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20 <br /> Commissioner McKee asked for the Board's indulgence in his comments. He said <br /> Durham Tech is an integral part of the education system in Orange County. He said he has <br /> supported it for 10 years. He said the County is facing a full-blown crisis, which could affect a <br /> generation of students, and despite the very best efforts of the school systems and teachers, <br /> the most vulnerable of students are not currently receiving a good education. He said the <br /> children with parents who can afford a tutor, or have a parent who can stay home, will be fine; <br /> but the students whose parents who are working two jobs, lack the technical ability to help their <br /> children, and those children with special needs are going to fall behind drastically. He said the <br /> BOCC must address this discrepancy. He recommended returning Durham Tech to years 6-10, <br /> and taking the funding associated with it and reallocating it to any necessary infrastructure to <br /> ensure that every house has broadband. He said there are students who have to do their work <br /> in a car in a school parking lot, which is unforgiveable. <br /> Commissioner McKee asked if Durham Tech could be repositioned to its original years <br /> of 6-10, and use the funds to ensure broadband availability in Orange County. <br /> Commissioner Bedford said she agreed with Commissioner McKee that broadband for <br /> all is a greater need, but does not know if the County can be involved in such activity. <br /> Commissioner McKee said as he understands the County can build towers, can lay fiber, <br /> and then present the infrastructure to a carrier, as the County cannot operate it. He asked if the <br /> Attorney could verify this information. <br /> John Roberts said he is hearing a recommendation to build infrastructure, at the <br /> County's expense, and then to give it a provider to operate. He said he does not think there is <br /> legal authority to do this. He said the Fiber Act did not pass, which would have allowed for <br /> counties and cities to build infrastructure and lease it to service providers. He said without the <br /> authority to do so, the County can only give grants to service providers and hope they will build. <br /> He said grants could be an option. <br /> Commissioner Price said Durham Tech was pushed out to year 6, and the Board started <br /> looking for another building for the Orange County campus years ago. She said this is not a new <br /> project. <br /> Commissioner Dorosin said he is the current commissioner on Durham Tech (DT) <br /> Board. He said the new DT president has made a commitment to focus on Orange County, <br /> which makes the project all the more urgent. <br /> Commissioner Dorosin referred to Commissioner McKee's proposal, and the troubles <br /> with accessing online learning. He agreed with the assessment about students being hurt by <br /> the current situation, but he has a lot of concerns with the County building this infrastructure and <br /> then giving it away with the hope that companies would provide services to residents. He said <br /> there is renewed focus at the Governor's office on expansion of broadband. He said the <br /> Durham Tech project is critical. He said he would be interested in learning more about <br /> Commissioner McKee's idea, but there is not enough information to push such a project forward <br /> without more information. <br /> Chair Rich said she has been working with the Legislature and Jim Northrup, Chief <br /> Information Officer, and it continues to get harder and harder to make progress. She said the <br /> Governor has put money on the table for immediate Internet access, but there is a bigger issue <br /> as Commissioner McKee said. She said the red tape is ridiculous, but she feels uncomfortable <br /> building infrastructure and then giving it away. She said broadband should be a utility. <br /> Chair Rich referenced a study that Katie Loovis did for a study skills center, which is in <br /> need of a building space. She said providing the DT space seems important and timely, and <br /> she would like to find a way to work out the budget. <br /> Commissioner McKee said he is well aware that this is a long-term problem. He said he <br /> is old enough to remember separate but equal, and regardless of the issue, he never wants to <br /> return to that way of practicing education. He said everyone is essentially held hostage to the <br /> screens, and it is wrong to prioritize building a building when students are sitting outside trying <br />