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Next Steps <br />• Circulate Executive Summary <br />• Action by Governing Boards <br />• Initiate Phase 2,~ Transition - Implementation Plan <br />Commissioner Carey said that he understands the options before them tonight and the <br />request for the next steps and that this study was paid for by NCDOT. He asked haw the next <br />step analysis would be paid for. Joe Melvin said that it will be paid for by NCDOT also. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis said that several senior citizens have asked about additional <br />bus service to bring seniors to the Orange Central Senior Center and he is leery of any <br />coordination coming out of Raleigh. He is not sure who is gaining from all of this. He said that <br />Jerry Passmore has spoiled them rotten. He said that these OPT buses have provided a <br />valuable service to citizens in Orange County that are dependent on transportation. He said <br />that this is not a diseased system and "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." He has had only one <br />complaint about OPT in the last ten years. He said that if this is under the umbrella of <br />coordination, he thinks that Orange County is getting a lot now. <br />Commissioner Gordan said it would be a good idea to go to the next phase to get all of <br />the information and to evaluate it. She would like to approve Phase II and if there are questions <br />to be asked, then they could be asked in Phase II. <br />Chair Jacobs said that he agrees with bath Commissioner Halkiotis and Commissioner <br />Gordan. He is proud of and comfortable with the OPT system. He also agrees with <br />Commissioner Gordon that there is some value in looking at our options and he is inclined to <br />look at the next phase. He would like some clarity next time regarding attracting other funding <br />streams because they want to be aggressive about providing public transportation. He said that <br />they are committed to providing as much public transportation as they can in Orange County <br />within their means. <br />John Link said that he made it clear to the consultants and other managers that his <br />observations are the same as Commissioner Halkiotis'. However, they cannot be totally sure <br />that they can evaluate their systems unless they go through Phase II. He would like to relay a <br />letter back to TJCOG that the final decision as it relates to any coordination or consolidation <br />would rest solely with each jurisdiction because the monetary benefit to go total consolidation <br />now is $100,000 to Orange County. There are a lot of things to weigh against this. <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Carey, seconded by Commissioner Faushee to <br />approve Phase II of the Regional Transportation Development Plan process, consisting of <br />further analysis of implementation impacts associated with the proposed coordination or <br />consolidation of community transportation systems. Final decisions relative to coordination or <br />consolidation rest solely with the individual elected boards of commissioners. <br />VOTE: Ayes, 4; No, 1 (Commissioner Halkiotis) <br />c. Solid Waste Operations Center Design <br />The Board received additional information about the proposed Solid Waste Operations <br />Center and considered providing conceptual approval of the building design. <br />Rod Visser said that at the County Commissioners' March 15t" work session on solid <br />waste matters, the Board discussed a presentation of the architects Dixon Weinstein far the <br />proposed conceptual design of a new Solid Waste Operations Center, which is slated to open <br />on Eubanks Road sometime during the summer of 2007. The Board asked a number of <br />questions regarding energy efficiency, particularly regarding a more spread out design <br />compared to a mare compact building. Ken Friedlein from Dixon Weinstein put together a <br />memo addressing these questions, which is included in the abstract. They hope to get more <br />