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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 02-10-1998 - Attachment 3kt `l1~QC.rzvnmff' ~~ 1 Possible Solid Waste Management Scenarios Orange County Commissioners Work Session October 30, 1997 1. County responsible county-wide • Staff • Siting of MRF, Landfill, Transfer Station, etc. • Control of Assets • Seek long-term customers within Orange County • Advisory Board ' • Enterprise 2. Pursue #1 but have Chapel Hill operate present landfill for its life; County pursue #1 for new solid waste operations by year 2003 • Enterprise • should LOG be formalized with a charge, revisions to the existing interlocal agreement, etc? 3. Plan only for unincorporated areas of Orange County and seek existing or new partnerships • Enterprise 4. Implement solid waste plan what would be required? ' • What organizational structure • Staff • Solid waste operations • Open to technology and new recycling efforts • Board of County Commissioners directly responsible • No Advisory Board • Enterprise 5. Tweak LOG model Pursue majority of jurisdictions not total consensus on important issues - "N -1" have to agree • Enterprise • should LOG be formalized with a charge, revisions to the existing interlocal agreement, etc? 6. Ask Carrboro, Chapel Hill, or Hillsborough to operate and take the lead • Enterprise Impacts of Six Scenarios for Future Solid Waste Management Options as Developed at October 30, 1997 Board of County Commissioners Work Session ' The six Scenarios should adhere to the following Principles: 1. Enterprise fund operation, i.e. revenues must meet or exceed expenditures. 2. The Greene Tract remains a landfill asset. 3. No restrictions on acquisition of additional acreage at the current landfill. 4. Whoever is responsible for county-wide Solid Waste System needs committed partners to make an enterprise operation economically viable. 5. All community benefits to be provided should be funded through the landfill enterprise. 6. Seek a solution in which reduction of solid waste and the economic viability of the solid waste facility are in concert -right now, when solid waste is reduced, the landfill suffers financially. Scenario I. -- County responsible County -Wide Impacts: • County Commissioners represent all county residents. • Citizens desiring to impact solid waste decisions only have to address one governmental board. • Decision making process is more efficient as only one governmental board has decision making authority. • County has greater capability of debt funding, as counties bond debt limit is higher than towns. • Single ownership of assets; requires only county approval for purchase or sale of assets. • Single entity responsible for setting fees, including tip fees. • Single entity responsible for determining policy. • County can establish advisory board for input. • Transfer of responsibility to the county will be more realistic after decisions are made on landfill siting, Greene Tract ownership and financing. • Requires sufficient time for County to assume responsibility and absorb organizational impacts. • County has limited experience in operating landfills. • Agreement or contract with other governments required to guarantee sufficient waste stream to ensure economic viability of solid waste management facility(s). 2 3 Scenario II. Pursue Scenario I but continue present management operation for life of present landfill; County to pursue Scenario I for New Solid Waste operations 6y year 2003 Impacts: • Provides all governments time to develop contracts and agreements for transition and transfer of solid waste operations and facilities. • Chapel Hill has the most experience in landfill operations. • If there is no agreement on landfi111 solid waste disposal facility, Greene Tract ownership, or fundmg, Chapel Hill could continue under current arrangements. • Requires agreement of all three governments for use of assets in planning and development for use of new solid waste management facilities. • Current Landfill Owners Group decision-making process has not been efficient. • Requires agreement on changing the approval process in order to make the decision- making process more efficient. • Governments would know future plans for new solid waste management facilities prior to agreeing to transfer solid waste management responsibilities to the County. Scenario II A County assumes responsibility for present landfill, establishes an advisory board for recommendations, and contracts with the town of Chapel Hill for continued operations of the present landfill. County also pursues Scenario I for new solid waste operation by year 2003. Impacts: • This scenario provides for long-term responsibility conveyed to the County while retaining Chapel Hill experience in operating the present landfill operations. • Would streamline the decision-making process for present and future solid waste operations. - Advisory Board makes recommendations on solid waste budget. - BOCC decides components of budget. - Budget/tipping fees negotiated between County and town of Chapel Hill as the operator of the present solid waste system. Contract established annually. • Provides all governments time to develop contracts and agreements for transition and transfer of solid waste operations and facilities. • Chapel Hill has the most experience in landfill operations. • If there is no agreement on landfilU solid waste disposal facility, Greene Tract ownership, or funding, Chapel Hill could continue under current arrangements. 4 • Requires agreement of all three governments for use of assets in planning and development for use of new solid waste management facilities. • Current Landfill Owners Group decision-making process has not been efficient. • Requires agreement on changing the approval process in order to make the decision- making process more efficient. •' Governments would know future plans for new solid waste management facilities prior to agreeing to transfer solid waste management responsibilities to the County. Scenario III. Plan only for unincorporated areas of Orange County and seek existing or new partnerships Impacts: • Simplified decision-making process. • Unincorporated Orange County has insufficient waste stream to ensure economic viability of operating solid waste management facilities. • Limited partnership opportunities. • Requires additional staffing to continue current operations and planning, development, and implementation for new solid waste management facilities. • Would raise the equity issue if funded from sources other than tipping fees. • This scenario would not meet the requirements of the six stated principles Scenario IY. Implement Solid Waste Plan Impacts: * All scenarios presented tivquld allow implementation of the Integrated Solid Wastg Management Plan. Other scenarios address ownership and responsibility for solid waste management efforts. Scenario Y. Tweak LOG Model Impacts: • History of problems with current LOG decision-making process. • No clear line of decision-making. • Requires consideration by all governments for major issues. Scenario VI. Carrboro, Chapel Hill, or Hillsborough to operate and take the lead Impacts: • Limited segment of County making decisions that affect all county residents. • Towns have the least amount of debt funding capabilities.