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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 05-14-2015 APPROVED 9/1/2015 MINUTES ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Budget Work Session May 14, 2015 7:00 p.m. The Orange County Board of Commissioners met for a work session on Thursday, May 14, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. at the Whitted Building in Hillsborough, N.C. COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair McKee and Commissioners Mia Burroughs, Barry Jacobs, Renee Price and Penny Rich COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: Mark Dorosin and Bernadette Pelissier COUNTY ATTORNEYS PRESENT: COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager Bonnie Hammersley and Deputy Clerk to the Board David Hunt (All other staff members will be identified appropriately below) Chair McKee called the meeting to order 7:00 p.m. Chair McKee said Commissioner Pelissier and Commissioner Dorosin will be absent tonight, due to scheduling conflicts. 1. To Continue Review and Discussion of the Manager's Recommended FY 2015-20 Capital Investment Plan (CIP) Paul Laughton, Interim Director-Finance and Administrative Services, reviewed the items discussed at the work session on April 9, 2015. He said this evening the focus will be on County projects not discussed at that meeting, as well as Special Revenue Projects, Proprietary Projects and Year 1 Recommended CIP Projects. County Projects HVAC Projects (CIP page 26) Paul Laughton said there are minimal HVAC expenses anticipated in the next five years. He said that the amount that does exist can fall under the replacement or operating budget. Commissioner Rich asked if HVAC maintenance would be under a regular line item going forward. Paul Laughton said as the HVAC needs did not cross the $100,000 threshold, they were not included in the CIP. He said the maintenance and replacement of HVAC will fall under the operating budget. He said this is referenced on page 26 of the CIP. Chair McKee asked the County Manager if the Board could have more financial information regarding the Community Geothermal that was put in the Jail and Courthouse complex, specifically regarding whether the initial cost has been recouped in the energy savings. Bonnie Hammersley said she would gather that information. Commissioner Rich asked if any preliminary work would be needed at the Southern Human Services Center (SHSC), prior to year six, for the geothermal installation. Jeff Thompson, Orange County Asset Management Director, said this is a placeholder, in case the SHSC expansion renovation does not move forward. He added that if the BOCC does move forward with the renovations at the SHSC, the geothermal site would be a part of the design process. Commissioner Price asked if the preceding pages of the CIP, prior to page 26, were going to be discussed. Paul Laughton said the previous pages were discussed at the April 9 meeting; however, there would be time to go back to those pages at the end of this evening's meeting. He said this will be one of the last detailed work sessions regarding the CIP, and now is the time for the Board to offer any direction, suggest changes or revisions, and pose questions so staff can get answers. Bonnie Hammersley said the CIP will be part of the process during budget hearings, with goal of keeping the CIP as a part of the conversation about the operating budget. Roofing Projects (CIP page 27) Paul Laughton said there are two roofing projects in Year 1, followed by a scattering of projects over the next four years. He said Year 1 includes a project at the Jail and the Old Courthouse. He said Years 6 through 10 include a lot of projects. He said roofing needs consistently change from year to year, and the Roof Asset Management Program (RAMP) continually reviews the conditions of roofs, along with cost estimates. Commissioner Jacobs asked if roof gardens are going to be incorporated. Jeff Thompson said yes. He said there are two considerations: structural and the cost benefits of those technologies. He said the idea was considered at Cedar Grove, where solar is also being considered. He said the Hillsborough Commons Project was also considered. Commissioner Jacobs asked if rooftop gardens will be considered on new construction projects, such as the Jail or Southern Human Services Center expansion. Jeff Thompson said the Jail is a compelling point. Commissioner Rich said the Sheriff did mention wanting a garden, in which the inmates could work and grow food. Commissioner Price said the Skills Development Center and the Visitors Bureau at 501 and 503 W. Franklin Street have $51,700 allotted in Year 3 and a $209,800 in Years 6 through 10. She asked if the purpose of these monies could be explained. Jeff Thompson said the monies are for the roof on the Visitor's Bureau, which has multiple roofs, and the funding is spread out over time to address the needs. Commissioner Rich asked if the monies and plans would shift if the location of the Visitor's Bureau changed. Jeff Thompson said even if the Visitor's Bureau moves, the new occupant of the 501 W Franklin Street property will still need a new roof. He said if the property is divested, or changes hands, the needs of the roof will be considered in that transaction. Commissioner Jacobs asked if the structural integrity of the old Chapel Hill Town Hall has been investigated. Jeff Thompson said there have been preliminary studies done on both the old Library and the old Town Hall. He said he would share this information with the Board prior to the summer break. Information Technology (IT) (CIP page 28) Paul Laughton