Agenda - 12-10-2002-1 - Laserfiche WebLink

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(0 Excerpt from Minutes: June 11, 2002 budget work session Justice Facilities: John Link said that the staff needs clarification of the assumptions that were made in the memorandum and also clarification of change to the timeline that is assumed. Purchasing and Central Services Director Pam Jones spoke about the assumptions. The assumptions are that the justice facilities downtown would be developed only to the extent that a parking deck would not be needed, the Sheriff's office will remain intact, and the Government Services building will not be expanded (if at all, it would include only surface parking). The architect selection process could be delayed by six months which means that expenditure of planning funds would not be required until 2003-2004. If the Sheriff's office is put in the justice facilities building, it is going to take about half of the space and will minimize what can be done in phase I for the courts. The Sheriff is not opposed to adding on to his existing building. The decision points are to confirm the assumptions, define the acceptable time table, and state interest in leaving the Sheriffs Department at its present location and expanding the existing building. Commissioner Halkiotis said that he is concerned about the potential reuse of the Sheriff's Department. He is puzzled as to why this came up so late in the process. Pam Jones said that since the Government Services expansion was pulled off, it leaves them with the issue of what to do with the building. He said that the County Commissioners have not had a discussion with what functions would be at the Government Services Center if it were expanded and where to put all of the vehicles. Commissioner Brown would like to postpone this for a period of time and regroup to get some more ideas about it. She said that everybody has worked on this project and what would be included except for her. She wonders if we would want to take into consideration possibly combining some of the mental health issues with the court system. In the future, she feels we will not be looking at a conventional project. Commissioner Gordon asked how the addition to the Sheriff's building would be financed. Pam Jones said that this is an option to look at on reuse of the building. If the County Commissioners express an interest, the staff will come back with a financing plan. Chair Jacobs said that at this point we are not aware of everything that was included in phase I. None of the County Commissioners thought that the Sheriff's building would be expanded. He has no problem with the operating assumptions, but he thinks we need to look at the timing. He said that there is still an interest with the justice facilities in the old post office in downtown Chapel Hill. Commissioner Carey said that we should agree with the assumptions outlined by Pam Jones. He asked how much of the$500,000 would be saved if they decided to start the process in January instead of August. Pam Jones said that the entire $500,000 would be pushed to the next fiscal year. Commissioner Gordon said that we should decide what we need to do this year (i.e.,justice facilities phase I) and push the other items forward to next fiscal year. Chair Jacobs said that the alternative would be to add a fourth assumption that reflects that by not expanding the GSC beyond the surface parking capacity, it leaves us with pending decisions about other departments that the space needs study identified as possibly relocating to the GSC site. ADJOURNMENT A motion was made by Commissioner Halkiotis, seconded by Commissioner Carey to adjourn the meeting at 10:13 p.m. VOTE: UNANIMOUS The next meeting is scheduled for June 17, 2002 at 7:30 p.m. in the Southern Human Services Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Barry Jacobs, Chair Beverly A. Blythe, CMC