Minutes 09-18-2012 - Laserfiche WebLink

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is legally required. The main issue is keeping the floor at the current level of service that was added in 2010. Steve Spade, Chapel Hill Transit Director, made reference to supplantation and hopefully increasing the amount of funds and said that Chapel Hill Transit has supported the cost allocation recommendations in the plan that break out the percentages of the funding that would go to the bus systems after paying for rent. The concern is how to use the funds that the plan allows them to have. Chapel Hill Transit is in support of adding new services, but there are also needs to continue the current operation. He said that they are not out to get more money. Commissioner Jacobs clarified with Steve Spade that it is an issue of reallocating funds within a pool of funds. A motion was made by Chair Pelissier, seconded by Commissioner Jacobs to direct staff to include the MPO as a signatory and to include the appropriate language. VOTE: Ayes, 5; No, 1 (Commissioner McKee) Frank Clifton clarified that this vote means that all three parties will have to agree before changes are made. John Roberts said that the signatories to the agreement were the main sticking point between Orange County staff and Triangle Transit, and since that has been resolved they can bring the other smaller details back later. Chair Pelissier said that at the Triangle Transit Operation and Finance Committee meeting there was some discussion on this issue and there is a difference between making a legal determination on the definition of supplantation versus a policy decision on supplantation. She said that there was grave concern at this meeting that if Orange County allowed the use of the '/�-cent sales tax that it would probably stop Wake County from ever doing anything and putting it on a ballot. There is a lot of mistrust of government and if the County sells a plan as new services and then turns around and uses it for existing services, then the County will lose all credibility of the public. Commissioner Jacobs thanked Commissioner Gordon for her discussion of the MPO role. Commissioner Jacobs said that he would entertain an attempt from Chapel Hill Transit to provide a definition of the change in the document and then ask staff to analyze it. He thinks that the plan will serve people throughout the County. He thinks that most of the staff and elected officials have worked really hard to make sure that there is increased service throughout the County. As long as this basic premise is not being threatened, he is open to a proposal. Commissioner McKee said that this is becoming political. He is not sure that there are a dozen people in Orange County that could give a legally binding definition of supplantation. He does not even understand it fully. He has a real concern that this is a move away from what the County Commissioners should really be doing for the citizens. Commissioner Yuhasz said that 60% of the budget comes from the University and the scenario that the Board has heard is that the University is now putting satellite facilities out and may not need the same kind of services. Unless there is a commitment from the University to maintain their level of funding, there could be a significant drop in the funding to Chapel Hill Transit. He asked if Chapel Hill Transit would make up that significant amount of money from the '/�-cent sales tax, or if Chapel Hill Transit could meet its obligation to maintain the level of funding, much less the level of service. He is not opposed to working something out. Commissioner Hemminger suggested sitting down with both parties and specifying where all of the funds are coming from.