Minutes 06-03-2021 Virtual Business meeting

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11 Commissioner Dorosin said his amendment is to reduce funding to the Chapel Hill Library by the same percentage as the Orange County Library. He said given the dollar amount the percentage cut would save, he suggested even doubling the percentage decrease. Chair Price said she agrees with at least making the reduction equal with the Orange County library cut. Commissioner Hamilton recommended sharing the ARPA money with the schools. She said the budget is focused on the most vulnerable, and providing a safety net, and schools do this. She said the effects of pandemic will not be going away anytime soon. She said the schools are receiving some direct federal money, but schools also provide social safety nets for the most vulnerable students, and the County should share ARPA money for technology, Social Emotional Learning, mental health, and other permissible school uses. She said this is an investment in children today, and to hopefully diminish their future reliance on social safety nets. She said she is aware that this is one time funding, and hopes it would be stretched out over the time the County has the funds and will not be needed permanently. She said if the money is needed in the future, she hopes the BOCC will find the funds past the time ARPA is available. Commissioner Dorosin asked who is responsible for ensuring that money provided by the County to another entity is used for something permissible under ARPA guidelines. Bonnie Hammersley said the County can enter into an inter-local agreement with the entity agreeing to comply with the regulations of the funding and report uses back to the County to account for that. She said the language in Commissioner Hamilton's amendment is verbatim from the permissible use guidance. Commissioner Dorosin asked if ARPA money would be treated differently than the other money in the budget that goes to the schools. Bonnie Hammersley said yes, this money would be given outside of current expenses. Commissioner Fowler asked if ARPA money could be used for expansion needs related to mental health in the schools requested budget. Bonnie Hammersley said yes. Chair Price asked if this money is given to schools, would the language have to be specific in the contract as to the actual items the money is used for. Bonnie Hammersley said that would be ideal, and would be her recommendation. She said there will be specifics as to what the money would be used for, like the Capital Budget for the schools. Commissioner Dorosin said he agrees with that, and would not want to approve it without clear guidelines and reporting on results. Commissioner Hamilton agreed having accountability and tracking is important. Commissioner McKee asked for County staff or schools to provide an exact accounting of all the federal funding received by schools to date. Bonnie Hammersley said she would provide that information to all of the Commissioners.