Minutes 10-21-2025-Business Meeting

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31 Chair Bedford referred to comments from CHCCS School Board Chair George Griffin. She said that he thought the school boards were being cut out of the process. Commissioner McKee and Chair Bedford discussed the role of the core team and the county manager when determining whether a project aligns with the Woolpert report. Vice-Chair Hamilton said she is growing concerned about the process. She said the purpose of the core team as described in the ILA is different than how it was originally envisioned. She said she did not see the core team as a decision-making body. She said the Wake County MOU was the model and she would like to go back to that draft. She said she saw the core team as a collaborative body, tracking projects and communicating with the parties. She said the other policies in place can tracking funding so they can hold the schools accountable. Kirk Vaughn said the language was meant to hew very closely to the Wake ILA, and it is mostly in Article 3. Commissioner Greene said she did not want to lose sight of the goal is to have a process that gets schools built and rebuilt consistent with the principles of the Woolpert report. She said Article IV is the mechanism by which they make sure that the projects are consistent with the report. She said it does not seem convoluted. Vice-Chair Hamilton said this version of the ILA puts the core team in the middle of the school capital investment plan. She said it's confusing because the county already has a process that makes sure they are following Woolpert. She said it makes it more confusing to put this in the ILA. Commissioner Carter said this is the biggest bond issuance ever in Orange County. She said even when things are not spelled out, going through the ILA helps remove the confusion later. Vice-Chair Hamilton said while she agreed with Commissioner Carter, it's already in the school capital investment process. She said putting it in the ILA creates confusion. She said that there is a disconnect between what they say is the purpose of the core team and what they end up doing. Commissioner Carter asked if the school capital investment plan can provide checkpoints. Kirk Vaughn said school staff staff would provide the county changes through amendments during the year, and the amendment process is in the school capital funding policy. Chair Bedford asked why an ILA is needed. Kirk Vaughn said it was successful model in Wake County, and it would strengthen communication. Commissioner McKee said that this has created dissension between the county and the school districts. He said that they don't think they need this agreement. He said they could get the information needed without it. Vice-Chair Hamilton said the school has already agreed to an earlier draft ILA. Chair Bedford said she did not agree with the ILA. Vice-Chair Hamilton said she and some of the other commissioners agreed to the core team. She said that during the joint meeting there was a good understanding of that initial ILA. She said the core team would help with communication, and it would provide similar benefits to the school capital work group. She said it helped the school districts and the county work together better. She said previous deficiencies result from a lack of clear policies and commitment from the county to follow up and to not wait. Commissioner Fowler said they should be responsive to the comments by the school boards. She said they should find a mutually agreeable solution that is responsive to their feedback and serves the main purpose to provide a framework, but does not get in the way of it happening in a timely manner. Commissioner McKee suggested that they end discussion of the ILA and ask that staff to work on it with the schools.