Minutes 11-10-2016 - Laserfiche WebLink

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5 Bob Jessup said the County can only enter into a contract/grant if the agency promises to provide certain services; if the agency fails to do so, then the County should not renew the grant. Commissioner Rich asked if there are nearby local governments that help agencies with capital expenses. Bob Jessup said he was not familiar with any in the area, but he can research this if the Board would like. He said there are governments that run business incubators, or have agreements with providers for affordable housing, both of which are forms of capital funding. Commissioner Jacobs said the County helped Orange Enterprises (OE) with their building, and wondered how this was possible. Bob Jessup said he recollects that Orange County paid for the building through financing for a wide variety of projects, and did the payment for that particular project all in the first year. Commissioner Jacobs said the County also did capital funding for the Red Cross at Timberlyne years ago, and he thought that was more of a grant. Commissioner Rich referred to the LAUNCH program, and said the County is only giving money for operations. She asked if LAUNCH wanted to buy the building they are leasing, would this be possible. Bob Jessup said yes, depending on how the County decided to participate. Commissioner Rich said many of the outside agencies provide services, which the County is unable to. She asked if there is a difference between helping the agencies with capital needs versus taking on that agency's service as a County department. Bob Jessup said the County is only allowed to contract with a non-profit if the non-profit is providing a service, which the County could also provide. Commissioner Pelissier said Orange County must be authorized to provide the service to fund the outside agency, and she asked if there is an example of a non-profit whose activities would not be authorized for the County to provide. Bob Jessup said there could be an organization that provided help to home schoolers or charter schools, and the County is not authorized to help. Commissioner Pelissier asked if most non-profits are providing services that the County would be authorized to provide. Bob Jessup said yes. Chair McKee referred to the charter school example, and said the County does not fund capital for charter schools. He asked if the County were to fund a non-profit that supported charter schools, would the County be outside its purview. He asked if the Board were to make a policy to provide capital for outside agencies, it seems only fair that agencies supporting charter schools have equal ability to apply for funding. Bob Jessup said such a non-profit could ask for consideration under the policy, but Orange County is restricted by not being able to grant them funding because this is a service Orange County cannot fund, thus the County cannot help them with capital funding. Commissioner Rich asked what would happen if a non-profit was looking for funding from different elected bodies. Bob Jessup gave an example, and said the County could do a capital grant and let the organization pick up the operational costs. Commissioner Price asked if the County has been giving money to outside agencies for leases. Bonnie Hammersley said 501c-3s usually show a budget. She said in this last budget, the Board waived the lease for Piedmont Food and Agriculture Processing Center (PFAP), and the County is not charging PFAP rent in the building that the County owns. Commissioner Price said many non-profits ask for funding, and many organizations will not fund brick and mortar projects for non-profits. She said she struggles with constructing a building for an organization, with all organizations rivaling each other.