Minutes - 20011001 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

Commissioner Gordon asked what would be the recommendation of the staff of the best way to proceed. Is the $350,000 the maximum amount and Rod Visser said that it is hard to determined because of property that is undeveloped that may be developed in future years. John Link asked Geoffrey Gledhill if it would be possible to offer low-interest loans from the Enterprise fund. Geoffrey Gledhill said that he does not see a problem with that. You can stop right now with just putting the mains in the ground. You could put the money up for everyone ar make available a no-interest loan. This would be nondiscriminatory and allow everyone to hook up to the line. John Link said that since the County has gone this far to provide assurance to the public about the leachate problem, it seems that funding should be provided to those who need it. If the County Commissioners like the idea or concept of setting up a loan program where anyone can apply, everyone would pay back over same period of time at no interest. There are two issues to address -one is discrimination among the landowners and users over their availability to pay far the laterals and which funding source to use. Commissioner Gordon supports helping the people who live in this area who are low income and cannot really afford to pay. She supports using County money and setting a time limit for repayment. Geoffrey Gledhill said that the County could do a Community Development project for low-income citizens and set whatever conditions they want to impose. The County could also do the means test project anyway the County Commissioners determine. Commissioner Gordon would be interested in using County funds to help the people who are there and have low income by figuring out the means. Geoffrey Gledhill said that the details would need to be worked out as well as the scope of the project. Housing and Community Development Director Tara Fikes should be involved since she is familiar with community development projects. John Link said that at some paint the County needs to end their assurance and they need to become customers of OWASA. Commissioner Brown said that she has always seen this as a project to assist citizens who live in the Rogers Road area who have a low income and not able to upgrade some of their water systems. She would like to see the County set up a community development project that will target and support the people in this area. She asked staff to come back with some very specific proposals. Her choice would be to set up a community development project. Commissioner Carey supports the idea of using County funds to make available some grants or law- interest or no-interest loans to low income families. This should continue as long as the risk is present. Both of these options would require an administrator. He feels we should stop our support short of the interior plumbing and the usage fees by OWASA. Chair Halkiotis asked that the staff keep the County Commissioners posted on the progress of the Rogers Road project. He wants to know if the project does not proceed as scheduled. Commissioner Jacobs clarified that as a group we are saying that the availability fee and laterals will be paid for by the Enterprise Fund. He suggested that the new position just added to Housing and Community Development to handle urgent repairs may be able to help on this project. John Link proposed that staff come back in November with a timeframe for beginning the program. He feels we should allow 18-24 months beginning January 1, 2002 far the means test. Commissioner Brown made reference to the inclusion or not of owner occupied or non-owner occupied property. She feels that the same means test should be applied sa that there is a standard consistent across the board. Geoffrey Gledhill said that there would be two funds - a County fund that would use a means test anc a loan fund from the Landfill fund that would not use a means test. 2. Solid Waste Facilities Master Plan Rod Visser said that in February, the County Commissioners discussed how various solid waste facilities would fit in various locations. The County is fast approaching the expiration of the capacity of the existing construction and demolition {C&D) landfill on Eubanks Road. While the County Commissioners adopted a resolution for pursuing a small construction and demolition landfill in February, the County Commissioners asked that before making any other decisions a master plan be developed and approved. Gayle Wilson said that the master plan drawings are based on a variety of key assumptions and he listed the twelve (12) assumptions as listed in the agenda. He showed a map of the existing conditions and