Orange County NC Website
22 <br /> Moses Carey stated that he does not believe this issue is as <br /> clear cut as the School Board's attorney has suggested. <br /> Ownership of the site will not necessarily determine who will <br /> manage the school. They need to decide what is in the best <br /> interest of the county and then go to the Legislature if <br /> necessary and ask them to clarify what they can do. In the <br /> meantime, the planning process for this new school can be <br /> continued. They need to search for a site now. <br /> Verla Insko asked if the school would be a magnet school. <br /> Moses Carey mentioned that it is conceivable that a separate <br /> school district could be created for the new high school or for <br /> all three of the high schools. However this is approached, both <br /> School Boards and the Board of Commissioners need to approve the <br /> process. <br /> He also mentioned that it could be of importance symbolically to <br /> the citizens of the county if the land was owned by the County <br /> rather than a specific school board. Regardless of who owns the <br /> land the administration of this school will be in the Chapel <br /> Hill/Carrboro systems for several years. <br /> Verla Insko stated that the issue of who administers the school <br /> is much more important than who owns the land. <br /> Mary Bushnell indicated that this could be a magnet school but it <br /> would need to be administered by the Chapel Hill/Carrboro School <br /> Board. <br /> John Link stated that the Site Selection Committee needs to be <br /> able to justify why they select a particular site. Its <br /> important that the selection be made for rational, and <br /> explainable reasons. They could enter into a written agreement <br /> which acknowledges that the land will be acquired by the Chapel <br /> Hill/Carrboro system and is intended to serve that system, but <br /> may at some future time serve a unified system. It would also <br /> need to be clearly stated that the Board of Commissioners would <br /> need to be included in any land purchase or building plans. <br /> In response to a question from Verla Insko, it was stated that <br /> sites in the Rural Buffer are being considered. <br /> In response to a question from Verla Insko, Mary Bushnell <br /> indicated that the Chapel Hill School Board would be opposed to <br /> creating a special district for this new school or for all three <br /> high schools combined. Moses Carey indicated that he wanted <br /> reference to the County owning the land to be left in the <br /> Proposed Process Report. <br /> 6 <br />