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32 <br /> Chair Hamilton said most of the funds had been advanced, and this is borrowing to recoup that <br /> cost. <br /> Gary Donaldson said the only exceptions are the Durham Tech building and the fire alarm. <br /> A motion was made by Vice-Chair Fowler,seconded by Commissioner Greene,to open the public <br /> hearing. <br /> VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br /> PUBLIC COMMENTS: <br /> Adam Beeman expressed concerns about unwise budgetary decisions that result in a redundancy <br /> of services. He gave an example of recycling trucks to collect recycling along with upgrades to solid waste <br /> convenience centers. He felt that recycling pick up is a subsidy for people who already pay for private <br /> trash services. He said it's one in a line of small items that add up. He requested that the Board invest <br /> in the schools rather than in Durham Tech and gave an example of the personal support he's given to the <br /> Orange High School FFA program. He shared his opinions of Durham Tech's training programs. Regarding <br /> affordable housing, he noted that the only way to provide it is by densifying around existing services. He <br /> suggested that the Board invest in the Town of Hillsborough water system and increase capacity. <br /> A motion was made by Vice-Chair Fowler, seconded by Commissioner McKee, to close the public <br /> hearing. <br /> VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br /> A motion was made by Vice-Chair Fowler, seconded by Commissioner Bedford, to approve the <br /> resolution supporting the application to the Local Government Commission for approval of the financings. <br /> VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br /> 6. Regular Agenda <br /> a. Approval of a Contract with GAR Associates, LLC to Evaluate the Reappraisal and Tax Assessment <br /> Process in Orange County <br /> The Board approved a contract with GAR Associates, LLC to evaluate the reappraisal and tax assessment <br /> process in Orange County and make recommendations for improvement. <br /> BACKGROUND: The Orange County Tax Administration Office completed a revaluation of real property in <br /> 2025. Following community feedback and Board concerns about potential deficiencies in the County's <br /> reappraisal process, the Board of County Commissioners created a Tax Assessment Work Group and <br /> charged it to evaluate the policies, processes, and procedures used by Tax Administration to determine <br /> property values. Work Group representatives include three (3) County Commissioners, the County <br /> Manager,the Director from the Community Justice Collaborative of the North Carolina Housing Coalition, <br /> the Tax Administrator, a representative from the Orange County Property Tax Justice Coalition,the Budget <br /> Director,the Director of Civil Rights and Civic Life, a non-profit housing provider,the Community Relations <br /> Director, and four(4)community members representing different geographic areas in the County. <br /> One of the specific tasks of the Work Group is to provide feedback and input to a consultant retained by <br /> the County to conduct a detailed evaluation of reappraisal processes and make recommendations for <br /> improvement. In December 2025,the County issued a Request for Proposals(RFP)to conduct this analysis. <br />