Agenda 04-26-22; 8-a - Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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19 1 another generation of students that live in low-income housing in Carrboro access to a library. 2 She said that there is no off ramp for this project. She said that the library is the highest benefit 3 to its people. She urged the commissioners to vote to approve the GMP. 4 Lydia Lavelle addressed the Board. She asked the Board to please stay with this project 5 as partners with Carrboro. She said that none of us could have anticipated the financial cost 6 related to COVID 19 and supply chain issues. She said that many boards in the past have also 7 worked on this project. She said that this project is so important to the Town of Carrboro that it 8 is offering almost as much money as the county and is donating land. She said that construction 9 costs are not expected to decline soon, so redesign would ultimately cost more money. She 10 said that the federal ARPA and CARES money has allowed the County to give money to other 11 county departments and those departmental unused general funds could be allocated for the 12 project. She said if the Board were to pull from the project, she fears it will never be funded. She 13 said they have been able to fund the Orange County Detention Center and the Durham Tech 14 building. She said that it is sited where it is to be near so many services and public transit. She 15 said the parking deck will allow for more economic impact. She urged the commissioners to stay 16 the course and approve the project. 17 Kathy Kaufman said she has been a rural southwest Orange County resident since 18 1995. She said the Board should lock in the GMP for the 203 project. She said a library 19 downtown would have been immeasurable for her own children during their school years. She 20 said there are many students in Carrboro who cannot access the Chapel Hill library but would 21 benefit from the 203 Project. She said that the other organizations housed in the building will be 22 beneficial to the economy. She said that this project is 30 years in the making and should not be 23 delayed. She said that a delay will be less project for more cost. She said that the investment 24 will pay back into the future. 25 Cameron Binkie thanked the Board for their attention. He said he is a resident of 26 Carrboro and asks the Board to move forward with the library project. He said the Board has the 27 challenge to decide what they will allocate money to. He said everyone can benefit from a 28 library and is free to everyone in the community regardless of background. He said that a library 29 will bring more people downtown. 30 Ree Ree Wei said she is the executive director of a nonprofit called Transplanting 31 Traditions Community Farm. She said she is from Chapel Hill. She said her community is 32 dependent on the library in many ways and serves as a community space. She said that the 33 Carrboro (CH) Public Library was the first library she attended that had books in her language. 34 She said the library was a space for her to learn and expand her knowledge. She said the 35 location of the library will be accessible for her community members. 36 Tom McQuiston said 15 years ago, his son died of a drug overdose while he was a 37 student at East Chapel Hill High School when he was 18 years old. He said that they took their 38 grief and made the Reintegration Support Network and a Youth Center. He said the youth 39 center that is proposed to be part of this project is the result of some of this work. He said that 40 Bob Seymour fought for the Senior Center and now it is an important symbol of the type of 41 Community here in Orange County. He said that there was a report from the US Surgeon 42 General that there is an unprecedented need for mental health support in teens right now. He 43 encouraged the Board to do whatever necessary to move forward with the 203 Project with a 44 youth center there. 45 46 Commissioner Fowler asked if the Board goes forward with the current increased price, 47 how that will impact the timeline to fund capital needs of schools and the Crisis Diversion 48 Facility. 49 Travis Myren said the CIP that is being worked on now, includes additional funds for 50 school repairs and there will be capacity for a $120 million bond in 2027. He said the Crisis