said there is a total of$500,000 put in for infrastructure, with $50,000 of that total set aside for the Board of County Commissioners' initiatives. He said there is ongoing review of all equipment to assess the need for repair or replacement. He said the final financing of the Central Permit item should be added into the IT capital. Commissioner Jacobs asked if the County plans to continue using desktop computers, or will there be a switch to more laptop computers, as previously predicted. Jim Northup, Orange County Chief Information Officer, said laptops used to be fairly expensive; however, the requirements to be able to use a laptop have lightened in recent years. He said departments are now given the option to receive a laptop when replacing a desktop, if they so choose. He said the cost differential is covered by the department receiving the computer, and that about 40% of the current fleet of computers are laptops. He said this percentage is anticipated to remain the same in the future. Commissioner Rich asked if the IT portion of the CIP had any monies budgeted for cyber security. Jim Northup said there have been a few cyber security issues over the years, including two fairly significant virus outbreaks in the past two years. He said the monies for these types of attacks typically come out of contracted services for emergencies at the cost of doing other previously scheduled projects. He said network audits are conducted frequently, along with recommendations from vendors based on their interface with the County's network. He said there is not money specifically dedicated for network security. Commissioner Price said the Library had received funding in the past for software but the CIP shows no future funding. She asked if this could be explained. Jim Northup said the County helped the Library with an ILS system which was budgeted into the County's IT budget. He said there is a small amount of those funds remaining, but he is unsure for what those funds will be used. Commissioner Price asked if the Hillsborough and the Chapel Hill Libraries ever interoperated, would funds come from the IT budget or the Library budget. Bonnie Hammersley said in the coming years support costs will be centralized; for example, all IT costs would be funded from a centralized appropriation. Register of Deeds Automation Project (CIP page 29) Paul Laughton said this project is funded with 10% of the fees collected by the Register of Deeds, as mandated by North Carolina Statute. He said this amount will remain at $80,000, as it was last year. Commissioner Jacobs asked if the income gathered by the Register of Deeds had risen as the economy has begun to recover. Paul Laughton said there has been a little bit of a decrease in revenue with the Register of Deeds. Commissioner Jacobs said he understood the housing market across the region to be up, and asked if the decreasing trend in revenue is expected to turn around. Paul Laughton said it is hoped that the market will continue to improve, but budgeting had been done conservatively. Government Services Center Annex (CIP page 33) Paul Laughton said this project is scheduled in Year 3 at the cost of$350,000. He said the majority of this cost is to relocate mechanical and electrical equipment out of the basement of the annex of the Government Services building. Parking Lot Improvements (CIP page 34) Paul Laughton said there is only one project in the next 5 years, at 501/503 W. Franklin Street, at the cost of$120,000. Commissioner Rich asked if there is a way to prevent cars from driving into the 501/503 building. Jeff Thompson said this is a common occurrence in these types of parking lot designs, and that bollards could be put up, which then must be balanced against appearance. Court Street Annex (CIP page 36) Paul Laughton said there is replacement of electrical circuits scheduled in Years 6 through 10 at a cost of$100,000. Jeff Thompson said alternatives are being studied for the existing jail property. Generator Projects (CIP page 39) Paul Laughton said this is a new project for this year. He said there are several locations in the next three years that will be looked at regarding generators, or other sources of back up energy. He said grant funded sources are always pursued for these types of needs, as well. Commissioner Rich asked if solar generators and batteries are being considered. Jeff Thompson said the cost benefit analysis will be conducted regarding solar energy. Commissioner Price asked if the generators at these locations will be replacement ones or new. She said the increase in weather related power outages may result in the County's buildings being used as shelters for the Community and having power will be vital. Jeff Thompson said they will mostly be new. Commissioner Jacobs asked if the buildings currently used for emergency shelters could be identified. Jim Groves, Emergency Services Director, said the primary shelters are C. W. Stanford Middle School, on Orange High School Road; and Smith Middle School, on Seawell School Road. He said Smith Middle School has a generator that is always ready for use no matter the reason. He said at Stanford Middle School the generator is pre-staged if a bad weather event is anticipated. He said if more space is needed, the high schools are the next locations to be used in emergencies. He said a new option is to use the buildings belonging to faith based organizations. Commissioner Jacobs said that in previous discussions with Mebane, a request was raised for a shelter in the western part of the County, perhaps at Gravelly Hill Middle School. He asked if this discussion, or a plan to address it, had