HomeMy Public PortalAbout04-01-1999 Budget Session
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HILLSBOROUGH TOWN BOARD
April I, 1999
7:30 p.m., Town Office Complex
The Hillsborough Town Board met in budget session on Thursday, April I, 1999 at 7:30
p.m. in the Town Office Complex for the purpose of meeting with agencies requesting
contributions from the Town. Present for the Board Meeting were Mayor Johnson,
Commissioners Richard Simpson, Kenneth chavious, Catherine Martin, and Frances Dancy.
Absent from the meeting was Commissioner Evelyn Lloyd. Staff present were Town Manager
Eric Peterson, and Town Clerk Donna Armbrister. Others present were Frances Henderson,
Christina Riordan, Susan Kesler, Lucy Lewis, Robert Dowling, Tom Magnuson, Bonnie Husky,
Gregg Jarvies, and Hervey McIver.
Mayor Johnson Called the meeting to order at 7:33 p.m.
I. REQUESTS FROM NON-PROFIT AGENCIES
Dispute Settlement Center
Frances Henderson, Executive Director, appeared before the Board explaining that
the Dispute Settlement Center provides free and low cost mediation services to residents
of Hillsborough. During their last program year, they served 220 Hillsborough residents.
Ms. Henderson informed the Board that when cases go through mediation, they
experience an above 90% resolution rate. The Center provides mediation services for
disputes involving consumer issues, property damages, simple assaults, communicating
threats, harassment, landlord-tenant, and many other alimony, child support, and
parenting on a sliding scale fee basis.
The Dispute Settlement Center is requesting a contribution of $1 ,000.
Orange County Rape Crisis Center
Christina Riordan appeared before the Board representing the Orange
County Rape Crisis Center. Ms. Riordan explained that the Rape Crisis Center
dedicates itself to ending sexual violence by providing educational services to
promote the awareness and prevention of sexual violence and by supporting its
victims.
Ms. Riordan reported that the Center offers programs such as Support
Groups, Crisis Intervention, Educational Services, and a Web Page. The Center
offers support groups for survivors of sexual violence. In recent years, groups
have been held for adolescent survivors in the high schools, for secondary
survivors of sexual assault, for adult survivors of child sexual abuse or incest, and
for adult survivors of rape or sexual assault. The Center offers an on-going
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support group for non-offending parents of children who have been sexually
abused.
Experienced volunteers undergo 12 hours of Support Group Facilitation training
before being paired with another volunteer to co-facilitate a group. An experienced
counselor or therapist serves as a professional advisor to the co-facilitators. Groups
typically meet once a week for 8-10 weeks.
The Orange County Rape Crisis Center is requesting a contribution of
$5,000 from the Town of Hills borough.
American Red Cross
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Susan Kesler appeared before the Board representing the American Red Cross.
Ms. Kesler explained that the Orange County Chapter of the American Red Cross has
served the needs of Orange County citizens for more than 80 years. As a partner with the
public and private sectors of our community, the chapter has continued to meet the needs
of an area with tremendous growth in population over the past 15 years. The American
Red Cross has set a capital campaign goal to purchase the property at which the Orange
County Chapter is conveniently located at 101 Ephesus Church Road in Chapel Hill.
This purchase will allow the Red Cross to immediately start using the monthly savings
from the elimination of the lease payments to put even more funding back into their
servIces.
The Chapter sponsors and hosts the National Teen AIDS Hotline, a nationally
recognized toll-free service, which receives more than 1,000 calls per month from across
the Unites States, Puerto Rico, and Canada. The Chapter has over 500 volunteers in
Orange County and are second only to Charlotte/Mecklenburg for having the most
certified disaster relief workers in the state.
The American Red Cross is requesting a contribution in the amount of $5,000
from the Town of Hills borough.
Orange County Learning Center (Literacy)
Lucy Lewis appeared before the Board representing the Orange County
Learning Center. Ms. Lewis explained that the purpose ofthe Orange County
Learning Center is to increase overall adult literacy levels in Orange County. The
center offers free, one-to-one tutoring for adult non-readers or those with low
literacy skills. Other programs include family literacy classes, small group
classes, and a student support group for adult new readers. The center provides an
intensive 12-hour initial training for new volunteer tutors, with continuing
training in the form of quarterly inservice workshops.
