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ambulance transportation in the County as of June 30, 2003. The County will make sure that there is 2417 coverage. Also, the Emergency Communications Study indicates that the County needs improvements in the infrastructure. This is a very important unfunded County capital project. He commended the Sheriff's Department and Emergency Management Services for pursuing grants to help address homeland security. Also, volunteer fire departments will need increases in their tax rates far emergency management transportation because the number of volunteers are declining and they are having to add additional paid staff to make sure all shifts are covered. Employee Pay and Benefits: The staff is pursuing Phase 1 of the Classification and Pay Plan and there is funding for pursuing Phase 2 next year in the budget. There is also some money to assist the County Commissioners in pursuing the housing wage initiative ($40,000 in reserve for this effort). New Initiatives: Parks and Recreation -four new positions to operate and maintain new parks Information Systems -three new positions to improve the County's website and make it more user friendly Department of Social Services -Income Maintenance Caseworker to address increase in requests for mandated services Planning and Inspections -Plans Examiner to ensure that homes are constructed in compliance with life safety codes Library Services -two part-time positions at Northern Human Services Center and Carrboro Cybrary EMS -Wireless Communications Coordinator to ensure that emergency calls made from wireless phones can be dispatched appropriately and physical locations can be established Solid Waste Enterprise Fund: Orange County is the first county in the State to reach a 40°~ level of waste reduction. The County has also implemented a successful Regulated Recyclable Materials Ordinance (RRMO). Also, a recycling drop-off site has been added at Meadawmont and household hazardous waste disposal services has been expanded at a lower cost, and the staff is working on a new C&D landfill acquisition. There are no new programs or services recommended this year. The mixed solid waste-tipping fee remains at $45 per ton. He is recommending that the County make the first installment of reimbursement from the General Fund for the County's 60 acres of the Greene Tract, which is $240,038. He is also recommending that $1 million be appropriated from the fund balance to balance the Solid Waste budget without pursuing an availability fee. However, an availability fee will probably be needed. There is a paradox that the County has reduced the amount of solid waste, and the revenue is going down. The tipping fee has remained the same in order to be competitive. He is asking that the Board begin as soon as possible working on the availability fee, the needs for future facilities, and updating the solid waste plan for submission to the State. On the Horizon: - Develop alternative financing sources for County's Solid Waste Enterprise Fund - Determine best service delivery mix for emergency and non-emergency EMS