moved forward. Jim Groves said the Gravelly Hill site had been reviewed, but currently it does not have an emergency generator on site. He said this would have to be addressed prior to Gravelly Hill being used. He added the site is appropriate for such use, per Red Cross standards. Commissioner Jacobs asked if there is a process of paying a fee to someone in order to have a reservation on a generator. He asked if this option would be more cost effective for somewhere like Gravelly Hill. Jeff Thompson said this pre-staged model can work. He said the strength of this option is the cost effectiveness; but the weakness is insuring a generator is available during an emergency when there will be a high demand for generators. He said this option will be considered in greater detail looking for the right contract to meet the County's needs. Commissioner Jacobs asked if some of the $400,000 could be directed towards some pre-staged generators, which would incur an annual fee. He asked if staff would return to the Board with more information in the future. Jeff Thompson answered yes to both questions. Bonnie Hammersley said a discussion arose today regarding generators and the best approach to take. She said this budget will most likely approve an investment for generators, and the discussion outlined the money does not have to go to just one type of generator or one approach. She said all options would be researched and brought back to the Board. Commissioner Price said Nancy Coston, Director of Department of Social Services (DSS), may have an idea of how many people could be vulnerable in an emergency. Bonnie Hammersley said as these discussions occur, DSS will continue to be included. Chair McKee asked Jim Groves if shelters are part of the County emergency plan. Jim Groves said the issue of sheltering is being addressed by the County Emergency Operations Plan. He said sheltering involves a wide variety of factors: the weather, the length of the outage or event, access, etc. He added sometimes sheltering in place may be a better option. Chair McKee asked if the Emergency Services Plan is available electronically to be sent to the Board. Jim Groves said it is an internal document but he will gladly provide it electronically to the Board. Orange County Radio/Paging Systems Upgrade (CIP page 40) Paul Laughton said three radio towers will be looked at, over the next three years. Communication System Improvements (CIP page 41) Paul Laughton said these are various pieces of equipment and items that have been replaced. He said radios have been replaced this year. Chair McKee asked if the new software in the 911 Dispatch Center is working properly. Jim Groves said the CAD system is working very well, but still not quite 100 percent. He said it is a map based system, and if the Center is provided faulty address information, it may lead to an error. He said response times have been remarkably reduced. Special Revenue Projects (Article 46 Sales Tax Projects) The Special Revenue section includes anticipated revenue from the Article 46 (1/4 cent) Sales Tax, with 50% of the proceeds for Economic Development initiatives and 50% for Education (allocated by the ADM count of the two school districts). In FY 2015-16, proceeds are estimated at $2,814,576, with 1.5% growth assumed in subsequent years. A summary is provided within the Special Revenue Projects section of the document listing the recommended uses of these proceeds. Paul Laughton said the Special Revenue Projects starts on page 62 and it breaks down the initiatives for the Economic Development section, which is estimated to receive $1.4 million. He said there are there are seven initiatives for Economic Development, with broken down budgeting, on page 62. He said 60 percent is marked for Debt Service, especially on water and sewer projects. Commissioner Jacobs said there is a line in the CIP for facility improvements at schools, and asked if this could be explained. Paul Laughton said typically the Article 46 monies are used for technology. He said the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools (CHCCS) have decided to put about half of their share of the monies towards improvements in older schools. Chair McKee asked Steve Brantley, Orange County Economic Development Director, if it is possible to start accepting applications for the Agriculture and Business Grant Programs. Steve Brantley said both the Business and Agricultural Investment grants are being heavily marketed. He said the response has not met expectations, and the guidelines are being reviewed and presented to the Orange County Economic Development Advisory Board next week. He said the subcommittee for the Agricultural Business Grant Program will also review the guidelines. Steve Brantley said Yvonne Scarlett, Business Retention Manager, has given out almost 200 applications; and 13 people have expressed an interest in applying, while only two have actually done so. He said the requirement for applicants to disclose personal financial information has been off putting for some potential applicants. Chair McKee said unfortunately financial disclosure is part of the process to insure that the grants go to the neediest. Commissioner Rich asked if the One to One initiative, which Orange County uses with technology for schools, has been expanded to consider getting internet access to students in their homes versus only at school. Jim Northup said the County has spoken with Resource Technology staff at CHCCS to pursue ways to get the internet in places where it is difficult to attain. Commissioner Rich asked if Orange County Schools (OCS) was also being helped by the