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238 The Board of Commissioners for the County of Cabarrus met in recessed session in the Multipurpose Room at the Cabarrus County Governmental Center in Concord, North Carolina on Monday, December 3, 2001, at 6:30 p.m. Present - Chairman: Arne L. Fennel Vice Chairman: Robert W. Carruth Commissioners: Robert M. Freeman Coy C. Privette Richard D. Suggs Also present were Mr. Frank W. Clifton, Jr., County Manager; Mr. Michael R. Burgner, Attorney with Hartsell, Hartsell & White; Mr. John Day, Deputy County Manager for Operations; Ms. Pam Dubois, Assistant Finance Director; Mr. Jonathan Marshall, Planning Services Director; Mr. Don Cummings, Human Resources Director; and Mrs. Frankie F. Bonds, Clerk to the Board. Chairman Fennel called the meeting to order at 6:32 p.m. and welcomed the Cabarrus County Board of Education. Ms. Cindy Fertenbaugh, Chair of the Cabarrus County Board of Education, called the School Board meeting to order with the following members present: Liz Poole, Don Hoyle, Lynn Shue, Wayne Williams, Don Hoyle, Gary Hahn and Grace Mynatt. Also present were Dr. Harold Winkler, Superintendent; Mr. Gene Jordan, Finance Director; and Ms. Jeanette Trexler, Clerk. Administrative Office Relocation/Old Airport Road Chair Fertenbaugh presented the School Board's request to move forward with the sale of the existing School Administrative property on Highway 29 and to construct a new Administrative Office on the Old Airport Road property. She confirmed that a majority of the School Board members were in agreement with the proposed Old Airport Road site. Mr. Clifton reported the developer had defaulted on the contract to purchase the Highway 29 property and for the design build of a new facility on Old Airport Road. The Highway 29 property is not currently being marketed and no funds are budgeted for the new facility that is estimated to cost approximately $3.8 million. He outlined a process for soliciting proposals for the design build of the new office facility and for marketing the Highway 29 site. Construction of New Schools Chair Fertenbaugh presented the School Board's request for the construction of two elementary schools (a replacement of Bethel Elementary and a new school in the Pitts School Road area). The School Board would like to open these new schools in August 2003. Mr. Clifton reviewed funding issues associated with the requested new elementary schools and School Administrative Building. He stated that financing for the approximately $28 million in projects would necessitate a tax increase of two and one-half (2h) cents to three (3) cents to fund debt service if the County sells the Certificates of Participation (COPs) prior to June 30, 2002. Also, he pointed out the Board has previously agreed to pursue $10 million financing associated with the Expo project during 2002. In addition to the increase in debt service funding for FY 2003, Mr. Clifton stated an additional $1 million in ADM (Average Daily Membership) funding would be requested to cover the 600 to 700 increase in student population. Finally, he said the ' County should also address the requests from the Kannapolis City Schools, including additions to elementary schools and A. L. Brown High School, if the Board borrows money for school needs. School Board Member Liz Poole asked that the Board include some funding in the financing proposal for the requested five instructional gyms at a cost of $400,000.00 each. Instructional gyms are used for physical education, practices and community activities sponsored by the Parks and Recreation Department. There was discussion regarding the proposed school projects and the funding of those projects. The two boards discussed such issues as the importance of instructional gyms, the construction of the administrative facility versus the instructional gyms and a tax increase to cover debt service for the requested school projects. There was also brief discussion concerning the future use of the Glenn Center that currently houses the School for Environmental Studies and the number of portable units currently in use throughout the county.