Minutes - 20060420 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

APPROVED 6/27/2006 MINUTES ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BUDGET WORK SESSION APRIL 20, 2006 7:30 p.m. The Orange County Board of Commissioners met for a Budget Work Session on Thursday, April 20, 2006 at 7:30 p.m. at the Government Services Center in Hillsborough, North Carolina. COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Barry Jacobs, and Commissioners Valerie P. Foushee, Alice M. Gordon, and Stephen Halkiotis COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: COUNTY ATTORNEYS PRESENT: COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager John Link, Assistant County Managers Rod Visser and Gwen Harvey and Clerk to the Board Donna Baker (All other staff members will be identified appropriately below) NOTE: ALL DOCUMENTS REFERRED TO IN THESE MINUTES ARE IN THE PERMANENT AGENDA FILE IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE. 1. Approval of Eauipment and Vehicle Purchases for Fiscal Year 2005-06 The Board approved the purchase of Sheriff Department vehicles at the April 18, 2006 regular meeting. Tonight the Board is being asked to take action on the remaining vehicles. John Link said that they would like to go aver the major elements of examining the possibilities of alternative fueled vehicles. There are two installment purchase instruments and page five lists the disbursement of the vehicles. Public Works Director Wayne Fenton said that he generally tried to look at replacing all vehicles with alternative fuel models provided they met the needs of the department or unless it was on State contract as an AFV. They looked at each vehicle being replaced with either a CNG vehicle, a hybrid, or an a-85 ethanol. He said that they are looking at purchasing bio- diesel for the diesel-fueled vehicles. Commissioner Halkiotis said that last night there was a major news story about General Motors and Ford putting out 700,000 units next year of flex fueled vehicles. The only thing that is wrong is that the only ethanol being sold in the U.S. is in the Midwest. He said that, with respect to the hybrids, he has changed his thinking on Honda Civics. He thinks that he would take a Civic before he would take an Insight because an Insight only has two seats. He asked about the compressed natural gas station and Wayne Fenton said that they are still waiting on the fueling equipment that did not have UL listing. They hope to have this within the week. They have been proceeding with the site work. He thinks that the worst-case scenario is 4-6 weeks for the station to be open. Commissioner Halkiotis said that he would encourage staff to delay purchases to see where the flex-fueled program is going. He asked if the State had any a-85 fueling stations and it was answered na. He thinks it is a shame that the State is not showing any leadership in this area. He thinks that it would be cheaper to wait for these new vehicles from Ford and GM rather than spending money an conversion units.