Minutes 09-29-2015 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Chair Piscitelli said she appreciated this discussion. She said it is always valuable to look at a situation with fresh eyes and consider a variety of ideas. Commissioner Jacobs said in 2001 the public was told which projects would be done with the bond funds. He said there was not enough funding to do everything then either. He said the BOCC varied slightly from the recommendations given at that time and funded both school districts. He said his suggestion of a third party review is in no way meant to be disrespectful to the school systems, boards or consultants. He said the BOCC might just have a different way of organizing things. Commissioner Burroughs said the easiest answer to the voters is that the funds would be split by ADM. She said she is confident that each district will stretch this money, as it falls so short of meeting all the needs. She said it is critical that the projects be as defined as possible, as the process of educating the public moves forward. Andrew Davidson said by the time November 2016 comes around, the voters would be feeling bond fatigue as both the Town of Chapel Hill and the State are proposing bonds as well. He said the more divisive this bond is, the more difficult it will be to pass. James Barrett said the best way to move forward on this bond is as a unified front. He said Commissioner Jacob's third party review suggestion is the antithesis of this, as it shows a strong sense of mistrust of those in the schools and their dedication to working for the best interest of the students. Donna Coffey agreed with everything that has been said and emphasized the importance of having a strong educational component that is seen by the voters as a collaborative effort by all three boards. She said it is also important to let the public know that the bond will not address all of the needs. Commissioner Pelissier said this has been a good discussion, and she did support exploring this proposal. She said this discussion has brought a lot more clarity on the process. She said she now believes that this proposal would not be right for this process. Commissioner Pelissier said once the bond funds are allocated, the question that must be answered is what are the next steps to address the needs that are not going to be funded by the bond. She said the public must know that there is a long-term plan for all the schools' needs. James Barret said he has told his community that the process must start somewhere to move on to address further needs. He said without support for Phase 1, there would be no Phase 2. Chair McKee said this open discussion was extremely valuable. He said it was vital for the schools to be heard before the BOCC has its own discussions. He said it will be difficult to work out the priorities, and how to present them to the public. He said these types of discussions should happen in an ongoing manner, allowing all parties to work collaboratively to provide safe, secure and healthy environments for the County's children. 4. Impacts of State Approved Budget • Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Todd LoFrese said the State budget leaves a $300,000 gap in funding for teaching assistants, and this is of great concern to the schools. Commissioner Dorosin said he would like updates, as it relates to the State legislature and Charter Schools, when it is available. He said he understands that a portion of any grant monies will have to go to Charter Schools. He said this would make it difficult to receive grants. Todd LoFrese said it is an additional $250,000 that CHCCS would share with Charter Schools. He said it is of concern, and he is interested to see what the general assembly will do. Commissioner Dorosin asked if it is known how many CHCCS students go to charter schools, and it was answered about 200, and 475 for OCS.