Agenda - 09-06-2016 - 6-a - Minutes

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6 1 2 Commissioner Jacobs asked if there is a reason why the Agricultural Summit cost 3 $7,500. 4 Steve Brantley, Director of Economic Development, said the primary costs are for 5 marketing, keeping the event free of a fee, the higher quality (local) luncheon, table and chair 6 rentals, etc. 7 In reference to the Orange Connect Scholarship Program, discussion ensued about 8 what if someone besides an Orange County Schools or Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools 9 student wanted to attend Durham Tech, such as a Commissioner or an adult learner. 10 Commissioner Price said this question was discussed at the Durham Tech Board 11 meeting. She said the program is a pilot and would stay as it is for this year, with other options 12 possibly becoming available in the future since the funding comes from Orange County 13 government. She said she reminded the Durham Tech Board that the Board of County 14 Commissioners (BOCC) makes the final decision regarding County funding. 15 Commissioner Dorosin said he would be interested in opening the scholarship to 16 anyone. 17 Commissioner Jacobs said this is a program Orange County is establishing that benefits 18 Durham Tech, and suggested Dr. Ingram be invited to come back for further discussion on this 19 issue. 20 Steve Brantley said young people without work experience have great difficulty in 21 gaining employment. He said connecting high school students in the Career and Technical 22 Education (CTE) program with local industry, via training programs such as Durham Tech, is a 23 positive path to employment. 24 Commissioner Jacobs said to leave this issue for now and ask Durham Tech to track 25 who is requesting this funding. 26 Chair McKee said this may need a broader discussion with Durham Tech in the fall. 27 Commissioner Price said Durham Tech in Durham already has a similar program, which 28 allows high school students to go to college at no charge right out of high school. She said it 29 was her understanding that Orange County wanted to do the same, with this year being the first 30 crack at such a program. 31 Commissioner Price said the Durham Tech Board wanted to put parameters around this 32 program, and she told them no, as any such parameters would have to come to the Board of 33 County Commissioners for a final decision. She said this first year is to try and encourage the 34 students to go to college, and possibly later other options could be considered for this program. 35 Commissioner Dorosin said since the BOCC set up the scholarship program, then 36 Orange County can set the parameters. 37 Commissioner Price said it is currently set up to model what the Durham Tech in 38 Durham is doing for the year-long pilot project, unless the Board of County Commissioners 39 wanted to do something different. 40 Commissioner Dorosin asked if it would be possible to give to others besides high 41 school students. 42 Commissioner Price said the Board of County Commissioners can do that. 43 Commissioner Dorosin said as of now the program will model the Durham program and 44 he would rather have the BOCC make a clear plan as to how it wants the scholarship program 45 to run. He said he is not comfortable leaving it as it is, even now, and would like to have this 46 discussion and a decision made, before the summer break. He would like to see the high 47 school graduation requirement removed. 48 Bonnie Hammersley said her recommendation was based on the Durham model due to 49 timing and it being a pilot program. She said staff can bring back to the Board of County 50 Commissioners the criteria that were used, which the Board can tweak as needed.