County. Jim Northrup said Orange County Schools has been approached, but thus far OCS has not desired the County's help. He said the County would like to expand internet awareness and the schools are a good place to do this. Commissioner Price asked if there is a deadline for the Business Grants. Steve Brantley said currently there is not a deadline which is part of the problem. Proprietary Projects (Water& Sewer, Solid Waste, and Sportsplex Projects) Water and Sewer Paul Laughton provided an overview of this category, which can be found on page 65 of the CIP. He said there are also some maps starting on page 76. Commissioner Jacobs asked if there could be some standards for how the monies for the Hillsborough Economic Development District (EDD) are spent. He expressed concern about Hillsborough developing too much residential housing instead of commercial or industrial spaces. He said once the project is annexed, the County will have no control. He suggested prior to allocating funding the Board should have a policy. Bonnie Hammersley said she would look into possible options. Steve Brantley said he wished Waterstone was a large business park. He said it is surrounded by some out parcels; for example, the northwest quadrant of Old Highway 86 and Interstate 40, which is about 50 acres. He said the properties on the southeast quadrant of Old Highway 86 and 1-40 are being explored by various real estate companies. He said the southwest quadrant was originally shown to Morinaga, but the lack of existing sewer was an impediment to it moving forward. He added the entire southwest corner is prime real estate for commercial and business ventures. Commissioner Jacobs said even at the southwest quadrant there is a very preliminary discussion to go into the Rural Buffer, and possibly move it, for mixed use development. He said Waterstone is also mixed use, and the percentage of residential versus commercial use keeps tipping in favor of residential. He said if money is being set aside for Economic Development then it should be used for Economic Development. Craig Benedict, Orange County Planning Director, said there are two agreements with the Cities of Durham and Mebane regarding joint utilities and a similar one needs to be brought to the Board for Hillsborough. He said the utility service agreement will be brought to the Board this fall with language pertaining to agreed upon land uses. Commissioner Rich asked if the monies allocated for Hillsborough EDD in 2015-2016 are not available for use until such an agreement is signed. Craig Benedict said that is correct. Commissioner Rich said she felt better knowing that but she sees a lot of the concerns raised by Commissioner Jacobs happening in Chapel Hill, where mixed use developments often have more residential space than initially expected. Craig Benedict said a consultant will be hired to help draft the agreement and then it will be brought before the Board. Bonnie Hammersley said the interlocal agreement will be completed and approved prior to financing being secured. Commissioner Jacobs asked if these agreements specify percentages of land uses. Craig Benedict said no, the agreements do not specify percentages; rather they give a general use category. He said that language can be tailored, or specific categories created, to better allay concerns. Commissioner Rich echoed Commissioner Jacobs stating the public voted for money to go towards Economic Development not infrastructure to build new houses. Chair McKee said he sees no mention of Rogers Road in this section of the CIP. Paul Laughton said Rogers Road is in the County's Capital Project plan, on page 37 of the CIP. Bonnie Hammersley said at the May 19th meeting, the agreement to start Phase 2 will be brought to the Board. Paul Laughton reviewed the following portions of the CIP: Water& Sewer Utilities: a.) Buckhorn EDD— Phase 2 Extension (Efland Sewer to Mebane) — includes $240,000 in Year 1 (FY 2015-16) for project management funds related to the construction of the project, which will be completed in FY 2015-16; this continues to fit into the long range strategy to ultimately turn over the operation of the Elfand sewer system to the Town of Mebane. b.) Hillsborough EDD - reflects funds of$1,000,000 in Year 1 (FY 2015-16) for construction of water and sewer infrastructure in this EDD. c.) Eno EDD - includes $1,050,000 in Year 1 (FY 2015-16) to begin the construction work in this EDD, as well as an additional $750,000 in Year 2 (FY 2016-17) due to the planned construction timeline crossing two fiscal years. Note: this project has been moved up 2-3 years from the current CIP, because there is a smaller area in the eastern portion of the EDD that could be served by gravity sewer and may offer an opportunity to begin extending infrastructure within the next two years. d.) Buckhorn-Mebane EDD Phases 3 and 4 - includes $2,500,000 in Year 4 (FY 2018-19) for the Buckhorn-Mebane Phases 3 and 4 construction projects. Note: this project has been moved back two years from the current CIP to allow for the operation of Phase 2 for a period of time prior to starting Phases 3 and 4. e.) Economic Development Utility Extension Project (s) - provides funds of$250,000 in Year 1 (FY 2015-16) for future economic development projects that are currently being considered, but have not been finalized. If no project develops in the coming year, which requires utility extensions, the funds would be available for future years as needed. Commissioner Jacobs asked Steve Brantley if Duke University could be reengaged as infrastructure is being put in. He said he recalled Duke was looking for park and ride lots and