Minutes 08-21-2012 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Commissioner Jacobs thanked and congratulated the Thompsons. He added they have another Small Farmer of the Year, Mr. Hughes, who might benefit from working with the Black Family Land Trust and asked Mr. Shaw if they had been doing that or made any progress. Mr. Shaw said there is no active project for that farm at this time. Commissioner Jacobs said if Mr. Hughes is still interested, he would suggest this alternative approach might be worth trying. Mr. Shaw said he would look into that. Commissioner Foushee commended the Staff for their diligence in working with the Thompsons over the last three years to get this accomplished. A motion was made by Commissioner Foushee, seconded by Commissioner Gordon, to authorize Orange County's contribution of funds of$36,000 toward the purchase of a permanent conservation easement for the Thompson Farm in Cedar Grove and authorize the Chair and Clerk to sign the conservation easement pending final approval by the Staff and County Attorney with a closing and liquidation of the document expected to occur by September 30, 2012. VOTE: UNANIMOUS b. Professional Services Aqreement— Community Geothermal Analysis, Desiqn, Bid Manaqement, and Construction Administration Jeff Thompson, with Asset Management Services, reminded the Board that the Link Government Services Center joined the Justice Facility as the second Orange County facility conditioned by a closed loop geothermal heating and cooling system. The Board authorized this efficient sustainable technology which has drastically reduced the heating and cooling energy for these facilities. Staff continues to plan for a 30% average in reduction but unofficially, the Justice facility's numbers were north of 40% for 2012 in energy savings on a per square foot basis. With the Link facility, which has been online since the spring, they've had a 30% reduction thus far. Mr. Thompson said the next phase of the design is the Community Geothermal System Project that incorporates the jail, district attorney facility, historic courthouse, Court Street annex, and the units with the Battle courtroom. This plan is in the FY 2012/2013 Capital Investment Plan as approved. They also requested a qualifications process for a designer for both the Link and Community Geothermal facility. That was engaged with Reece, Noland & McElrath Engineers, Inc. Steve Kaufman, who is the principal engineer, was present at the meeting. Mr. Thompson told the Board they were asking permission to move forward with the design of the Community Geothermal System and if approved, the design will start and should be finished by the end of the calendar year. They can then move into bidding in the winter and construction through the spring and next year with this Board's approval. Commissioner McKee said he received a communication regarding possible water loss where geothermal wells were being used in Orange County. He asked for confirmation that there was no water loss. Mr. Thompson replied this is a completely closed loop system so there's no interface between the ground water and the water within the tubing that's circulating through the earth's crust. Commissioner McKee told the Board his neighbor has had a geothermal system for more than 30 years and is overwhelmingly pleased with it. His heating and cooling costs are significantly lower. He does have some water loss but it is used to water cattle. The concern Commissioner McKee had received was regarding what is called pump and dump in which the water is brought up, run through a unit, and then dumped. He would have concern with that but understood this one was not that style. A motion was made by Commissioner Hemminger, seconded by Commissioner McKee, to approve awarding a professional services agreement to Reece, Noland & McElrath Engineers, Inc. of Waynesville, North Carolina, in the amount not to exceed $175,625 for the analysis, design, bid management, and construction administration of the Community Geothermal and HVAC Capital Project#30018, and authorize the Chair to execute the Agreement upon final review by the County Attorney. VOTE: UNANIMOUS c. Southern Oranqe County Government Services Campus Master Plan Update, BOCC Recommendation of Concept Master Plan