Orange County NC Website
school building fund monies. It happened one year and has been hanging over their <br />heads. They are relatively confident that the public school building fund money will <br />came through. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis made reference to page 5, Fair Funding for Schools <br />Reserve Fund, the second bullet, "should County pick up casts far school resource <br />officers now paid by schools" and asked that this information list how many SRO's there <br />are per school, how much the school system is paying, how much they are getting from <br />the State as a funded position, how much the County is paying, and the current sources <br />of revenue. John Link said that they have asked both school systems far this <br />information exactly this way. <br />Commissioner Gordon said that they also asked for this same information far <br />nurses and social workers. <br />Commissioner Gordon asked about the lottery proceeds and the capital funding <br />policy. John Link said that they are recommending that lottery money be spent for debt <br />service and capital projects in lieu of increasing the property tax by two cents. <br />Commissioner Gordon said that there is some property tax revenue in the capital <br />funding policy, and if it is taken out, then the County is supplanting currently allocated <br />money with lottery money. John Link said that he does not see it that way and since the <br />Board of County Commissioners have not adopted the capital funding policy yet, since <br />this is the first year of the lottery proceeds, and since they are facing a large tax increase <br />the staff thought it would be a goad idea to use the lottery proceeds in a way that <br />produces the potential property tax increase. <br />Chair Jacobs said to make sure that at the first capital discussion, that they <br />review the funding policy. Commissioner Gordon agreed. <br />Chair Jacobs made reference to page 5 and the debt service and asked that <br />there be a parenthetical note about how much of the 7 cents that was promised for the <br />2001 bonds that will now be retired. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis asked about the modest increase of the 3R fee and Rod <br />Visser said that the basic fee would go from $14 to $16. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis asked for the total dollars collected last year from the 3R <br />fee and a breakout and if it reduced the County's costs in recycling efforts. He said that <br />he would not support this because of the track record of customer service at the landfill. <br />He thinks that the customer service is embarrassing at this time. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis said that he paid $27 last year and he asked what the <br />increase would be and Rod Visser answered $34. Commissioner Halkiotis said that he <br />has not gotten any additional service for the fee he paid last year because of where he <br />lives and others have said the same thing. He still has to drive to the solid waste <br />convenience center and he does not have rural pickup. He said that not all are treated <br />equal in this and someone has to convince him during the budget process to support this <br />increase. <br />Chair Jacobs said that he saw an alert from NCACC about adding $2.00 to the <br />tipping fees in every county. He asked the staff to look into this. <br />Jahn Link said that this is his 18t" and final budget presentation since he is <br />retiring in August. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis thanked John Link for all he has done and in presenting <br />budgets for 18 years and he said that all budgets have been caring and consistent. He <br />said that Jahn Link is a person that cares about everyone and there is nothing personal <br />in the budget recommendation. <br />Commissioner Gordon asked about the legislative initiative to get back the <br />money that was taken away from the County four years ago now that the State has a <br />surplus. Chair Jacobs said that the letter is signed and will ga out tomorrow. There <br />