Minutes 04-07-2020 Virtual Business Meeting

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5 Commissioner Price asked if the BOCC can send a letter asking the school boards to submit ideas. Chair Rich said if the Board chooses to vote that way, it would be fine. She said there were other projects that the CFE considered, which may move to the top of the list. Commissioner Marcoplos said due to the scheduling issue that has arisen due to health crisis, he proposed to allow a brief time to re-visit the solar arrays on the schools PUBLIC COMMENT: Bill Ward, CFE, joined the meeting via Zoom, and said it is a disappointment that the schools declined the funds to do the solar arrays. He said the CFE would welcome further interchange with the schools about how the schools may be able to mitigate climate change in other ways. He gave statistics on the carbon emissions in Orange County, and said the County needs to curtail emissions by three ways: decarbonization of electricity, improved efficiency, and beneficial electrification. He said this is true throughout the country, and there are many ideas that could be reviewed and replicated in the County. He said the CFE is open to all submissions, and would like to get the best bang for the buck. He said he hoped to have a forum where the CFE could have some give and take with the BOCC in order to understand in greater detail the CFE's thinking and prioritization process. Commissioner Marcoplos said he was trying to figure out why this went off the rails, and it seems CHCCS wanted to decide on its own how to spend these funds. He said the OCS, and Sarah Pitts point person on this project, had been scheduled to meet with Orange County staff on this issue and OCS was open to the idea. He said the current health crisis has led to confusion. Commissioner Marcoplos proposed allowing two weeks to answer any question that OCS may have about the solar arrays. He said the process has come this far, and it would be a waste to throw it away, as it is crucial to reduce the carbon footprint and greenhouse emissions. He said it is a unique opportunity. Commissioner Price talked to members on both school boards, and all agreed that solar arrays are good, but there were other issues that they were looking at for their buildings. She said both districts had not been brought up to speed on these projects, and the COVID-19 crisis has only caused greater interruption. She said there is no guarantee that the Board would vote in favor of the solar arrays, and she feels it is important to consider the best use of funds at this time and the greatest priorities. Chair Rich said this was voted in as a climate tax and needs to be used for climate mitigation. She said the Board must not go outside the parameters of the uses. John Roberts said it was a tax increase that was part of the Board's general taxing power, and this exact amount was directed to this climate purpose. He said a deviation from this purpose should not happen outside a vote of the full Board. Commissioner McKee said he is going to speak to the question as to whether the Board can move the money. He said it is his understanding that only through County referendum can tax funds be dedicated for a specific use. He said this was not decided through a referendum, thus a BOCC vote is sufficient to change the use of this money. He said this board cannot bind future boards, and they are not legally bound to spend the money on climate change. John Roberts said the Board is not restricted with this tax more than any other tax revenue. He said it is called a climate tax, but it is no different than the standard taxation that exists. He said the only difference is that the BOCC pledged by a vote to spend the funds on environmental purposes, and a Board vote would be appropriate to change that pledge. He said this Board is not bound by the prior vote. Commissioner McKee said if the Board were to spend this money for weatherization, LED, etc. in schools that provided reductions in greenhouse emissions, the Board would still be spending money on those items it pledged to spend it on.