Agenda - 04-01-2008-5a - Laserfiche WebLink

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0 This represents a problem on several fronts. According to the Budget Director, the County's outstanding and near term allocated debt capacity is maxed out through the 2009/2010 fiscal years. She also indicated that the County could "loan" itself sufficient funds to complete the project near the end of FY 2010/2011, a strategy made practicable given the fact that we will not be able to begin the process to actually start construction on the project until August 2009. The progress of the project should follow the following outline: • The County must hold a public hearing that has been advertised for at least two weeks on the draft Engineer's report. • The BOCC will have the draft report well ahead of the public hearing and must determine whether to pursue the entirety of the central Efland and the northern Buckhorn Community sewer expansion project; adopt a strategy that breaks down the overall project into several smaller projects funded and constructed over an extended period of time; or adopt some other strategy to move the project forward. It is critical to note here that the scope of the project shown in the Engineer's Report and submitted, reviewed and approved by all of the approval agencies (NC Construction Loans and Grants Section, the EPA, Corps of Engineer's, etc., must be constructed in its entirety as shown in the Engineer's Report. • The Engineer's report is submitted to the NC Construction Loans and Grants Section, which will review the documents and make a recommendation as to whether the project requires the preparation and submittal of additional environmental documents (an Environmental Assessment [EA] or Environmental Impact Statement [EIS]) or receives a "Categorical Exclusion" meaning that no additional environmental documents have to be prepared. ® NC Construction Loans and Grants Section, upon completing its review, will submit the Engineer's report along with its own findings and recommendation to the US Army Corps of Engineers, the US Fish and Wildlife Agency and the NC Office of Cultural Resources for their independent review and comment. ® Assuming that these agencies concur with the finding for a Categorical Exclusion, their findings and comments, along with the Engineer's Report, will be submitted to the EPA for its review and release of the STAG funds. • The County will secure the necessary railroad right of way • Once the Construction Loans and Grants Section makes its findings on the Engineer's Report and all necessary changes made and questions addressed, the Consulting Engineer will submit the completed plans and specifications. • When the plans and specifications have been reviewed/revised, if required, and approved, the Construction Loans and Grants Section will authorize the County to advertise the project for bids as soon as EPA approval of the Engineer's Report is given. • The project will be advertised for approximately six weeks, then bids will be taken. ® The bids will be evaluated by staff and submitted to the BOCC for its approval. • The County Attorney and the EPA will review and approve the construction contract and a Notice to Proceed will be issued. • The construction project will commence and will take some 18 to 24 months to complete.