Orange County NC Website
18 <br /> Travis Myren said the 20-year rent cost is $4.6 million and tonight the Board would have <br /> to approve $5.4 million increase for the project to move forward as is. <br /> Chair Price asked if the county is saving any money in the long run. <br /> Travis Myren said over the 20-year period there would be a savings. <br /> Commissioner Richards asked what capital projects would be impacted in the 1-5-year <br /> period if the Board did not want to raise taxes at all. <br /> Travis Myren said he would follow up with information on that. <br /> Commissioner Richards asked if there are projects in years 1-5 in the CIP that could be <br /> pushed back or eliminated. <br /> Travis Myren said he cannot think of any discretionary projects. <br /> Bonnie Hammersley said the CIP was scrubbed for the Durham Tech facility, which was <br /> not approved, so all of the remaining projects are needed. She said that all of the parks and <br /> other discretionary projects were moved out to years 6-10. <br /> Commissioner Fowler said to get the CIP back under, the Board took money from lands <br /> legacy, so there is not anything left to move. <br /> Commissioner McKee asked if there is $4 million in capital reserve that could be used. <br /> Bonnie Hammersley said yes. She said that staff is discussing anticipation of inflation <br /> increasing in 2023 and using the reserve to address price spikes for other projects. <br /> Chair Price asked Bonnie Hammersley if she has heard from President Buxton <br /> regarding Durham Tech. <br /> Travis Myren said he did. He said that Durham Tech is planning to resubmit a proposal <br /> for an expansion to the current facility, rather than a separate facility as proposed previously. <br /> Chair Price indicated that Durham Tech is now considering a renovation and expansion <br /> of their current facility rather than a separate building because Durham is putting a bond <br /> referendum on the ballot to cover a new facility in Durham, which would eliminate the need for a <br /> similar building in Orange County. She said the money the county has been trying to find for a <br /> second building would be much less if it were just a renovation and expansion. <br /> Commissioner Fowler asked if moving forward with the project would be a guaranteed <br /> tax increase. <br /> Travis Myren said with the current budget approved in April 2021, there was a need to <br /> raise taxes, so there will need to be an additional tax increase if the increased project budget is <br /> approved. <br /> Commissioner Fowler asked if that means in the next year that would be a fifty-cent tax <br /> increase. <br /> Travis Myren said it is a .15 increase. <br /> Chair Price asked if they could use some of the Durham Tech money to cover this. <br /> Travis Myren said those funds are budgeted too far out in the CIP for current use. <br /> Chair Price invited public commenters to speak. <br /> Nerys Levy indicated she is representing the Friends of Carrboro Library. She said that <br /> 34 years ago the Friends began their quest for a public library in southern Orange County. She <br /> said that in 1995 the Carrboro library was established in the McDougal Schools and that in <br /> 2004, the Carrboro Cybrary was established. She said there have been three library task force <br /> to examine the state of the county's libraries. She said prior to library opening in Hillsborough, <br /> Orange County was 76t" in the state for library provision. She said that with the approval of the <br /> library in Hillsborough, Orange County's rank moved to 50t" and has remained. She said that <br /> Wake County has 22 libraries and Durham County has 12. She said that the Town of Carrboro <br /> will provide land for the library and that is now valued at 1.4 million. She said that libraries <br /> promote community and equity. She said that the 203 project is close to Orange Literacy and El <br />