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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:50.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman"">NEWS RELEASE<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:7.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman""><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman"">For Immediate Release Date: 06/14/2021<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman"">Contact: Public Information Office Phone: (919) 560-0000/Fax: (919) 560-0020<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman""> E-mail:
</span></b><a href="mailto:publicinformationoffice@dconc.gov"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman"">publicinformationoffice@dconc.gov</span></a><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman"">
<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman"">County Commissioners Approve $736 Million Budget<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:150%"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman""><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<h2 style="margin:0in;background:white"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman";color:black">Durham, N.C.
</span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman";color:black;font-weight:normal">–</span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman";color:black">
</span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman";color:black;font-weight:normal">On Monday, June 14, 2021, the </span><span style="color:black"><a href="https://www.dconc.gov/county-departments/departments-a-e/board-of-commissioners/commissioner-meetings-and-announcements/bocc-agendas-video-library" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman";color:#0C6796">Durham
Board of County Commissioners</span></a></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman";color:#666A6F;font-weight:normal"> </span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman";color:black;font-weight:normal">adopted
the Fiscal Year 2021-22 budget totaling $736,007,803. This year’s budget increases the County property tax rate one cent to 72.22 cents per $100 valuation. The budget passed with a unanimous vote by the BOCC.</span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman";color:black"> </span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman""><o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<h2 style="margin:0in;background:white"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman""><o:p> </o:p></span></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman";color:black">“The Board made many tough decisions when finalizing the adopted budget. I am proud that we came to a consensus on important strategic
investments that continue to make Durham County a thriving community,” said Chair Brenda Howerton.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;background:white"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;background:white"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman";color:black">The FY ‘21 - ’22 budget, approximately $61.8 million more than the previous budget, reflects a $6.2 million increase from the County Manager’s
Recommended budget of $729.76 million. The General Fund, providing the necessary financial resources for most of Durham County’s activities and services is $504,763,473.</span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;background:white"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman";color:black"> </span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;background:white"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman";color:black">The approved budget provides $166,206,627 in funding for
<a href="https://www.dpsnc.net/">Durham Public Schools (DPS)</a>, increasing by $11.13 million to support the per pupil amount of $3,974. A part of that funding increase is an additional $2.63 million for annual DPS capital support. An additional $7.07 million
is budgeted under the County’s Department of Public Health and the Office of the Sheriff to fund 32 school nurses and 27 School Resource Officers. Funding for Pre-K expansion increased slightly over $250,000 for FY ‘21 - ’22. The budget allotment for Pre-K
expansion is budgeted at $5.62 million. The FY ‘21 - ’22 budget provides $8,954,166 for </span><span style="color:black"><a href="https://www.durhamtech.edu/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman";color:#0C6796">Durham
Technical Community College</span></a></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman";color:#666A6F">.
</span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman";color:black">This is a significant increase of $1.08 million allotted since last year’s budget cycle, related to a $675,000 appropriation for Life Science local job training, and $406,367
in additional funding supporting general programmatic needs.</span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;background:white"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;background:white"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman";color:black">Looking toward the upcoming fiscal year, Commissioners approved funding for a 3% Cost of Living Adjustment ($4.1 million) for all employees
effective July 1<sup>st</sup>, 2021 as well as reinstatement of the annual merit pay increases based on performance, of 2% to 3% ($1.3 million). This is a reflection of no salary increase for employees during FY 2020-21 and the work performed by so many essential
personnel during the previous year’s pandemic.</span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;background:white"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;background:white"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman";color:black">Other highlights from the FY ‘21 - ‘22 approved budget include: </span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;background:white"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman";color:black">Support for a City/County Refugee and Immigrant Services position (1 FTE)</span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman""><o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;background:white"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman";color:black">3 new positions in Social Services for a property tax relief program and $750,000 for potential relief - $942,119</span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman""><o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;background:white"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman";color:black">Bull City United (violence interruption) Increase of 20 new FTEs – 18 FTEs supported by City funding and 2
FTE costs supported by the County ($1.23 million)</span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman""><o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;background:white"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman";color:black">Racial Equity Program expansion - (2 new FTEs) $180,000</span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman""><o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;background:white"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman";color:black">Storage space for Public Safety departments (rental) – $1,000,000</span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman""><o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;background:white"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman";color:black">Public Health School Nurses – $1,115,124 (12 FTE)</span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman""><o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;background:white"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman";color:black">One time use of Debt Service Fund fund balance as a revenue sources - $3 million</span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman""><o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;background:white"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman";color:black">DSS Medicaid compliance support Phase 3 (Phase 1 and 2 in funded in FY 2020-21) - $478,174 (10 FTEs)</span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman""><o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;background:white"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman";color:black">48 replacement vehicles across various departments including the Sheriff and EMS - $3.03 million</span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman""><o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;background:white"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman";color:black">60 total new positions (FTEs) across multiple County departments to support increased work demands - $2.7
million. </span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman""><o:p></o:p></span></li></ul>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;background:white"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;background:white"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman";color:black">To review the approved budget details, visit the County’s Budget and Management Services webpage at </span><span style="color:black"><a href="https://www.dconc.gov/county-departments/departments-a-e/budget-management-services" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman";color:#0C6796">dconc.gov/budget</span></a></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman";color:#666A6F">.
</span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman";color:black">Budget information on adopted budgets dating back 10 years prior are available to view and download on the page. For additional questions or information about the FY ‘21
- ‘22 Adopted Budget, email </span><span style="color:black"><a href="mailto:publicinformationoffice@dconc.gov" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman";color:#0C6796">publicinformationoffice@dconc.gov</span></a>.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p style="margin:0in;background:white"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman";color:#666A6F"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman";color:#333333;background:white">###</span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 55 Roman""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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