there are great opportunities sitting to the east of the County. Steve Brantley said it would behoove the County to reestablish a connection with Scott Selig, Associate Vice President of Capital Assets and Real Estate at Duke, and that he and his staff would pull that together. He said there are other prospects within Durham too. Commissioner Rich asked if there are plans in the southern part of the County for Article 46 monies. Craig Benedict said there is $250,000 available to be allocated as needed. Commissioner Rich said there were discussions with the Town of Chapel Hill regarding the Ephesus Fordham project and asked if that fits into this part of the CIP. Bonnie Hammersley said the Ephesus Fordham project would be an eligible use of Article 46 funds as it is Economic Development. She said the Town of Chapel Hill was requested to show data from the performance evaluation. Commissioner Rich asked if the performance evaluation will be available before the end of the 2015-2016 fiscal year. Bonnie Hammersley said no, the evaluation will come after the development is performing. Chair McKee asked if the Carrboro sewer project received Article 46 funds. Commissioner Jacobs said yes for Roberson Street. Commissioner Rich said that was a project in the past and she is thinking about the future. Chair McKee said that is correct and acknowledged funds have been used as needs have arisen. Craig Benedict said certain amounts of money are pay as you go funds which can be used on a case by case basis. Chair McKee asked if the water/sewer infrastructure coming out of Durham is smaller, and if it is only coming down Route 70. Craig Benedict said it would parallel I-85, in the far northeast quadrant, north of Route 70 and up to I-85. He said a consultant, hired by both Durham and Orange Counties, has shown the overall system is too much for Durham to handle. He said Orange County is seeking to avoid overloading Durham's system with any sewers that are sent there. Craig Benedict said there is a 13 acre proposal adjacent to Durham that will hopefully allow a gravity system into Durham without a lift station. Chair McKee said the properties that front to the southern side of Route 70 are in need of repairs and upgrades. He asked if these properties are outside of the service area for this sewer. Craig Benedict said these properties would most likely be outside this service area. He said a gravity system cannot work on that side of Route 70. He said a mobile home park in the area has an emergency sewer line into Durham. Chair McKee said he is referencing the businesses directly across from the old Skyland Inn. He said there should be effort made to include these businesses even if it is at the County's expense as they are prime properties. Craig Benedict said the process thus far has looked at this quadrant of land. He said problems arose on the Durham City side with the risk of over capacity. He said the original proposal showed the need for a 3-mile forced main costing about $5 million, to go into Durham, bypassing the over capacity gravity lines. He said there is a master plan and it is hoped that Durham will start making improvements near the Orange County border. Chair McKee said if large amounts of money are going to be spent it should be insured that the return is effective. Commissioner Jacobs asked if the County assesses once the lines are put in. Craig Benedict said the Durham agreement is a bit different than the one with City of Mebane. He said when development comes in there is a frontage charge which goes towards paying down the debt incurred by Orange County for work done in the ground. Commissioner Rich said she wanted to bring the discussion back to how the southern part of the County gets economic development funding. She asked if the process for Towns requesting money could be explained. Bonnie Hammersley said these funds are open to the entire County and as projects come forward, it is the Board's decision where the funding is used. Commissioner Rich said there is a proposal for $2.6 million being spent in the northern part of the County, leaving only $250,000 to be spent in the rest of the County for other needs. She said these numbers seem unbalanced given that most of the sales tax dollars come from the southern half of the County. Bonnie Hammersley said she would agree with Commissioner Rich. She added that the more urgent needs are in the northern part of the County; however, the Manager's Office continues to look at the overall countywide system and all development needs. Commissioner Jacobs clarified the water and sewer work being discussed is in the central portion of Orange County. Commissioner Rich said residents in Chapel Hill believe Hillsborough is in the northern part of the County. Paul Laughton said the final portion of this section of the CIP is the Buckhorn-Mebane EDD. He referred to pages 75 and 76. He said this project has been moved back to Year 3 of the CIP and totals about $2.8 million. Craig Benedict said this is the area between I-85, I-40 and the railway area just to the north. He said this area is sometimes shown to developers who have interest in rail, but one difficulty is the need for an access road on Buckhorn Road across from Industrial Drive. He added that all projects are being reviewed and refined in order to make things as marketable as possible. Solid Waste Paul Laughton reviewed the following information from the abstract regarding Sanitation: The current FY 2014-15 funds of approximately $3.1 million includes improvements to the Eubanks Road Solid Waste Convenience Center (SWCC), including the relocation of the main landfill entrance and