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11 <br /> Bryant Hunter said he has been at OE enterprises since 2017. He said that he likes the <br /> job he does, and he hopes he can stay with it. He works at a community center in Efland and at <br /> Rogers Road and at the visitor's center in Chapel Hill. <br /> Katie Harper said she has two children in Orange County Schools. She thanked the <br /> commissioners for their work on the budget. She asked the Board to vote in favor of the <br /> amendments for increasing funding. She said that it should not be up to local resources to <br /> make up for the lack of state funding, but that is the situation. She asked them to fund the <br /> schools as well as they can. She said one goal is to retain and recruit employees and that by <br /> not fully funding the OCS budget they will make it more difficult to achieve. She said that the <br /> amendments would help improve compensation for classified staff or increase the supplement <br /> for licensed teachers. She said that a few months ago she heard BOCC members say that <br /> increasing teacher compensation did not directly address the learning loss and mental health <br /> needs. She said that retaining new talent is the best way to reduce learning loss and address <br /> the mental health needs. She said that the teachers have worked for years and know families <br /> the best. She said that teachers are at the heart of schools. She said that she has a deep <br /> respect for Dr. Felder and her team has wonderful ideas to help the district. She asked the <br /> Board to please help Orange County Schools retain dedicated teachers. She said that they <br /> value education as a top priority. <br /> Meghun Darab spoke in favor of the education amendments. She said that there is a <br /> shortfall of $10 million from both districts. She said that while the $2.2 does not cover that <br /> shortfall it may be enough to build up the teacher base and retain teachers. She said that it will <br /> show teachers that we appreciate them. She asked the Board to please consider approving the <br /> amendments at the next meeting. <br /> Brian Link, the President of Chapel Hill Carrboro Association of Educators, <br /> congratulated the commissioners who won their primaries. He said that he teaches his kids that <br /> civics is a relationship, and they are excited to continue the relationship between the <br /> association and the commissioners and hopefully into the General Assembly, next year. He <br /> asked the commissioners to think about just how much has changed since they last saw one <br /> another on May 10. He said that in Raleigh, on both sides of the aisle, they are talking raises <br /> that neither school district has budgeted for but would have to be accounted for if enacted. He <br /> said that their chief financial officer said that will mean a million extra dollars just in the Carrboro <br /> city schools alone. He said then the reminder that the teachers literally must decide if the work <br /> they are not getting paid enough to do is worth dying for. He said that the survey results show <br /> that the teachers in their districts are willing to say that they are leaving the county or state is <br /> almost double the amount since the last survey two years ago. He said they listen closely, and it <br /> is clear the Board has been listening too. He said that the amendments are creative and will <br /> help both school districts. He said that he hopes they adopt all of the amendments rather than <br /> pick and choose. He said they also heard them about fund balance and for the first time in over <br /> a decade, the district is having a fund balance 101 meeting to talk about how they can do their <br /> part. He said that the are going to need $3.5 million just to keep the lights on. He said that he is <br /> presenting a petition signed by over five hundred community members that urge the Board to <br /> do more. He asked the Board to pass the amendments and try to find more money for the <br /> schools. <br /> Chair Price read a letter from Pamela Winstead, the President of the Perry Hills <br /> Community Association: <br /> To Whom It May Concern: <br /> The Perry Hills Community Association is requesting the funding and installation of <br /> a community park at the county owned lot located at the corner of Frazier Rd and <br /> Lancaster Rd in Mebane (PIN# 9835416142). The lot is currently undeveloped and <br /> has become an area where trash and other debris accumulates. By purposing the <br />