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Commissioner Carey asked about the estimated cost of the restoration to Piedmont and if <br />this would affect customer rates. Richard Mabbot said that the last estimate he got was in the $2 <br />million range. He thinks that FEMA will help them and they do not anticipate it affecting the rates. <br />Commissioner Jacobs said that he appreciates Piedmont's sensitivity about cutting trees. <br />He asked if Piedmont was also going to share maps with EMS and with the public so that they <br />understand the priorities. Richard Mabbot said that the priorities were the same for Piedmont as for <br />Duke. He said that it would be very difficult to keep maps current. <br />Commissioner Jacobs suggested a general map of the County that could be put an a <br />website. He also asked if Piedmont did any spraying of the rights-of-way in Orange County. Richard <br />Mabbot said that they spray in the transmission rights-of-way. Otherwise, they only mow the rights-of <br />way. <br />Commissioner Gordon asked about widespread outages and what Piedmont would do to <br />work with the County and what they would do differently. She is concerned about any widespread <br />outage and what could be improved. Richard Mabbot said that in any outage, they would look at it <br />from the same perspective. Regarding a terrorist attack, the safety of the employees would be added <br />to the picture. In this storm, housing and feeding the linemen that came to help was a big issue. He <br />said that they tried to get a generator at one of the hotels and one was not available. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis arrived back at the meeting at 9:25 p.m. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis said that there are schools with hot water and heat because of the <br />generator that they have. He said that we as a County have a responsibility to help out. <br />John Link said that if there was an event {natural or terrorist) that would render a <br />residential area uninhabitable, then we need to look at some of our schools or other facilities to be <br />retrofitted with some generators. Also, the communication systems need to be addressed. Part of the <br />CIP proposal is to purchase some more generators. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis thanked Piedmont far their efforts, since he is a customer. He said <br />that it is very important to have shelters available, especially for the ill people that rely on oxygen <br />tanks to survive. <br />Commissioner Jacobs asked the Chair to write a letter to summarize the things that were <br />brought up with the two utilities -specifically the Board's willingness to work with them on tree <br />protection and right-of-way clearance and sharing basic map information with citizens. The Chair <br />agreed. <br />7. Public Hearings <br />a. Public Hearing on the Issuance of Refunding Bonds and Adoption of Refundin <br />Bond Orders <br />The Board conducted the required public hearing on the advisability of issuing refunding <br />bands and to adopt the bond order authorizing the issuance of refunding bonds if the board so <br />desires. <br />Finance Director Ken Chavious said that at the December 2"d meeting the Board <br />introduced a bond order that is required in order for the County to pursue a refunding of bands that <br />were issued in 1993. The total amount of the refunded bonds is approximately $26 million dollars. <br />The County could save in excess of $125,000 annually on the debt service payment and about $1.3 <br />million for the remaining 11-year term of the band. There is also a bond sale scheduled in March and <br />this refunding will be piggybacked with the sale. After the public hearing, the staff is asking the Board <br />to officially adopt the bond order and a resolution providing for the publication of the band order by the <br />Clerk. <br />There was no one signed up to speak to this item. <br />