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Ms. Lewis informed the Board that an office and learning center is
maintained at 118 N. Churton Street in Hillsborough which serves 20-25 new
readers each year through the one-to-one tutoring program. Two of the Four
annual training workshops for new tutors take place in Hillsborough.
The Orange County Learning Center is requesting a contribution of $700
from the Town of Hills borough.
Orange Community Housing
Robert Dowling appeared before the Board representing Orange Community
Housing. Mr. Dowling explained that Orange Community Housing, a non-profit
developer of affordable housing, was created by the local municipalities of Orange
County, Chapel Hill and Carrboro in 1990.
Mr. Dowling stated that Orange Community Housing remains committed to
building quality, affordable housing in this area. Since finishing Magnolia Place, aCHC
has begun talking to developers in Hillsborough about additional opportunities for
affordable housing. There remains a strong need for both affordable home ownership and
rentals.
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Orange Community Housing is requesting a contribution in the amount of $2,000
from the Town of Hills borough.
The Trading Path Preservation Association
Mr. Tom Magnuson appeared before the Board representing The Trading Path
Preservation Association. Mr. Magnuson explained that the Association is in the process
of organizing but is already having significant, positive impacts on Hillsborough. The
Association intends to use Hillsborough to prototype the processes by which they will
preserve the Trading Path from Virginia to Georgia. This effort will ensure that
Hillsborough is the premier Trading Path heritage tourism site. In time, the Trading Path
Preservation Association will attract and channel thousands of tourists into Hillsborough.
The Trading Path Preservation Association is requesting a contribution in the
amount of $4,400 from the Town of Hillsborough.
Hillsborou.gh Youth Athletic Association (BY AA)
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Gregg Jarvies, President ofHY AA, appeared before the Board explaining that
HY AA' s goal is to provide youth baseball for the children and youth of Orange County
ages 5-17 in a supervised, structured, drug and alcohol free environment. Mr. Jarvies
told the Board that HY AA receives no Federal or State funding and exists "hand to
mouth" year to year through fund raising activities and support from businesses,
community groups, volunteers and Orange County Government contributions.
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Mr. J arvies asked the Board to consider their request for a contribution from the
Town in the amount of $4,000.
Occoneechee Park Committee
Mr. Hervey McIver addressed the Board representing the Occoneechee Park
Committee. Mr. McIver stated that currently the Committee, with the assistance of Town
Staff, are arranging for the construction .of the parking lot and Tredennick Trail, and
platform overlook atop the old quarry, handicapped-accessible picnic tables, and signs.
The target date for completion of this work is the end of June. In July, the Eno River
State Park plans to officially open the Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area. When
the Town signs a management lease, the State assumes management of the town property.
At that time, the Committee will have completed its charge.
Funds currently available to complete this work total over $69,000 in the form of
Town budget allocations, a Nc Parks and Recreation Trust Fund grant, and Tourism
Board grants. Estimates for the work are higher than was expressed in the PAR TF grant
application mainly due to the strong economy. In addition, potential contractors do not
wish to bid these jobs due to many inherent uncertainties. They would rather work on a
cost basis. High-end estimates for the work remaining total $82,200.
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The Occonecchee Mountain Park Committee requests a contribution in the
amount of$13,OOO from the Town of Hills borough.
Town Manager Eric Peterson stated that since this project is a current fiscal year
debt, he would get with the Town's Finance Director and explore options of available
funding from this fiscal years budget.
The Women's Center
Ms. Barbara DeLon addressed the Board stating that the mission of The Women's
Center is to provide a supportive community where women of all races, classes, religions,
ages, and sexual orientations:
· inspire each other to grow, both personally and professionally;
· share strategies for self-sufficiency;
· build problem solving skills; and
· find encouragement, information, and referral, particularly in times of
stress.
Residents of Hillsborough use many of the services of The Women's Center,
including legal information, information and referral, career/educational counseling, and
community financial counseling.
The Women's Center is requesting a contribution of$750.
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Mayor Johnson called an end to the agency's funding requests.
II.
ADJOURN
Upon a motion by Commissioner Simpson, seconded by Commissioner
Chavious, the Board moved to adjourn at 8:45 PM by a vote of 4-0. The motion
was declared passed.
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Donna F. Armbrister, Town Clerk
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