Minutes 04-07-2020 Virtual Business Meeting

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8 collect it. She said in 2020-21 the process will be a grant process, and the CFE will rank them for the Orange County Board of Commissioners. Commissioner Greene said she heartily supports Commissioner Dorosin's timeline and getting the monies out this year. Commissioner Greene said she was thankful for the Manager's clarification of the process, because she thought the process was open to all, and wondered where the idea for solar arrays came from in the first place. Commissioner Greene said she hoped the process for the next fiscal year will be more timely. Commissioner McKee said he was in agreement with Commissioner Dorosin about the schools not being able to use the monies how they pleased. Commissioner McKee said he has no issue with putting it out for open call, but there is no other component in the County that has the backlog of CIP projects like the schools. He said he would be supportive of giving priority focus to the schools because it would allow the funds to be used for climate mitigation, but would also take off some percentage of the schools' backlog of capital projects. He said he hydropower project would be a good pilot project. He said he would not vote for giving the schools a two-week ultimatum. Commissioner Marcoplos said the schools have an advantage in the scoring process, and are not being shortchanged. He said the Board cannot vote to accept the hydropower disbursement until it is clear what the schools are going to do, and that is why he wanted a two- week window. He said OCS was supportive of this timeline. Commissioner Price said the BOCC has a meeting in early May, and that should give the schools ample time to review the solar array projects. She said if the schools decide this is not a priority, then the Board can look at the hydropower project in May. Commissioner McKee clarified that if the Board proceeds with the hydropower project, it would just reduce the amounts available to the schools from $150,000 to $135,000. Commissioner Dorosin said there seems to be a Board majority that wants to give the money out this year, so the schools need to say one way or the other as soon as possible and there is no shame if the schools cannot proceed this year. He said the Board needs to have the CFE to look at past-proposed projects, or consider new ones. He asked the Manager if there were any other County projects in the queue. He said he will not vote to save the funds for next year. Bonnie Hammersley said the only project that did not get approval was the hydropower project. Chair Rich said she contacted both Board of Education chairs today, and asking them to have a decision in two weeks does not show a lack of partnership, nor is it disrespectful. She said there has been plenty of time for the schools to decide, and if it does not work then the County needs to move forward. Commissioner Price said she was not trying to push the decision out too far, but rather did not know when the two school boards were holding meetings. Commissioner Marcoplos said the Board's motion should say that it will give OCS two weeks, given the OCS meeting on April 20th, and around two for CHCCS, based on its meeting schedule. He said the County can start publicizing that it is looking for projects for next year. Commissioner Dorosin asked if the Board wants to vote on the hydropower project. Chair Rich asked if the next BOCC meetings could be identified. Donna Baker said April 21st, May 5th, or May 19tn Commissioner Greene said she now understands that CHCCS did not say a flat no, and supports giving both districts two weeks, or close to it, and she supports leaving out the $30,000 and keeping it in the queue, but to spend all the monies this year. Commissioner McKee asked if the $30,000 would fund the hydro project.