Proposal for Structural Reform: Library and Administrative Consolidation

[Amy Jensen]

Dear Commissioners and Council Members,

I am a Hillsborough resident and an Orange County taxpayer. I am writing regarding the current budget cycle and the proposed cuts to the Chapel Hill Public Library (CHPL) funding.

Instead of cutting vital community services or raising taxes, I urge the Town and County to pursue structural consolidation to eliminate administrative duplication.

The Financial Reality:

• Libraries: Combining the operations of CHPL and OCPL into a single, unified county network would save an estimated $650,000 annually by merging executive leadership, processing systems, and software licenses. This fully covers the funding gap while keeping all three physical buildings open.
• Broader Duplication: As a Hillsborough resident, I experience tax duplication daily across separate town/county departments, just as our county funds two separate school district administrations (OCS and CHCCS).

Please freeze the proposed library cuts for 12 months on the condition that the Town and County form a Joint Consolidation Task Force. Let's protect frontline services by cutting backend waste.

Respectfully,
Amy Jensen
Hillsborough, NC