Jean Hamilton is running for reelection to serve as the District 1 County Commissioner. (There are two seats available in District 1 and two people are running – You can read our interview with candidate Marilyn Carter here.)
Hamilton, a Democrat, has served one term on the county commissioners and previously served on the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Board of Education in 2005-2009, 2010-2011, and 2019. She also served on the Board of Directors of Women AdvaNCe for four years and served on the Board of Directors of the Arts Center in Carrboro. Hamilton has a private psychotherapy practice and prior to becoming an LCSW, received a PhD in Economics.
We interviewed Hamilton over email and her answers are published in full below.
The only population increasing in Orange County is 65+, both due to Baby Boomers aging in place and housing prices remaining high. What does this mean for the future of our school systems?
With the population aging in Orange County, the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) needs to review our policies and practices and consider changes that will attract young families with children. If our school age population continues to fall, then our school systems have to adjust by closing some schools and decreasing the size of its workforce. In that case, it will be important to take an approach to minimize disruption to students, families, and staff.
How will you balance the needs of the schools with all of the non-school needs across the county? Can you share your top three spending priorities?
Balancing the needs of the schools with non-school needs requires a process where priorities are clear and all major needs are reviewed at the same time. This process took place last fiscal year with capital spending and helped moved the school bond forward. My top three spending priorities are school facilities, mental health support, and housing support.
Do you think Orange County is growing too fast, too slowly, or about right? Why?
I think that Orange County is growing about right. My answer reflects the fact that I would consider that the County was growing too quickly if school capacity and water infrastructure were strained. I would consider that the County was growing too slowly if there had been no new construction in the last 4 years. The one concern that I have is that the County transportation infrastructure will be insufficient for the increased population.
The towns have often been asked to fund many county initiatives through joint agreements (while residents also pay county taxes and are the main source of property taxes to the county), yet there are few examples of county investments in the towns. How would you advocate for working with and supporting the towns as part of the county? Do you believe the Commissioners should focus on issues outside of the towns or begin to support housing, environment, and other joint priorities within the towns more?
Commissioners focus on issues concerning both the towns and the unincorporated areas of the county. My experience on the BOCC does not align with the question’s inference that the towns are not getting their fair share. I will define investments to include investment in people as well as capital. County investments in the towns include public health, social services, a public library, parks, housing and public schools. County investments in the unincorporated regions include infrastructure to support economic development that diversifies the tax base for all residents of Orange County and that economic development often leads to annexation by the towns. The unincorporated areas also receive investments in public health, social services, a public library, parks, housing and public schools. The long process to develop the Greene Tract is an example of the joint owners (Town of Carrboro, Town of Chapel Hill, and Orange County) working together to increase housing. The Greene Tract master plan includes annexation by the Town of Chapel Hill. The Climate Action Plan and community climate action plan grants are available to all residents in the county.
Why did you push for the schools to draw down their fund balance?
The Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools district was holding fund balances that were greater than the targeted 5.5% of undesignated fund balance outlined in the School Districts Local Current Expense Fund Balance Policy (the Policy). This Policy, a joint policy between the school districts and Orange County, also specifies that if the fund balance accumulates above what is needed for cash flow that there will be a plan to spend down the fund balance for non-recurring purposes.
Last year, the Mebane City Council approved a proposal by Bucc-ee’s to build a large gas station in Alamance County after the Orange County BOCC turned down a similar proposal to build the gas station in Efland, costing Orange County an estimated $1 million in annual tax revenue. Do you think this was a good decision? What kinds of development do you think is unsuitable for Orange County?
Bucc-ee’s withdrew their proposal. After listening to resident input and studying the 2030 Comprehensive plan, my view was that Bucc-ee’s was not consistent with the 2030 Comprehensive plan and was a potential threat to the environment. In addition, the potential annual tax revenue increase would be less when one took into account the possible negative effects of Bucc-ee’s on small businesses and existing gas stations in the area. Furthermore, there was no guarantee that Orange County residents would get the jobs and there was a possibility of higher demands on emergency management and public safety departments.
How should we respond to the increase in housing prices and the increase in demand for housing here?
In my opinion, the increase in demand for housing and the increase in housing prices in Orange County depend on larger economic factors than the County can control. However, the County should focus what it can do. For example the County can effectively use the $15 million in staggered funding over the next 10 years for private-public partnerships that provide housing for low-income people. The County is also looking at land use policy (2050 Land Use Plan) that will promote affordable housing and protect the environment. In addition, the County should expand the Longtime Homeowner’s Assistance program and look for ways to support county and public school workers who want to live in Orange County.
Questions for county commissioners were compiled by Melody Kramer, Stephen Whitlow, Martin Johnson, Lou Rivers III, and Geoff Green.