Minutes 04-05-2011 - Laserfiche WebLink

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� Chair Pelissier echoed what Commissioner Jacobs and Commissioner Yuhasz said. She said that she feels that the public does not realize that the County has cut the budget two years in a row. She also does not think that people realize all of the services the County offers. This item will be discussed in more detail at the County Commissioners' upcoming work session. A motion was made by Commissioner Jacobs, seconded by Commissioner Yuhasz to direct the County Attorney, John Roberts, to seek an opinion from the N.C. Attorney General's office referring to extensive past practice of common sense regarding the opinion by the Counsel to the State Board of Elections to require Orange County to bear the full cost of conducting a November election when polls would otherwise be open for municipal and school board balloting. VOTE: UNANIMOUS 8. Reqular Aqenda a. Landfill Capacity Options The Board considered staff recommendations from among three options for extending landfill capacity, and to provide guidance to staff on final decision. Solid Waste Management Director Gayle Wilson said that last summer the County hired a new engineering firm to evaluate landfill closure options. The current closure design projects closure in late spring 2013. The evaluation resulted in an improved capital design model and additional landfill life could be obtained by reconfiguring the grades. He made reference to the materials from HDR Engineering presenting the three grading options. The recommendation is option #2. He showed a graphic of the current grades. Option #2 changes the grade to 3-1 and this option would increase capacity until January 2017. Staff is seeking a decision from the Board tonight. PUBLIC COMMENT: Trish Galu said that she is on the Strategy Team for Justice United, which came before the Board two years ago and asked for a vote to take the County's garbage to Durham with the understanding that it was a short-term solution while the County was working on a long-term solution for its solid waste. Now the landfill is going to remain open and this is a hardship for the community. She said that the landfill needs to close for the sake of the community. She said that they could not wait until 2016. Bonnie Hauser spoke on behalf of Orange County Voice and said that they support the statement from Justice United to please close the landfill. She said that the stance is "not in anyone's backyard," especially not in the Rogers Road community. She asked the County Commissioners to designate a small portion of the tipping fee to fund remediation for the Rogers Road community effective immediately. Allison Norman is a junior at UNC and she is opposed to the extension of the landfill. She said that she has been working with the Rogers Road community for over a year and she has smelled the landfill, seen the buzzards, etc. She said that she has had a small glimpse of how the landfill impacts their lives and this is negatively impacting the residents. She said that this is racism because injustice has polluted the water and soil. Rev. Robert Campbell said that as UNC researchers pointed out tonight, the closing of the landfill is not just about money but the quality of life. He said that the policing of this area needs to be stepped up because of trucks barreling down the road. He asked that the Board of County Commissioners make good on all of the years of neglect and pass the resolution.