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Rod Visser said that in early 2001, the Town of Chapel Hill wrote to the County saying that they were interested in pay-as-you-throw. The Town wanted to know the implications if it were to proceed with it. He described each of the documents. The major thrust of Commissioner Halkiotis' letter is that the County is absolutely interested in pay-as-you-throw, but it is important to do it in a sequentially sensible way and having the infrastructure in place to handle the additional materials that will have to be recycled. It is a matter of timing and doing it when the system is ready to handle it. They would also like for all jurisdictions to do it at the same time. Solid Waste Director Gayle Wilson said that they continually incrementally add services. He spoke about the new Meadowmont and Southern Village recycling centers. He said that it was not really true to say that Chapel Hill was not getting anything more. Commissioner Gordon said that she does not feel comfortable with not answering the questions from Chapel Hill. She asked haw the County was to proceed. She said that the County was the leading entity in the state with 45°~ waste reduction, but it is a paradox because there now has to be a charge for solid waste. She said that it seems that there is some tangible monetary value in delaying the major capital expense of having to close the landfill and open a transfer station. If this is figured in, the recycling is not costing as much as it is being portrayed. She said that she wants to answer Chapel Hill's questions. She asked the staff to tell the County Commissioners what their task is. John Link said that the County Commissioners need to make a decision within the next two meetings, which would be by June $~" at the very latest. Even this will put a strain on the County's ability to get everything done by the end of July. He said that the worst- case scenario would be that the Board would not implement a fee or raise taxes for the operation of Solid Waste. The County would try and maintain as many services as possible, but it would probably mean that the urban areas would ga to a twice a month recycling pickup, down from once per week. It would also mean that there would be no more fund balance. The middle ground could be where the County Commissioners adopt an across the board fee. He would recommend a fee in the range of $35, if the Board decides to do a flat fee. This would not provide $3 million. He said that in 1999, when the county agreed to take over solid waste operations, the County Commissioners came up with a list of principles that said that if the nine things were agreed to, that the County would do eight things. It was clear that the County would have an availability fee, and that another source of revenue was needed. He said that the fact is that the County needs a revenue source to be able to finance everything it is doing now, as well as being able to acquire the equipment and capital that is needed. He said that he is sure there is ample material in the files that showed that this was coming four years ago. He said that education is needed to remind everyone of what they said was coming four years ago. Commissioner Carey said that he heard on the radio today that the County Commissioners are punishing the residents of Orange County by trying to impose a fee. He said that a lot of people that are so adamant about not imposing the fee were not even elected officials four years ago. He knows that there is a lot of education to do. It is hard to explain to people that you have to "pay me now or pay me later." It will be difficult to explain to the public, especially when elected officials are saying that they are punishing the public because of the success. He would like to generate the request far