Orange County NC Website
3 <br /> 1 <br /> 2 Financial Impact <br /> 3 iiiiiiiiiiiii Schematic Budget: <br /> 4 $1.2 million - $1.4 million <br /> 5 iiiiiiiiiiiii $425,000 budgeted within current CIP (Link Upfit); however debt not <br /> 6 sold <br /> 7 iiiiiiiiiiiii Should Project Move Forward: <br /> 8 Debt Financing would be recommended (current rates are <br /> 9 favorable) <br /> 10 Financing would not hinder the County's debt capacity <br /> 11 Savings generated from recent refundings of debt would <br /> 12 offset any increase in debt service for the project. <br /> 13 <br /> 14 <br /> 15 Commissioner Jacobs said that the parking spaces on the south side of parking deck <br /> 16 are not full size spaces, near Weaver Street. He said that the Town has flexibility in their <br /> 17 standards when it comes to size of parking spaces. <br /> 18 Commissioner Jacobs said that the trees beside the Health Department were planted as <br /> 19 memorials for 9/11 , and this needs to be noted before deciding to do away with those. <br /> 20 Commissioner Hemminger said that area 3 could be used better and should be done <br /> 21 even if nothing is done with the room. She would prefer to work on areas 1 and 3 first. <br /> 22 Commissioner Jacobs made reference to lighting for parking and said that they should <br /> 23 consider buffers if lighting is used. He said that it has already been a sore point related to the <br /> 24 parking deck downtown. <br /> 25 Mike Hammersley said that anything that is done would have to follow the Town's <br /> 26 ordinances and he has calculated this into his drawings with the parking. <br /> 27 Commissioner Gordon said that the zoning is residential and she is concerned about the <br /> 28 impact of bringing people into a residential area at night if there were night meetings. <br /> 29 Ken Redfoot went through the two floor plans on the PowerPoint. There is a 13,000 <br /> 30 square foot footprint. The existing library would be very accommodating for a meeting room for <br /> 31 the Board of County Commissioners and a theatrical facility. He went through the blueprint of <br /> 32 the building. There would have to be some improvements, which would include a handicapped <br /> 33 ramp. The meeting room would include 133 seats, with an array of seating. The next plan <br /> 34 adds more seating with up to 280 seats. <br /> 35 Commissioner Hemminger said that she is excited about this opportunity for a meeting <br /> 36 room and a theatrical facility. She thinks that this is a good fit. She asked about the acoustics. <br /> 37 Ken Redfoot said that any further planning should include an acoustical engineer. <br /> 38 Frank Clifton said that the discussions with the arts group are that the County would <br /> 39 construct the shell building and supply it with meeting support structure, and then if the County <br /> 40 entered into an agreement with the cultural arts group then this group would bear the finances <br /> 41 that would apply to a theatrical unit. He said that this is a feasible opportunity if the Town will <br /> 42 work with the County. <br /> 43 Commissioner Gordon asked about the size of the meeting space and the cost of <br /> 44 building a new meeting room. Ken Redfoot said about 4,900 square feet. A new building <br /> 45 construction would cost around $300-400 per square foot. <br /> 46 Commissioner Gordon said that according to page 4, it does not look like the Town <br /> 47 wants to take responsibility. She said that her personal opinion is that the County <br /> 48 Commissioners' meeting room needs to be near the east or west campus downtown. She said <br /> 49 that the staff needs to be able to reach this facility easily and the Whitted site does not meet <br /> 50 that criterion as well as a site downtown. She said that the parking deck is under-utilized, so <br />