Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
347 <br /> MINUTES <br /> ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING <br /> JUNE 2, 1993 <br /> The Orange County Board of Commissioners met in regular session at 7:30 <br /> p.m. in Superior Courtroom, new County Courthouse in Hillsborough, North <br /> Carolina to hold a public hearing on the Manager's recommended 1993-94 <br /> budget. <br /> COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Moses Carey, Jr. ,' and Commissioners <br /> Alice M. Gordon, Stephen Halkiotis, Verla C. Insko and Don Willhoit. <br /> COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager John M. Link, Jr. , Assistant <br /> County Managers Albert Kittrell and Rod Visser, Clerk to the Board Beverly <br /> A. Blythe, Budget and Management Analyst Donna Dean, Personnel Director <br /> Elaine Holmes, Budget Director Sally Kost, and EMS Director Nick Waters <br /> PRESENTATION BY JOHN M. LINK JR. <br /> John Link used transparencies to outline the 1993--94 budget highlights. <br /> In summary he stated that the total budget cost is $60, 577, 088 . Additional <br /> debt service on the $52 million education bonds will total 2. 1 million. The <br /> increase in current expense appropriation for the schools from $15.7 million <br /> to $16.8 million is a 7.2% increase. The per pupil amount would increase <br /> from $1,310 to $1, 330. He is recommending 2% COLA for County employees and <br /> a revised merit plan. The budget includes 17 new permanent full-time <br /> positions, many funded through reallocation of other funds or revenues <br /> generated. The recommended budget establishes the general fund property tax <br /> rate at .83 cent <br /> PUBLIC COMMENTS <br /> Katie Starrett, 10th grade student at Orange High School, talked about <br /> the programs she wished were being offered at Orange High. She asked for <br /> increased funding so new programs could be offered. <br /> Mikey- Starrett, talked about the class size and that there are too many <br /> students in most of his classes. He asked that the Board give their schools <br /> enough money to stay great. <br /> Terry Thomas, New Hope Elementary School parent, feels the budget is <br /> outrageous. He asked for continuation funding to keep the current programs <br /> going and additional money to start new programs. She endorsed higher pay <br /> for the teachers because they are being lost to higher paying jobs. <br /> Susan Dovenbarger, citizen and parent, feels that as long as County <br /> budgets are inadequate, the demand for services from the Department of <br /> Social Services and law enforcement will increase. " She feels that an <br /> investment in quality education will mean an increase in the tax base. <br /> Inadequate funding forces the school system to fall behind each year. <br /> She asked the Board to prove that the kids in the Orange County system <br /> deserve the same opportunities as those in the Chapel Hill/Carrboro system. <br /> Liz Waters, teacher and parent in the Orange County system, emphasized <br /> that there 'is not enough funding for students, programs, instructional <br /> supplies or teacher supplements. She stated that the surrounding systems <br /> compensate their teachers at a higher rate and that Orange County will lose <br /> their good teachers to other systems. Although the classrooms have <br />