Minutes 11-18-2010 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Commissioner Hemminger said that she thinks that there has to be a new interlocal agreement because there are so many issues with solid waste disposal when the landfill closes. Commissioner Yuhasz said that the thinking was that if the discussion about the interlocal agreement was initiated, that would indicate whether the municipalities were interested in continuing in a cooperative agreement. Commissioner Jacobs said that he does not see a point in spending time negotiating if it is not in good faith and it is not a partnership. Chair Foushee said that she would agree. She thinks that what the SWAB is saying is that those things over which the County has control and takes the lead on, then it should be done expeditiously. Willie Best said that there have been a couple of meetings with the senior staff and the Town Managers trying to get them to expedite their decision about going in with the County, but there has been no movement. Commissioner Yuhasz said that Jim Ward, who served on the SWAB, has indicated that Chapel Hill is interested in pursuing a new interlocal agreement and continuing cooperation on solid waste. Commissioner Pelissier asked at what point they would need to know if all the Towns are in to negotiate with Durham. Frank Clifton said that Orange County could enter into an agreement at any time with Durham for Orange County's waste stream because there is excess capacity. He said that whatever is done and how it is done is going to be dictated by the waste stream. The only issue now is there is no commitment from the Towns as to their waste streams to make a long-term commitment. It is not a limiting factor to get input from the Towns. Commissioner Gordon said that it would be important to figure out the negotiating points with the Towns before working out the interlocal agreement. It can be a long process. Gayle Wilson said that the immediate concern is what will happen after the landfill closes. There must be a long-term solution too, but there must be a plan ready for when the landfill closes. Hauling to Durham may not be the best long-term solution. Commissioner Jacobs said that the County Commissioners passed a resolution almost a year ago about solid waste and a transfer station, and item #4 on page 7 is "evaluating alternative methods for solid waste disposal, looking for partners," and he thinks it is key to the discussion of an interlocal agreement about whether Orange County would be Durham's partner or customer. There is a huge difference. He thinks that the County would like to be a partner and has acted in good faith and should be a partner. Frank Clifton said that he does not think that Orange County is a big enough entity to be a partner with Durham because the waste stream is so small. To make it financially feasible, Orange County would have to have a waste stream twice the amount that it has now. Gayle Wilson said that there is a lot of misinformation out there about these issues. He said that he talked with Raymond Bose, the Director of Energy Services for UNC, about the rumors about the so-called waste energy fuel facility that is being considered as part of a development, and he said that no one has talked to him to evaluate any technology about anything. He has heard of it, but has not been involved in any discussions. He thinks that this is a preliminary concept at best. Frank Clifton said that, as far as he knows, no such facility exists in the United States. Commissioner Yuhasz agreed that the County Commissioners need to know whether the County is going to be a partner or a customer. Commissioner Hemminger suggested starting with a new interlocal agreement. Frank Clifton said that in the existing agreement in 1999, the County agreed to assume all liability of closing costs.