Agenda - 02-02-2010 - 6c - Laserfiche WebLink

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2 document, with solid waste planning activity continuing until the present through the efforts of the Solid Waste Plan Work Group (Work Group). The Solid Waste Plan Work Group, made up of elected officials, staff and citizen members of the Solid Waste Advisory Board (SWAB) from all jurisdictions, was instituted in 2005 to create a more cohesive planning process whose intention is to bring to the governing boards concepts and recommendations on a range of county-wide waste management issues. Improvements to the existing recycling programs and internal efficiency gains, notably from switching to two-stream recycling, have paid dividends enabling modest recycling program expansions with little additional capital and no new staff. An example of this efficiency dividend is the long-awaited addition of rigid plastics recycling at drop-off sites scheduled for February 1. All four local governments have maintained allegiance to the 61 % waste reduction goal and as a whole the County has achieved steady progress towards the goal, last measured in 2007-08 at 50%, the best in North Carolina. Instituting the 3-R Fee within the solid waste enterprise fund in 2004 to fund recycling has provided a predictable, stable sustainable source of funds creating a key to ongoing program success. General fund issues for Solid Waste Convenience Centers has led to recent reductions in schedules and services and a corresponding reduction in access to the Center's recycling functions. When the landfill closes in 2012, additional enterprise fund financial challenges will occur as MSW landfill tipping fee revenues will be eliminated. Staff believes that the time has come to proceed toward completion of the latest version of the 3-year update of the 10-year plan by the Work Group, not only to meet the state's three year plan update objective, but also to provide guidance to County citizens and governments with regard to future direction of recycling and waste management in Orange County. While the planning is not yet complete, at some point a document must be completed and submitted, even if all issues are not fully developed. Additionally, the Board of Commissioners are looking for guidance with regard to current rural waste and recycling services, specifically the future role of solid waste convenience centers and a more sustainable funding source for the rural services provided through the convenience centers, which has been the subject of most recent Work Group deliberations. Staff is concerned with the ongoing and continuing nature of the Solid Waste planning efforts and the resulting delay and seeks to develop a 3-Year Plan Update and submit to the State at the earliest opportunity, addressing the remaining unresolved issues in the next 3-Year Update due in June 2012. It was suggested at the December Work Group meeting that an update of the Work Group's Planning process be provided the Board of County Commissioners and subsequently at the Assembly of Governments (AOG) meeting on March 25.