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— For every $100,000 that is financed by some other means that does not require the <br /> inclusion of annualized costs into the rate base, the projected $55 cost for each 5000 <br /> gallon per month customer would be reduced by $3 per month. <br /> Paul Thames said that this information meets public hearing requirements and there is <br /> additional information in the abstract that is not required for the public hearing. <br /> Commissioner Foushee asked, regarding the CDBG funds, why the County has not <br /> been successful. Paul Thames said that in past, the CDBG process has a scoring mechanism, <br /> which is based on the population served and the income of the community that's applying for <br /> the grant. He said that the incomes in the Chapel Hill ICarrboro area skews the entire <br /> community, and the County has applied twice for these grants for the Efland community and has <br /> been turned down. The County is in fairly good shape to apply because it does have a number <br /> of low-income, elderly, and minority customers that will be taken into the system. There is also <br /> a proven need for the system and the plans and specifications are prepared. <br /> Commissioner Foushee asked about the timeframe if the County were to pursue the <br /> rural communities' route. Paul Thames said that it would be pursued at the same time they are <br /> in the review process for the Engineer's Report, and that is a lengthy period of time before <br /> permission is given to advertise for bids, take bids, and EPA review. <br /> Commissioner Nelson said that he wants to proceed with this and asked if staff would be <br /> bringing back a recommendation at the next meeting on how to finance this and Laura <br /> Blackmon said yes. She said that these figures for the second option were included in the <br /> previous CIP discussion for the alternative financing. <br /> Commissioner Carey asked if the $1.7 million shortfall was included and Laura <br /> Blackmon said yes. <br /> Chair Jacobs said that presumably this could be phased and Laura Blackmon said that <br /> with the timeline, it is being pushed out anyway. <br /> Chair Jacobs asked, if the County applies for grant money and does not get it, and it is <br /> still committed to building it, if the timeframe takes that contingency into account. Paul Thames <br /> said no, that the timeframe is based on his estimates of what it takes to go through the review <br /> process, whether the County gets the grant or not. <br /> Chair Jacobs pointed out that the STAG money only covers part of the project and the <br /> rest of the project can be planned over any period of time. <br /> Paul Thames said that what Chair Jacobs is talking about then is more like the add— <br /> alternatives for the project, where the add-alternatives are phases. <br /> Chair Jacobs made reference to the fifth bullet on page 2, which said that "The County <br /> may choose to break the central Efland portion of the system down into core and optional <br /> components." <br /> Paul Thames said that when he was talking about optional components then, he was <br /> actually speaking of the fitting process. <br /> Laura Blackmon said that there are some economies of scale, and if it were put into <br /> phases, portions of the project would be even longer. She recommends going forward with the <br /> entire project. <br /> Chair Jacobs said that it has already been delayed for 25 years. <br /> PUBLIC COMMENT: <br /> Benny Cecil said that he has lived in Efland for 63 years. He said that since 1985 the <br /> community has been trying to get this project. His youngest son was seven years old when this <br /> started, and he is 31 now. He said that his son recently moved into a house in Efland with <br /> sewage and he still does not have it. He said that the sewage is needed in Efland and it needs <br /> to happen as quickly as possible. The systems are not working. He asked the County <br /> Commissioners to try and speed up the process. <br />