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

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18 1 • All employees within the Cooperative Extension Service are State employees and are 2 budgeted as contracted personnel, as per the Memorandum of Agreement with the 3 State. 4 • The $5,000 in revenue includes class fee revenue at the W.C. Breeze Family Farm; the 5 County continues to contribute $10,000 for the programs at the Breeze Farm and is 6 included within the department's operating budget. 7 8 Darryl Butts said there are relatively few changes to this budget. He reviewed the above 9 items. 10 Commissioner McKee commended them on their efforts to assist with the Breeze Farm 11 program. 12 Chair Jacobs asked if Carl Maytec had gotten a copy of the Blackwood Farm master 13 plan and he replied not yet. Chair Jacobs asked that a copy be provided to him. 14 Carl Matyec said his old position is still being held on the county side, and he is trying to 15 address that. He has tried to secure funding from other counties. He said that agriculture is a 16 very prominent business in Orange County, and it is a pleasure to work here. However, he 17 recognizes that this position is still vacant and needs to be filled. He said that many of the 18 traditional farmers are not getting as much attention as the new farmers just entering the 19 business. 20 21 Economic Development (including Non-Departmental items) 22 23 Economic Development: 24 Budget Highlights 25 Note: The Article 46 Quarter-Center Sales Tax has its own section within the budget 26 document, which outlines tax-funded economic development initiatives. 27 28 Tonya Walton said the Economic Development expenditure budget totals $392,000, 29 which is an increase of$19,000 due to some reclassification. She said there is a non- 30 departmental item on page 188 in the community and environment section. She said this is the 31 Research Triangle Regional Partnership, and there is a recommendation of$20,367, which is a 32 $207 increase. She noted that counties are now being asked to increase contributions in 33 anticipation of state reductions. In Orange County, this will amount to an additional $20,000. 34 She said the partnership states that the money will bring greater economic development 35 opportunities, but the direct benefit to Orange County is uncertain. The department is working 36 with the partnership to gain a better understanding of this, and for now the recommended figure 37 remains the same. 38 Frank Clifton said this will be brought back once all of the state changes shake out. 39 Steve Brantley said the background on the probable fee increase in membership with 40 the Research Triangle Regional Partnership (RTRP) relates to the formula for calculating the 41 fee for membership. He said the county pays the same as Durham and Wake County-15 cents 42 per capita, or roughly $20,000. He said the other eleven counties pay 10 cents per capita. He 43 said the Partnership has asked Orange County to go from 15 cents to 30 cents and has asked 44 the other counties to triple and go from 10 cents to 30 cents. He said the entire region will have 45 to make a decision about this and about whether to stay in the partnership or not. 46 Commissioner Pelissier noted that staff expressed a desire to leverage tourism assets 47 to create more business. She is curious about this objective towards business recruitment. 48 Steve Brantley said the combination of agriculture economic development and tourism 49 strengths can create an agri-tourism endeavor.