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Residents urge Board to protect libraries, senior services and school funding during Orange County budget hearing
Summary
At a May 28 public hearing on the recommended FY2026–27 budget, dozens of residents urged the Orange County Board of Commissioners to preserve funding for the Chapel Hill Public Library, senior centers and CHCCS school services; the board took several appointments by consensus and paused for a five-minute recess before work session items.
Chair Jean Hamilton opened the May 28 public hearing on the recommended FY2026–27 budget, and County Manager Travis Myren presented the county’s proposed budget and capital plan.
Vice-Chair Amy Fowler moved to open the public hearing; Commissioner Earl McKee seconded and the motion passed unanimously. Dozens of speakers addressed the commissioners during the public comment period, focusing largely on three priorities: library services, senior center funding, and school budgets.
Advocates for senior services warned that cuts to the Department on Aging would harm older residents who rely on senior center programs, social workers and evening hours. "Losing a social worker will affect older adults’ ability to access food, medications, and housing," Tracey Holsinger said, arguing that reduced hours and staff would disproportionately affect low-income older adults. Rachel Hawkins of the Friends of the Passmore Center asked the Board to reconsider asking seniors to shoulder additional fees and to avoid sharing one social worker across locations.
A coalition of library supporters testified that reductions to Chapel Hill Public Library funding would curtail services used by Chapel Hill and out-of-town residents. "The library’s deepest value isn’t represented by numbers on a spreadsheet, but its human value in the people it serves," William McLean said. Karen Curtin, president of the Friends of the Chapel Hill Public Library, told the Board the library’s operating budget is $4.3 million, not $4.9 million, and warned that reducing county support would reduce services to the roughly 40% of Orange County residents who live in Chapel Hill and to thousands of users who live outside the town.
Students, school staff and education advocates underscored the consequences of reduced continuation funding and cuts to student supports. An eighth grader, Om Dessai, told the Board that well-funded schools provide critical supports such as technology, mental health services and extracurriculars that help students feel included. Several speakers asked the Board to fully fund CHCCS requests, including pay-go capital for facility maintenance.
Other public comments urged continued funding for the Chapel Hill–Orange County Visitors Bureau as a driver of local tourism and economic activity, and a few speakers proposed alternative budget approaches such as targeted fees or privatization of specific county services.
Commissioner McKee moved to close the public hearing; Vice-Chair Fowler seconded and the Board voted unanimously. The Board recessed for five minutes and then reconvened at 9:41 p.m. for a work session to consider appointments and other business.
The hearing record shows widespread public concern about proposed reductions to senior services, library funding and school budgets; the Board did not take a final vote on the overall budget at the hearing but recorded public input and proceeded to work session items.
