Orange County NC Website
Commissioner Dorosin asked if the Board were to approve the monies for the FSA, <br /> would there still be $350,000 in the Social Justice Fund. <br /> Bonnie Hammersley said no but there is $450,000 in the fund now. <br /> Commissioner Dorosin said at the April 7th Board of County Commissioners meeting, he <br /> petitioned to use some of these funds to support the Rogers Road Community Center. He <br /> also expressed some confusion about the purpose and uses of these funds. Chair McKee <br /> said this petition is in process. <br /> Bonnie Hammersley said the Social Justice Funding has been used on a case by case <br /> basis determined by the Board of County Commissioners. She said staff will bring issues <br /> forward and the Board has the authority to determine the approach and funding to address the <br /> needs. <br /> Commissioner Dorosin clarified that there is $450,000 currently in this fund. <br /> Bonnie Hammersley said there is $450,000 right now in this fund and it will be carried <br /> over to 2015-2016. <br /> Commissioner Dorosin asked if any of the money is spent will it be replenished to keep <br /> the total funds available at $450,000. <br /> Bonnie Hammersley said that is her recommendation. <br /> Commissioner Rich said when the Social Justice Fund was created; it was to be at the <br /> Board of County Commissioners' discretion as to how these funds were spent. She said there <br /> were no criteria; but rather as things came up, the money would be spent. <br /> Commissioner Rich said she is glad that there is a line item for the FSA going forward <br /> because it shows the County's commitment to this program. <br /> Commissioner Jacobs said this fund was created for Commissioner Initiatives within <br /> County government. He said the Rogers Road Community Center should be funded by <br /> outside agencies and not by this fund as these monies are available for projects that no one <br /> else would fund but are important to the welfare of the community. <br /> Commissioner Dorosin said he would respectfully disagree and that running a County <br /> owned Community Center is a County initiative. <br /> Commissioner Price clarified that the Social Justice Fund is an intra-departmental <br /> funding mechanism. <br /> Chair McKee said yes, without specifying exact categories. <br /> Chair McKee said two zones were chosen in the County for the pilot program only in <br /> order to get this program established, work out the "bugs", and then be able to spread this <br /> project throughout the County. <br /> Commissioner Price noted that the FSA hopes to hire staff with deep familiarity in the <br /> zones, ideally a community member, and commended the FSA for this effort. <br /> Commissioner Pelissier said she attended the FSA trip to visit the Harlem Children's <br /> Zone. She said that program started very small and then worked incrementally on the plan to <br /> grow. She said hiring a community member is vital which she heard from the Harlem project <br /> many times. <br /> Commissioner Pelissier said every single program that was attended in Harlem had a <br /> data manager, not only for the overall program but to look at each child and their progress, or <br /> lack thereof, in order to adjust planning. <br /> Commissioner Dorosin said the FSA is an example of how a project can come to <br /> fruition in warp speed with focus and insistence on results. He said he hoped the same effort <br /> can be put into affordable housing. <br /> A motion was made by Commissioner Price, seconded by Commissioner Burroughs for <br /> the Board to approve Budget Amendment#8-A transferring funds from the Social Justice Fund <br /> to the Family Success Alliance to 1) pilot kindergarten readiness and literacy programs for at <br />