Minutes 10-13-2015 - Laserfiche WebLink

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APPROVED 11/17/2015 MINUTES ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WORK SESSION October 13, 2015 7:00 p.m. The Orange County Board of Commissioners met for a work session on Tuesday, October 13, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. at the Whitted Building in Hillsborough, N.C. COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair McKee and Commissioners Mia Burroughs, Mark Dorosin, Barry Jacobs, Bernadette Pelissier, Renee Price and Penny Rich COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: COUNTY ATTORNEYS PRESENT: John Roberts COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager Bonnie Hammersley, Assistant County Manager Travis Myren and Clerk to the Board Donna Baker (All other staff members will be identified appropriately below) Chair McKee called the meeting to order at 7:07 p.m. 1. Report on Article 46 Funds (One-Quarter Cent Sales Tax) to Support Education and Economic Development Programs in Orange County Paul Laughton, Orange County Finance Administrative Services, referred to Attachment B, a spreadsheet with budgeted amounts and committed uses of the tax since its inception in April 2012. He reviewed this information. Paul Laughton said 50 percent of the Article 46 sales tax goes toward education, and 50 percent towards economic development. He referred to the tables. Paul Laughton said revenues were studied, and since 2012 collections have been over the budgeted amounts by about 9 percent. He said any excess will be reviewed on an annual basis and reported back to the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC), after which a budget amendment could be done to bring in the additional revenue and budget it equally for education and economic development. Commissioner Jacobs asked Paul Laughton to clarify if the BOCC determines how schools spend their Article 46 funds. Paul Laughton said the schools turn in a submittal showing how they would like to spend the money, and list their usages as part of their budgetary information. Chair McKee asked if the 9 percent overage that Paul Laughton mentioned is from the FY2014-2015. Paul Laughton said it is cumulative since the inception of the tax in April 2012, and the funds are sitting in the account. He said it is a separate special revenues fund. Commissioner Dorosin said the originally adopted resolution says that the schools can only use Article 46 funds for capital needs and Information Technology. Paul Laughton said yes, and that is how the funds have been used. Commissioner Dorosin said Orange County Schools (OCS) use their funds solely for Information Technology. Paul Laughton said yes, and that OCS has done so since the inception of the tax. Commissioner Rich clarified that the schools list their desired funding expenditures during the budget process.