Minutes 02-03-2026 - Business Meeting

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20 Slide#12 Suggested Use of Revenue Increase ❖ The Tax Assessment Work Group has issued a request for proposals (RFP) to retain a consultant to make recommendations on enhancements to the Assessment Division of the Tax Office. -:• The revenue accrued through the new ILAs could be used to fund recommended improvements to the Tax Office beginning in FY 2026-27. ❖ Additionally, there are enhancements in the other tax office divisions that can be addressed. ORANGE COUNTY 12 NORTH CAROLTNA Vice-Chair Fowler asked if state law dictates how much can be collected through these fees. She posed a question to the Board on whether the county should be collecting more than the cost to do the collections for the municipalities. Nancy Freeman said there are no limitations in state law on this issue. Vice-Chair Fowler said that in her opinion the goal should be to recover the cost of doing the collections. She said she liked Kirk Vaughn's suggestion about the percentage charged to each municipality being proportionate to the population or the amount of properties in each place. She asked if staff has had any conversations to date about changes with the towns. Nancy Freeman said county staff have generally mentioned to the towns' staff that the agreements are dated and need to be updated, but no specific conversations have taken place. Commissioner Bedford said she is in favor of having separate agreements with each municipality in the future. She suggested pursuing extensions of the existing agreements to address the deadlines and then for the Board to continue having conversations. Commissioner Carter said she feels this is a policy discussion for the Board to have, not the Tax Assessment Work Group, about a policy that is reasonable, fair, and equitable. She supported moving toward separate ILAs with each municipality as Commissioner Bedford mentioned. She also agreed with Commissioner Bedford about pursuing extensions. Kirk Vaughn asked if triggering the termination clause on the other ILA with the three towns would make sense if the Board would like to pursue extensions for the Durham and Mebane agreements Chair Hamilton said she thinks it's most appropriate to have discussions with the towns and let them know the Board's intentions to amend the agreements/pursue new agreements and give them an opportunity relay what their thoughts are. Vice-Chair Fowler said it is her hope that those discussions could happen within a year's time so that the new ILAs could be created. She said there is a one-year termination clause that is time-sensitive that the Board should act on and suggested that the conversations Chair Hamilton wants should take place in the meantime. Commissioner Bedford said she believes it could be detrimental to tell the towns an approximate charge now, when that might change after the Board sees real numbers. She said she is willing to forego a year of an increase to be more accurate.