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John Link will come back with an analysis and a recommendation which will include addressing to what extent we will merge functions from several of the departments. He will bring back information on pros and cons of temporary versus permanent employees. 2. TELECOMMUNICATION TOWERS AND ANTENNA DISCUSSION This item was presented to discuss possible areas of revision to the tower ordinance to provide alternate review processes and a telecommunication plan to promote co-location and master grid planning as well as information on the differentiation between Class A and Class B review processes. Chair Jacobs said that it is interesting that Class A towers (200'+) must come to the Board of County Commissioners for approval and none have been submitted since 1996. Craig Benedict clarified that Class A towers are 200 feet or higher. Class B towers are 199 feet and lower and six have been approved by the Board of Adjustment within the last two years. He made reference to the map showing the tower sites in Orange County and mentioned that to date there are 49 towers. In some cases the company is the telecommunication provider like AT&T. Also there is a new company called Telecommunication Providers and these are companies that go out and find locations and then promote colocation and process applications. He made reference to the consultant's contract, which was in response to a County Commissioners' goal. He said that Metrosite is still doing business in North Carolina and interested in doing work for Orange County. He expanded on what Metrosite could do saying that they have experience in dealing with other governmental entities. Craig Benedict suggested that maybe the County Commissioners may want to put a moratorium on accepting any further applications for towers. Commissioner Halkiotis asked about fees and Craig Benedict said that there is an inspection fee of $50 at the present time. He is recommending that this be increased to $4,000. Commissioner Halkiotis asked if we require that an abandoned tower be taken down and Geoffrey Gledhill said that the tower companies are bonded and they must take the tower down if it is abandoned. Geoffrey Gledhill said that 199' is telling. When the County Commissioners revised the ordinance a couple of years ago, the objective was to build shorter towers. The tower companies have responded to that by making applications for shorter towers. Chair Jacobs said that there were some articles the County Commissioners received last year about the towers interfering with birds. Geoffrey Gledhill suggested that the County Commissioners focus on how the County Commissioners want to proceed from this time forward. John Link asked if this moratorium item could be added to the quarterly public hearing in February with the ordinance to come back in August and Craig Benedict said that it could. Craig Benedict asked if changes to the telecommunications ordinance should be made based on staff knowledge and input from the County Commissioners or would the County Commissioners consider hiring a consultant that would assist with developing these changes and managing towers on public sites. Also, should we bring in telecommunication providers to help with these changes and do we invoke a moratorium while we are going through this process of changing the regulations. Commissioner Brown said that she wants to make sure that we protect the public's interest in all this