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Commissioner Carey said that both he and his wife have been subjects of the realtor's <br /> association calls and they were appalled about the misinformation that was included. He <br /> agreed with Commissioner Nelson. He was going to go with Option B, but if the Board wants to <br /> go with Option A, then he would support this. <br /> Commissioner Gordon agreed about the specifics of direct mailing. She said that she <br /> would be hard pressed to decide on proposals without specifics. <br /> Laura Blackmon said that her recommendation was to go with Option B, particularly if <br /> the Board wanted to do some direct mailing because printing and mailing is very expensive. <br /> She recommended keeping in reserve some funding for contingency. <br /> Chair Jacobs said that he will support whatever the Board of County Commissioners <br /> wants to do. He has reservations about sending a mixed message that the County needs <br /> money, but it will spend money for education. However, he is persuaded that when the County <br /> is facing $31 million elementary schools and $55 million middle schools, the Board does not <br /> want to keep raising property taxes at the current rate, and alternatives are needed. The <br /> legislature has given counties very few alternatives. He said that there are some very principal <br /> and articulate individual realtors in the County who are opposed to the land transfer tax, and <br /> there are a number who are in favor of it. There are also several organizations that are <br /> disingenuous and misleading, and the only way to try and combat that kind of tactic is to give <br /> voters honest information and then let them make their choice. He said that the consultants are <br /> only here to help people understand the real facts, not the facts sold to them by professional <br /> realtors. <br /> Commissioner Gordon asked the Manger to restate her recommendation. <br /> Laura Blackmon said that her recommendation is to engage Ballen Media for consulting <br /> services, and that the Board approve an expenditure not to exceed $100,000, with 10% of that <br /> being held in a contingency fund. That means that the planned expenditures will be up to <br /> $90,000, with the remaining $10,000 to be spent only if additional circumstances warrant it. The <br /> rest of the recommendation is as listed in the abstract, <br /> A motion was made by Commissioner Gordon, seconded by Commissioner Carey to <br /> approve the Manager's recommendation as follows: engage Ballen Media for consulting <br /> services at an expenditure not to exceed $100,000, with 10% going into a contingency fund; <br /> direct the Manager to prepare an agreement, subject to final review by staff and the County <br /> Attorney, between the County and Ballen Media that includes the elements of the proposal <br /> approved by the BOCC; authorize the Chair to sign the resulting agreement; and direct staff to <br /> amend the County's FY 2007-08 Budget Ordinance to appropriate the amount approved by the <br /> Board for this voter education effort from fund balance to the Governing and Management <br /> function of the General Fund. <br /> VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br /> 7. Reports-NONE <br /> 8. Board Comments (Three Minute Limit per Commissioner) <br /> Commissioner Gordon distributed some handouts. She said that TTA has changed its <br /> name to Triangle Transit, and it just received delivery of five new buses with the new logo. All <br /> buses will be here by June and ridership has increased. <br /> Commissioner Gordon said that the Durham-Chapel Hill work group met and talked <br /> about the master plan for the Hollow Rock area. <br /> Commissioner Carey— no comments. <br /> Commissioner Foushee said that there are no children waiting for DSS subsidies for <br /> daycare. Also, she had a chance to visit three elementary schools in Orange County—one in <br /> CHCCS and two in OCS —and she acknowledged her thank you cards from New Hope <br /> Elementary. <br /> 15 <br />