Minutes 11-01-2018 - Laserfiche WebLink

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13 need for the Schools Joint Action Committee (SJAC) to meet in order to discuss options and determine how to implement the school capacity changes in the 2019 SAPFO report and 10- year student membership and building capacity projections sheets. Based on the adopted SAPFO Memoranda of Understanding, school building capacity shall be determined by reference to state guidelines and school district guidelines and by a joint action of the School Boards and Orange County Board of Commissioners. The SJAC is comprised of elected officials from the Orange County Schools Board of Education, Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education, and Orange County Board of Commissioners. The SJAC last met in 2005 to discuss and recommend how to implement elementary level class size reductions related to legislation implemented at that time. At the time, the SJAC decided to defer reductions, for SAPFO purposes, to elementary level class size averages for both districts until after the opening of Morris Grove Elementary School in 2008. The Committee is expected to meet twice to review and discuss impacts and options before determining how to implement class size reductions for SAPFO purposes. Orange County Planning staff will organize and provide staff support at the committee meetings. Staff from Orange County Schools and Chapel Hill – Carrboro City Schools will be invited to attend. In order to proceed with the formation of the Schools Joint Action Committee, a letter from the Board of County Commissioners Chair must be sent to the Orange County Schools Board of Education and Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education. This letter (Attachment 1) provides a brief summary and request for appointments to the committee. Commissioner Price said the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC) has been looking at the class-size mandates, and the issue is in their top 5 goals, but not their top 3. She said this is still a big issue with a lot of opposition. Commissioner Jacobs asked if the SJAC is more broadly discussing the use of the Schools Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (SAPFO). He said there is no enforcement mechanism in the private sector, and the only enforcement mechanism is to require to the BOCC to build the schools. Craig Benedict said the SAPFO has been more of a Capital Improvement planning mechanism rather than an enforcement mechanism, and he said the benefits of the SAPFO have been well done over the years at keeping in tune with enrollment, capacity and State legislation. Commissioner Jacobs said it is a good planning tool. Craig Benedict said yes. Commissioner Jacobs suggested that whoever represents the Board of County Commissioners on the SJAC should keep in mind that only one of three rounds of updates to existing schools has occurred, and the Board of County Commissioners should move very cautiously before making commitments to build new schools. He said Orange County Schools (OCS) have been more effected by Charter Schools than the Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools (CHCCS), and if there is another recession it will be very hard to build new schools, and the BOCC will be accused of making false promises. He said all local government supports public education, but schools are very expensive and SAPFO can sometimes be a straightjacket to County Commissioners. Commissioner Burroughs said SAPFO is an excellent planning tool, meets the needs of the community, and she does not think it is a straightjacket. She said SAPFO has not helped with meeting the needs of maintaining the older schools, and schools are valued, and she would not be afraid of SAPFO. She said she would also not be afraid of studies that show the need for significant renovations of existing schools, as all of this is information that helps the County meet the needs of the students.