small group or volunteer <br />to organize the three boards getting together to discuss equity. <br />Libbie Haugh asked why they would need to define equity when she defines it as fair. <br />She thinks that they need to define how to get there. She did not vote for the district tax in <br />Orange County because she did not think it was a fair and equitable way to address the school <br />funding issue. She said that there is full understanding that there will be a tax increase if they <br />get a higher funded budget. She said that they need a plan and it does not need to include the <br />entire representation from all three boards. She said she hoped that CHCCS would want to <br />participate, too. She suggested having two members from the Board of County Commissioners <br />and three members from each school board and see what they can accomplish in 2-3 hours. <br />Commissioner Gordon said that it is important that they proceed, and if everyone wants <br />to have a smaller group, she would volunteer. <br />Discussion ensued an the composition of the group that will meet to discuss equity. <br />Chair Jacobs asked the Manager to talk to the two Superintendents about developing a <br />charge. <br />Lisa Stuckey said that she would be willing to volunteer if there were one or two <br />meetings. <br />