Minutes 09-20-2018 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

13 Bonnie Hammersley said she will share this with all outside agencies during the outside agency process. She said of the outside agencies, to which she has spoken, there has been no interest in a loan, but having it available would be nice. She said all non-profits would prefer a contribution. Commissioner McKee asked if there is a way to keep this from being a contribution. He said this is his concern, and he sees no reason to go through the song and dance. He said he would prefer to just call it a grant from the beginning, knowing that non-profits will request debt forgiveness. Gary Donaldson said there would be a loan agreement with a security of a deed of trust that would indicate the monthly repayment schedule. Commissioner McKee said this in no way prevents this, or a future board, from forgiving a loan. Gary Donaldson said that is correct. Commissioner Jacobs said he shares this concern, and the Board would have to reiterate that this is a loan, not a grant. He said non-profits may not currently be interested, but this has never been an option before, and this is a lot like a conservation easements, which no one wanted to try. He said it may take one or two non-profits being willing to try the program to see the benefit of a loan. Commissioner Price asked if a loan is defaulted upon, would the County have ownership of the property. Gary Donaldson said there would be a legal process to determine liens, and the recourse available to the County. Commissioner McKee said a conservation easement is a giveaway program, and he sees this loan process the same way. Commissioner McKee asked if the number of outside agencies currently being funded is known. Gary Donaldson said 55. Commissioner McKee said if 20% of those agencies meet the eligibility criteria, there will be insufficient funds available. He asked if there is a process in place to determine who gets funding. Commissioner Marcoplos said one would go through a process, and may get funding or may not. Commissioner McKee said he has seen churches and organizations with large endowments be less aggressive in their efforts as they were prior to receiving the endowment. He said he is opposed to this, and it is an unnecessary work around. Commissioner Jacobs said it never occurred to him that conservation easements were a giveaway program, and helping farmers capitalize their operations it is an economic development incentive. He said protecting water supplies and natural resources benefits everyone in the County. Commissioner Rich asked if the conversation has been helpful to staff. Chair Dorosin arrived at 8:17 p.m. Bonnie Hammersley said this option was requested by the Board, and there was the issue of providing a grant to IFC. She said staff can bring forth an abstract at the next meeting about adopting this policy, or the Board can pause to think about where it wants to go with this. She said Chapel Hill and Carrboro chose not to provide funds to the IFC capital campaign at this time. Commissioner Rich referred to page 11 on the PowerPoint and the timeframe to which the Manager is referring. She said the Board should decide if this should go into an abstract, or if more conversation is needed.