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5 <br /> <br />Commissioner Rich referred to growth in Hillsborough and Mebane, and asked if there is <br />communication with Mebane regarding the Schools Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance <br />(SAPFO) numbers, to see how they affect OCS. <br />Todd Wirt said last month he presented to the Mebane City Council about the wonderful <br />schools in OCS that serve Mebane residents, and Craig Benedict, Orange County Planning <br />Director, reviewed the SAPFO report. He said OCS has made good inroads with the Town <br />Manager and City Council, and there is momentum to being added to SAPFO. <br />Bonnie Hammersley said she has also spoken with Mebane leadership about the <br />benefits of joining the SAPFO. <br />Commissioner Price asked if social workers are in every OCS school. <br />Todd Wirt said yes, one in each school. <br />Commissioner Price asked if this is sufficient. <br /> Todd Wirt said it is not sufficient. He said the Governor came to Cedar Ridge High last <br />week, and OCS encouraged the Governor to have flexibility in his budget for funds for these <br />types of positions. He said some schools need more than one social worker because of a <br />higher acuity of needs. <br />Commissioner McKee referred to the possibility of increasing fund balance, and asked if <br />this was due to timing of early expenses. He asked if OCS is drawing down this fund balance <br />fairly closely now. <br />Todd Wirt said OCS typically hovers within the percentage, at $1.2 – $1.3 million range. <br />Chair Dorosin asked if there is a reason why OCS and CHCCS have difference fund <br />balance amounts. <br />James Barrett said this is due to the CHCCS special school district tax, which CHCCS <br />receives later in the year and needs a larger cushion at beginning of year to meet payroll <br />obligations. <br />Chair Dorosin asked if making these fund balance percentages the same would <br />negatively impact the County budget. <br /> Bonnie Hammersley said she did not think it would make any difference to the County. <br /> Chair Dorosin clarified if OCS is asking for additional funding up front to increase its <br />fund balance to 5%, or using existing funds at a different time. <br />Todd Wirt said it would use existing funds at a different time. <br />Steve Halkiotis said the recent press conference held by the Governor at Cedar Ridge <br />High School focused on putting a nurse in every school, as well as more school social workers <br />and resource officers. He said he told the Governor that the BOCC made it possible to have <br />asbestos removed from schools over 20 years ago, long before the state and federal <br />governments looked into this issue. He said OCS have a nurse in every school, and long <br />before the Governor came, OCS wanted to put a School Resource Officer in all its elementary <br />schools. He said OCS has been proactive, with the help of the BOCC. He said only 10% of <br />schools in North Carolina have a full-time nurse, and OCS and CHCCS are in an exclusive club, <br />and it is scary for other schools. He said because of the relationship between the schools and <br />the BOCC, health and safety issues have been addressed in an ongoing manner for a long <br />time. <br />Chair Dorosin said the Board appreciates this recognition. He referred to the student <br />reassignment analysis being completed in anticipation of capacity issues, and encouraged OCS <br />to also look at issues of socioeconomic and racial diversity. He referred to the living wage, and <br />asked if the additional funds to bring 96 staff up to living wage is part of the additional <br />contribution budget. <br />Todd Wirt said yes. <br />Chair Dorosin asked if OCS only gets the continuation budget, will these positions will <br />remain below the living wage.