Orange County NC Website
18 <br /> increase capacity, but also bring the buildings and classrooms up to today's standards, which is <br /> significant. <br /> Sarah Smylie thanked Sara Pitts and staff for working so hard, and so well together. <br /> She said this is the prioritized list from the 2016 facility assessment, and if all items had been <br /> included it would have totaled $160-220 million. She said part of the reason the situation is so <br /> dire is because there has not been ongoing funding of capital maintenance. She said she is not <br /> sure of the best solution, but it is important to chip away at this need and seek to maintain the <br /> facilities more effectively moving forward. <br /> Commissioner Dorosin said this consistent formatting is very helpful. He said it is <br /> important to consider the greatest priorities within this list of priorities. He said the costs are so <br /> great, and every item cannot be funded. He said it is important to know the very greatest needs <br /> to address first. <br /> Commissioner Dorosin said it may be time for everyone to think more creatively on how <br /> to handle older schools, such as year round schools, in order to buy more time to increase <br /> capacity. <br /> Commissioner Bedford said as the schools develop CIP requests, it is helpful to do a <br /> matrix: if there was $1 million, what do you want to do; if there was $2 million, what would you <br /> want to do, etc. She said to prioritize the big projects, before they get to the bond. <br /> Commissioner Dorosin said that type of information is very useful to the public as well. <br /> Amy Fowler said there is an ongoing 5-year maintenance plan, which has prioritized <br /> items. <br /> Chair Rich said it is important to talk about expectations from the community, and it is <br /> difficult for the BOCC to talk to the community without specific information. <br /> Commissioner Bedford referred to the routine maintenance items, and said the Board of <br /> County Commissioners knows that the County will be looking at a larger facility study for the <br /> County buildings, just as the schools have done. She said in 2005, the BOCC budget formula <br /> was changed to 60% for schools and 40% for County facilities, but this was done without a <br /> facilities study. She said it would be helpful to look at the County and the schools maintenance <br /> needs, and determine how much money it would really take to meet the on-going maintenance <br /> needs. <br /> Commissioner Price referred to AL Stanback middle school, and asked if there is a <br /> reason that option 1 is more expensive than option 3. She said she understood option 3 to be <br /> the option that would be available through a bond. <br /> Sara Pitts said option 1 costs are listed as those items that are needed right now for <br /> health and safety reasons. <br /> Commissioner Price said she is confused why option 1 would be higher than option 3. <br /> Sara Pitts said she did not put cumulative costs from option 1, 2, 3, but rather listed <br /> what total costs would be if option 1 and option 2 and option 3 were done, with the bottom total <br /> being cumulative. She said option 1, 2 and 3 need to be added together to get actual totals. <br /> Commissioner Price said CHCCS listed their options differently. <br /> Sara Pitts said the layout is just a bit different, but she will send and updated list. <br /> Patrick Abele said CHCCS considered all 3 options as distinct possible options, <br /> separate from each other. He said CHCCS may just be one step ahead of OCS in the layout of <br /> its options, due to its feasibility study. <br /> Commissioner Marcoplos said it is important to recognize that everyone has come <br /> together, with a spirit of doing the very best that is possible, and the information presented <br /> tonight is a start of a plan and will be very helpful for the public. He said it is important to make <br /> sure that divisiveness does not prevent solutions. He said the topic of schools is very <br /> emotional, and he really appreciated everyone being here this evening, and looks forward to <br /> remaining unified moving forward. <br />