Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 19980414APPROVED 10/20198 MINUTES ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BI-MONTHLY WORK SESSION APRIL 14. 1998 The Orange County Board of Commissioners met for a bi-monthly work session on April 14, 1998 at 7:30 p.m. in the Government Services Center, 200 S. Cameron Street in Hillsborough, North Carolina. COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Margaret W. Brown and Commissioners Moses Carey, Jr., William L. Crowther, Alice M. Gordon and Stephen H. Halkiotis. COUNTY ATTORNEY PRESENT: Geoffrey Gledhill COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager John M. Link, Jr., Assistant County Manager Rod Visser and Albert Kittrell and Clerk to the Board Beverly A. Blythe. All other staff members will be identified appropriately below. ADDED ITEM A motion was made by Commissioner Crowther, seconded by Commissioner Halkiotis to add to the agenda a closed session to establish the position to be taken by Orange County in negotiating the price and other material terms of a proposed contract for the acquisition of real property by General Statutes 143-318.11 (5). VOTE: UNANIMOUS 1. Closed Sessions A motion was made by Commissioner Crowther, seconded by Commissioner Halkiotis to go into closed session to discuss a personnel matter (NCGS 143-318.11a(6) and to establish the position to be taken by Orange County in negotiating the price and other material terms of a proposed contract for the acquisition of real property (NCGS 143-318.11 a (5). VOTE: UNANIMOUS A motion was made by Commissioner Carey, seconded by Commissioner Crowther to reconvene into open session. VOTE: UNANIMOUS 2. Solid Waste Issues John Link indicated the purpose of this issue is related to the possible assumption by Orange County of overall responsibility for the management of solid waste (excluding collection) throughout the County; and to discuss responses from municipal governing boards to the Board of Commissioners' views and questions about proposed community benefits for the neighborhoods in the vicinity of the Eubanks Road landfill. Both the towns were similar in their belief that the County should take the responsibility for financing the community benefits. The Board discussed nine assumptions regarding the financing of future solid waste operations, with the assumptions in bold. 1. Each local government will maintain responsibility for the operation and financing of solid waste collection within its own jurisdiction. The County Commissioners agreed with this assumption. 2. Financing of other solid waste operations should remain tipping fee based, to the maximum extent possible. As needed, supplemental revenue from user fees, solid waste availability fees, solid waste service district(s), or the like could be considered. Commissioner Crowther noted that if recycling is increased, the County may need to consider another financing option. John Link said that if we do assume responsibility, it needs to be made clear that the County is not going to underwrite overall solid waste operations or be a source of supplemental revenue. The County Commissioners agreed with this assumption. 3. Legislative changes by the General Assembly should be sought if needed to make permissible the best combination of financing mechanisms. The County Commissioners agreed with this assumption. 4. Should Orange County assume overall solid waste management responsibility, the County general fund would not underwrite overall solid waste operations or be a source of supplemental revenue. The County Commissioners agreed with this assumption. 6. Cost of proposed community benefits that cannot legally be borne by the Landfill Fund should be shared by the jurisdictions (for example, on the basis of ownership stake in the landfill) - if not through property taxes, then perhaps through sales taxes. The towns have suggested that the County bear the costs through bonds. Impact of this on County debt structure would need to be considered. John Link noted that last Spring he understood that the towns and the County were working together to provide community benefits. He asked why they can't agree to use the one cent tax source for these benefits. Chair Brown suggested writing a letter to the towns with a proposal to begin to allocate a proportional amount of money for what they agree they want to finance for community benefits. Commissioner Halkiotis said that he is not surprised that the towns do not want to help finance community benefits. He suggested that the managers, chairs and mayors meet. Commissioner Carey would like to receive a response in writing to indicate whether or not they are going to contribute toward financing community benefits. The Board generally agreed that they will not pursue a bond to pay for community benefits. Commissioner Halkiotis would like to leave this option open for now. The Board decided that if they did pursue a bond, it would be at the same proportional percentages as the Landfill. 6. Indirect cost charges to the Landfill Fund should the County assume solid waste operations would likely be higher. it appears that the Town of Chapel Hill has not been fully reimbursed over the years for its cost of administering solid waste operations. An outside consultant should be retained to do an impartial analysis of the indirect cost that should be reimbursed to the County if it assumed overall responsibility. The Board agreed to do an indirect cost study financed and paid for by the LOG. 7. Landfill funds would need to be budgeted for planning of new solid waste operations related to a materials recovery facility (MRF), transfer station, new landfill, or the like (depending on which processing and disposal mechanisms are ultimately selected.) The Board agreed with this assumption. 8. If a decision were made to consider a new landfill site, it should be done through a proactive search process that solicits voluntary sale of property, and not through a process that would lead to condemnation of property for a new landfill. In answer to a question from Commissioner Gordon, the Board agreed that the Greene Tract was a voluntary sale of property. Chair Brown asked that criteria be set including not locating a landfill in a watershed area. Commissioner Crowther said that if we follow this process, the decision would be made solely by the Board of County Commissioners and the Towns would not be included in the decision making process. 9. There will be additional operating costs above the current level during the period of overlap when both current landfill operations continue and future solid waste management activities (whatever they may be) are phased in. John Link clarified that as they pursue options for solid waste operations, there will be additional costs. Commissioner Carey asked if we are prepared to take on this responsibility. If we are, these are the assumptions under which we would take this on including the community benefits. We need to communicate this to the towns. If we are not willing to do that, we don't need to discuss the remaining items. Commissioner Gordon said that one of the assumptions preferred by some in the towns is that we don't use the Greene Tract as a landfill. Commissioner Carey does not feel we should eliminate what could be a viable option. The County needs to maintain options for the Greene Tract. Commissioner Halkiotis said that the issue for him is that extending water to Rogers Road should also include some of the side roads in that area. Chair Margaret Brown said that she thought that the historic Rogers Road area did include these side roads. Commissioner Halkiotis asked for clarification on what roads are included in the historic Rogers Road area. The Board did not agree with adding Millhouse Road at this time but if it were added later, the costs should be paid out of the landfill tipping fees. Commissioner Halkiotis asked about the proposal to ask t7WASA to hold off on the fees and the Board agreed that this needs to be pursued as well as asking OWASA to waive the differential fees. Commissioner Gordon asked for clarification about the Greene Tract and also properties nearby being purchased for solid waste purposes. John Link feels it important to reach a successful conclusion on these first nine items before addressing the administration of solid waste operations or timing of solid waste management transfer. Commissioner Carey asked that a timeline be added to the letter that will be sent to the Towns. Commissioner Halkiotis asked for a copy of the Personnel policy for the Town of Chapel Hill and would like to know what will happen to the 26 people who work for the landfill if the waste stream is reduced. ADJOURNMENT With no further items for the Board to consider, a motion was made by Commissioner Crowther, seconded by Commissioner Halkiotis to adjourn. The next regular meeting of the Board will be held on April 21 at 7:30 p.m. in the Southern Human Services Center in Chapel Hill. Margaret W. Brown, Chair Beverly A. Blythe, Clerk