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

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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 49 17 Will there be a Bond Referendum Advisory Committee /Capital Needs Advisory Task Force? Does this change if there is only one need addressed via the referendum? Chair McKee said with only one item on the bond that an advisory committee is not warranted. Commissioner Pelissier said though she agreed that a bond committee is not needed, she does believe a public engagement process is necessary. She said there should be joint meetings with both school boards as well as allow for the public to thoroughly review what the Boards are saying and to make public comments on the proposed bond. Commissioner Rich said the $125 million bond will be used very quickly, and she would like to see a long term plan as to how to maintain schools in the future. Commissioner Jacobs asked how would the money be divided between the two school districts and who would make those decisions. Chair McKee said, in his opinion, such decisions would be made either under the direction of the BOCC or by an Advisory Committee, in conjunction with staff. Commissioner Burroughs said there are two elected school boards, and she knows at least one board that has spent a great deal of time determining the priorities. She agreed with Commissioner Pelissier regarding public engagement. She said she is not sure another committee is needed. She said it is duplicative of their elected officials. She does see merit in the creation of a separate group to look at long term maintenance. She said she does believe the education committee is needed to go out and share information. She said the Board of County Commissioners will need to decide how to split the funding. She said making potentially difficult decisions is part of the Board's responsibility. Commissioner Pelissier echoed Commissioner Rich's comments about having a long term plan for the maintenance of not only schools, but all County facilities. She said regarding the division of funds, the BOCC will need to look at both school systems and what they are proposing, and the projections for increased capacity. Commissioner Rich said she does not have a problem with another committee. She said she and Commissioner Pelissier served on a committee for the' /4 cents sales tax. She said the committee was valuable as it was a mixture of community residents and elected officials. Chair McKee asked if the committee to which Commissioner Rich is referring was the Education Committee or a separate committee. Commissioner Rich said it would be a separate committee from the school Committee. Commissioner Pelissier said this committee was not appointed by the BOCC but rather bubbled up within the community, and it worked well. She said a committee is needed but not necessarily appointed by the BOCC. Chair McKee asked how the BOCC wanted to proceed regarding his suggestion that the Capital Needs Advisory committee be taken off the table but that an Education Committee be formed. Commissioner Price said she saw the value in an Education Committee with this bond referendum. Commissioner Jacobs said the conversation is going in many different directions simultaneously. He agreed with Commissioner Burroughs that there has been long term planning by the school systems on maintenance but this was overtaken by circumstances. He said whatever the Board does a public process will be needed. Commissioner Jacobs said he agreed with Commissioner Rich that there needs to be long term plans for capital needs that the County can afford.