Minutes 10-21-2025-Business Meeting

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32 Chair Bedford said they've agreed to remove the$250,000. She said that in Article 4, they want everyone to communicate, and they should talk about whether the projects meet the principles of the Woolpert report. She said the Board is concerned about the section that says the team will approve projects and they should strike it. She said the county does not need to see design contracts. She said for change orders, it will have to come back to the budget office anyway. She said the ILA needs to reflect what is in the school capital funding policy. Commissioner McKee said the Board is making changes to suit itself without input from the schools. Chair Bedford and Commissioner McKee discussed the process and timeline for getting feedback on the ILA from the school districts. Commissioner Carter reviewed the changes that the other members of the Board agreed on: Receiving quarterly feedback, removing the $250,000 minimum, using the language suggested by the County Attorney regarding major projects, and adding specific references to the school capital investment process. Commissioner Fowler said that there are also suggested changes to the CMAR language in the ILA. PUBLIC COMMENTS: Kari Hamel referenced issues encountered with Chapel Hill High School's change orders back in November 2019. She said there was significant fallout from those issues and that it would have been beneficial for taxpayers and the public to have access to a dashboard or similar tool that could provide transparency about change orders and other financial matters related to school construction projects. She underscored the need for a process that allows the public to easily access accurate and timely information about how taxpayer money is being spent on these extensive and expensive projects. She expressed her support for the construction of new school facilities but emphasized the importance of having robust oversight to ensure the financial aspects are being managed transparently and responsibly. George Griffin, Chair of the Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools Board of Education, highlighted and reinforced the strong collaborative relationship that has been cultivated over his four years on the board, including three years serving as chair. He stressed the importance of maintaining this cooperative spirit, underscoring that he did not want any ongoing discussions or potential disagreements to jeopardize the positive and constructive work relationship that has been established among the school boards and county officials. He acknowledged the significance of attending to the details within this partnership, indicating that diligence and thorough attention are essential to continuing progress. He called for all involved parties to persevere in moving forward collectively and constructively in addressing the issues at hand. Chair Bedford asked George Griffin if they should schedule a school collaboration meeting soon. George Griffin said yes. Commissioner Fowler said the bond is $300 million. Commissioner McKee said that the total borrowing for the county is $900 million. 7. Reports a. Update on Revaluation Appeals and Neighborhood Reviews The Board received an update on the status of property tax appeals and neighborhood level reviews following the 2025 revaluation. BACKGROUND: The Board of Commissioners received the first update on property tax appeals and neighborhood reviews at the August 26, 2025 Business meeting. At that meeting, the Board also approved the composition and charge of the Tax Assessment Work Group.