Orange County NC Website
4 <br /> 1 require more expensive taxable financing would have to be determined at that time). The lease <br /> 2 could either require a cash payment or provide that the use of the building is part of the <br /> 3 County's consideration for the services to be provided by the agency. Matters of maintenance, <br /> 4 taxes and insurance would also have to be resolved in connection with the lease. The <br /> 5 construction of the building would likely be subject to the construction and bid laws otherwise <br /> 6 applicable to County projects. <br /> 7 <br /> 8 As an alternative, the County could establish a nonprofit corporation of its own to <br /> 9 undertake the financing and construction, although the lenders would still look to the County to <br /> 10 make the loan payments, and the construction and bids laws would likely still apply. <br /> 11 <br /> 12 Make a restricted capital grant <br /> 13 The County would use cash on hand to make a larger than usual grant that the agency <br /> 14 could use for a capital expense. The performance agreement would restrict the use of the funds <br /> 15 for the planned capital expense, and would extend for a term commensurate with the size of the <br /> 16 grant. Because County money would be the intended source for the payment of the construction <br /> 17 costs, the construction of the building would likely be subject to the construction and bid laws <br /> 18 otherwise applicable to County projects. <br /> 19 <br /> 20 Make a multi-year grant that could be used for lease or loan payments <br /> 21 The outside agency would contract for a capital project, and the County would enter a <br /> 22 multi-year grant agreement that was sized to provide for the agency's lease or loan payments <br /> 23 related to the project. <br /> 24 <br /> 25 Fund a loan-loss reserve to back loans to the outside agencies. <br /> 26 As the County has done with its business loan programs, the County could fund a loan- <br /> 27 loss reserve to support loans incurred by the outside agencies. <br /> 28 <br /> 29 Considerations for all approaches <br /> 30 The function to be served by the outside agency must be a function the County is <br /> 31 authorized to provide directly. <br /> 32 <br /> 33 Each arrangement should be supported by a contract with the outside agency that <br /> 34 specifies the work to be done by the agency. If the County uses a multi-year grant approach, <br /> 35 then the contract should extend for the term of the grant. If the County uses a lease approach, <br /> 36 then the performance contract should extend for the term of the lease. There should in all <br /> 37 events be some level of proportionality between the funding from the County and the service by <br /> 38 the agency. <br /> 39 <br /> 40 In undertaking any program of this sort, the County should build a strong record <br /> 41 documenting the public benefit expected from the arrangement. To the extent the County views <br /> 42 the project and benefitting agencies as enhancing employment and business prospects in the <br /> 43 County, the County would be well-served to also follow the statutory procedures (including <br /> 44 public hearings) provided for in the business incentive statutes. <br /> 45 <br /> 46 A big issue at looking at capital funding is you have to look how much of a commitment <br /> 47 they would want to do. <br /> 48 <br /> 49 Chair McKee asked Bob Jessup what would happen if the County had a five-year <br /> 50 contract with an agency for a building, and in year two the agency stopped performing, and the <br /> 51 County had to evict the agency. <br />