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maximizing opportunities for people in cultural understanding. He said that he was a young man who rose to the <br /> surface of the music world. He would like to work with the Clerk to put together a resolution for the next meeting <br /> and to invite the Clark family to the October 15r" meeting to honor Doug Clark. <br /> Commissioner Brown said that she supports the water issue and wants to know what OWASA has planned <br /> and what kind of numbers they have as to how many customers they can keep supporting on this system. She <br /> asked the Chair to contact OWASA to see how they are approaching this long term. <br /> Chair Jacobs said that this goes back to the issue of having another water summit. He said that people have <br /> been more educated since the drought. He would be glad to ask OWASA to make a periodic report on each <br /> agenda. <br /> Commissioner Brown would also like to know OWASA's long range plan for the drought issues. <br /> Commissioner Gordon said that she wants to refresh the emphasis on the groundwater issue and to move <br /> forward on the information that we have from the groundwater study. <br /> Commissioner Brown said that she had read in the Durham paper where the Durham County Commissioners <br /> had advised or strongly recommended that people with wells not use water for outside uses. She asked if we could <br /> check into that and see what they are basing it on. <br /> Commissioner Gordon said that Ron Holdway was here recently and warned residents about using water <br /> from wells because the effect on the groundwater could be delayed for six months or even longer. <br /> John Link said that, as a well user, he thinks it would be foolish to wash cars or pressure wash a house. <br /> Commissioner Brown wants to let the Board know that she and Commissioner Gordon are co-chairs of the <br /> School Campus and Northern Park Site work group. The first meeting was very well attended and they are moving <br /> forward on designing the park and school site. The only thing missing were members of the Carrboro Town <br /> Council and their staff. She suggested asking in a letter that we would appreciate having Carrboro representatives <br /> there. <br /> Chair Jacobs distributed a handout on the Orange Grove Road Planning Group meeting. He said that they <br /> are dealing with traffic and housing projections within this corridor and looking at options for people to walk and ride <br /> a bicycle in this corridor. There was a DOT representative there, Chuck Edwards. He said that they were going to <br /> try and identify some possible funding sources for some of the improvements. He pointed out that the 1-40 bridge <br /> that goes over Orange Grove Road does not have a walkway, and it would cost $1 million. He said that if it were <br /> built when the road was widened, it would be a bit cheaper. He said that there is a lot of undeveloped land with the <br /> capacity to totally overwhelm Orange Grove Road and Hillsborough is aware that it is going to have to start <br /> matching its development to its water supply. <br /> Chair Jacobs also reported on a meeting with representatives from DOT, Mike Mills and his staff. One of the <br /> topics discussed was the paving of Arthur Minnis Road, the 800-foot section. There will be a report at the <br /> November 6r" meeting about this along with the other issues related to the Tuscany Ridge development. They also <br /> discussed the entranceways to two parks—the Little River Regional Park and the McGowan Creek Preserve <br /> because there are some traffic problems. Also, he said that we had previously heard that US 70 in Orange County <br /> was going to be improved for a six-mile stretch starting at the Durham County line. As part of this, DOT is now <br /> thinking of changing some of the traffic patterns at Pleasant Green Road. This would be helpful because the state <br /> park has acquired some land at this spot and the potential development would cause increased traffic. Another <br /> issue is that a $3 million computerized weighing system is being installed on 1-85/1-40 near the Buckhorn weigh <br /> station. The advantage of this is that the trucks can be weighed as they go and not release so much diesel <br /> pollution. <br /> Chair Jacobs said that the Little River Regional Park Committee also met and there will be a meeting at the <br /> end of October. This will be a public meeting for people to come and look at the concept plan and make <br /> comments. <br /> Chair Jacobs congratulated Margaret Cannell on being named the Director of the Orange County— <br /> Hillsborough Chamber of Commerce. <br /> Chair Jacobs referred to a letter he received from the Citizens for a Sound Economy that asked that each <br /> County Commissioner candidate sign a pledge not to raise taxes. He spoke about why Orange County has to raise <br /> taxes and made reference to the State and the mess that the budget is in. He said that there are times when it is <br /> more important to do what is right than it is to do what is expedient. He said that if people would not sign pledges <br /> like this, our state would be in a lot better shape. He then ripped up the letter. <br /> Commissioner Gordon added that part of the plight of local governments includes the fact that our <br /> reimbursements were withheld by the State. The Board did vote to raise the sales tax % cent, but this is only going <br /> to replace the revenue that was promised by the State. The second thing is that the Board of County <br /> Commissioners tried very hard to be responsible with the tax increase. Two cents of it was because the voters had <br /> given the Board a mandate on a bond referendum. The last thing is that unless development has very expensive <br /> houses, then the County loses money by providing services. She thinks that this is a very fiscally responsible <br /> Board. <br />