Orange County NC Website
16 <br /> 1 Chair Stephen Halkiotis. He said this memo was regarding three issues, including: calendar <br /> 2 flexibility; full funding for state allotments, including ADM growth; and full funding for driver <br /> 3 education. He said two of these are financial in nature and could have impacts on both <br /> 4 districts. He referred to the second item regarding full funding for state allotments, and he said <br /> 5 this addresses changes in the last session of the general assembly, whereby growth in school <br /> 6 districts has moved from continuation budgets to expansion budgets. He said this means that <br /> 7 growth competes with every other item when the general assembly puts together a budget. He <br /> 8 said this means absorbing growth, especially rapid growth, may be a challenge. He said this <br /> 9 may result in requests for additional county funding to make up that difference. <br /> 10 Del Burns said there has been a declining amount of support for driver education as <br /> 11 well, and school systems will now be required to provide driver education while having no <br /> 12 guarantee of funding to do so. <br /> 13 He said the calendar flexibility issue has been brought forth in the face of the recent <br /> 14 inclement weather. He said there are August and June cutoff dates that must be adhered to, <br /> 15 and the makeup of the lost time ranges from options that are inconvenient, educationally <br /> 16 difficult, or negatively impact worship. He said the Orange County Schools would like to offer <br /> 17 options that would be family friendly and educationally sound. He said the calendar legislation <br /> 18 limits these options. <br /> 19 Del Burns said the Board of Education asks for the Board's consideration of these three <br /> 20 issues. <br /> 21 <br /> 22 Commissioner Jacobs referred to the following: item #17 *Participation in Solid <br /> 23 Waste Programs for Recycling—Authorize counties to require county residents to impose a <br /> 24 fee for the solid waste collection services in a manner similar to the authority granted to <br /> 25 municipalities. The fee may not exceed the costs of collection. He asked John Roberts how this <br /> 26 is different from his interpretation of how the law was changed last August. <br /> 27 John Roberts said #17 simply asks that the counties be granted the same authority as <br /> 28 the towns. <br /> 29 Commissioner Rich asked about Item #3, which is related to broadband service. She <br /> 30 asked how the new FCC ruling would affect the wording of this item. <br /> 31 John Roberts said he does not know that it would change anything. He said the FCC <br /> 32 ruling is tentative, and he expects some legal challenges ahead. He said this item is asking for <br /> 33 extra authority, as the County's current authority is limited to providing grants to public internet <br /> 34 providers. He said counties, unlike cities, do not have legislative authority to operation <br /> 35 communications facilities, so the FCC guidelines are directed toward cities. <br /> 36 <br /> 37 A motion was made by Commissioner Rich, seconded by Commissioner Pelissier to <br /> 38 close the public hearing and review and discuss the Legislative Issues Work Group's (LIWG) <br /> 39 proposed 2015 legislative package and any other potential items for inclusion in Orange <br /> 40 County's legislative agenda package for the 2015 North Carolina General Assembly Session. <br /> 41 <br /> 42 VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br /> 43 <br /> 44 Additional item: <br /> 45 Commissioner Jacobs said the state legislature is considering a constitutional <br /> 46 amendment regarding eminent domain, and one of the drafts was very vague about extending <br /> 47 eminent domain to those who provide telecommunication. He suggested the following <br /> 48 additional wording: "Oppose adding language to a constitutional amendment on eminent <br /> 49 domain that extends any further preemption of county authority to regulate the placement of <br /> 50 telecommunication towers." <br />