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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: December 9, 2003 <br />SUBJECT: Next Steps on Analysis of Potential School Merger <br />DEPARTMENT: County Commissioners/ <br />County Manager /Attorney <br />ATTACHMENT(S): <br />As noted in "Background" <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. 9 -a <br />PUBLIC HEARING: (Y /N) No <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Barry .Jacobs or Margaret Brown, 245 -2125 <br />John Link or Rod Visser, 245 -2300 <br />Geof Gledhill, 732 -2196 <br />TELEPHONE NUMBERS: <br />Hillsborough 732 -8181 <br />Chapel Hill 968 -4501 <br />Durham 688 -7331 <br />Mebane 336 - 227 -2031 <br />PURPOSE: To discuss next steps regarding the examination of potential impacts resulting <br />from a possible merger of the Orange County Schools and Chapel Hill - Carrboro City Schools, <br />BACKGROUND: On November 11, 2003, the Board of Commissioners conducted a work <br />session on the potential implications of a possible merger between the Orange County Schools <br />(OCS) and the Chapel Hill - Carrboro City Schools (CHCCS), Commissioners discussed the staff <br />report on this subject that was presented on September 15, 2003, public input received since <br />the publication of the report, and additional background information compiled by County and <br />schools staff at the BOCC's request since September, Four Commissioners distributed and <br />briefly explained the major elements of specific proposals that each presented to their fellow <br />board members with regard to how the full Board of Commissioners should proceed on the <br />merger question and related issues. Copies of the four individual proposals are included (as <br />Attachments 1 — 4) for further discussion and direction from the BOCC to the Manager and <br />staff. <br />The Board may wish to organize its discussion at this meeting around the following elements: <br />Collaboration <br />For several years, the BOCC has encouraged the two school systems to examine opportunities <br />for greater cooperation between the systems in sharing resources, realizing operational and <br />capital efficiencies, and enhancing educational offerings provided to students throughout <br />Orange County, Three of the four Commissioner proposals include provisions to pursue greater <br />collaboration between the systems, as noted below: <br />Commissioner Brown proposal., <br />Conclusions and recommendations of a task force should include: <br />o how each system could collaborate and share resources <br />