Orange County NC Website
1 <br />2 <br />3 <br />4 <br />5 <br />6 <br />7 <br />8 <br />9 <br />10 <br />11 <br />12 <br />13 <br />14 <br />15 <br />16 <br />17 <br />18 <br />19 <br />20 <br />21 <br />22 <br />23 <br />24 <br />25 <br />26 <br />27 <br />28 <br />29 <br />30 <br />31 <br />32 <br />33 <br />34 <br />35 <br />36 <br />37 <br />38 <br />39 <br />40 <br />41 <br />42 <br />43 <br />44 <br />45 <br />46 <br />47 <br />48 <br />49 <br />50 <br />15 <br />funded by reserves since that time. He said the program still serves 13,700 customers, and he <br />referred to a map of the parcels with potential to be served. <br />Michael Talbert said there are two options before the Board this evening, and the first is <br />solid waste disposal service district, as outlined on page 6 of the abstract. <br />He said the district would have to be outlined, and a statement would have to be <br />compiled outlining how services will be provided to meet the needs, the plan for services, and <br />what tax would be needed to serve the district. He said public hearings would need to be held, <br />and letters would need to be mailed to all 13,700 current participants. <br />Michael Talbert said the second option would be to use the Rural Curbside Subscription <br />service, beginning with the same 13,700 customers and treating the other parcels as new <br />customers. He said the non - profits would continue to be served, though they would not be <br />taxed in a tax district. <br />Michael Talbert said the estimated cost for providing the service under either option <br />would be roughly $630,000 for every other week collection, and it would include new roll carts <br />and new trucks. He said the estimated annual fee would be $58, based on the current 13,700 <br />customers. He said it is expected that 20 percent of those customers would be lost if a <br />subscription service was offered. He said the subscription service recommends that only half of <br />the charge be billed in the first year. He said this would mean billing $29 for potentially 11,000 <br />households, to bring in a little over $300,000. He said the other $300,000 would be funded out <br />of the general fund for the first year. He said the reason for this is because the new trucks and <br />roll carts will not be in service until after October 30tH <br />Michael Talbert said the service would allow existing customers to keep their current <br />bins. He said this is helpful to people with long driveways, who might find the larger bins to be <br />too cumbersome. <br />He noted that the cost is $20 more per year due to the new trucks and roll carts, which <br />will cost $1.3 million. He said the receivable recyclables will increase, and efficiency will be <br />gained with these new carts. He said he lives in rural Orange County, and he currently pays <br />$60 per quarter to have his solid waste picked up in a similar container. He said this means the <br />cost will be a quarter of the cost to do solid waste. <br />Michael Talbert said there is a third option to fund all of this from the general fund, and <br />all of the residents from the three towns would pay their fair share of rural curbside. He does <br />not think this is fair or equitable. <br />Michael Talbert said the recommendation is to move forward with the plan of rural <br />curbside subscription service. He said, if approved, staff would provide letters to current <br />customers outlining the service and the first year billing amount of $29. He said the letter would <br />also offer the option for residents to keep their existing carts and would provide 30 -45 days for <br />customers to opt out of the service. He said this would give staff a good idea of their customer <br />base by the end of May. He said this service would be an annual bill attached to the property <br />tax bill. <br />He said new roll carts would be in service no later than January 1 of 2015, regardless of <br />which option is chosen. <br />Michael Talbert said the subscription service would be evaluated at this time next year, <br />and there would be a good knowledge of the customer base. He said a report would be given <br />to the Board and fees would be re- adjusted at this time. He said if the Board was dissatisfied <br />with the subscription service at this point, a service district and tax district could be established. <br />Commissioner Pelissier referred to the option to subscribe. She asked why the charge <br />is only half, and why the full estimated fee cannot be charged for the whole year. She said this <br />would give an idea of how many people would opt out before the roll carts are purchased. <br />Michael Talbert said staff will purchase needed roll carts in increments as information is <br />gathered. He said the lead time is shorter for the carts than for the trucks. He said the reason <br />