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Commissioner Halkiotis said that the County has made significant progress within the <br />last few years to resolve the issues of managing solid waste. He said that countless hours of <br />discussions have been spent on this issue. He is still opposed to a C&D site. He has serious <br />concerns about the County building a MRF (Materials Recycling Facility). He feels the County <br />needs to move ahead, table the rezoning, and get the 60 acres resolved. The Greene Tract needs <br />to be an asset far the entire community. He feels the County should go ahead and take over the <br />management of the solid waste. He said that the County has been dependent on C&D to generate <br />money to subsidize and to fund recycling programs. He feels that this addiction has to be broken <br />before the County moves ahead. <br />Commissioner Gordon asked if the staff has done any analysis of what would need to <br />be done to the agreement if the rezoning was taken out. <br />John Link said that based on what he has heard, if County Commissioners would send <br />a letter to Chapel Hill and Carrboro saying that Orange County is prepared to withdraw the <br />rezoning of the 60 acres, and though the County will look elsewhere, that it is the intent of the <br />County Commissioners to pursue, if necessary, those parcels on Eubanks Road that might need to <br />be considered in the future for solid waste purposes. In terms of amending the language as to the <br />beginning date for the County assuming responsibility, he would recommend that there be a new <br />date and that it be the beginning of a pay period. <br />Chair Carey suggested asking the staff to revise the language and move the date for <br />the transfer of solid waste activities only to the extent that is needed to have the 60 acres specified. <br />Commissioner Gordon asked if anyone has talked with Hillsborough and rural residents <br />about what is going on. She said that if the interlocal agreement is changed with regard to the <br />rezoning, the public needs to know. <br />Chair Carey feels that asking Chapel Hill or Carrboro to approve something before a <br />plan is developed, and making that a condition of the transfer of responsibility for providing <br />leadership in solid waste management, would be ill conceived. He feels that the Board should take <br />an irrevocable action tonight that will be formalized at the next meeting. He said that the motion <br />tonight would be to ask the staff to develop the language to revise the interlocal agreement and to <br />bring it back formalized to the next meeting far formal action. <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Brown, seconded by Commissioner Halkiotis to <br />ask the staff to look at what parts of the interlocal agreement would need to be revised to exclude <br />the rezoning of the Greene Tract, and that the transfer of solid waste management be postponed <br />for a very specific pay period only to receive the final reports so that the 60 acres could be <br />determined. She would also like the water lines to be pursued. Also, she said that there could be <br />some language that Chapel Hill and Carrboro would support us in our efforts to locate a transfer <br />station in the Eubanks Road area. <br />Mark Cohen, resident of Bingham Township since 1976, said that he is very supportive <br />of Commissioner Cordon's comments. He is a past member of the Bingham TAC. He feels that <br />the County Commissioners are blindsiding some of the County residents by bringing this up in this <br />way and not providing an open forum before changing the rules. <br />Chair Carey said that when this issue is brought up at the next meeting, the public could <br />comment on it at that time. <br />Commissioner Brown said that she had no interest and would not support a search <br />anywhere else in Orange County. <br />Ken Rudo asked if the County Commissioners really heard the citizens at the public <br />hearing held last week. He said that the most troubling thing about this is that there is a health risk <br />caused by the odors. He feels that it would be detrimental to this part of the County. He is against <br />the County Commissioners continuing the activities of the landfill because of health risks. As the <br />State Toxicologist, he said that he may be able to help the County find some money at the state <br />level to move this along a little bit in terms of the water lines out to Rogers Road neighborhood. He <br />encouraged the County Commissioners to let the Chapel Hill Town Council do what they are <br />planning to do and then take it from there. <br />