scales from the south side to the north side of Eubanks Road; funds of$296,035 in Year 1 (FY 2015-16) for the replacement of a front end loader; Year 2 (FY 2016-17) includes $519,750 for SWCC improvements at the High Rock Road site; and Year 3 (FY 2017-18) includes $393,750 for SWCC improvements at the Ferguson Road site. Commissioner Rich asked if the Eubanks SWCC will be closed while it is being up fitted. Paul Laughton said yes. Commissioner Rich asked where the employees from the Eubanks SWCC will be moved. Gayle Wilson, Solid Waste Management Director, said there will be a temporary site set up with reduced services. He said he plans to have an abstract with more details available for the June 2 BOCC meeting. Commissioner Rich said she was at the Eubanks SWCC this week and it was very busy. She commended the employees and said these upgrades are very important. Gayle Wilson said it is helpful to have employees work consistently at the same location, as they are able to get to know the community members. He said the new site will be able to handle a larger number of customers more efficiently and safely. Commissioner Jacobs asked if the fees charged to the public cover operating expenses or operating and capital expenses. Gayle Wilson said the new fee covers about 35%of the sanitation budget including expenses for contribution to the reserve for equipment replacement. Commissioner Jacobs asked if the debt incurred for these upgrades will be paid off over time. Gayle Wilson said yes. Commissioner Price asked if the statement "modernize the High Rock SWCC" could be clarified. Gayle Wilson said there was a model endorsed by the Board of County Commissioners where there would be a mix of District Centers and Neighborhood Centers. He said that Walnut Grove and Eubanks were proposed as District Centers thus larger, offering a wider array of services, longer hours, etc. He said Neighborhood Centers were proposed to be smaller with more limited services and perhaps more limited hours. He said having the two larger service centers and the smaller neighborhood centers allows for costs to be moderated while still insuring access to services throughout the County. Commissioner Price reiterated her question about the High Rock SWCC. Gayle Wilson said it would not be paved but would have compactors that sit on concrete pads. Gayle Wilson said it would reduce the number of containers as the compactor would hold a lot more refuse and therefore need less frequent servicing. He said the updates would phase out the open top garbage containers that are currently open fodder for wildlife, as well as open to the elements. He said when garbage gets wet it weighs more which ends up costing more when it is taken to the scales. Commissioner Jacobs asked if bollards will be put in front of the compactor preventing one from backing up a truck to the bins. Gayle Wilson said the changes have yet to be designed but would likely mirror other updated facilities. Commissioner Jacobs said he will raise his opinion during design discussions. Commissioner Price said exiting the Walnut Grove SWCC is still dicey and she suggested that any future upgrades, or new sites, might benefit from further study of traffic flow. Gayle Wilson said there are only so many ways to exit large trucks and private cars at the same time from a single exit. He said the Eubanks SWCC is designed somewhat similarly, which he will review it in detail at the June 2 meeting. He said he is open to suggestions. Commissioner Price asked if there could be greater protection from the elements for the workers. Gayle Wilson said he would be happy to meet with workers for their suggestions. He said the changes at Walnut Grove have been well received by the employees. He added that people who work outside become accustomed to it in ways that others are not. Commissioner Price asked if there was an enclosed area, apart from the collection space, where employees can take their breaks. Gayle Wilson said there is a building on the right as one enters the gate. He added that this space has both heating and air conditioning. Chair McKee agreed with Commissioner Price about the traffic flow issues and acknowledged that the changes made to the exit at Walnut Grove are a great improvement. He encouraged further study of this issue for the Eubanks SWCC. Chair McKee asked if there was a ballpark figure for the cost of up fitting the Walnut Grove SWCC. Gayle Wilson said $1.3 million. Chair McKee said he supported moving the scales at the Eubanks SWCC across the road as well as the changes to traffic flow; however, he cautioned everyone to not let the cost escalate out of control. He said the total cost seems to keep rising. He acknowledged this SWCC will be greatly used. Chair McKee said he heard Gayle Wilson say that as much as half of the truck traffic will interact with the vehicle traffic. He asked if he had heard this correctly. Gayle Wilson said the trucks that serve the compactors will have to interact with vehicle traffic. Chair McKee said there will be a lot of things to talk about regarding Solid Waste between now and June. He asked if the Eubanks SWCC will take mattresses. Gayle Wilson said mattresses are a special waste product, are very difficult to handle, and none of the Centers are intended to take them. He said when a new mattress is purchased, the public is strongly advised to have the delivery company take their old mattress away when the new one is delivered. He said currently mattresses are only taken at the landfill. Chair McKee said a lot of mattresses end up on the side of the road in a ditch. He said he receives many calls from constituents