Minutes 02-19-2013 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

service and has been for 12 years for zero dollars. He said the 15 cents was calculated at 12- 13 cents for operational expenses and the 2-3 cent remainder being for long term capital needs and providing for the facilities associated with fire service. He said it is important to work on behalf of all the tax payers, including those inside the municipal limits of Chapel Hill who are burdened by this. Commissioner Gordon asked if Mayor Kleinschmidt had any concerns about asking for a 5 year contract with an opt-out. Mayor Kleinschmidt said he wants to be able to bring this back to the Council. He said that it can't be said that it will be a 5 year contract without bringing it back to the Council to have a signed contract. A motion was made by Commissioner Dorosin, seconded by Commissioner Pelissier for the Board to approve a recommendation for a 5 year contract with the Town of Chapel Hill, with a 15 cent tax levy per one-hundred dollar valuation of real and personal property rate, and for this recommendation to go back to the Chapel Hill Town Council for discussion; ask staff to clearly lay out the "opt out"provisions in the contract; for the County to agree to work collaboratively with the Town to explore ways to equitably provide and fund services to residents in and around ETJ areas over the next 2 years, and to ask staff to come back with suggestions to how to effectively implement this; to establish a public hearing, after the Town of Chapel Hill has discussed this recommendation, to consider the establishment of the three new Fire Service Districts - the South Orange Fire Service District, the North Chatham Fire Service District and the Greater Chapel Hill Fire Service District. Commissioner McKee asked what equitable service provision meant. Commissioner Dorosin said that services are provided at equitable levels and costs. Commissioner McKee clarified that they are asking for a specific time and cost and service. Commissioner McKee asked for Commissioner Dorosin and Commissioner Pelissier to consider a friendly amendment to take out this last verbiage about equitable services. Commissioner Dorosin said they need to have this conversation at some point about how to provide services in all the potential ETJ areas and how those services are equitably distributed. He said he does not accept the friendly amendment. Chair Jacobs said the manager's recommendation should be added. Frank Clifton suggested the county and city staff should do an analysis of services currently provided within ETJs in all municipalities and the costs associated. Chair Jacobs said that is a good clarifying point about the motion, but it is not part of the motion. Commissioner Gordon proposed a substitute motion, as follows: That staff is directed to schedule a public hearing for April 9, 2013 or sooner to consider the creation of three new fire service districts- the South Orange Fire Service District, the North Chatham Fire Service District and the Greater Chapel Hill Fire Service District; that staff are authorized to move forward with a 5 year contract for the Town of Chapel Hill to provide protection for the proposed new Greater Chapel Hill Fire Service District at a 15 cent tax levy per one-hundred dollar valuation of real and personal property; that staff is instructed to move forward to complete the contracts with the other two fire service districts for which contracts were cancelled; that the agenda item giving the list of steps to create three fire service districts is brought back to the March 7 Board of Commissioner's meeting to be negotiated and signed, as well as a target date to complete the entire process of May 21, 2013; and that the Board work collaboratively with the town of Chapel Hill to address planning and service provision issues.