BC 2014 06 20 Special Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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June 20, 2014 (Special Meeting) Page 2I03 The Board of Commissioners for the County of Cabarrus met for a Special Joint Meeting with the Cabarrus County Schools Board of Education in the Multipurpose Room at the Cabarrus County Governmental Center in Concord, North Carolina on Friday, June 20, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. The purpose of this meeting was to discuss the sufficiency of the amount of money appropriated to the Board of Education for the current expense fund and the capital outlay fund by the Board of Commissioners for FY 2015, pursuant to N.C.G.S. 115C -431. Present - Chairman: Vice Chairman Commissioners: Absent - Commissioner Elizabeth F. Poole Larry M. Burrage Christopher A. Measmer Stephen M. Morris Jason A. Oesterreich Also present were Mike Downs, County Manager; Richard M. Koch, County Attorney; Pam Dubois, Deputy County Manager; Ann Wilson, Finance Director and Megan Smit, Clerk to the Board. Others present were Cabarrus County Schools Board of Education members: Blake Kiger, Board Chair, Carolyn Carpenter, David Harrison, Jeff Phillips and Rob Walter; and Superintendent Dr. Barry Shepherd, Board Attorney Sarah Stone and Board Clerk Ailene Monroe. Call to Order Chairman Poole called the Board of Commissioners meeting to order at 2:C2 p.m. Blake Kiger, Cabarrus County Schools Board of Education Chair, requested a motion to reconvene the Cabarrus County Schools (CCS) Board of Education (BOE) from a recessed meeting. UPON MOTION of David Harrison, seconded by Rob Walter and unanimously carried, the Cabarrus County Schools Board of Education's meeting was called to order. Discussion of the Sufficiency of the Amount of Money Appropriated to the Cabarrus County Schools Board of Education for the Current Expense Fund and the Capital Outlay Fund by the Board of Commissioners for FY 2015 and Efforts to Resolve the Issue, Pursuant to NCGS 115C -431. Thorns Craven, Mediator, explained the mediation process. He advised there would be an opportunity for the boards, their legal counsel and professional leadership to deliberate during the session. When both groups have exhausted their comments and questions, he advised each board will appoint a working group consisting of counsel, professional leadership, the Chairman of the Board and a Finance Officer. He also stated he will spend time with each of the working groups separately, and afterwards, the groups will report to the full boards and proceed from that point. Sarah Stone, Cabarrus County Schools (CCS) Board of Education (BOE) Attorney, presented an overview of the CCS budget process. She advised the CCS BOE adopted its proposed FY2015 budget on April 14, 2014, following numerous meetings. She stated the proposed budget set forth a request for just over $66 million in current expense operating funds and approximately $118 million in capital outlay. She said, as of Monday, the Commissioners have allocated approximately 75 percent of the current expense request and barely one percent of CCS's capital outlay needs. She listed statistical information regarding CCS funding and ranking in the state and listed areas in the CCS budget that have been inadequately funded. She stated charter schools need to be fully funded. In regards to new school construction, she emphasized the need for replacing Mount Pleasant Middle School, Royal Oaks Elementary School and Odell Elementary School, advising the funding already allocated is insufficient for the construction of the Mount Pleasant and Odell schools. In addition, she listed deferred maintenance that has been on hold for a number of years. She stated all of this information has been provided to the Board of Commissioners. She added it is the belief of the BOE that the county has the ability to fund many of the school's needs without a tax increase, but with an appropriate budget and bond (referendum). She concluded by stating the Board of Education is here to continue the joint discussion regarding sufficient funding in order to maintain our system of free public schools. Richard Koch, County Attorney, advised he would defer specific numbers regarding the budget to the County Manager and Deputy County Manager, Pam Dubois. He stated there have been a number of discussions between representatives of the Board of Education, County Commission and the