Agenda - 06-03-2014 - 6a - Laserfiche WebLink

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17 1 Chair Jacobs asked if this motion can include a request to have staff investigate 2 recreation and alternative energy options. 3 Commissioner McKee said yes 4 Commissioner Dorosin noted that there are additional costs outside of the bid that are 5 part of project. 6 7 VOTE: UNANIMOUS 8 9 b. Solid Waste Service Tax District for Recycling 10 The Board discussed issues surrounding the establishment of a Solid Waste Service 11 Tax District to fund the rural curbside /roadside recycling collection service, including information 12 received during two Public Hearings, and to decide the method of funding for this County 13 provided program. 14 Gayle Wilson reviewed the background information from the abstract and said the Board 15 of Commissioners has investigated various options to replace the previously eliminated rural 3- 16 R fee over the past year and a half. He said the Board expressed interest in a solid waste 17 district, and two public hearings have been held to discuss this. He said there is currently no 18 funding provided for continuation of the curbside recycling program for 2014/2015. He said an 19 alternate opt in program has also been discussed. 20 Michael Talbert said the County has already held two public hearings. He said the 21 financial impact of moving forward with a tax district would be 1.5 cents on the tax rate for about 22 20,000 parcels. He said this would raise the revenue to provide service for everyone in the 23 district. 24 Michael Talbert said the Board has already looked at a franchise tax and subscription 25 service but voted on the intent to move forward with a service tax district. He said time is 26 running out, and if the Board does not do this tonight, the option would need to be abandoned 27 for at least another year. 28 29 PUBLIC COMMENT 30 Bonnie Hauser thanked the Board for listening to the public comment and opposition to 31 this service district tax. She said the problem is not the tax, but the service model. She said 32 the County needs to find a fair and effective way to provide a choice of curbside or convenience 33 center services to the community. She said part of the solution could lie with the towns, 34 especially for suburban communities in the ETJ, and that is why the towns need to be part of 35 the discussion. She said the curbside tax discussion did not address the growing concern over 36 the County's convenience center and recycling fees, which have tripled over the last few years. 37 She said, even with the increase, the fees do not cover the cost of County services, which rely 38 on sizeable subsidies from the general fund. She asked the Board to consider finding a simple 39 way to fund rural curbside recycling for the short term. She asked the Board to start a work 40 group of professionals and citizens to explore services, costs and fees for trash and recycling 41 services. She would like to see the program enhanced with composting and other services. 42 She said fees should be simplified to be made transparent. She asked for exploration of ways 43 to fund services without subsidies from the general fund. She asked for a halt on capital 44 spending for convenience centers and roll carts until a plan for the future is made. 45 Chair Jacobs said the Board appreciated the level of public comment through emails 46 and public hearings. He said the Board has worked hard to create avenues for exchange of 47 information through the hiring of a public affairs officer, email, website improvements, and the 48 future move to a cable ready meeting room in Hillsborough.