HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 19910107 1
1 APPROVED 1/22/91 MINUTES
2 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
3 REGULAR MEETING
4 JANUARY 7, 1991
5
6
7 The Orange County Board of Commissioners met in regular session
8 on Monday, January 7, 1991 at 7:30 p.m. in the Courtroom of the Old
9 Courthouse, Hillsborough, North Carolina.
10
11 BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairman Moses Carey, Jr. , Vice-Chair
12 Stephen Halkiotis, and Commissioners Alice M. Gordon, Verla C. Insko and
13 Don Willhoit.
14
15 COUNTY ATTORNEY PRESENT: Geoffrey Gledhill
16
17 STAFF PRESENT: County Manager John M. Link, Jr. , Assistant
18 County Manager Albert Kittrell, Deputy Clerk to the Board Kathy Baker,
19 Clerk to the Board Beverly Blythe, Planning Director Marvin Collins,
20 Purchasing Director Pam Jones, Health Director Dan Reimer, Planners
21 Emily Crudup, Mary Scearbo, and David Stancil, County Engineer Paul
22 Thames and Environmental Health Personnel Tony Laws, Ron Holdway and Tom
23 Konsler.
24
25 NOTE: All documents referenced in these minutes are in the permanent
26 agenda file in the Clerk's Office.
27
28
29 I. BOARD COMMENTS
30 Commissioner Halkiotis informed the Board of five recent deaths
31 in the County. He asked that a resolution for Jay Thomas, the first
32 fatality of Operation Desert Shield from Orange County, be written for
33 a future meeting.
34 Commissioner Gordon referred to the County Commissioners' retreat
35 of December 8th, and made a statement which is stated in its entirety
36 below.
37 "At the annual Board of Commissioners' Goal Planning Retreat on
38 December 8, I presented several goals which I believe were adopted by
39 consensus.
40
41 BUDGET
42
43 Increase efforts to promote efficiency and savings in Orange County_
44 governmental operations
45 A. Identify positive incentives for savings in ongoing programs
46 funded in the continuation budgets of county departments and
47 also outside units receiving county funding.
48 All units should be encouraged to phase out older, less
49 productive programs and to identify more effective
50 methods of delivering services.
51
52
2
1 Note: My second suggestion, that the county consider the use of zero
2 based budgeting in some or all departments during the next fiscal year,
3 was not adopted. Adopting the suggestion requires more effort because
4 it involves starting each unit's budget at zero and evaluating all the
5 programs to see if they should receive funding.
6
7 GROWTH MANAGEMENT
8
9 Promote effective long range planning by compiling information which
10 gives an overall perspective on growth and development
11
12 A. Provide an infrastructure Impact Statement for each new
13 development in the county's jurisdiction
14 Each subdivision or other development utilizes some of
15 the capacity of the infrastructure, e.g. roads, parks and
16 recreation, and schools. For each development, the staff
17 would produce an Infrastructure Impact Statement which
18 would specify the extent to which a given development
19 utilizes some of this infrastructure capacity.
20
21 B. Work with Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and the Chapel Hill-Carrboro
22 school system to provide a School Capacity Impact Statement
23 for the Chapel Hill-Carrboro schools
24 The staff would work with these jurisdictions to obtain
25 relevant information for new developments in the city
26 school district so that the county can track the capacity
27 utilization in that district.
28
29 C. Provide a Fiscal Impact Statement for each development in the
30 county's jurisdiction
31 For each new development, the staff would produce a
32 Fiscal Impact Statement which specifies the anticipated
33 tax revenues projected for a development as well as the
34 projected cost of services and capital improvements to
35 be required by the development.
36
37 Commissioner Willhoit made reference to the day care issue. He
38 will provide a report for the first meeting in February on this
39 situation. He feels that the State should assist the day care centers
40 with funds until the Federal dollars are received. He asked that the
41 day care allocations to each center be reviewed.
42 Commissioner Insko asked that the report include how Orange
43 County compares with other Counties in providing for day care.
44 John Link indicated that the Day Care Task Force will be making
45 a request for money in February. At that time, Marti Cook will describe
46 the methodology by which day care is provided in the County and the
47 sources of funding.
48
49 II. COUNTY MANAGER'S REPORT
50 County Manager John Link gave a report on the Paul Scurlock
51 zoning situation.
52
•
3
1 Planner Jim Hinkley reported that as of 3 :55 p.m. this afternoon
2 that the property is still not in compliance.
3 Motion was made by Commissioner Halkiotis, seconded by
4 Commissioner Insko to proceed with the demand for civil penalties
5 against Mr. Scurlock for a zoning violation.
6 VOTE: UNANIMOUS
7
8
9 III. ADDITIONS OR CHANGES TO THE AGENDA
10 Item "B" was removed from the Consent Agenda and placed as item
11 "A" under Items for Decision.
