Minutes 01-24-2013 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

As community members, elected officials, and residents of the Rogers Road Neighborhood we urge the County Commissioners to continue the task force. The task force has not completed its identification of funding sources to provide sewer, which should be the main focus if the task force continues to meet. We don't want to move backwards, and if the task force continues, their charge will need to evolve based on the work done over the last year. Many members in attendance at the Assembly of Governments meeting expressed a desire for the task force to continue. The task force should also continue because it provides a formal mechanism for community members to engage in the process to determine changes in their neighborhood. We are glad you are keeping the conversation about Historic Rogers Road alive. This task force has made more progress than any other configuration of a task force and the task force was effective at getting the Town Managers to meet, the Town Attorneys to meet, and in getting feedback from OWASA and community members about providing sewer and a community center. We urge you to act to continue the task force in your meeting on January 24th Chair Jacobs said that there is some interpretation of comments and documents about municipalities using monies outside of their jurisdiction in order to address these issues. He asked Lee Storrow if it was a commitment of the board to work this out. Lee Storrow said that he was not a liaison to the task force, but he is committed and willing to spend funds outside of the municipality. The Town Council has not taken a public stance on this issue. Chapel Hill Town Council Member Jim Ward said that he was one of the liaisons to the task force from the Town of Chapel Hill and he found the experience very fruitful and strongly encouraged them to continue to task force in some form. He said that the commitment from Orange County has been a driving force and this task force is the best vehicle to continue to have these conversations to address the remaining issues. He encouraged the Board to keep the task force and the community center on their agenda and that the sewer issue is huge and a long way from being resolved. He said that there are other related issues like the Greene Tract and the task force may be able to discuss this issue on the behalf of the municipalities. He said that without the task force, there would be no dialogue between the elected officials. Chair Jacobs asked Jim Ward the same questions of him as of Council Member Lee Starrow and Jim Ward said that he has a personal commitment to see this happen and he hoped the lawyers would keep them out of any illegal areas in which they may roam. Nathan, a Technical Assistant works with RENA. He said that he supports the task force continuing. He made reference to the community center and said that the Rogers Road Community is considered a rural community and they are not given an opportunity to apply for grant funding. A motion was made by Commissioner Price, seconded by Commissioner Dorosin to continue the Rogers Road Neighborhood Task Force and to update the charge once the task force is reconvened. Chair Jacobs asked Commissioner Price if the task force would update the charge and Commissioner Price said that she is open to suggestions. Commissioner Rich said that it is important to talk about the issues first before talking about a task force. She said that they should take each issue — starting with the community center and then going to the sewer— before continuing to decide on the new charge of the task force. She thinks that it is important for everyone to be on the same page. Commissioner Pelissier said that the Board of County Commissioners in October asked the Manager to work on an interlocal agreement with Habitat, Chapel Hill, and Carrboro for the community center. She said that there was a small area plan that was worked on between