Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
2 <br /> Sanford H olshouser LLP Attachment A <br /> Mem orandum <br /> To: Orange County Officials <br /> Date: February 5, 2014 <br /> Regarding Required Procedures and Possible Schedule for <br /> General Obligation Bond Referendum in November, 2014 <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 November 4, 2014, and sets out a <br /> proposed schedule. Here are the required steps and suggested dates for action: <br /> 1. Determine tentative plan for bond purposes 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 be <br /> included in the bond package is something that LGC representatives will want to <br /> discuss in detail with County representatives as part of the meeting described in the <br /> next step. <br /> Each separate general purpose for bonds has to he 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 he stated with more <br /> specificity, it is highly recommended that the purpose in the ballot question he left <br /> as general as possible. The more specific plans underlying the planning for the <br /> bond issue do not legally hind 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. In fact, we can <br /> arrange and conduct this meeting even as the County Board is working through the <br /> bond program. <br /> 3. Give informal notice to the County Board of Elections. Because <br /> the Board of Elections will need to coordinate its own procedures for the bond <br />