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are mobility challenged and hauling a loaded ninety-five gallon recycling bin to the roadside <br /> would be a strain and a difficult task. He said everyone has a mail box at the road side but not <br /> everyone has a good location to place a ninety-five gallon bin at the road side. He referenced <br /> his own property having a forty-five degree slope and being unable to accommodate a bin. He <br /> said other residents have long, gravel or dirt driveways that make the large bin difficult to <br /> move. He said the current practice of taking manageable sized containers to the Convenience <br /> Centers has worked well. He said the residents travel to do all their daily activities, and <br /> stopping at the Convenience Center is just another item on their list. He said the potential <br /> reduction in services to consolidate services only at Walnut Grove and the Eubanks Center <br /> would be a great inconvenience. He said the current Orange County recycling rates of sixty- <br /> four percent are the best in the State, and he sees no need to change something that is <br /> working. He said he would rather see outlying Convenience Centers supported. He said <br /> instead of gold plating the Eubanks Center the County should make better use of the funds by <br /> making improvements to the Centers. He said Orange Public Transit is going to expand <br /> services to Efland, Cedar Grove and Little River. He said it would be nice to have bus stop <br /> signs and rudimentary shelters instead of building a massive upgrade to the Eubanks Center. <br /> He said it is important to consider the impact of decisions. He said the needs of the Solid <br /> Waste Department are being served and not those of the rural seniors. <br /> Chair McKee said the Board normally does not respond to public comments but will do <br /> so this time as they have heard comments similar to Mr. Castro's several times. He said he felt <br /> it is important to take time to address the concerns. <br /> Commissioner Jacobs said the BOCC worked extensively with staff to make sure <br /> residents can still use their small recycling bins instead of the larger bins. <br /> Gayle Wilson said as they implement the program, in the areas not served by curbside <br /> recycling, a survey or two will be conducted to see what type of bin residents would prefer. He <br /> said those residents preferring smaller bins that can be placed in a vehicle and driven to the <br /> road way may certainly receive them. He said it is not mandatory to recycle, but staff would <br /> encourage everyone to do so. <br /> Gayle Wilson said for those that qualify for the handicapped program, the staff will <br /> continue to come to the home to retrieve the recycling. He said the resident would not have to <br /> bring anything to the end of their driveways. <br /> Chair McKee said the fee is a combined one for curbside service and the Convenience <br /> Centers. He said the recycling fee has been discontinued for the past two years. He said this <br /> fee is a reinstatement of the previously discontinued one, and for those who were already on a <br /> route the fee is a modest increase. For those who were not on a route, he recognizes the fee <br /> is a bit more of an increase. Chair McKee reiterated that the BOCC usually does not respond <br /> to public comments, but as there is a vote on this issue this evening, the questions should be <br /> answered. <br /> Norma White said she is here to speak on the behalf of the rural seniors. She said five <br /> out of the seven townships are rural: Little River, Cedar Grove, Cheeks, Eno and Bingham. <br /> She said roughly twelve to thirteen percent of the population of these townships is seniors over <br /> the age of 65. She said they number about 4000, according to the 2010 census. She said the <br /> number of seniors in all of Orange County number about 16,000, so the seniors in rural <br /> townships constitute about twenty-five percent of all seniors in the County. She said seniors <br /> are aging in place in their townships. She said the numbers will only increase by the next <br /> census, five years away. She said seniors are trying to stay put in their homes, and this <br /> practice should be supported when possible. She said the given rural condition is gravel <br /> driveways from the homes to the main roads. She said moving any rolled item over such a <br /> surface is difficult. She said she is glad to hear that, for those who qualify for the handicapped <br /> program, staff will come to their homes. However, those over 65 years of age in the rural <br />