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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 19971030APPROVED 6122198 MINUTES ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BI-MONTHLY WORK SESSION OCTOBER 30, 1997 The Orange County Board of Commissioners met in regular session on Thursday, October 30, 1997 at 7:30 p.m. in the meeting room of the Government Services Center in Hillsborough, North Carolina. COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair William L. Crowther and Commissioners Margaret W. Brown, Moses Carey, Jr., Alice M. Gordon and Stephen H. Halkiotis. COUNTY ATTORNEY PRESENT: Geoffrey Gledhill COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager John M. Link, Jr., Assistant County Managers Rod Visser and Albert Kittrell and Clerk to the Board Beverly A. Blythe (All other staff members will be identified appropriately below) NOTE: ALL DOCUMENTS REFERRED TO IN THESE MINUTES ARE IN THE PERMANENT AGENDA FILE IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE. AGENDA 1. CLOSED SESSION A motion was made by Commissioner Halkiotis, seconded by Commissioner Carey to go into closed session for the purpose of Attorney-client Privilege by authority of G.S. Section 143-318.11(a)(3). VOTE: UNANIMOUS A motion was made by Commissioner Carey, seconded by Commissioner Brown to reconvene into regular session. VOTE: UNANIMOUS 2. SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT ISSUES a. Chronology of major steps in solid waste deliberations from September 1996 to the present In answer to a question from Commissioner Gordon, County Attorney Geoffrey Gledhill explained that effective with the 1995 amendment to the Solid Waste Act, every local government in North Carolina was responsible for filing and having approved by the State a solid waste management plan within their own jurisdictions. The important thing about this law was that it made the State responsible for the entire solid waste business. Each city is responsible for its solid waste in its jurisdiction and the County is responsible for the unincorporated areas including the transitional areas. This act focuses on cooperation locally and regionally to deal with solid waste. Commissioner Gordon clarified that what it means in Orange County is that all four jurisdictions have equal responsibility for handling the trash in their jurisdiction. b. Information needed on the operational and financial structure of the present landfill operation c. Further deliberation on the community benefits Finance Director Ken Chavious explained that the enterprise fund is in good financial condition. They have reserved funds for equipment, site development and other capital improvements. Commissioner Gordon mentioned that for the business to stay self-supporting, trash must be taken in and by encouraging recycling, the waste steam is reduced. John Link noted that reducing the amount of tonnage coming in would not change the fixed cost which means that the tipping fee would need to be increased to cover the recycling effort. Commissioner Halkiotis feels that the County cannot guarantee to maintain the same number of people and the same level of equipment for landfill operations if a transfer station is built. Commissioner Carey feels it would not be beneficial to be restricted by a lot of conditions if the County takes over the solid waste management for Orange County. A decision as to whether or not we want to just do something for the unincorporated area needs to be made. The County could then determine the conditions for adding the municipalities as partners if they so desire. John Link will provide an estimate of what the fixed cost will be if the percentage of recyclables is increased and how the cost of community benefits would impact the fund balance. d. Possible approaches for a future solid waste management facili e. Further articulation on the disposition of the Greene Tract Chair Crowther said that three options for solid waste management include (1) keeping the LOG until the landfill is depleted, (2) agreeing with the interlocal agreement or (3) taking responsibility for management of the County's solid waste. Commissioner Carey likes the possibility of the County taking full responsibility for implementing a new solid waste plan with the County being the lead entity responsible and inviting the municipalities to participate. The county would be responsible for deciding the staffing, siting the facility if they go with a Material Recovery Facility (MRF), and taking charge of all the assets. Chair Crowther likes the idea of moving in that direction but only after the current landfill is full. He feels this would allow adequate time for the County to develop and put a plan in place and allow time for the other jurisdictions to decide if they want to participate. The County will have a mechanism to deal with their own solid waste by building a MRF, a transfer station or another landfill within 5 to 7 years. He feels we need to plan for taking care of the solid waste in unincorporated areas which is the County's only true responsibility at this point. Commissioner Gordon agreed that is where the County needs to start and then maybe invite the municipalities as partners later in the process. The Board developed several scenarios which are listed below: (taken from blackboard) SCENARIO #1 County responsibility countywide Staff Siting of MRF, Landfill, Transfer Station, etc. Control