Agenda - 09-17-2013 - 5a - Laserfiche WebLink

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10 1 Commissioner Rich chair this group; and, as a dedicated library user, she would like be a 2 member. 3 4 Myra Dotson, representing the Orange County Voice, questioned the rush for a new 5 Board of County Commissioners meeting room in Hillsborough. She asked if this is a good use 6 of space and finances. She said that the Board has many meeting spaces and she asked if 7 there is an overall plan and vision for community operation that is guiding these decisions. She 8 said that the preference is for more emphasis on new styles of meetings, especially with the 9 public. She suggested meetings in the communities at locations near to the issues being 10 discussed. She said this shows respect to the public and engages them in the discussions. 11 She noted the Board's ability to broadcast every meeting and asked that work sessions, retreats 12 and public hearings be broadcast, regardless of location. She said that in this time of 13 budgetary constraint, a new Commissioner meeting room should be delayed until there is a 14 comprehensive plan for all community and county office space. 15 16 Sam Gharbo asked the Board to support the previously mentioned suggestions about 17 library services. He stressed the need for rural access to library services and suggested access 18 to the under-used Efland Community Center. He said he will apply to a library services work 19 group. 20 21 Paul Rockwell speaks for Orange County Voice. He said the group supports excellent 22 libraries, schools and social services. He expressed a willingness to pay a premium for good 23 services but not for excess buildings, campuses and facilities. He asked the Board to redirect 24 the focus away from building and more on planning better services. He asked for more 25 partnerships to build better service models and save money. He said that more should be done 26 to engage stakeholders. 27 28 Kristen Commons has three children in the CHCCS and her family is a longtime 29 proponent of education in Orange County. This is the third time she has come back to Chapel 30 Hill, and she and her husband chose to live here because of the school system. She is 31 concerned about the programming at Northside Elementary school and whether there will be 32 funding to provide programs to reach all of the children, especially those with special needs. 33 She expressed concern with dipping into the fund balance as this is not a sustainable action. 34 She asked the Board to fully fund the school's budget request to maintain the high quality of 35 education. 36 37 Markus Hoerler said he has children in CHCCS and his family came to Chapel Hill 38 because of the educational system. He asked the Board of County Commissioners to do 39 whatever can be done to fund the schools. He said that the County owes this to the children. 40 41 Rita Lui is a mother of two students in the CHCCS. She said that this County's schools 42 are among the best in the state. She asked to Board to please honor their commitment to 43 quality education. She said that the manager's recommended budget does not cover the cost 44 of opening Northside Elementary and is $4 million less than what the schools have requested. 45 She said that she is in favor of raising taxes if this is needed to provide the full funding. 46 47 Miriam Thompson has grandsons in dual language programs in the CHCCS. She said 48 she knows that the Commissioners face awesome decisions and challenges in the struggle to 49 create a budget that is inclusive of all in Orange County. She feels that residents and the Board 50 need to speak out against state cuts to public education and diminishing local power. She 51 appealed to the Board of County Commissioners for their help. 52