and a solution has to be found. He said he feels strongly that the two District Centers should be able to receive mattresses. Gayle Wilson said a great deal of thought has been put into the problem. He said mattresses can only be stacked by hand and must be stacked by size, resulting in them taking up a lot of labor and space. Chair McKee acknowledged the difficulty but reiterated his commitment to addressing the problem. Commissioner Jacobs suggested a shred-a-thon type event for mattresses, or assigning a day once a month specifically for mattress drop off at the Centers. Bonnie Hammersley said the University of North Carolina (UNC) could be contacted to see how mattresses are handled there. Gayle Wilson said the University switches out hundreds of mattresses at a time in a more scheduled manner, which is easier to deal with. Commissioner Price said when somebody is moving, disposing of a mattress is often time sensitive. She agreed there should be another alternative. Chair McKee acknowledged the hard work of all of the Solid Waste staff but he added that all the citizens of Orange County are owed Convenience Centers that can take as much as possible. Paul Laughton reviewed the following information from the abstract regarding Recycling Operations: The current FY 2014-15 includes the purchase of a replacement roll off truck and a commercial recycling truck, and the purchase of 7,600 rural recycling carts, at a total cost of $880,203. Year 1 (FY 2015-16) provides for the purchase of 1,750 additional rural carts, the purchase of a new rural curbside recycling truck, the replacement of a rural curbside recycling truck, the replacement of a front end loader, and the construction of a recycling roll cart distribution and maintenance building, at a total Year 1 costs of$1,177,884. Years 2-5 includes the replacement of several other trucks and front end loader, as per the Enterprise Fund's vehicle/equipment replacement schedule. Paul Laughton reviewed the following information from the abstract regarding the Construction and Demolition (C & D) Landfill: The C and D Landfill includes $252,994 in Year 2 (FY 2016-17) to rebuild a compactor, and $219,475 in Years 6-10 to rebuild two dozers. Note: the Solid Waste Management Department has instituted a re-build program for its heavy pieces of equipment (not trucks) rather than being replaced. Re-building, or overhauling, is significantly less expensive than replacing with new equipment, thereby extending its life and reducing costs. Chair McKee asked if one of the larger pieces of equipment had just been rebuilt. Gayle Wilson said a good deal of money had been invested into the industrial wood waste grinder. Sportsplex Paul Laughton reviewed the following information from the abstract: The current FY 2014-15 includes funding for a Mezzanine addition at the pool area to include dedicated member change areas and lockers, workout rooms, and a senior/adult cardio strength center. Year 1 (FY 2015-16) includes $2,800,000 for a new building addition that would house an indoor turf field for soccer, lacrosse, senior walking, running, Kidsplex functions, and youth/adult flag football leagues, as well as a basketball court, including bleacher seating, for youth and adult basketball leagues, court based fitness programs, volleyball, and Kidsplex activities. Projected revenue from these new projects would generate enough funds to cover the additional annual debt service needed for these projects. Commissioner Rich asked if there has been a marketing campaign to attract UNC employees working at the Waterstone development to join the Sportsplex. John Stock, Sportsplex Manager, said there have been preliminary discussions. Commissioner Rich said having incentives may entice people into the facility. John stock said UNC will be holding an Open House at Waterstone in June and the Sportsplex is seeking to participate. Commissioner Rich applauded John Stock for providing more nutritional food and snacks. Commissioner Burroughs asked if the size and scope of the indoor turf fields and basketball court could be explained. John Stock said it is very similar in size to an ice hockey rink which accommodates lacrosse and indoor soccer. He said the court will be a standard sized basketball court. He said both the turf and the court will serve people of all ages. Commissioner Price asked if the parking plan is finalized. Jeff Thompson said yes. John Stock said there is a lot in the back of the facility. Commissioner Price said the facility is so well used and the more parking the better. Chair McKee asked if the two lots purchased by the County will give enough room for parking. Jeff Thompson said yes. Commissioner Jacobs asked if the Senior Center were ever to be expanded, would there still be enough room for parking. Jeff Thompson said there is a little bit of a buffer for initial parking; as well as a bit of the pond area that could be moved into, without upsetting the regulations. He said a major expansion of the Senior Center would not be possible without further parking. Chair McKee commended the management and success of the Sportsplex. Paul Laughton said on page 86 to 89 there is a summary of the Sportsplex CIP Investment Opportunities. Commissioner Jacobs asked if any documents about the Sportsplex are ever published for public review. Paul Laughton said all of these documents are public records. Bonnie Hammersley said when projects begin, the information could be put on the Sportsplex newsletter so the public can understand the funding. Commissioner Jacobs said it would also show the success of the Sportsplex. Paul Laughton referred to page 133, regarding