Agenda - 02-25-2025; 8-e - Sunsetting of the School Capital Needs Work Group

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1 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: February 20, 2025 Action Agenda Item No. 8-e SUBJECT: Sunsetting of the School Capital Needs Work Group DEPARTMENT: Clerk's Office ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: NONE Clerk's Office, 919-245-2130 PURPOSE: To conclude the School Capital Needs Work Group's activities and formally sunset the Group. BACKGROUND: The Capital Needs Work Group (the work group) was established by the Board of Commissioners (BOCC) on October 19, 2021, as a result of a petition by Commissioner Jean Hamilton. The petition requested the work group address the capital needs of the two public school systems in Orange County — Orange County Schools (OCS) and Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools (CHCCS) — especially the older schools, such that an actionable plan (over 10 years) would be developed that would dedicate funds and a process to address the needs. The BOCC received the work group's final report on September 13, 2022, which recommended: 1. Hiring a consultant to evaluate the County' s approach to school capital planning, design, contracting, and financing. 2. Researching alternative funding sources for school capital improvements. 3. County and both school districts commit to continue working together on school capital planning through the existing work group. The work group's recommendations and efforts led to a Services Agreement with Woolpert, Inc. to conduct a Capital Needs Assessment of Orange County's Public Schools, and a final report from the assessment was presented to the BOCC on December 4, 2023. At several meetings in 2024, the BOCC discussed how to address the funding needs identified in the Capital Needs Assessment. Finally, on November 5, 2024, Orange County voters approved $300 million in General Obligation bonds to fund capital improvements for CHCCS and OCS. FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact associated with this item.