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4 1 request. She mentioned that the Charter Schools were creating an additional problem for the schools in providing 2 quality education to their students. She mentioned that these Charter Schools would draw approximately$700,000 3 out of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro System without doing anything for the education of the vast majority of students. In 4 particular, she spoke of the need for the AVID program, enrichment teachers, counselors and media specialist.A 5 copy of her comments, in their entirety, are in the permanent agenda file in the Clerk's office. 6 7 ROB VERBOON, an Orange County resident and parent with children in this school system, spoke in 8 support of fully funding this budget request. He mentioned that he was an ELS student at one time in his life and felt 9 that the school system needs to fund another ELS position. 10 11 GAIL TURNER, Principal of Glenwood Elementary School, spoke in support of full funding of the school 12 boards budget request. 13 14 BILL ELSTRAN asked the Board of Commissioners to carefully consider the funding for this years budget. 15 He felt that there was no shortage of money. He does not agree with how the schools are currently spending that 16 money. He asked that the Commissioners hold the line on spending. 17 18 MATTHEW BARTON, a member of the McDougle Middle School PTA, asked the Commissioners to fully 19 fund the Chapel Hill-Carrboro School budget. 20 21 PETER MORCOMBE, a representative of Financial Reform For Excellence in Education (FREE), 22 addressed the issue of Charter Schools. He indicated that they hoped to absorb 1/2 of the growth in the school 23 system this year and to improve on that number next year. He mentioned that House Bill 955 requires that all 24 assets of a Charter School be the property of the local school system if the Charter School closes. Because of that 25 requirement, it is not possible for the Charter Schools to borrow money for their facilities. He asked the Board of 26 Commissioners to consider being the Guarantor so that they could borrow money to renovate an appropriate facility. 27 A copy of his comments, in their entirety, are in the permanent agenda file in the Clerk's office. 28 29 DAWN MINTON, a parent with three children in Orange County schools, asked that the Board of 30 Commissioners do whatever possible to support the Charter Schools. Her children are not succeeding in traditional 31 schools and they need the Charter Schools. 32 33 LOUISE COLE, a member of FREE, asked the Board of Commissioners to help the Charter Schools 34 establish facilities to house their school. 35 36 ROBERT ANDERSON, a parent and a PTA member, spoke in support of full funding for the Chapel Hill 37 Carrboro school board's budget request. He mentioned that additional expenses, such as screening for volunteers 38 and increased ESL training require this funding. 39 40 STEVE WALLACE, an Orange County resident, asked the Commissioners to re-evaluate funding of the 41 DARE program. He commented that both NBC Dateline and the ABC evening news of May 21st have reported that 42 this program is failing our students. He felt that this money could be more wisely spent. 43 44 NICK DIDOW, a parent, resident, and Vice-Chair of the Chapel Hill Carrboro School Board, thanked the 45 Commissioners for their past financial support. He asked them to consider full funding of the school board request. 46 47 JOE CAPOWSKI, a member of the Chapel Hill Town Council, spoke not as a Council member but as a 48 citizen. He asked the Board of Commissioners to work with Meadowmont to insure that the land donated for the 49 school is large enough and that the land is suitable for both the school and the playing fields. He also spoke in 50 support of additional funding for the Chapel Hill Library. 51 52 STEPHANIE WILLIS, a nurse and special education coordinator, spoke in support of full funding of the 53 Chapel Hill-Carrboro School Boards budget request. She mentioned that the school system needs to move forward 54 with their Alternative Schools and they also need an additional health coordinator. 55 56 LIVY LUDDINGTON, a teacher, parent and member of the PTA, stated that the Chapel Hill-Carrboro School 57 system's fund balance was spent to support the new schools which relieved some, but not all, of the overcrowding 58 in this school system. She asked that the Board of Commissioners find a way to fully fund this budget request.