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4 <br /> voting to approve funding for the recommended Solar for Schools Grant program for FY 2019- <br /> 20 as outlined in the attached report. <br /> Travis Myren presented this item. <br /> BACKGROUND: As part of the FY 2019-20 budget, the Board of Commissioners authorized an <br /> additional '/4 cent property tax to provide an estimated $469,272 dedicated to accelerating <br /> climate change mitigation through the new Climate Change Mitigation Project in the Capital <br /> Investment Plan. <br /> When the tax was authorized, the BOCC stated that it would decide the final prioritization of <br /> projects to be funded, and the Board requested that the Commission for the Environment (CFE) <br /> provide feedback on prospective projects in advance of BOCC review. <br /> The CFE completed its initial scoring, and the BOCC reviewed a report that outlined the <br /> recommended projects at its Business meeting on February 4th. At that meeting the Board <br /> approved funding for two of the four recommended projects, and at the request of school <br /> leadership, temporarily deferred taking any action on the two projects which make up the <br /> proposed Solar for Schools grant program. Attachment 1 is a copy of this report revised in <br /> accordance with the comments received from the BOCC. <br /> During the discussion of the Solar for Schools grant program, Board members asked several <br /> questions in preparation for additional discussion in the future. In response, staff has revised the <br /> report and has had discussions with staff in both school districts. <br /> Attachment 2 is a list of the Board members' questions and follow-up responses on the <br /> recommended Solar for Schools Grant Program. <br /> FINANCIAL IMPACT: The Climate Action Tax is projected to generate $469,272 in funds in FY <br /> 2019-20. The top two recommended projects have already been approved to use $169,272 of <br /> these funds, and the remaining $300,000 is recommended to fund two Solar for Schools grants <br /> for$150,000 each. <br /> Chair Rich said the recommendation that was in the published agenda abstract is not <br /> what is happening now. She said the schools contacted the County Manager and declined to <br /> participate in the solar arrays project. She said the current recommendation is to send this <br /> process back to the CFE to come up with additional suggestions for the climate mitigation tax. <br /> Travis Myren said it would not be useful to go forward with the recommendation for the <br /> schools. <br /> Commissioner Price asked if there is a reason preventing further discussions with the <br /> schools about other climate mitigation projects. <br /> Chair Rich said the original process included scoring, and the schools have not added <br /> any additional projects yet. She said if the schools did have additional projects, they could <br /> submit them to the CFE to be scored. <br /> Chair Rich said it is important to utilize the process set up for the CFE to review and <br /> score potential projects, as the process focuses on social justice and racial equality. <br /> Chair Rich said it is a climate mitigation fund and the Orange County Board of <br /> Commissioners decides what to do with the funds, based on recommendations from the CFE. <br /> Commissioner Price asked if the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) is going to <br /> send a letter to the Boards of Education inviting them to submitting potential projects to be <br /> scored. <br /> Chair Rich said she and Bonnie Hammersley have already spoken with the two schools <br /> Boards, and both are aware of the open invitation to submit projects for consideration. <br />