Minutes - 19980414 - Laserfiche WebLink

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1. Each local government will maintain responsibility for the operation and financing of solid waste collection within its own jurisdiction. The County Commissioners agreed with this assumption. 2. Financing of other solid waste operations should remain tipping fee based, to the maximum extent possible. As needed, supplemental revenue from user fees, solid waste availability fees, solid waste service district(s), or the like could be considered. Commissioner Crowther noted that if recycling is increased, the County may need to consider another financing option. John Link said that if we do assume responsibility, it needs to be made clear that the County is not going to underwrite overall solid waste operations or be a source of supplemental revenue. The County Commissioners agreed with this assumption. 3. Legislative changes by the General Assembly should be sought if needed to make permissible the best combination of financing mechanisms. The County Commissioners agreed with this assumption. 4. Should Orange County assume overall solid waste management responsibility, the County general fund would not underwrite overall solid waste operations or be a source of supplemental revenue. The County Commissioners agreed with this assumption. 6. Cost of proposed community benefits that cannot legally be borne by the Landfill Fund should be shared by the jurisdictions (for example, on the basis of ownership stake in the landfill) - if not through property taxes, then perhaps through sales taxes. The towns have suggested that the County bear the costs through bonds. Impact of this on County debt structure would need to be considered. John Link noted that last Spring he understood that the towns and the County were working together to provide community benefits. He asked why they can't agree to use the one cent tax source for these benefits. Chair Brown suggested writing a letter to the towns with a proposal to begin to allocate a proportional amount of money for what they agree they want to finance for community benefits. Commissioner Halkiotis said that he is not surprised that the towns do not want to help finance community benefits. He suggested that the managers, chairs and mayors meet. Commissioner Carey would like to receive a response in writing to indicate whether or not they are going to contribute toward financing community benefits. The Board generally agreed that they will not pursue a bond to pay for community benefits. Commissioner Halkiotis would like to leave this option open for now. The Board decided that if they did pursue a bond, it would be at the same proportional percentages as the Landfill. 6. Indirect cost charges to the Landfill Fund should the County assume solid waste operations would likely be higher. it appears that the Town of Chapel Hill has not been fully reimbursed over the years for its cost of administering solid waste operations. An outside consultant should be retained to do an impartial analysis of the indirect cost that should be reimbursed to the County if it assumed overall responsibility. The Board agreed to do an indirect cost study financed and paid for by the LOG.