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