Minutes 04-12-2022 Budget Work Session-CIP

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8 Travis Myren said no. He said the uncommitted total the Board is seeking would only come from FY 2021-22 because the schools did not request the full amount allocated for them. He said that the school system did not apply in 2021. He said he does not know the exact number that would have been unallocated in 2021 but that he can provide that information. Commissioner Richards says that she is having a hard time understanding why the school system is not using the funds that is available to them for climate. Commissioner Bedford said that the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Schools did apply for solar in the last year and that was approved by the Board in the fall. She said that Orange County schools have not brought a project. Commissioner Hamilton said that she sits on the capital needs workgroup and that has brought a better understanding of the challenges that the schools face with handling any large capital project. She said that personnel is a major challenge in this area. Chair Price asked if what they are looking at now is $550,150 that will be set aside and there have been no applications for the use of those funds. Travis Myren said that the $550,150 is what will be available for use next year and the grant cycle has not started yet. Chair Price asked if what they are being shown demonstrates past year funding and funds that have not been drawn down by the grant recipents. Travis Myren said yes. Chair Price asked if there is a stipulation in the grant that says awardees must have used their previous allocation before being awarded any additional or future grant funds. Travis Myren said that he does not believe so. Commissioner Richards also noted that there is also no timeline required for completion of the grant project in the agreements. She said this would be an ongoing lag due to the grant cycle timing. Chair Price said that she is aware of the lag but was seeking clarification on if there was a restriction in place for additional funds before using previous grant awards. Travis Myren said that restriction is not currently part of the policy. Commissioner Greene asked if the Board could have estimated finish lines for those grants in progress for future presenations. Travis Myren said yes. Commissoiner Hamilton said when they first established these funds, the community projects had a lot of interest but at the same time they know they are in an environment with labor and equipment shortages. She said that all entities, large and small, will be struggling with using this money in the most effective way. She said that there may be need to think about better ways to allocate funds to get better use for climate mitigation. Commissioner Greene said that all of the projects that have been authorized to go forward have sustainability goals built in. She said she would like to keep focus on external grants that go to community members such as low income housing, ReBuiling Together of the Triangel, The Arts Center, the Farmers Market, and Habitat for Humanity. She said these have a benefit and she is not saying schools are not important for this but these entiteis are the original focus of the grant. Chair Price said that one thing they were intersted in was how quickly the group could be implementing the project because there are other organizations that could use the money rather than it be sitting without use for a few years. Travis Myren said they can explore time to intiate a project with a timeline of completion. Chair Price said there are a lot of projects coming forward with only so much money available, so she doesn't want awarded money to go to waste.