Minutes 05-30-2013 - Laserfiche WebLink

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• Debt Service • County Capital Projects • School Capital Projects • Health Insurance • Post-employment Insurance benefit for retirees • Economic Development • Economy • Public Hearings and Work Sessions (All Meetings Begin at 7:00 p.m.) • Document Availability • Clerk to Board of Commissioners • County Finance & Administrative Services Office • Orange County Library • Chapel Hill Public Library • Carrboro/McDougle Branch Library • Cybrary, Carrboro • Orange County Website • www.orangecountync.gov Clarence Grier said that information on the school districts' available fund balances is not included in this presentation; this will be available at the June 6 work session. Frank Clifton noted that some of the unincorporated areas of the County will see a tax rate increase as a result of increases in almost all of the rural fire districts. Clarence Grier noted that there will be work sessions on June 6 and June 11, with a work session and adoption of intent on June 13; and the final adoption will happen on June 18tH 3. Public Comment Yasmine White is the CEO and founder of a non-profit called Voices Together—a music based educational program, serving students in six school districts with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She said there are 1,036 students in the Orange County Schools (OCS) with identified disabilities, and her group comes in with a layered educational program that creates an amazing impact. She said the program has been in OCS for 5 years and has only been able to reach 30 students during this difficult budgetary time. She said that the group has applied in the non-profit category to the outside agency process. She is asking the Board to consider her funding request. Jeff Hall spoke as President of CHCCS PTA Council, and he said Chapel Hill is a special place to live. He said there is a commitment to education in Orange County, and this budget is out of step with their community values and the importance of education. He said this budget does not reflect reality, which is that capital improvement projects in schools have been delayed, and there are many unmet needs. He said everyone knew Northside Elementary school was going to open this year, and fixed costs are on the rise as federal grants end, and the sequester sets in. He said the budget should meet these challenges. He said the Board of County Commissioners is being asked to solve problems caused by other entities. He said this Board has always supported their schools he asks that they fully fund the schools' request. Brian Curran is a member of the Orange County Habitat for Humanity Board, and he is here to pitch their new program called Brush with Kindness. This program provides much needed exterior repairs to existing homes of low income residents. He said efforts are currently focused in the Fairview, Rogers Road and Northside communities, as well as some rural areas of the county. He said the group has requested $20,000 from Orange County through the outside agency process. He said this is the first time this program has asked for funding from the county, and this money would be used to expand the program and complete 15 new projects. He said County funding would be used to leverage other sources of financing. He previously worked for the Chapel Hill Police department for about 25 years and spent much of