12
13 Commissioner Gordon asked that the report on alternative sewage
14 treatment systems include a discussion on septic soil suitability and
15 ground water capacity.
16
17 IV. AUDIENCE COMMENTS
18
19 A. MATTERS ON THE PRINTED AGENDA - NONE
20
21 B. MATTERS NOT ON THE PRINTED AGENDA
22 Joyce Brown, citizen of Orange County and Chair of the Energy
23 Committee of the Conservation Council of North Carolina, read a written
24 statement which is in the permanent agenda file in the Clerk's Office.
25 In summary, she asked that certain materials be used by the County in
26 building a new human resources center in Southern Orange County. She
27 listed the advantages of using solar energy in this building.
28 John Kent, Chair of the New Hope Chapter of the National
29 Audubon Society Conservation Committee, stated that this group has 1200
30 members. He spoke in support of the statement made by Joyce Brown. He
31 feels that it is important that energy efficiency aspects are
32 incorporated into the new human services center. His Board supports
33 this effort.
34 Commissioner Insko asked that the next report on the new
35 Government Services Center address the list of items which are
36 appropriate for energy efficiency.
37
38 V. ITEMS FOR DECISION - CONSENT AGENDA
39
40 Motion was made by Commissioner Halkiotis, seconded by
41 Commissioner Insko to approve items A and C as stated below:
42
43 A. PURCHASE OF FIRE TRUCK FOR ORANGE RURAL FIRE DEPARTMENT
44 The Orange Rural Fire Department No. 1 was authorized to
45 conduct a public hearing at 7: 30 p.m. , January 24, 1991 at the
46 Hillsborough Fire Department building, 203 South Churton Street,
47 Hillsborough, NC for the purpose of receiving citizen comment on the
48 financing contract between Orange Rural Fire Department No. 1, Inc. and
49 Central Carolina Bank.
50
51
52
4
1 B. EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM CONTRACT
2 This item was removed from the Consent Agenda and placed as
3 item A under the decision items.
4
5 C. EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT - ORANGE COMMUNITY HOUSING CORPORATION
6 The Board approved the execution of an employment agreement
7 with the Orange Community Housing Corporation and its new Executive
8 Director and authorized the Chair to sign the document on behalf of the
9 Board.
10 VOTE: UNANIMOUS
11
12 VI. RESOLUTIONS/PROCLAMATIONS - NONE
13
14 VII. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS - NONE
15
16 VIII. PUBLIC HEARINGS - NONE
17
18
19 IX. REPORTS
20 A. STATUS REPORT - RESEARCH TRIANGLE REGIONAL PUBLIC
21 TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY
22 Shirley Marshall, member of the Triangle Transit Authority, (TTA)
23 reported that she has been appointed the official TTA liaison with the
24 TAC. She made reference to the widening of NC54 to four lanes and
25 stated that the TTA can help with possible solutions to transportation
26 problems. She feels it important to look at the different needs in
27 Orange County and work with the TTA for solutions. She made reference
28 to the final report of the Transportation Improvement Plan of the
29 Coordinated Area Transportation system. She feels that the TTA could
30 assist with the public transportation part of that plan. When the Aging
31 Board submits this report for Board adoption, she asked that the County
32 formally request the TTA to assist the County in obtaining pilot money,
33 grants, etc. The lack of transportation has been placed as a high
34 priority by several committees and agencies.
35 She stated that the DOT representatives for this district will
36 serve as exofficio members of the TTA. She asked that pressure be put
37 on these representatives to attend the TTA meetings. Their
38 participation is important. She asked that the County Commissioners
39 talk with their legislators about funding for the TTA.
40 Jim Ritchie, General Manager of the TTA, stated that the Transit
41 Authority is being formed with the intention of providing a service.
42 They will need help and assistance from the governing boards. He will
43 start by listening because each area in this Authority has different
44 needs. They will listen and formulate public transportation solutions
45 that are right for each of the various areas. He continued explaining
46 how the TTA would formulate solutions by taking into account the
47 diversity of the different areas. He asked that the Commissioners give
48 the Transit Authority their ideas, observations and complaints. As land
49 use zoning issues are considered, he asked that the Commissioners
50 consider public transportation.
51
52
•
5
1 B. ALTERNATIVE SEWAGE TREATMENT SYSTEMS
2 This item was presented to provide and summarize available
3 information on the reliability of alternative sewage treatment
4 technology.
5 County Engineer Paul Thames presented information about the
6 Hazen & Sawyer Report on Alternative Treatment Systems. He distributed
7 a handout which listed a case study summary on alternative treatment
8 systems as well as conclusions and recommendations from the report.
9 Paul Thames explained that a small wastewater treatment
10 system, in terms of the report, range in size from 4, 000gpd to
11 150,000gpd. This is the permitting size which is sometimes larger than
12 the size that is actually needed.
