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3 <br /> 1 Michael Talbert expressed thanks to the budget staff. He said this year's operating <br /> 2 budget is $195.6 million, and there is no property tax increase. He said there is an <br /> 3 appropriation of$8.5 million of general fund balance to balance the budget. He said this is an <br /> 4 increase of$7.9 million from the previous year's budget. He said the budget was prepared with <br /> 5 the Board's goals in mind. He reviewed several goals from the January retreat as follows: <br /> 6 Goal 1 - Defending the quality of public education. <br /> 7 He noted a $95 per pupil increase and the addition of 294 new students. He said the <br /> 8 Board has as target not to exceed 48.1 percent of general fund revenues for public education. <br /> 9 He noted that the recommended budget equals 49.3 percent. He said if all of the requests from <br /> 10 the school system were honored, this would exceed 51 percent, so the recommendation is a <br /> 11 balancing act. <br /> 12 <br /> 13 Goals 2 and 4— Ensure safety net services and target funding to address child poverty. <br /> 14 He said there are two initiatives included this year to address this. He said funding is <br /> 15 being increased in social services for daycare and general assistance, and the social justice <br /> 16 fund is being continued. He said the health department is working on a child poverty <br /> 17 intervention initiative, and this is also being funded. <br /> 18 <br /> 19 Goal 3— Funding for sewer hookups in the Rogers Road area. <br /> 20 He said the Board will be asked to approve the preliminary engineering for the Rogers <br /> 21 Road sewer to fund 86 homes. He said the capital investment plan also includes $3 million for <br /> 22 the County share of that sewer in year two. <br /> 23 <br /> 24 Goal 5— Support a broad range of economic development. <br /> 25 He said the Board has been very active in supporting recruitment of new industry and <br /> 26 the retention of existing industry. He said funds from the quarter cent sales tax continue to be <br /> 27 used in these initiatives. <br /> 28 <br /> 29 Goal 6— Consider limit to a viability of a tax increase. <br /> 30 He said in 2010-11, the Board appropriated $401,000 to balance the budget. He said <br /> 31 this year it is $8.5 million, which is a considerable difference; however the budget is balanced, <br /> 32 and the County is within all of its policy guidelines. He said this trend is not sustainable and <br /> 33 there will be tax increases in the future. He noted that there is a bond referendum being <br /> 34 discussed for the fall of 2016, as well as property tax revaluation in January 2017 and $300 <br /> 35 million in older school needs. He said there will be pressure on the budget in years to come. <br /> 36 He said the budget also funds continuing strategic initiatives such as strategic plans for <br /> 37 emergency services, information technologies and the library, as well as funding for core <br /> 38 services. <br /> 39 Michael Talbert said funding is also for human resources, and staff is recommending a <br /> 40 1.5% COLA and merit increase, as well as an increase in the 401 k match from $1200 to 1500 <br /> 41 contribution. He said health insurance cost increases are not being passed on to employees at <br /> 42 this point. <br /> 43 <br /> 44 Clarence Grier presented the following PowerPoint presentation: <br /> 45 <br /> 46 County Manager's Recommended FY 2014-15 Annual Operating Budget and Capital <br /> 47 Investment Plan <br /> 48 Presentation <br /> 49 Southern Human Services Center, Chapel Hill <br /> 50 Orange County, NC <br />