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4 <br />Environment and Resource Conservation Department <br />9. At its .June 7, 2005 meeting, the Board of County Commissioners accepted a federal grant in <br />the amount of $845,686 from the U. S. Department of Agriculture's Farm and Ranch Land <br />Protection Program for the purchase of farmland preservation conservation easements in <br />Orange County. These funds will be used to acquire conservation easements on four more <br />local farms (about 460 acres). These grant funds will be matched by County funds using a <br />portion of the remaining $975,000 in alternative financing approved by the Board of County <br />Commissioners in FY 2003-04 (total of $3.0 million). This budget amendment provides for <br />the receipt of these grant funds. (See Attachment 5, Conservation Easements Capital <br />Project Ordinance) <br />10. On June 7, 2005, the Board of County Commissioners approved the purchase of 8 acres of <br />land from Duke University for the future New Hope Preserve. The cost of the land is <br />$72,000, with additional transaction costs of approximately $5,000. Funding for this <br />acquisition will come from the Lands Legacy portion of the 2001 Parks and Open Space <br />Bond funds. Closing on the property is expected to occur on or before July 31, 2005. Also <br />related to this project, includes a resolution approved by the Board of Commissioners in <br />April 2005 to contribute $200,000 over a three year period for the purchase of a 43 -acre <br />tract of land owned by Duke University located in both Durham and Orange Counties. The <br />first installment payment for Orange County's portion ($66,667) on this property is due July <br />15, 2005. This budget amendment provides for the transfer from Lands Legacy 2001 Parks <br />and Open Space bonds of up to $77,000 for the 8 -acre tract of land, and $66,667 for the <br />joint purchase with Durham County of a 43 -acre tract of land owned by Duke University. <br />(See Attachment 6, New Hope Preserve Capital Project Ordinance, and Attachment 7, <br />Lands Legacy Capital Project Ordinance) <br />Health Department <br />11.The Orange County Health Department has received their Medicaid cost settlement funds <br />for FY 2003 -04 in the amount of $182,462. Also, a budget amendment was never executed <br />for funds received in June 2004 representing their FY 2002 -03 allocation in the amount of <br />$146,061. These Medicaid reimbursement funds are required to be budgeted and <br />expended to further the objectives of the program, and uses of these funds include, but are <br />not limited to: public information and outreach, automation of administrative operations, <br />capital improvements, expansion of preventive and primary care services to uninsured and <br />under - insured populations, and expansion of program support services. The Orange County <br />Health Department uses these funds for capital improvements. This budget amendment <br />provides for the receipt of both FY 2002 -03 and FY 2003 -04 funds totaling $328,523 in this <br />multi -year project. (See Attachment 8, Medicaid Maximization Capital Project Ordinance) <br />Housing and Community Development <br />12.At its June 7, 2005 meeting, the Board of County Commissioners approved awarding <br />housing bond funds in the amount of $129,930 to EmPOWERment, Inc. to purchase land in <br />the Pine Knolls community in Chapel Hill, In June 2004, the Commissioners approved a <br />revision to the Affordable Housing Bond Policy that incorporated a Land Banking Program <br />that provides the opportunity for local organizations to utilize bond money to purchase land <br />