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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />Action Agenda <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Item No. <br />Meeting Date: DECEMBER 17, 1991 <br />SUBJECT: ESTABLISH A SCHOOL BOND PACKAGE COMMITTEE <br />DEPARTMENT: COUNTY COMMISSIONERS <br />ATTACHMENT(S): NO <br />PUBLIC HEARING YES: NO: X <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: DON WILLHOIT <br />TELEPHONE NUMBER - <br />Hillsborough - 732 -8181 <br />Chapel Hill - 968 -5401 <br />Durham - 688 -7331 <br />Mebane - 227 -2031 <br />-------------------------------....-----......--------------------..--------- <br />PURPOSE: To establish a committee to work toward a community consensus on <br />the school bond package <br />BACKGROUND: Although there appears to be a consensus that additional <br />school facilities are needed, and needed now, the School Capital Advisory <br />Committee failed to reach a consensus about the package that should be put <br />to a vote of the people. To ensure maximum potential for passage, the <br />bond package must address the current and projected needs of both school <br />systems, contain realistic cost estimates, have an acceptable tax rate <br />impact, and be perceived as fair. <br />RECOMMENDATION(S): Establish a committee to work toward a <br />community consensus on the school bond package that is to be put to a <br />vote of the people of Orange County. The committee should be composed of <br />citizens representing diverse viewpoints, including school and tax rate <br />concerns. Staffing for the committee should be provided by the <br />County with support from the school systems. The Orange County Dispute <br />Settlement Center, Public Disputes Program, should serve as facilitator. <br />Issues to be addressed include: <br />(1) Number and type of schools for each school system <br />(2) Cost estimates and rationale, e.g., cost per square foot and <br />inflation escalator <br />(3) Funding mechanism - bond amount, tax rate increase and timing of <br />increase <br />(4) Enrollment projections -- new construction or infill of existing <br />dwellings? <br />(5) Merger threat considerations <br />(6) Location and design impacts, e.g., energy conservation and land use <br />plan considerations <br />(7) Review of projected impacts due to operational costs of new <br />schools, enrollment increases and year -round classes <br />(8) Implications of bond failure - impact on current expense <br />allocations, e.g., the technology plan, due to diversion of <br />operating funds to capital projects <br />