13 In answer to a question from Commissioner Gordon, Thames
14 explained that there are two kinds of discharge systems -- package
15 plants and septic tank/sand filter systems. The septic tank/sand filter
16 system has a conventional gravity septic tank which discharges into a
17 large container filled with sand. The liquid waste filters through the
18 sand and solids are removed. It also receives some additional treatment
19 from microbiological activity. The package treatment plant is a
20 prefabricated unit which uses many of the same treatment processes as
21 do larger municipal treatment plants such as Hillsborough's, OWASA's or
22 Durham's.
23 A discharging system discharges from a single point to the
24 surface waters. A nondischarging system can be spray irrigation onto
25 the surface of the ground or be injected by subsurface means. He
26 explained how the conventional septic system discharges into a
27 nitrification field.
28 Commissioner Halkiotis referred to a list of possible
29 problems which lead to violations of the operating permit and asked
30 about the validity of the statement that the technology of alternative
31 waste treatment processes is technically sound. Thames explained that
32 when a system is designed, the ultimate use of the system should be kept
33 in mind and that insuring the design is carried out as intended requires
34 that the designer monitor the construction to be sure it is constructed
35 correctly. What has happened is that the systems have been installed
36 without the designer monitoring construction. After the system was paid
37 for, the original design engineer was never involved again. The system
38 construction was turned over to the developer or contractor who had
39 other priorities for spending their money. The procedure now is that
40 all permits issued by the Division of Environmental Management require
41 systems to be designed by a professional engineer who must certify that
42 the system is built in accordance with the approved plans. In terms of
43 operation and maintenance, DEM looks at these systems once a year and
44 sometimes they don't even do that. On many systems when the maintenance
45 is neglected, they begin to fail.
46 Health Director Dan Reimer explained the proposed Monitoring
47 Program for alternative and conventional waste treatment and disposal
48 systems. He explained, with the use of overhead transparencies, seven
49 types of systems. He listed some of the responsibilities and the
50 department who has the authority for each of these seven systems and the
51 authority they recommend.
52
6
1 The County Commissioners questioned the report procedure used
2 by the State in their monitoring of these systems and asked that DEM be
3 requested to furnish copies of these reports to the Health Director.
4 Commissioner Gordon asked for some comparison data on all the
5 existing systems permitted by DEM in Orange County. This would include
6 how long they have been in existence, what the failure rate is, etc.
7 With regard to package treatment plants, Commissioner
8 Willhoit asked that a list be obtained of those systems which are self
9 monitored along with the monthly reports that have been submitted to
10 DEM to see if they are in compliance. The Health Department is not
11 aware of what happens to those reports or how they are processed. They
12 do know the location of all these systems.
13 Dan Reimer reported that there are 15,000 conventional
14 systems, 400 residential low pressure pipe systems, 20 engineered
15 systems, 40 non-single family dwelling systems, and six sludge disposal
16 sites in Orange County.
17 Dr. Bob Rubin, North Carolina State University, reviewed the
18 history, technology and reliability of alternative waste treatment
19 systems. He explained that the design criteria are how big the pipe
20 must be and how much water you have to get from here to there.
21 Performance criteria are protecting public health and environmental
22 quality in the County. He stated that the systems need to be monitored
23 more than four times a year to determine if a system is operating
24 properly. There must be some reliability and efficiency function built
25 into the design criteria. Flexibility must be built into waste
26 treatment systems. It is costly to design a system properly and to
27 install the system properly. It is costly to monitor and maintain these
28 systems if it is done properly. The first thing done when a permit is
29 obtained from the state is that a request is made for a wasteload
30 allocation. That wasteload allocation tells the design engineer what
31 level of treatment is required and that level of treatment is determined
32 by the quality of the receiving stream. The next step is to identify
33 pretreatment processes that would meet those limits. The design
34 engineer would then develop for that client an operation and maintenance
35 manual. All the systems that discharge to surface water require a
36 certified operator. The certification of that operator is dependant
37 upon the level of complexity of the treatment plant. The operator must
38 have a monitoring report to the State every month. He stated that every
39 county which utilizes type one through type six systems is going to be
40 required to have in place some kind of management entity to insure that
41 those systems are operated properly. With reference to risk management,
42 he stated that there are potential problems with every type of system.
43 He explained in detail some of these problems. To maximize risk
44 management techniques, the County can, when making inspections, look for
45 poor drainage, check pump levels, controls, etc. , and use preventive
46 maintenance. The County needs to have in place a spill control plan.
47 With reference to the Memorandum of Understanding he will provide to the
48 County Commissioners an educational package with what should be included
49 in a typical Memorandum of Understanding with the state. A workplan
50 also needs to be developed. The County would specify how they will do
51 what they say they are going to do in the Memorandum.
