Agenda - 06-26-1995 - VIII-G - Laserfiche WebLink

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1 2 r reflect adjustments in the focus of the some areas of the project and to provide for the additional four years of funding. The level of funding for Phase II of the project remained essentially unchanged from Phase I funding levels. The project' s steering committee, which is comprised of representatives of the participating agencies, has' now identified additional monitoring, data collection and evaluation goals and needs. The steering committee has recommended that the project be extended for four additional years to address those goals and needs. To date, most of the agencies that have been involved in the monitoring project have agreed to extend the project into a third phase and have adopted the necessary amendment to the interlocal agreement. One major exception to this is the City of Raleigh. As the entity paying greatest portion of the cost of the monitoring program, Raleigh has proposed that the program be drastically modified to save costs. The other participants have reviewed and rejected Raleigh' s proposal as inadequate, and it now appears that Raleigh may decline to continue its participation in the project. The project steering committee has developed two project work plans, one including Raleigh' s financial participation and monitoring sites of interest to Raleigh and one without either. The cost to the entities continuing with the project is the same under either scenario. Although the attachments to the enclosed Interlocal Agreement show Orange County' s funding contributions to be $3320 per year, the County' s actual cost is $2740 per year. The remaining $580 has, in the past, been paid by the Orange-Alamance Water System. This arrangement is expected to continue. The real net cost of the monitoring project to Orange County is significantly less than the $2740 figure. This is because the costs for the operation and maintenance of the Hillsborough stream flow monitoring gauge (except for the costs of the telemetry which are paid separately) are included in COG project. Prior to the Water Quality Monitoring Project, Orange County paid approximately $3000 per year in gage maintenance and operating costs directly to the USGS. Upon termination of the monitoring project, or Orange County' s participation in it, the cost of operating the gauge will revert to the County. The County will be required to provide funds for operating the gage as its operation is a necessary component of the County' s responsibilities as outlined under the Eno River Capacity Use Agreement. The funds for Orange County's participation in this project have been included in the 1995-96 Budget. RECOIrMNDATION(S) : The Manager recommends the BOCC approve the Amendment to Interlocal Agreement and County' s continued participation in the Water Quality Monitoring Project for four more years.