Minutes 01-26-2012 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Alderman Gist said that this resolution was unanimous for the Town of Carrboro. The reason this was unanimously passed is that there is no one in this state that knows more about researching solid waste management than Mayor Chilton. She said that there is nobody more sensitive to issues of social justice than Mayor Chilton. She said that she would like for everyone to take this resolution seriously since it came from Mayor Chilton. Alderman Coleman said tliat Triangle Transit is completing a parking deck in north Chapel Hill and this suggested site was found to be a suitable site for a transfer station, since it was not used for a parking deck. Councilmember Pease said that, clearly, they want to close the landfill site, but to pick a date without a plan makes no sense to him. He said that this has placed a burden on the Town of Chapel Hill and they will try to find an alternative to paying $600,000 to take their trash to Durham. He said that the Town Council is asking the Manager to take as much time as possible to look at other options. Council Member Bell said that there is a group of citizens that have been waiting for the closure of the landfill. She said that the County has a plan, but a plan that not all of the towns have agreed upon. She said that because all of the partners did not agree to the plan, it feels like there is not enough time to look at viable options. The County is balancing a social justice issue and a political issue. Mayor Kleinschmidt said that it seems to him that these issues are not incompatible, but what is best for Chapel Hill sh~uld not impact the closure of the landfill or looking at the proposed transfer station site. ' We said that this information would be helpful to the consultant. He hoped that the other elected`officials do not feel that the Town's process should change the closure of the landfill, because he is for it. He said that the southern municipalities should take the closure of the landfill as an opportunity to look more comprehensively at their processes. He said that the closure forces the municipalities into a mode of cooperation that they may have resisted in the past. He "~~id that there is a larger social impact of taking the trash to someone else's backyard. ~ Commissioner Hemminger said that a lot of elected officials have talked about this issue for a long time and some of them are newer. She said that it was not a fun decision and they asked for input from the towns. The reality is that the landfill has to close at some point. She does not like the option of taking trash to Durham, but the other option was worse. She wants to work together to find another site, but everyone must work together. Council Member Rich said that she does like Mayor Chilton's idea and it is important for the County to look at this option. She does want the landfill to close in 2013. She does not like the idea of transfer stations but would rather look at other alternatives that are environmentally sustainable. She said that the Town is choosing a consultant soon and she suggested that all the entities sfay together on this issue and not to branch out on their own. She feels for the taxpayers and ~veryone has had a couple of years of difficult budgets. Chair Pelissier said that ~the only way Orange County can have a plan is for all the municipalities to have a plan with them but no one has come forward until the County chose a concrete date. The County only generates 30% of the waste and she does not think it is fair for everyone to blame the County. Council Member Ward said that this has been facing the elected officials for some time but they are paying the price of inaction, and the cost to Rogers Road is high. He said that it is time to do something. He said that part of this conversation needs to explore the use of the rural buffer. He said that if they are committed to having something in Orange County then they need to do it. He said that with Mayor Chilton's suggestion, it does not make sense to do this unless all at the table agree the rural buffer is in play. Council Member Storrow said that in the Council discussion they decided no municipality wants their trash except Durham. This leaves finding a location in Orange County for a