Agenda - 06-02-2015 - 6a - Laserfiche WebLink

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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 15 A motion was made by Commissioner Burroughs, seconded by Commissioner Pelissier to approve scheduling a bond referendum. VOTE: UNANIMOUS If there is a bond referendum, when should the bond referendum occur? May 2016 or November 2016 A motion was made by Commissioner Pelissier, seconded by Commissioner Price to schedule the bond referendum for November 2016. VOTE: UNANIMOUS If there is a bond referendum, should it address one need, or multiple needs? Commissioner Jacobs suggested a scientific voter poll be conducted to ask the residents of Orange County what they would like to see on a bond referendum. He said the Board recognizes that school needs predominate but seems divided on whether these needs should be the sole purpose of the bond issue. He suggested giving the voters an opportunity to think about the issues rather than acting on individual convictions of the Board members. Commissioner Burroughs said she thinks that there is more than enough work to be done in many facilities within both school systems. She said the needs are far greater than what can be accomplished by this bond referendum. She said she appreciates Commissioner Jacobs's suggestion for a poll but it would be difficult to poll the voters to sort out priorities. She said she does not have much faith in that particular tool being helpful. She will continue to advocate for the bond for the schools. She said it is not even close to what the schools will need, but the systems will make these funds work to the best of their ability, using them wisely. Commissioner Price echoed Commissioner Burroughs. She said all the Commissioners have been out in the community and have a good idea of the capital needs. She said the recycling fee will be new, as well as the upcoming property revaluation, and she feels adding multiple items to the bond is too much to ask of the constituents. She supports focusing on schools only for this bond. Commissioner Rich said she has talked to the community and has not met one person who supports having just the schools on the bond. She said Chapel Hill has an upcoming bond with four or five issues. She said each issue is up for a vote, and if people only want to support schools they would only vote for the schools. She said she believes a majority of the money would go to the schools. She added she sees no reason to be shortsighted and that this is the Board's opportunity to fund the schools as well as possibly affordable housing. She is not in favor of having a bond with just one issue on it. Commissioner Pelissier said she previously supported schools and affordable housing on the bond, but she is now in favor of having one issue on the bond and that is for schools. She said the conversation about the possibility of a bond arose out of the needs of schools. She said the schools needs are evident now. She said the Board knows that a bond would raise taxes. She said that doing a poll, and the necessary education of the public, would be too complex. She said if other items are on the bond and they fail, it leads to a lost opportunity to give the schools more funds. She said the Board knows the schools' needs already exceed what the bond can offer and taking away from those funds causes the needs to go unmet. She added there are real needs and not a wish list of fancy things for the schools.