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<br />lack of a search, as well as the timing. He said that it is important to acknowledge that the <br />process did not work the way it should have. He said that there should have been criteria and a <br />search years ago. <br />Commissioner Foushee added that the Board did not direct staff, as it should have. She <br />bears responsibility to this. She said that she could say that she is not proud at this point, but <br />the County Commissioners have been commissioned to make these tough decisions. She said <br />that the members of the SWAB are volunteers and they did the best that they could. She <br />thanked the SWAB and the staff for their work. <br />Commissioner Jacobs said that, despite the fact that he has consistently served with <br />intelligent colleagues, staff, and advisors, things do not work in government in a smooth, logical, <br />measured manner a lot of the time. He recalls beginning the discussion on a transfer station in <br />2001, when a master plan for the Eubanks Road property was adopted. He agrees that this <br />could have been a better process, but he does not agree that this has popped up at the last <br />minute. He pointed out that there were several discussions with Durham and he went to a <br />SWAB meeting and chastised them for giving a conclusion before the County Commissioners <br />had time to talk to Durham and consider the Durham option. He said that the Board of County <br />Commissioners was going to consider, before it came to any conclusion, issues of social justice <br />and environmental justice, and there was an understanding that it was ultimately the County <br />Commissioners' call. <br />Commissioner Gordon said that she echoes what her colleagues have said. She said <br />that she would have liked to have done some things differently. <br />Commissioner Nelson said that he has struggled with a number of issues. The first <br />issue is that he has a deep philosophical objection to shipping the County's trash somewhere <br />else. The other issue is the Rogers Road community and the promises that were made. He <br />does believe that promises were made. He said that he fought the previous attempt to site a <br />new landfill in this area. He said that sometimes you make promises and circumstances <br />change. He said that the issue of shipping waste to northern Orange County and the costs, etc., <br />bothers him. He also wants to factor in greenhouse gas emissions. He said that visiting the <br />transfer station in Greensboro was important to him, and it was not at all how he had imagined <br />it. He said that it is very different from a landfill. He expected more traffic. He said <br />that, given the timeline and given the need for the transfer station, he very reluctantly supports <br />the Eubanks Road site, and he has a resolution to present if they get to that tonight. <br />Commissioner Foushee commented on Commissioner Nelson's sharing his concern of <br />the lack of excess capacity of the landfill. She said that, regardless of the decision tonight, there <br />is still a decision that must be made in terms of what the County will do if it is not able to get <br />trash out of Orange County. There should be a plan for this. <br />Commissioner Jacobs agreed with Commissioner Foushee and said that contingency <br />plans are needed. He said that part of the reason the County Commissioners kept putting off <br />the decision about the transfer station was because no one wanted it on Eubanks Road. <br />Commissioner Gordon said that the County Commissioners did put off the decision and <br />they should not have put it off. She said that they have come to the point to where they have to <br />make a decision. <br />Commissioner Nelson made reference to his resolution and said that he tried to reflect <br />comments that came up at January 18th community meeting. The resolution is stated below: <br />Orange County Transfer Station <br />Resolution <br />Whereas, the Eubanks Road site is close to the populationlwaste generation center of Orange <br />County thus minimizing cast, pollution and green house gas emissions, and <br />