Orange County NC Website
15 <br /> 1 However, the exact model of project management for the upcoming bond construction period has <br /> 2 yet to be decided by the County and the Districts. <br /> 3 <br /> 4 At the January 21, 2025, Business Meeting, the Board began a discussion on Project <br /> 5 Management, but adjourned early due to inclement weather. At the meeting, Board members <br /> 6 requested additional information from experts to help inform the Board. County staff reached out <br /> 7 to Jessica Killian, Director of Program Management at Turner&Townsend Heery. In that role, Ms. <br /> 8 Killian has managed components of project and program management in major capital programs <br /> 9 for Guilford County Schools, as well as Beaufort County Schools in South Carolina, Douglas <br /> 10 County Schools District in Colorado, and Mapleton Public Schools in Colorado. In those four <br /> 11 projects, Ms. Killian has provided management for nearly $2.7 billion dollars in school capital <br /> 12 investment. <br /> 13 <br /> 14 Ms. Killian will discuss some of the complexities and considerations around project management <br /> 15 that the County should consider in its decision. Ms. Killian will also differentiate the concept of <br /> 16 "program management', which includes all the oversight and coordination of multiple projects, <br /> 17 from the broader concept of"project management'. The County or Districts can utilize firms such <br /> 18 as Turner&Towsend Heery or Woolpert to provide this overarching program management of the <br /> 19 multiple projects to ensure consistency of projects, alignment of Board principles, and realize <br /> 20 some efficiencies. Individual projects would still require project management to ensure the <br /> 21 projects are completed on time and in budget. Ms. Killian previously presented to the Chapel Hill- <br /> 22 Carrboro City School District Finance, Facilities and Operations Board Subcommittee on the pros <br /> 23 and cons of different delivery methods. <br /> 24 <br /> 25 Under State Statute, the school districts are responsible for school construction, and as such are <br /> 26 responsible for management, design, and construction oversight. Under the current model, the <br /> 27 districts hire either staff or a firm to provide program or project management, both for the annual <br /> 28 maintenance of existing facilities and for new construction. The school districts make all contracts, <br /> 29 decisions and payments regarding school construction and then bill the County for <br /> 30 reimbursement. The districts do not construct new facilities very frequently. The most recent new <br /> 31 school was the major renovation of Chapel Hill High School from the 2016 bond. In addition, both <br /> 32 districts had issues spending down their maintenance funding during the Covid-19 Pandemic. The <br /> 33 County encouraged both districts to expand their project management staff and fund them through <br /> 34 the Supplemental Deferred Maintenance funds.The County has identified these existing balances <br /> 35 as resources to implement the Woolpert recommendations and will work with the Districts to <br /> 36 create a plan that is consistent with the principles of the Woolpert recommendations using those <br /> 37 existing balances. <br /> 38 <br /> Unspent Capital Funds New Funding Available Maintenance <br /> District Year End FY 2024 Budget FY 2025 Funds for FY 2025 <br /> Chapel Hill-Carrboro City $ $ <br /> Schools 6,609,365.29 16,224,511.00 $ 22,833,876.29 <br /> Orange County Schools 27,510,418.97 16,060,560.00 $ 43,570,978.97 <br /> Total 34,119,784.26 32,285,071.00 $ 66,404,855.26 <br /> 39 <br /> 40 Either district can also agree to allow the County to assume project management, contracting, <br /> 41 and oversight responsibilities through an Interlocal Agreement (ILA). That could allow the County <br />