of Assets Seek Customers within Orange County Advisory Board Enterprise SCENARIO #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 SCENARIO #3 Plan only for unincorporated areas of Orange County Seek existing or new partnerships Enterprise SCENARIO #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 SCENARIO #5 Tweak LOG model Pursue majority of jurisdictions Not total consensus on important issues - no one has to agree Enterprise SCENARIO #6 Ask Carrboro or Hillsborough to operate and take the lead Enterprise OTHER SUGGESTIONS AND COMMENTS Implement the solid waste plan, working back on the type of organization that will be needed. All positions would be reviewed as the plan is implemented. Look at new technology and new recycling efforts. The County Commissioners need to be involved directly for the first few years and not have an advisory board. Have an advisory board with the County Commissioners being the policy and decision making body. Continue with the existing LOG with an agreement that two out of three jurisdictions must agree on issues which would be outlined. Commissioner Gordon feels that work on the interlocal agreement needs to stop until a decision is made on the next steps. Commissioner Carey feels the County needs to decide on which scenario to pursue. The cost will depend on how many partners want to join in this effort. Commissioner Brown made reference to the solid waste management plan sent to the state and asked if it could be incorporated with scenario #1. Commissioner Carey said that he feels the plan sent to the state is a good plan and if we have at least two entities doing it, the cost would be workable. There will be debt for a MRF, transfer station, land, etc. Commissioner Halkiotis agreed with Commissioner Carey that an advisory board may be a good idea because citizens would trust a group like that rather than the five County Commissioners. Commissioner Gordon said that providing water and sewer would cost 1.5 million. It would need to be decided if this money would come from the users or funded by County revenues. The County Commissioners agreed that the enterprise fund would need to be a significant part of any plan they develop. Commissioner Carey said that the Greene Tract will need to be part of the assets. With regard to employees, the County needs flexibility and should not agree on anything except treating people fairly in accordance with what the law requires. Commissioner Carey said that community benefits or any other benefits need to be supported entirely by the enterprise fund and if it cannot because of legal reasons, then the County and the other entities would need to negotiate how it would be paid. Commissioner Carey made reference to the map in the packet. He feels that if water is going to be extended and it is determine there is a legitimate reason for extending water, that tract needs to be brought into the transition area so there is no objection from Carrboro or Chapel Hill to help finance the improvements. He feels that sewer service should not be financed. NOTE: Commissioner Carey left at 9:30 p.m. It was decided that staff would take each scenario and list the pros and cons for each one. Commissioner Gordon asked if the policy of allowing only Orange County residents to use the landfill is being enforced and if something could be done to improve enforcement. The County Commissioners decided to keep November 20th open for another work session on solid waste management. The staff will provide additional information on developing a transfer station. Commissioner Halkiotis would like to discuss community benefits at the November 20th meeting. County Engineer Paul Thames showed on a map of the Orange County Landfill Study Area what each area represented with reference to water lines - existing and nonexistent. He noted that the well at the Kirschner residence is the only one that is contaminated. Commissioner Brown said that if all the wells in the area were checked for contaminates, it would give the County Commissioners the data on which decisions could be made for running water lines. With regard to #11 in the "Report of the Landfill Owners Group/Landfill Neighbors Working Group" the Board agreed to use the normal JPA process for considering their options for the planning boundary between Chapel Hill and Carrboro. With regard to #12, there was no consensus on the use of the present Eubanks Road landfill. Commissioner Brown would be interested in having a small park in this neighborhood. The only thing that needs further study is a portion of the Greene Tract. There was no consensus on #13 for there not to be an expansion of the disposal areas for Construction and Demolition materials. With regard to #1 and #2 about community benefits, the County Commissioners agreed that if any of the wells are contaminated, something needs to be done. Commissioner Brown would like to see some money set aside to address problems as they arise. They will discuss this further at their November 20 meeting. The Board agreed not to consider sewer extension. 3 CLOSED SESSION _ PERSONNEL MATTER This item was delayed. ADJOURNMENT With no further items to come before the Board, the meeting was adjourned at 10:15. The next regular meeting of the Board will be held on October 21 at 7:30 p.m. in the OWASA Operation Facility at 400 Jones Ferry Road in Carrboro, North Carolina. William L. Crowther, Chair Beverly A. Blythe, Clerk