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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 19971120APPROVED 6122198 MINUTES ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS SPECIAL MEETING NOVEMBER 20, 1997 The Orange County Board of Commissioners met in Special session on Thursday, November 20, 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 Letter to Piedmont Electric Chair Crowther asked for Board input on sending a letter to Piedmont Electric. Commissioner Halkiotis said he is very upset that Piedmont Electric has already voted on the route for their new transmission line since the County Commissioners had requested them to delay their decision until questions could be answered. He said that he would work toward bringing corporate electric companies under the authority of the Utilities Commission. It was decided that Chair Crowther would write a letter asking Piedmont Electric for a written response to the questions from the citizens and County Commissioners. He will ask them not to implement anything until these questions have been answered. Piedmont Electric will be requested to attend the County Commissioners' December 1 meeting to explain their process. 1. Review of New Attachments _ Hydrogeology Report and Landfill Map County Engineer Paul Thames made reference to the hydrogeology report as distributed with the agenda. This evaluation was conducted at the Orange Regional Landfill located on Eubanks Road in Chapel Hill , North Carolina and the immediate surrounding area. The primary purpose for conducting this investigation was to evaluate the potential risk that landfill activities may have on surrounding off-site water well users and to estimate the horizontal migration of shallow groundwater contamination, should a release of leachate occur. A Summary of background information and the methods and results of this investigation were outlined by Paul Thames. The report concluded that based on the findings of this assessment, potential shallow groundwater contamination at the Orange Regional Landfill does not appear to pose an immediate risk to surrounding residential water supply wells. Commissioner Halkiotis asked about the airport and was told that if there was no airport in that vicinity or if they did not fly turboprops, they would not have a problem with locating a landfill on the Greene Tract. In answer to a question from John Link, Paul Thames said that if you tried to use the results of this study as a basis to pay property owners for adverse impacts, it would be very hard to do. Based on this study, the County would not be able to use LOG funds to pay compensation to property owners. 2. Review/Clarification of Staff Responses - Agenda Packet Attachments The County Commissioners reviewed the items as listed below: 1. Review of 1997-98 landfill operating costs and recycling program costs NO COMMENTS 2. Fixed costs that will be assumed if the County and Towns achieve the solid waste reduction goals laid out in the integrated solid waste management plan _ what would the impact on tipping fees, or other financing mechanisms, be? Commissioner Gordon asked about how the recycling cost is being paid and John Link stated that the recycling costs are being paid from the tipping fees. The Landfill Owners Group (LOG) has talked about paying for recycling from another source rather than the tipping fee. Commissioner Gordon noted that the County Commissioners have indicated in the past that they do not want to charge citizens to recycle because we want to encourage recycling. Gail Wilson indicated that in order for the tipping fee to absorb the cost of recycling at the 61% goal, it would need to be increased to $68.00 per ton. 3. Feasibility of developing a transfer station and a materials recovery facility (MRF) - possible sites and possible costs In answer to a question from Commissioner Brown, Planner Gene Bell said that the Greene Tract is zoned rural transition which is one unit per 1.3 acres. He did not know if this zoning would permit a transfer station. In answer to a question about projecting the waste stream, Blair Pollock explained how it is calculated. Commissioner Brown asked about tipping fees for next year and the following year. Gail Wilson said that there will probably be an increase of two dollars for each of the next two years. These increases may change if an integrated plan is implemented. 4. Current status of construction & demolition disposal capacity, and discussion to date of future C&D disposal options Gail Wilson stated that the space they have allocated for C&D will run out in 1999. Chair Crowther said that it may be possible to purchase 25 additional acres next to the present C & D site. He noted that the Johnson tract is the site of a maintenance building. Commissioner Gordon asked if the property next to the landfill was for sale and Gail Wilson said that one tract may be for sale but some of it is not for sale. They only need 15 acres for C&D. He noted that a landfill salvage program will begin on December 1. C&D provides for 1/3 of the revenue stream. Commissioner Brown asked if they could mulch the wood and Gail Wilson said they could but then they can't get rid of it. Right now pallets are buried. They are looking at other things to do with this material. Commissioner Halkiotis said that he has a problem in burying pallets. Gail Wilson said that it is on the list of items they will discuss very soon. In answer to a question from Commissioner Brown, Gail Wilson said they are in the process of doing their budget for 1998-99. In answer to a question about using the Greene Tract for a C&D site, John Link said that it can be used for C & D and also for a transfer station. 