AG 2003 06 16 - Laserfiche WebLink

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May 27, 2003 Page 135 The Board ~f Commissioners for the County of Cabarrus met in recessed session in the M~ltipurpose Room at the Cabarrus County Governmental Center in Concord, NorthiCarolina on Tuesday, May 27, 2003, at 5:30 p.m. Present - C~airman: Robert M. Freeman C.~mmissioners: Carol~rn B. Carpenter ~ Robert W. Carruth Coy C. Privette Absent - V{ce Chairman: Richard D. Suggs Also preee~ were Mr. John D. Day, Interim County Manager; Ms. Pam Dubois, Finance ~irector; Me. Cathie K. Straub, Budget Officer; Mr. Don Cummings, Human ~eources Director; and Mrs. Frankie F. Bonds, Clerk to the Board. Chairman Fz~eman was not present for the beginning of the meeting. Commissioner Carr~th called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. and gave the invocation. Econo~c Incent£v~ Grants Mr. Bill Kpuri, Tax Auditor, responded to questions regarding the economic incentiv~ grants, including the rei~f0ursement of a percentage of the fire district ta~ as a part of the incentive grant agreement. Also, he advised that an i~centive grant could not be transferred without consent of the Board if the O~.mpany is sold. Cabarrus County S~ools Ms. ~racs ~att, Cabarrus School Board Chair, called the meeting of the Cabarrus County Board of Education to order and recognized Dr. Harold Winkler, County S~hools Superintendent, for a presentation. She asked the Board to consider ~he current situation of the Schools. Dr. Winkler.~ gave a PowerPoint presentation providing information concerning the Ca~arrus County Schools, including performance data, schooi construction coet~, current expense needs, capital outlay needs and other budgetaz7 needs. ' He highlighted the following issues during his presentation: (1) iSuccess of the "Leave No Child Behind" initiative with preliminary result4 of end-of-grade test scores indicating that 90 percent of students in grade~ three through eight are at or above grade level; (2) Comparison of co4ts for small (community) schools versus large (non- community) schools~with it being less expensive to build one school for 1,000 students at a cost,of $13.3 million rather than build two SOO-student schools at a cost of $9.6 ~illion each; (3) Continuing growth of the Schools with a student population~ of 39,000 projected in 2016; (4) Failure to build new schools until 2008~ as recommended by Mr. Day in the FY 2004 Budget Message would result in a~roximately 3,500 students in portable classrooms at the time construction ~ started; (5) Review of Current Expense needs, including expansion items, ~eacher and principal supplements, technology, etc.; (6) Add.itional funding~ needs for such items as buses, completion of athletic fac~llti~s _at tw.o ~iddle schools and architectural services for a new media center a= concora ~igh School; and (7) Need for the County Commissioners and School Board membe~ to join forces in efforts to get additional funding from the State. In conclusion, Dr. Winkler stated the Board of Education requests that the City and ,~ounty place a moratorium on new homes and apartments if the County places a~moratorium on building new schools. Commissioner } Privette advised Dr. Winkler that the Board of Commissioners has n~t said that no new schools would be builu until 2008. ?.annapolis Schools Dr. JoAnn By~ly, Kannapolis Schools Superintendent, presented a brief b .dget.for nna oli. city school., she comm. nted ua~ ulzzlcult e~onomlc situation and described the requested budget as a 'bare necessities" ~udget that centers on student achievement. She stated the requested budget totals approximately $3.9 million for current expense and $425,997.00 f~r capital outlay. Dr. Byerly praised the combined maintenance progra~ with the County Schools and listed other combined services, including}new construction management, busing/transportation, pre- school and cultural ,{arts program. Mental Health Assoc~ation