Orange County NC Website
<br />The Board adopted a resolution, which is incorporated by reference, required by SunTrust Bank <br />to facilitate the financing of equipment approved for purchase by the Board in April 2006 and <br />authorized the Finance Director and County Attorney to execute appropriate documents. <br />VOTE ON CONSENT AGENDA: UNANIMOUS <br />ITEMS REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA: <br />h. Buckhorn Raad EDDlGravelly Hill WaterlSewer Project -Relocating Mebtel <br />Telephone Service Lines from WaterlSewer Path <br />The Board considered approving a contract with Mebtel Communications for relocating <br />existing telephone lines along the north side of West Ten Road to prevent interference with the <br />construction of the County's Buckhorn Raad EDD/Gravelly Hill Water/Sewer project. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis said that he was concerned last week when one or two OCS <br />board members said that Orange County was spending less on the school systems than in the <br />past. He said that this item is another example of the Orange County Board of Commissioners <br />coming to the rescue just to get the infrastructure of a school in place. He said that it is <br />important to note that Mebtel is going to charge Orange County government $36,830 to relocate <br />these lines in the ground from one side of the road to the other. He thinks that it is important to <br />note that the Manager, the staff, and the County Commissioners have risen to the challenge - <br />$1.5 million for water and sewer, $36,830 for the phone lines, $60,000 for relocating the Duke <br />Power lines, and $3.5 million for budget overrun for construction increases. He said that if you <br />add the other $6.8 million for forgiving the debt for Cedar Ridge High School, in the last 14 <br />months, Orange Caunty has put out $12 million to OCS. He said that this is significant. <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Halkiotis, seconded by Commissioner Carey to <br />approve a contract to have Mebtel Communications relocate the telephone lines along the north <br />shoulder of West Ten Road, subject to final review by staff and the County Attorney, and <br />authorize the Chair to sign the contract. <br />Commissioner Carey said that he did not hear this comment from OCS that the County <br />is slipping on the funding, since he was not at the joint school board meeting. He said that they <br />talk about the percentage of the budget that goes to schools, but there is a fallacy in it because <br />people begin to think of that as an entitlement. He said that they might need to rethink this <br />process and do more for the Caunty buildings. This does not mean that the schools are getting <br />less; it means that the whole budget is going up. <br />Chair Jacobs said that when the actual spending takes place, the schools get more than <br />50°~ of the budget, because they spend it all and the County does not spend all that it allocates <br />to itself. <br />Commissioner Carey said that this is a problem and people remind him that there are <br />more seniors in the County then there are students. <br />Chair Jacobs pointed out that the opening statement from the OCS board was that in the <br />next ten years, the CHCCS would need three new schools and OCS would not need any, so <br />they should not support any new bonds. <br />VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br />6. Resolutions or Proclamations <br />a. Older Americans Month and Senior Center Week <br />The Board considered joining federal and state governments in designating the month of <br />May as Older Americans Month, a time to honor older citizens for their contributions to society; <br />and also to designate the week of May 14 through May 20 as Senior Center Week in Orange <br />