TO: Town Council
From: Rosemary I. Waldorf, Mayor
Subject: A Resolution Receiving and Acknowledging Communication from University Chancellor James Moeser regarding Fiscal Equity Issues
Date: November 26, 2001
I provided to you on November 16, 2001 copies of the attached communication from University Chancellor James Moeser regarding fiscal equity issues under discussion by the Town and the University.
The Council discussed a proposed draft memorandum of understanding regarding fiscal equity issues at its meeting of September 10, 2001 and referred all comments to the Mayor and the advisory group on the Town-University discussions. Subsequently, I met with the advisory group and we developed revisions generally consistent with the Council’s discussions and reflecting our best understanding of concerns identified in my discussions with Chancellor Moeser.
Council Members Edith Wiggins and Bill Strom and Town Manager Cal Horton and I met with Chancellor Moeser and members of his staff on October 26, 2001 to discuss the Town’s interests in obtaining a written agreement regarding fiscal equity issues. Chancellor Moeser stated at the meeting that he would consider the issues and make recommendations to the University Board of Trustees at their meeting in November 2001.
The Chancellor reported to the Trustees as scheduled and we now have received the Chancellor’s communication. In it, he notes that it “shall serve as a record of the agreements that resulted from the series of discussions we have had this year.”
I am disappointed that the agreements referred to by the Chancellor are not more fully responsive to the community concerns and needs articulated by the Council. I also am disappointed that we did not reach a form of agreement that would be more clearly binding on both parties, such as the memorandum of understanding that we proposed. However, I recognize that the stipulations included in the University Development Plan permit arebinding, and I believe that we must rely on the University and Chancellor Moeser to keep the commitments made through the Chancellor’s November 16, 2001 letter.
We began our discussions over a year ago with nothing in hand but our requests. We now have ended this round of discussions with commitments from the University on a number of key issues, some in the form of recorded stipulations and some in the form of a “record of the agreements.” It will remain for future Councils to continue this work on behalf of the community.
I recommend that the Council formally receive and acknowledge the Chancellor’s November 16, 2001 communication as a record of the agreements that resulted from the series of discussions held between the Town and the University during 2001.
A RESOLUTION RECEIVING AND ACKNOWLEDGING CHANCELLOR MOESER’S NOVEMBER 16, 2001 COMMUNICATION AS A RECORD OF AGREEMENTS THAT RESULTED FROM TOWN AND UNIVERSITY DISCUSSIONS IN 2001 (2001-11-26/R-1)
WHEREAS, the Town of Chapel Hill and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have engaged in a series of discussions during 2001 about matters of mutual interest; and
WHEREAS, certain agreements between the Town and the University are recorded in stipulations included in the University Development Plan approved by the Town Council in October 2001; and
WHEREAS, University Chancellor James Moeser has put forward in a communication dated November 16, 2001, and attached hereto, a statement that “shall serve as a record of the agreements that resulted from the series of discussions” between the Town and the University during 2001;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Town Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council formally receives and acknowledges the Chancellor’s November 16, 2001 communication as a record of the agreements that resulted from the series of discussions held between the Town and the University during 2001.
This the 26th day of November, 2001.