The Orange County Board of Commissioners is working out which elements to include in a proposed $125 million bond package. If approved, this would fund repairs for aging schools and other capital projects.

The commissioners have not formally approved a bond referendum, but at Tuesday’s board meeting, they did not discuss whether to put bond financing on the ballot. Commissioners have been leaning toward a November 2016 referendum.

Instead, Tuesday’s discussion focused on how to prioritize bond financing – or more accurately, how to decide on how to prioritize elements in the referendum.

County commissioners are considering building a task force to help with the decision on how to prioritize capital needs. This group would be made up of stakeholders with different areas of experience and knowledge. Task force members would advise the commissioners by October 2015 on the referendum priorities.

County staff suggested that the task force include members nominated by each school board and one member nominated by the affordable housing advisory board. Commissioners expressed differing views about whether elected officials should be allowed to join and whether an external facilitator should be hired.

Commissioners debated how much to direct the task force toward specific funding categories.

Commissioner Barry Jacobs argued the advisory group may come up with fresh ideas about what to spend money on and how to divide the money, if they’re not limited by the commissioners’ categories.

“We expect that a preponderance of the money will go to school needs,” said Jacobs. “What preponderance is, is what they’re going to discuss.”

Commissioner Mia Burroughs argued that giving the task force specific categories of funding could focus the group. And this would lead to more productive decision making.

“We know that there are far more needs between the two school systems than we can cover,” said Burroughs. “It’s very clear that we have affordable housing needs and a limited pot of money.”

Some other commissioners also listed schools and affordable housing as the highest priorities for the  bond financing.

The Orange County Board of Commissioners will discuss a 2015-20 capital investment plan at Thursday’s meeting in Hillsborough. The 7pm work session will take place at the Richard Whitted Meeting Facility.

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