HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 12-10-2002-9dORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: December 10, 2002
Action Agen~da~
Item No. ~ -
SUBJECT: Payment of Dues for Membership in the Upper Neuse River Basin Association
DEPARTMENT: Planning & Inspections PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No
ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT:
Craig Benedict, Ext. 2592
Ken Chavious, Ext. 2453
Donna Dean, Ext. 2151
TELEPHONE NUMBERS:
Hillsborough 732-8181
Chapel Hill 968-4501
Durham 688-7331
Mebane 336-227-2031
PURPOSE: To consider payment of dues for membership in the Upper Neuse River Basin
Association for calendar year 2003.
BACKGROUND: The Upper Neuse River Basin Association (UNRBA) was formed by the,b~~in
partners in response to the promulgation of the Neuse River rules by the State in 1996. The eight
municipalities, six counties, and local Soil and Water Conservation Districts in the watershed formed
the Association to provide a forum for regional cooperation and water quality resource planning and
management. The State general assembly provided the UNRBA with $300,000 to develop a
management plan and implement watershed protection initiatives and actions. Commissioner Barry
Jacobs represents Orange County on the UNRBA board with primary staff support from planning and
erosion control.
The Mission of the UNRRA is to preserve the water quality of the Upper Neuse River Basin
through innovative and cost-effective pollution reduction strategies, and to provide a venue for
cooperation on water supply issues within the Upper Neuse River Basin. The following are
Association goals:
1. Forming a coalition of units of local government, public and private agencies, and other
interested and affected communities, organizations, businesses and individuals to secure and
pool financial resources and expertise;
2. Collecting and analyzing information and data and developing, evaluating and implementing
strategies to reduce, control and manage pollutant discharge; and
3. Providing accurate technical, management, regulatory and legal recommendations regarding
the implementation of strategies and appropriate effluent limitations on discharges into the Upper
Neuse River Basin.
The Association provides Orange County with potential cost and information sharing opportunities.
One of the goals of the Association is to obtain grant funding for water quality related activities within
the basin. UNRBA activities and resultant recommendations will help protect the quality of Orange
County reservoirs and adjacent county reservoirs and therefore minimize future water treatment costs
and promote the general environmental health of streams and wetlands.
Orange County is the second largest landholder in the Upper.Neuse River watershed. The County
has 125,559 acres, or 25% of the total Upper Neuse River watershed, within its jurisdiction.
Hillsborough is also an active member of the Association. For 2002-03, the following is a list of dues
paid by some of the Association members as a reference:
Partner 2002 Dues
Paid
Cit of Durham $16,810
Durham Count $8,323
Cit of Ralei h $21,049
Wake Count $4,329
City of
Hillsborou h $1,533
Orange County's annual dues are $7,989.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: Orange County has received an invoice from TJCOG for FY 2002-03
membership in the amount of $7,989. There are no funds currently appropriated in the FY 2002-03
County operating budget to pay this invoice. An appropriation from fund balance could provide the
needed funds.
RECOMMENDATION: The Administration recommends that Orange County continue to pa~cipate
in the UNRBA, and that the Board approve payment of dues for FY 2002-03 through an appropriation
of fund balance in the General Furid.