Orange County NC Website
35 <br /> 1 Bonnie Hammersley said she is required to present a balanced budget to the Board of <br /> 2 Commissioners. She said that she meets with superintendents on a monthly basis and usually <br /> 3 knows what their needs will be. She said that regardless, the elected officials do not discuss the <br /> 4 budget until after the manager has presented them with a recommended budget. She said then <br /> 5 they meet with the school boards and hear their needs, and it is then up to the Board to submit <br /> 6 amendments to the manager's budget. She said that she does not see a change in how they do <br /> 7 that because her role is to submit a balanced budget that is based on the needs and obligations <br /> 8 of the county and the schools. <br /> 9 Chair Price said there will be time to discuss this in the spring. <br /> 10 Commissioner Bedford said they are going to have an agenda item for the calendar and <br /> 11 that she would like to schedule the joint meeting earlier if they school boards know their budget <br /> 12 needs at that time. <br /> 13 Chair Price said the meeting is March was not to get into the numbers but to hear the <br /> 14 needs. <br /> 15 Commissioner Bedford said there is only one meeting with them and it is in March. <br /> 16 Bonnie Hammersley said that there is only one meeting scheduled with the school <br /> 17 boards and it is in March. She said that they would not have another joint meeting until the fall. <br /> 18 She said that there would be a work session, but that does not bring everyone together. She <br /> 19 said she has contacted Dr. Felder and Dr. Hamlett about the issue but the Commissioners can <br /> 20 move forward with the calendar as is and change it as necessary. She said that there wasn't the <br /> 21 intention that the meeting would be about budget but then you miss the opportunity to have <br /> 22 those budget discussions. <br /> 23 Rani Dasi thanked Commissioner Hamilton for how efficiently she navigated and led the <br /> 24 discussion about capital needs. She said they have been talking about school capital needs for <br /> 25 more than two years. She said she wants them to have a sense of urgency and that every day <br /> 26 that they wait, the problems increase. She said that no one is happy when a child does not <br /> 27 succeed. She said that there are so many connections that lead to those outcomes. She said <br /> 28 that students can't learn in facilities that need action. She said that safety is a key issue that <br /> 29 needs to be addressed. She said that she wants them to keep thinking about how they can do <br /> 30 funding in a different way. She said that she doesn't want to end up with a plan and no money to <br /> 31 pay for it. <br /> 32 <br /> 33 b. Schools Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (SAPFO) <br /> 34 <br /> 35 Chair Will Atherton said that he can't leave without getting a commitment to <br /> 36 address SAPFO. He said they know the SAPFO numbers are not accurate and they need a <br /> 37 common planning tool that is realistic. He said that they need to have one number to use, and <br /> 38 that it is so confusing why they can't agree to get the real numbers. He said that he would love <br /> 39 for them to say they will address it and get a timeline around it. He said that he knows that both <br /> 40 school districts have been asking for this. <br /> 41 Chair Price said that there is growth, and they want universal Pre-K and that an updated <br /> 42 SAPFO is necessary for accurate planning. <br /> 43 Travis Myren said there is a technical advisory committee meeting in October for <br /> 44 SAPFO. He said it would include school and county staff. <br /> 45 Deon Temne said he is curious about who is part of the task force. He said that if they <br /> 46 can't get an accurate number then they are wasting time once again. He said it is great to hear <br /> 47 that there is a task force, and he asked if the school board could be a part of the committee. <br /> 48 Bonnie Hammersley said it is a technical committee and that elected officials could talk <br /> 49 to their staff that are part of it. She said they bring recommendations back to the elected <br /> 50 officials. <br />