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12' <br /> Coffee Shop, brings no property tax revenue to the Town or the County. The Old Hill Estate <br /> on Raleigh Road of 19 acres, recently donated for use as the Chancellor's residence, has been <br /> removed from the tax roles. At an estimated tax value of $2,157,827 and a current tax rate of <br /> .9475 per $100 of assessed valuation, that computes to $20,445 in annual lost property tax. <br /> The Committee recommends: <br /> a) The County Commissioners make every effort to negotiate equitable compensation <br /> from UNC for loss of tax revenues on University properties not used for <br /> educational purposes. One half of Emergency Medical Services calls in a year serve <br /> the University community. Donation of professional services and assistance with <br /> County automation, are examples of negotiated compensation. <br /> b) Orange County, in conjunction with other jurisdictions in the State that have <br /> significant UNC property holdings, should seek to have the State Legislature and <br /> officials of the University System find an equitable solution to its loss of property <br /> tax revenues because of unjust exemptions granted to the University. <br /> Recommendation 13: Take steps as a County to control building costs of public <br /> structures in Orange County. <br /> The efforts of the School Construction Standards Group are a positive step for establishing <br /> guidelines that may help to control school construction costs. The subcommittee adds the <br /> following recommendations in an effort to control building costs of public structures in Orange <br /> County: <br /> a) Funding levels should be comparable for similar facilities in our Metropolitan <br /> Statistical Area (MSA). Elementary schools built in our MSA average $15-20 less <br /> per square foot in cost than the McDougle Elementary School (based on figures <br /> supplied by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction on projects bid <br /> between 1/95 and 11/95). <br /> b) That the Commissioners fund new school construction at the Basic or State <br /> recommended level. That school districts desiring level I,II,III buildings pay for the <br /> additional levels from their own Capital Improvements Plan budgets. A basic <br /> elementary school for 600 students has 81,463 square foot. A level III elementary <br /> school has 99,225 square foot. (School Facility Draft Report ). Using a budget <br /> planning figure of$90 per square foot from the report, a level III elementary school <br /> would cost an additional $1,598,580. <br /> c) That park and recreation areas be combined with school sites to maximize facility <br /> usage and to reduce costs of building and maintaining separate recreational areas. <br /> d) That cost of consultants and engineers be controlled by considering hiring a County <br /> employee to manage these functions. This position might be shared with <br /> surrounding counties to reduce expense and maximize work load. Or, a contract <br /> with a large architectural firm with sub-specialties be enacted to manage a large <br /> block of building projects with the idea that economies of scale can reduce the <br /> engineering and consulting fees. <br /> 10 <br />