Agenda - 09-01-2015 - 6a - Laserfiche WebLink

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6 1 Yasmine White is the CEO of Voices Together, a non-profit which offers a specialized 2 music therapy program in the school districts for autistic children. She thanked the Board for 3 their interest and support. She asked if the Board would help bring the program up to two 4 school rooms. 5 Karen Kincaid Dunn, from Club Nova, thanked the Board for their continued support. 6 She said Club Nova is a clubhouse for seriously mental ill adults. She said some funding has 7 been lost over the past few years. She encouraged the Board to continue their support for Club 8 Nova. 9 Kristin Linton said she is the Executive Director of the Art Therapy Institute for therapy 10 purposes for all ages. She said she is seeking additional funding for the Burma Art Therapy 11 Project in the school systems. She said her program has served about 400 students and adults 12 this past year. 13 John Mitterling said he is on staff with the Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Triangle. He 14 said the program has served over 900 children regionally, with 200 from Orange County. He 15 said the program pairs students with thoroughly vetted mentors. He expressed gratitude for the 16 Board's support and requested $2000 for this year. He said the children served by the program 17 are from single parent or low income homes. 18 Robert Dowling said he is the Executive Director of the Community Home Trust and he 19 thanked the Board for all they do for the residents in Orange County. He said there are 20 currently 235 homes in the Home Trust program and their inclusionary program is a model 21 throughout the State and the Country. He acknowledged the role that all of the elected officials 22 play in Orange County. He supported the proposed position in the Housing Department. 23 Bridget Mora said she is a parent of a first grader at Seawell Elementary School, and 24 she asked the Board to fully fund the CHCCS request of$302 per pupil. 25 Sherri Carmichael said she is speaking on behalf of the Smith Middle School, School 26 Improvement Team, and is also here to ask the Board for full funding for the CHCCS. She 27 reviewed the history of excellence within the CHCCS. 28 Gary Wallach said he is here to speak about fully funding the CHCCS. He thanked the 29 Board for their past and continued support of the schools. He hoped they would fully fund the 30 request, and if not, an amount closer to the full request than $81 per pupil. 31 Jean Bolduc said she is here tonight on behalf of the Housing Authority. She noted that 32 the Board voted in April to restrict the bond referendum proceeds to schools only. She said the 33 Housing Authority Board passed a resolution of support for the Board to re-consider the 34 decision to include affordable housing investments. She said her Board has a deep 35 appreciation for the recommended budget. 36 James Barrett is a CHCCS Board member. He said there are State mandates providing 37 a raise for teachers, retirement matches and health insurance costs. He said the proposed $81 38 raise per pupil will be $70 shy of the amount necessary to allow the Schools to maintain status 39 quo; and does not account for the State mandates. He said meeting those requirements will 40 leave an $800,000 deficit for the schools. He highlighted some other priorities including 41 providing a living wage for all classified staff, funds to allow teachers to fully lesson plan and 42 providing instructional time for middle school students during periods of detention. 43 Matt Kauffman said he is representing the Community Empowerment Fund (CEF), and 44 expressed sincere gratitude for the Board's support of$5000 in the past 2 years. He asked if 45 the Board would consider increasing the funding to $7500 this year. He said the organization 46 has just opened an integrated service center in downtown Chapel Hill. He said this center will 47 co-locate a variety of services with partner organizations. He reviewed a variety of statistics 48 showing gains within the homeless community including financial progress, housing progress 49 and mentoring partnerships. 50 Adam Zanation said he is here to ask for full funding for the CHCCS. He said there are 51 excellent public schools in Chapel Hill. He recently moved into the District, taking his own