Orange County NC Website
Attachment A <br />Sanford Holshouser LLP <br />Memorandum <br />To: Orange County Officials <br />Date: July 5, 2013 <br />Regarding Required Procedures and Possible Schedule for <br />General Obligation Bond Referendum <br />From: Sanford Holshouser LLP <br />-- Robert M. Jessup Jr. <br />This memorandum describes the steps required for Orange County to <br />conduct a general obligation bond referendum on May 6, 2014, and sets out a <br />proposed schedule. Here are the required steps and suggested dates for action: <br />1. Determine tentative elan for bond nurnoses and amounts. <br />Although Step 5 provides for the first formal Board action to determine what will <br />be presented to the voters, the bond program needs to be substantially worked out <br />before we begin the formal process. In addition, the plan for what projects are to <br />be included in the bond package is something that LGC representatives will want <br />to discuss in detail with County representatives as part of the meeting described in <br />the next step. <br />3 <br />Each separate general purpose for bonds has to be the subject of a separate <br />ballot question. The statutes assume that each question put to voters will propose a <br />dollar amount for a separate generic purpose, such as paying "capital costs of <br />school facilities. " Although the statutes allow the purpose to be stated with more <br />specificity, it is highly recommended that the purpose in the ballot question be left <br />as general as possible. The more specific plans underlying the planning for the <br />bond issue do not legally bind the County to a particular future plan of action in <br />the issuance of the bonds or construction of specified facilities. <br />2. Meet with LGC staff. The County should arrange a meeting with <br />LGC staff about the proposed referendum as soon as possible. At the meeting, the <br />County should obtain a copy of the required application for the LGC's approval of <br />the proposed bonds. <br />3. Give informal notice to the County Board of Elections. Because <br />