Agenda - 03-24-2011 - 1 - Laserfiche WebLink

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f ~~t ~~°t ~•~' ca~ ~+~ 3 2 Memorandum To: Board of County Commissioners From: Jan Sassaman, Chair Solid Waste Advisory Board Subject: SWAB Interlocal Agreement and Alternative Technology Framework/Timeline Recommendation Date: November 11, 2010 The Solid Waste Advisory Board (SWAB) has been discussing issues concerning the future of the Interlocal Agreement (IA) as well as a possible response to the Alternative Technology Timeline and framework request made by the BOCC in item 4 of its motion, adopted December 2009, to utilize the City of Durham transfer station as a disposal site when the Orange County-owned landfill ceases to accept waste. At the SWAB's November 2010 meeting, general consensus was reached on a number of points that are presented below. These issues will probably be further discussed at the December SWAB meeting. In addition, the SWAB has identified those elements that we believe should be incorporated/included in any new Interlocal Agreement for Solid Waste Management for Orange County. . Key Points from SWAB Discussions on revising the current IA should proceed at a higher political and managerial level than the SWAB. We believe that a group of representatives from the four jurisdictions should be formed immediately to begin active discussions on the political and functional possibility of a future partnership for local solid waste management. These discussions could even consider the notion of a public solid waste authority. The SWAB feels strongly that the organizational issue and what the governments will do with their waste during and following a possible 3-5 year interim period following landfill closure are inextricably related and need to be addressed with all due haste. The governing bodies should move deliberately as the 3-5 year period will pass very quickly and a goal of not only deciding what to do and how to do it, but of actually implementing a solution, would be in our mutual best economic and environmental interests. In fact, with staff continually endeavoring to extend the life of the landfill, a timely organizational and operational resolution could avoid or at least limit the interim option and related expense of hauling to the City of Durham. In other words, the process for post-Durham transfer station waste management should begin immediately, along with the organizational discussion.