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The Board considered revising the fee schedule for sewer connections to the Efland <br />Sewer System. <br />John Link reminded the Baard that on October 19, 1999 the rules and regulations far <br />operation of the Efland Sewer System were amended and certain revisions in the fee structure <br />were adopted. The Board had also expressed interest in evaluating and perhaps adopting a <br />sliding scale fee structure similar to the one that has been used by OWASA. The Board is not <br />being asked to adopt a sliding scale fee structure, but to find favor with the idea and to establish a <br />public hearing. <br />County Engineer Paul Thames summarized the findings of the study. They found <br />approximately 550 customers of Orange-Alamance Water System, and 100 customers were <br />eliminated from the study because they were either commercial or non-residential users. Looking <br />at the range of houses, there was a 30-35°lo differential in the amount of water use between the <br />smallest homes and the largest homes. This does not correspond directly with the Chapel Hill <br />study that was done by OWASA, which this study was modeled after. The largest homes in <br />Chapel Hill use about five times the amount of water that the smallest houses do. <br />Commissioner Brown said that she would like to establish a fee structure that is <br />compatible with the Commissioners' goals and affordable hauling and does not rely on the <br />acreage. <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Jacobs, seconded by Commissioner Halkiotis to <br />direct the staff to develop a revised sliding scale fee proposal (to replace the existing acreage fee <br />structure) to be taken to a public hearing for the purpose of receiving public comment, <br />implementing the proposed fee structure and adopting the attendant changes to a Resolution <br />Establishing Rules and Regulations of the Operation of a Sewer Collection Treatment System to <br />Serve the Efland Area of Orange County. <br />VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br />Commissioner Jacobs asked that Orange County look at the Orange-Alamance Water <br />System operation. He made reference to making the Economic Development District more fully <br />functional between Efland and Mebane, pursuing cooperative relationships with Mebane, raising <br />the environmental protection issues and comprehensive planning. He feels there are a number of <br />questions that need to be asked about an entity that exists in the middle of the County aver which <br />the Commissioners have no control and about which they know very little. He read questions <br />asking that the Board direct staff to look into the Orange-Alamance water operation. <br />•:• How was Orange-Alamance created and within what parameters does it operate? <br />• What outside oversight is there of Orange-Alamance operations? <br />• What is the regulatory history of Orange-Alamance? <br />• Is there an environmental danger in inter-basin transfer of water when the majority <br />of the water is being transferred out of the basin? <br />• Is there coordination with the Orange County Planning Department in extending <br />lines? <br />• What is the standard process by which customers secure water service and haw are <br />exceptions decided? <br />• Wha appoints the Orange-Alamance Board of Directors? <br />• Are there water pressure problems in any hydrants or other parts of the system? <br />• By what mechanisms are public concerns addressed by the Orange-Alamance <br />Board? <br />• Are Orange-Alamance Board meetings public and are they properly noticed? <br />:• What are the utility assets? <br />• Who would have the authority to disband the utility besides the Board of Directors? <br />Commissioners Halkiotis and Brown support Commissioner Jacobs in getting the <br />information he seeks about the Orange-Alamance water operation. <br />