52 Commissioner Willhoit requested that someone be sent to
7
1 Raleigh for a list of those forty permits, their effluent standards and
2 their compliance records. Are they in compliance or out of compliance.
3 When that information in received, the Board can talk about a strategy
4 for moving forward. With regard to the 15,000 conventional systems, it
5 would be important to find out how old they are and put the educational
6 program in place. With knowing the status of these systems, an
7 inspection program can be initiated.
8 In answer to a question from Commissioner Gordon, Dr. Rubin
9 stated that typically the larger the system, the more components there
10 are and the more likelihood that the system will fail.
11 John Link stated that there is still the utility question.
12 The County cannot be owner and operator and also monitor the systems.
13 There is also a question of cost. This needs to be explored further.
14 It was clarified that of the forty systems permitted by DEM
15 that 10 are discharge and thirty are nondischarge.
16 Chairman Carey stated that the goal is to have a monitoring
17 and maintenance program for all systems. The Health Department has made
18 a proposal for such a program. The County must decide to what degree
19 they want the Health Department to be involved in this process.
20 Commissioner Halkiotis asked that the sludge sites be
21 identified as well as an accurate number of sites being monitored by
22 DEM. He requested some cost figures for implementing the monitoring and
23 maintenance program as proposed by the Health Department.
24 The Health Department will provide additional information at
25 a future meeting of the Board.
26 With regard to the question of providing a bond to cover
27 remediation, the County Attorney will investigate this question and
28 respond to the Board. Geoffrey Gledhill explained that the local
29 legislation that was approved for impact fees will provide the necessary
30 legislation for bonding. If the County asks for local legislation for
31 an impact tax, then that bill will need to be amended to allow for this
32 bond requirement.
33 Dr. Rubin will obtain some information on the programs in
34 Wake and Mecklenburg Counties and the cost for initiating these
35 programs.
36 Commissioner Gordon asked that as land use policies are
37 discussed, that the information on groundwater capacity and septic tank
38 suitability be reviewed.
39
40
41 C. REPORT ON PRELIMINARY AWARD - COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK
42 GRANT
43 Director of Housing and Community Development Tara Fikes
44 summarized that on October 19, 1990 Orange County submitted a Housing
45 Development Grant Application to the State requesting $175, 000 in CDBG
46 funds to be used for road construction/paving in the Chestnut Oaks
47 Habitat subdivision. The County has been notified of the preliminary
48 award of this Block Grant in the amount of $175, 000. A final award will
49 be made after the County addresses certain grant conditions within 90
50 days of the preliminary award. She listed these conditions and stated
51 the County will have no problems in meeting these conditions. The
52 County anticipates submitting all necessary documentation to the State
8
1 within sixty days. A grant agreement could be executed in April, 1991
2 and the project begun immediately thereafter.
3
4 X. ITEMS FOR DECISION - REGULAR AGENDA
5
6 A. EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM CONTRACT (moved from Consent
7 Agenda)
8
9 Motion was made by Commissioner Insko, seconded by
10 Commissioner Halkiotis to approve the contract with Human Affairs
11 International at a cost of $9,820 to continue the Employee Assistance
12 Program through June 30, 1991.
13 VOTE: UNANIMOUS
14
15 XI. APPOINTMENTS
16 Motion was made by Commissioner Gordon, seconded by Commissioner
17 Halkiotis to appoint Gloria Berry-Holly and Sharlene Pilkey to the Cable
18 Citizens Advisory Committee as voting members and to appoint Donna Hales
19 as an alternate member of this Board.
20 VOTE: UNANIMOUS
21
22 Motion was made by Chairman Carey, seconded by Commissioner
23 Gordon to appoint Caleb Moore to the Personnel Advisory Board.
24 VOTE: UNANIMOUS
25
26 XII. MINUTES
27 Motion was made by Commissioner Insko, seconded by Commissioner
28 Halkiotis to approved the December 11 - Quarterly Public Hearing minutes
29 as circulated.
30 VOTE: UNANIMOUS
31
32 Motion was made by Commissioner Insko, seconded by Commissioner
33 Halkiotis to approve the December 18 - Special Meeting minutes as
34 circulated.
35 VOTE: UNANIMOUS
36
37 Motion was made by Chairman Carey, seconded by Commissioner Insko
38 to approve the minutes for the December 18 - Regular Meeting minutes as
39 circulated.
40 VOTE: UNANIMOUS
41
42 XIII. EXECUTIVE SESSION - NONE
43
44 XIV. ADJOURNMENT
45 With no further items to discuss, Chairman Carey adjourned the
46 meeting. The next regular meeting will be held on January 22, 1991 at
47 7:30 in the Franklin Street Post Office District Courtroom, Chapel Hill,
48 North Carolina.
49 Moses Carey, Chair
50
51 Beverly A. Blythe, Clerk
52