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Michelle Laws said that she is here on behalf of her grandmother who lives on Rogers <br /> Road. She wants to lend a human face to this issue and have Rogers Road removed from the <br /> list of consideration. She said that enough is enough. She said that her grandmother was just <br /> diagnosed with cancer and then had a stroke. When her family was trying to extend another <br /> bathroom so that she could easily get to it during her treatment, they found that the septic system <br /> had broken down and sewage was seeping in her front yard. She said that the humanity side <br /> has to be added to this discussion. It is not just about the numbers. <br /> Albert Vickers is a member of the SWAB and he is here as a taxpayer. He said that the <br /> County definitely needs a transfer station, but it makes no sense to building a transfer station that <br /> increases the carbon footprint. He said that the location on NC 54 is geographically wrong and it <br /> will cost the taxpayers more money. <br /> Commissioner Nelson asked Gayle Wilson about a letter from Jim Conner about a vernal <br /> pool and the impact of this. Gayle Wilson said that he hired a professional wetlands specialist to <br /> look at that area, and where the footprint of the facility is, there has not been anything identified <br /> like a vernal pool. <br /> Commissioner Nelson asked about a temporary transfer station on Eubanks Road and <br /> what that means and what it would look like. Gayle Wilson said that the concept that he is laying <br /> before the County Commissioners is not a structure or facility but about 5-6 months before landfill <br /> capacity they would build an earthen ramp and would contract with a company, which would load <br /> trucks, tarp them, and haul them to a distant landfill. It is simply a waste diversion operation. <br /> Commissioner Nelson said that there were comments about species of interest near the <br /> proposed site and he asked what will happen if these are found on the site. Gayle Wilson said <br /> that they are trying to determine ahead of time the presence of flora or fauna and if it is there, <br /> and the facility cannot be put there, then they would not place it there. <br /> Commissioner Nelson said that this issue has divided the community and dragging this <br /> out any longer is not fair to the Rogers Road community or to anyone else. <br /> Commissioner Hemminger disagreed with Commissioner Nelson and said that there are <br /> three new County Commissioners and they were forced into a decision about this in December. <br /> She said that a work session with the other municipalities is needed to discuss this issue. She <br /> said that they have received so much information tonight and she does not think they have fully <br /> researched this. She knows that a transfer station is needed. She does not feel comfortable <br /> with these recommendations. She said that this is the first night that she has heard directly from <br /> the SWAB. She needs more information. <br /> Commissioner Jacobs asked how the transfer station got to one bay instead of two and <br /> Gayle Wilson said that the original transfer station concept plan had two bays. When they <br /> started the site search process, the consultants utilized the original footprint, but when the <br /> consultants started the financial analysis parallel with the County budget, he advised them to <br /> reduce the size of the facility to the minimum facility that would last 20 years. The staff had <br /> never broached with the County Commissioners or the community any other operation other than <br /> transfer of waste. Consistent with that, and to focus on the financial analysis, he instructed the <br /> consultant to move to a single bay and a less extravagant facility. <br /> Commissioner Jacobs asked if the site selection was based on having a two-bay or one- <br /> bay facility and Gayle Wilson said that he does not remember these being in the criteria, but it <br /> was a conceptual diagram. <br /> Commissioner Jacobs said that he thought that one of the arguments against the <br /> Durham waste transfer station was that they would not do recycling and separation the way that <br /> Orange County does. Gayle Wilson said that the difference is that, with the Durham transfer <br /> station, that it would not enforce Orange County regulations and ordinances at the facility. <br />