Orange County NC Website
Commissioner Gordan said that her argument is that, to make a reasonable decision, <br />the Board would need to laok at the entire ten-year CIP and then figure out the priorities. She <br />would also like to talk about whether the general fund will actually grow 8-9°I°, or whether it will <br />be less. <br />Rod Visser said that the County's debt capacity is tied to same really significant <br />assumptions -growth in general fund expenditures each year, interest rates, timing of individual <br />projects, etc. He believes that all of the estimates about debt service impacts are based on the <br />assumption of a 20-year debt service at a 6°~ interest rate. He said that, in meetings with the <br />Local Government Commission, the LGC indicated that they would be willing to work with the <br />County an any passible underwritings to structure the debt service payments on certain projects <br />to give mare flexibility. For example, there might be a way to postpone some of the principal <br />payments for a number of months in order to be able to issue the debt if a project would need to <br />move forward. <br />Donna Coffey made reference to the four packets of information and explained them. <br />Cammissioner Gordon expressed concern about the $67.4 million of debt. Rod Visser <br />said that the staff is trying to present that, if the Board felt that everything on the list is important, <br />then the Board can ask the staff to find a way to structure the debt so that it can be done. He is <br />not necessarily advocating far the $67.4 million. In answer to a question from Commissioner <br />Gordon, he said that the county would have to stretch the debt issuance for the $67.4 million <br />over three years, and utilize three years of debt capacity instead of two. <br />Donna Coffey said that, of the $67.4 million, it would not have to be issued all atone <br />time. They ran some numbers today, and since 1989-1990, the average annual increase has <br />been about 8.3°~ a year. There was one year with only a 1 °~ increase. <br />Rod Visser pointed aut that some of the numbers in the $67.4 million could be subject to <br />change (i.e., DTCC satellite campus and potential grant funding, Elementary Schaol #10, and <br />others). <br />Rod Visser made reference to Carrboro High School and Commissioner Halkiotis' <br />question and said that there is another $9 million programmed for issuance. Because of cash <br />flaw requirements, they need to pursue ashort-term financing instrument and later on roll that <br />into alonger-term issuance. <br />Finance Director Ken Chaviaus said that this comes at the recommendation of the LGC. <br />The project is being built right now and the bond money is almost gone. They are going to ask <br />the Board to adopt a resolution to authorize short-term financing on September 12th. They will <br />do this short-term financing for six months, which will give them time to structure the other debt <br />to issue sometime before the close of the fiscal year. <br />Rod Visser asked about the estimate of interest rates and Ken Chavious said that this <br />week it was 4.34%. <br />Commissioner Carey pointed out that Orange County is one of the few local <br />governments with aself-impaled debt threshold. Rod Visser said that there are more <br />governments that are going in this direction. Commissioner Carey would like to have the big <br />picture. <br />Commissioner Gordon agreed that the Board should discuss these foundational issues <br />because it is all predicated on certain assumptions. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis spoke about his opinion on these projects. He has no problem <br />with Carrboro High School and he thinks that this should be moved along. He has questions <br />about Elementary #10 because he is not sure he fully understands the infrastructure needs, the <br />connector road, possible roundabouts, etc. He has no problem with affordable hauling, Animal <br />Services, Efland water and sewer, greenways, Homestead Aquatics, Lands Legacy, Justice <br />Facilities, and DTCC satellite campus. He is not convinced that the County can afford all of the <br />sustainable design elements. He has no problem with the park and ride lot, senior centers, the <br />