Agenda - 02-21-2017 - 6-a - Minutes

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25 1 Commissioner Rich asked whether the Board should take another look at the CIP, given that the 2 County needs to be more cautious about spending. 3 4 Bonnie Hammersley said that the Board has an opportunity to review the CIP every year; the 5 Board votes on funding items in the CIP one year at a time. As they go into FY 17-18 budget 6 cycle the Board will have the opportunity for thoughtfulness within the context of our changing 7 times, to decide whether it wants to change directions. 8 9 Commissioner Jacobs said he is not sure that the annual CIP review is sufficient because it 10 does not force the Board to confront its priorities. Staff often tells them they can postpone 11 projects for a year or two, but the project remains even if it is something no longer as important 12 as something else that has come up or if it was based on a commitment made by a previous 13 Board that this Board is not as committed to. Maybe they should have a real review of the 14 projects, with an opportunity to reprioritize according to what the current Board really wanted to 15 accomplish. Maybe they will need to free up more flexible money to enable them to deal with the 16 holes that are going to open up. Maybe they can have a Plan A that lays out how they would like 17 to expend their capital dollars if they can, and a Plan B that enables them to reconsider 18 expenditures in six months. Their fund balance gives them a little flexibility, but its size is set 19 before they even know what they are going to need. 20 21 Bonnie Hammersley said that the structure is in place to do the CIP as Commissioner Jacobs 22 was suggesting. They can do it that way but they don't. There are budget policies they can put 23 in place to protect themselves. In another county she worked in there were so many 24 uncertainties that they did not make capital expenditures in the first quarter of any fiscal year, for 25 example. They also can take a look at the relationship between the operating and capital 26 budgets. As Manager, she can control the CIP better than she can control the operating budget. 27 She can hold back on bond financing when she needs to. They might take a look at how they do 28 "pay as you go" funding. They can bring some tools back to the Board and they can give us 29 further direction. 30 31 Commissioner Jacobs recalled that he voted against buying the parking deck a few years back 32 because it was presented in the spring. This was during the recession, and he thought they 33 should understand how the purchase fit into the CIP. 34 35 Commissioner Jacobs suggested the old Chapel Hill Town Hall be added to the Manager's list 36 of potential additional issues. 37 38 Commissioner Marcoplos noted the community's water supply is about 90% within our borders. 39 This is a fortune and unique circumstance, and has enabled them to ensure that it is one of the 40 cleanest water supplies in the nation. But they hear occasionally about the General Assembly 41 tinkering with different jurisdictions. If a company needs water and the supply is not available 42 then the legislature just makes it so the company can run the supply from another watershed. 43 What would they do if a statewide drought took place and the legislature tried to take their 44 water. 45 46 Chair Dorosin said that he is concerned about the growing intolerance towards people of color, 47 the LGBT community, Muslims, and other excluded groups. They think of themselves as a 48 tolerant community, but he also thinks there is going to be increasing volatility between their 49 residents. How do they talk about that, about racial equity, about protecting diverse residents, 50 how their schools are engaging around these issues. These questions are vital. They need to be 51 prepared for this component of the storm. And it is already happening. 25