5. Pros and Cons of the six scenarios for future solid waste management options as recorded on the marker board at the October 30 work session John Link listed the six principles the County Commissioners previously identified for including in any future solid waste management plan. Commissioner Carey said that he feels we need to let the Towns know if the County Commissioners want to take responsibility for managing and implementing a solid waste management plan. It is important to decide if we want to do it before we decide how we do it. In answer to a question from Commissioner Brown, Wilbert McAdoo said that 46% of the solid waste at the landfill is brought in by private haulers. Commissioner Carey said that no matter what, the users are going to pay. The County needs to do this as economically as possible for all the citizens, not for only the unincorporated area. He feels that the County needs to move forward or tell Chapel Hill to go with it. The interlocal agreement can be changed if the conditions are not acceptable or needed and given to the towns for implementation. Commissioner Carey said that the Greene tract needs to be treated as a landfill asset. Commissioner Gordon agreed. John Link said that since Site #17 is not now a viable site for a landfill, the question is will another site be chosen. Chair Crowther said that if the County does in fact decide to go with scenario "1" and make an offer to Chapel Hill to continue to manage the landfill and they said no, the County would have a lot of learning to do. Commissioner Halkiotis does not feel we will get an agreement on this. He does not have any problem with shipping waste out of the County. He feels that the County needs to be creative and innovative. He agrees with scenario #3 and with building a transfer station. Commissioner Brown asked about scenario II-A. John Link said that the present landfill staff would not become County staff. The County Commissioners could choose whether or not to have an advisory board. The big difference is that the County would make the decision on the budget and would provide for the County to take the leadership role in terms of developing the next solid waste facility. All decisions would be made by the County Commissioners. Commissioner Carey feels an advisory board is a good idea. The County Commissioners would make the decisions, and the advisory board with town representatives would make recommendations to the County Commissioners. Commissioner Brown emphasized that the County Commissioners would be taking on a huge responsibility, the same as with the schools and other things. John Link said that it takes Chapel Hill and the County to make the landfill viable. It would help to have Carrboro and Hillsborough, but it can be done without their participation. Commissioner Carey said that the Board of County Commissioners is the only governmental board that everyone in the County votes for. If Carrboro takes it over, only Carrboro residents can vote for members of that governmental board. conditions attached Chair Crowther said that we can offer to take over management of the landfill with no Commissioner Gordon noted that it would be a good thing if the cost for management of the landfill could be kept within the enterprise fund. John Link said if the plan includes recycling, they would need to work out a system to retain the private haulers and others. Gail Wilson explained the concept of the enterprise fund. He said that it does not mean that everything is funded from the tipping fee. Wake County decided to implement a solid waste fee countywide per resident which is dedicated to the enterprise fund. There can be an enterprise fund using revenues than just tipping fees. Commissioner Halkiotis said that people are recycling and what we have forgotten is that recycling costs money. We need to communicate this to our citizens and be able to provide the funding. The Board would need to decide what elements will be paid for through the tipping fee and what elements will be paid for through another fee and decide if the county is going to assume the responsibility to assess the fee and for what purpose. Chair Crowther asked if the County Commissioners are willing to accept full responsibility for solid waste. Commissioner Carey said yes, Commissioner Brown said yes with conditions. NOTE: Do not use the word landfill. Instead use the words "solid waste disposal". It was the consensus of the Board to assume the responsibility for solid waste management for the whole county for those who want to participate. Chapel Hill will be the key jurisdiction to make it work. Commissioner Brown would like to get in place the priorities for moving forward to see if there are other things she wants to include. Geoffrey Gledhill said that any local government who agrees to become a partner will want some control over the budget. This is the one thing the board will not have unconditional control over. They will need to have absolute control over the site selection. The County Commissioners agreed with the six principles, adding a seventh saying that whoever is in charge will make the decisions for solid waste management. In answer to a question from Commissioner Brown on how the Greene tract could be used as an asset, Geoffrey Gledhill said that 50 acres could be committed to community benefits, however he does have some questions about that. If transferred to the county, it could be used for the new facilities or the County could do whatever they want - use it or leave as is, for future consideration. John Link suggested that the Board may want to have the staff ask some questions of the County Commissioners and compile the responses to help determine how far they want to go to assume present responsibilities and under what conditions and the same for the future. Commissioner Brown asked for information about the zoning of the Greene Tract and said that the County needs to have full use of that tract. Chair Crowther said that what he hears is that the County does want to move forward. John Link will take what has been said and ask questions and from the responses bring back the results. ADJOURNMENT A motion was made by Commissioner Carey, seconded by Commissioner Brown to adjourn this special meeting. The next regular meeting of the Board will be held on December 1, 1997 in the courtroom of the Old Courthouse in Hillsborough, North Carolina. William L. Crowther, Chair Beverly A. Blythe, Clerk