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Jim Ritchie made reference to the regional rail program and the New Start process. He <br />said that the Metropolitan Planning Organization was now redoing their long-range transportation <br />plan. He summarized the New Start Process that includes along-range plan, a major investment <br />study, preliminary engineering and an environmental impact statement, FTA project oversight <br />initialization, final design, full funding grant agreement, construction, and start up. He said that <br />TTA does now have sufficient funds to build the first phase of this project. TTA expects to have <br />construction of a first minimum operable segment from Ninth Street to Boylan Junction in 2007 and <br />to North Raleigh and Duke in 2009. He believes that the final costs will be close to 600 million <br />dollars. TTA will have to raise 385 million dollars in federal funds, 193 million dollars in state funds, <br />and 193 million dollars from regional rental vehicle tax dollars and debt. He said that the financial <br />consultants believe that TTA has the financial capacity to build this project and to raise the local <br />share without asking for additional dollars from the local government partners. There are already <br />20 million dollars of state funds committed for this project. <br />He made reference to the 15-501 major investment study and said that the second <br />phase would be getting underway shortly, and TTA will be asking the Board of Trustees to <br />appropriate $187,000. <br />Commissioner Gordan made reference to the letter the Commissioners sent to the TTA <br />requesting planning to be done for phase two and beyond of the 15-501 project. She asked Jim <br />Ritchie to explain to the Board what the TTA is recommending and what the Board of Trustees is <br />willing to support. <br />Jim Ritchie said that there was a full planning staff that is working to move forward the <br />first phase of the project, but there are also substantial funds set aside for the second phase. He <br />said that TTA has contacted each of the Managers and the Planning Directors of the governmental <br />jurisdictions in Orange County and asked them to meet with TTA to understand what the scope of <br />planning work needs to be. <br />Commissioner Gordon called to the attention of the Board the significance of the high- <br />speed rail corridor. She said that if the high-speed corridor goes through Orange County, there <br />would be no stop in Orange County. She would like the staff to track this because it has <br />complicated the TTA work. <br />Jim Ritchie said that the high-speed rail project has cost TTA at least a year in the <br />development process. He said that there could be significant impacts far Orange County. He <br />painted out that the state was very early in the planning process and will identify areas of concern. <br />11. APPOINTMENTS -NONE <br />12. MINUTES -NONE <br />13. CLOSED SESSION <br />The County Commissioners were to ga into closed session "To consider the qualifications, <br />competence, performance, character, fitness, conditions of appointment, or conditions of initial <br />employment of an individual public officer or employee or prospective public officer or employee; <br />NCGS § 143-318.11 {a}(6}. However, because of a lack of time, this item was postponed. <br />13. ADJOURNMENT <br />With no further items to come before the Board a motion was made by Commissioner <br />Halkiotis seconded by, Commissioner Gordon to adjourn the meeting. The next meeting is <br />scheduled for May 22, 2000 at 7:30 p.m. in the F. Gordon Battle Courtroom in Hillsborough, North <br />Carolina. <br />Moses Carey, Jr., Chair <br />Beverly A. Blythe, CMC <br />