Minutes 11-20-2017 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

10 He said the remaining 4 years of that distribution would be earmarked and steered towards the capital needs. Commissioner Jacobs asked if CHCCS would do that over the next 4 years. Todd LoFrese said yes. Commissioner Rich referred to value engineering, and asked if it was possible to value engineer one's way out of a project that is 40% over budget. She referred to the Eubanks Road recycling project, which had to go back to the drawing board due to being over budget. She said it was revised and completed in a manner in which the County could stay within its means. She said this likely needs to happen with this project. Todd LoFrese said reducing the Lincoln center by $10 million would lop off a huge piece of the project, which would result in the project being scrapped and needing to start over. He said the pre-K project addresses the issue of capacity. Commissioner Rich said everyone is thinking about capacity, but this is an enormous amount of money to try and make up. Commissioner Price said the abstract mentions $5 million to reimburse CHCCS for its design expenditures. She asked if this money has been used. Todd LoFrese said this money will be completely used up by the time the Chapel Hill High School (CHHS) project goes out to bid in March. Commissioner Price asked if the remaining amount is reflected on the slide. Todd LoFrese said he would have to get the exact numbers for the BOCC. Commissioner Price asked if the rest of the funds would be used up if CHCSS had to re-design. Todd LoFrese said yes and possibly more. Commissioner McKee said Pre-K holds a special place in his heart, but he does not know how both of these projects can move forward. He said because the Lincoln Center came in over budget, he would expect the same of CHHS. He said completing one project at the over budgeted prices cripples the other project. He senses a preference for moving ahead with Lincoln, but he is unsure if this is wise before knowing the bids for CHHS, and having no plan B. He said CHHS has some serious needs. Commissioner Burroughs said she looked at the 20th day numbers, and the elementary level has not grown for the last two to three years. She said birth rates are also remaining at unusually low levels. She said she is now unsure that capacity is as big of a need as she once thought. Commissioner Burroughs said Orange County does not have additional debt capacity, and no impact fees. She said this breaks her heart, but the County does not have any extra funding. She said CHCCS needs to look at its population growth, and there is no source of money at this time from Orange County without a major change in Raleigh. James Barrett said population growth is not the driver of reaching SAPFO in 2020, but rather it is the state-mandated changes in class size. He said it is not that there will be more children, but that less children will be able to go in each classroom, and thus more classrooms will be needed to meet the legislative mandate. Commissioner Burroughs said on the face of it that is the problem. She said pressure needs to be put on the General Assembly about the classroom issue, but regardless of that the County still does not have additional funds. Chair Dorosin said building more schools in not the only choice. He said Wake County is considering making larger classes in 4th and 5th grades. Commissioner Jacobs said this is an opportunity to change the way they look at these projects and how they are planned. He said coming in at the eleventh hour and 55th minute is a little late. He said they should have all been working together on this from the beginning as no one entity has all the answers. He said if this is not going to work, then how flexible and