the County Debt Service and Debt Capacity (General Fund Only). He said the County will remain under the Debt Service Capacity, but it will creep up in the coming years which may result in tax increases around 2017-2018. Commissioner Burroughs said the numbers on page 133 and 134 refer to a flat budget, with no increased revenue. Commissioner Jacobs said he and Commissioner Dorosin talked about affordable housing, and the new commercial construction on Martin Luther King Boulevard in Chapel Hill. He said many of the mobile home communities will most likely be displaced going forward. He said Commissioner Rich had talked many times about tiny house developments and the County should consider setting aside money for land banking for future affordable housing needs. Commissioner Burroughs said there are currently mobile homes at the intersection of Martin Luther King Blvd and Weaver Dairy Road. Year 1 (FY 2015-16) Recommended CIP Projects Paul Laughton referred to Attachment A in the abstract, which lists Year 1 projects. He said funding decisions will only be for Year 1 with each consecutive year being revisited and adjusted thereafter, based on priorities and available funding. He said there may not be funding for Little River Park next year; which may result in the project being moved to 2016- 2017. Paul Laughton said the largest project in Year 1 is the Southern Human Services Campus expansion, possibly including a dental clinic. He said this may involve spreading out the allotted $3.6 million over future years. He said the final financing package will show that $400,000 has been removed that was dedicated as planning money. Commissioner Price asked if the $25,000 this year and $35,000 next year, allocated for Life Safety and ADA, will bring all the buildings into compliance or above. Jeff Thompson said this year's funds will bring all buildings into compliance and next year will bring the County above compliance. He said the County strives for an elevated standard and one challenge to this is balancing with Historic structures that require preservation. Commissioner Burroughs asked if this is the time to discuss making a recommendation for splitting the funds for the Southern Orange County campus. Bonnie Hammersley said it would be her preference to split the funding, as it is a more realistic reflection of how the process will work. She said $3.6 million will not be spent in 2015- 2016, and should be removed from the list of Year 1 projects allowing the monies to be more accurately spread out over the coming years. Commissioner Rich said she would still like to explore the idea of a Dental Clinic Paul Laughton said the clinic would be covered in the next line item, Southern Human Services Center (Expansion) in Year 2. Commissioner Rich said when the Dental Clinic was removed from the Southern part of the County, that people stopped going to the Dentist. She expressed support for reestablishing a Dental Clinic. Commissioner Jacobs said some of the $3.6 million that will not be used in Year 1 could be carved out for future land banking for affordable housing. Bonnie Hammersley said land acquisition can be included in her recommended budget. Commissioner Rich asked if setting money aside would start an exploration of potential land. Bonnie Hammersley said yes and it would fall into the planning initiative. Chair McKee suggested a million dollars be seeded for this project. Commissioner Jacobs agreed. Commissioner Rich said at the last Durham-Orange Work Group, Durham said it is banking land around the proposed light rail. Chair McKee asked if it was the City of Durham or Durham County who were present at the meeting. Commissioner Rich said both the City of Durham and Durham County are represented in the group. She said she believed the two entities work closely together. Chair McKee suggested the BOCC may want to explore this idea in conjunction with the Town of Chapel Hill. Commissioner Burroughs said the schools have a prime piece of property that could potentially serve for affordable housing and they should be included in the discussion. Commissioner Rich said there is also the possibility of the Green Tract. Paul Laughton asked if there is any other direction from the Board, especially pertaining to the Year 1 projects. Chair McKee asked if Durham is pulling back on their funding for Little River Park. Paul Laughton said uncertainty for funding in 2015-2016 had been mentioned. He said staff would try and get a more complete answer from Durham County. Chair McKee said it was intended both Durham and Orange Counties would put forth $50,000. He said he would not want Orange County to foot the bill for a joint project. Commissioner Jacobs said Durham County does not have a Parks Department. Chair McKee said he does not want Orange County to end up being the finance partner in totality. Commissioner Rich asked the Manager if she could clarify item number 3 on the Year 1 projects: $472,500 for the Southern Branch Library. Bonnie Hammersley said that is planning money and it is a placeholder. Commissioner Rich asked if the money is not spent if it keeps moving into the following year. Bonnie Hammersley said yes. Commissioner Rich asked if the $500,000 for the jail is also planning dollars. Bonnie Hammersley said yes. Chair McKee asked if there is a firm deadline on when the construction of the jail must begin. Bonnie Hammersley said it must be completed by 2019 and the process is in very good shape. A motion was made by Commissioner Burroughs, seconded by Commissioner Rich to adjourn the meeting at 9:32 p.m. VOTE: UNANIMOUS Earl McKee, Chair David Hunt Deputy Clerk to the Board