Orange County NC Website
14 <br /> 1 Danny Rogers said the current stop point of beginning the engineering process by <br /> 2 February, is firm. He said if it does not begin, the project falls out of the program. He said if <br /> 3 the project is not ready with information or commitments to submit for the President's budget in <br /> 4 June 2018, the project will not drop out of the New Starts program, but will be delayed a year. <br /> 5 Chair McKee said his concern is receiving approval in April 2017 means a $60-70 million <br /> 6 jump to move forward, and that they may get further in the process, and then find other <br /> 7 surprises. He said all of this money may be spent, without getting through the project. <br /> 8 Danny Rogers said entering into the contract in April means the pace of spending will <br /> 9 increase each month. He said it does not mean $60-70 million will be spent, and there is a <br /> 10 termination for convenience that will be included in the contract. He said a higher rate will be <br /> 11 spent per month, and it is important to continue their side of the unknown of this equation to be <br /> 12 more comfortable that GoTriangle can do its part. <br /> 13 Council Member Palmer said a lot of money and energy has been expended to get to <br /> 14 this point, and putting the breaks on a project, that will move our region into a greener and more <br /> 15 connected future that facilitates job development, due to changes at the state and federal level <br /> 16 is counter productive to the region's own interests. She said it must be determined if the project <br /> 17 can move forward or if the vision should be abandoned. She asked if the reimbursement <br /> 18 amount, which would be forfeited by not moving forward, could be identified. <br /> 19 Danny Rogers said it depends on how much is spent in that gap time, and how long it <br /> 20 takes to get back into the program. He said hundreds of thousands of dollars would need to be <br /> 21 spent on a monthly basis to get back into the program, and the biggest cost would be the one <br /> 22 year delay. <br /> 23 Council Member Parker said there have been questions about the sales tax growth <br /> 24 rates, and the numbers used in the presentation tonight are the 2014 numbers. He asked if <br /> 25 newer sales tax projections are considered, what is the magnitude of the gap. <br /> 26 Danny Rogers said a work has been procured from Moody's to put together growth <br /> 27 rates for their sales tax. He said Orange County's numbers are lower than 2014, and Durham's <br /> 28 was about the same. He said the $200 million is what is currently expected. <br /> 29 Council Member Parker said come April more commitment and funds will be needed. <br /> 30 He asked if more specific financial information is anticipated between now and April, such that <br /> 31 the financial situation will become clearer, and the plug can be pulled if necessary, or is it full <br /> 32 steam ahead at this point. <br /> 33 Danny Rogers said the point of the checkpoints is to be able to stop and review at each <br /> 34 step in the process. <br /> 35 Alderman Seils asked if their expectations of the Metropolitan Planning Organization <br /> 36 (MPO) could be outlined. <br /> 37 Danny Rogers said they are asking the MPO for permission to show in the plan that <br /> 38 additional local revenue will be put into the plan. <br /> 39 Alderman Seils clarified that the Counties and the MPO are being asked to buy the <br /> 40 project time in order to get into the engineering phase of the project, and figure out the specific <br /> 41 financials. <br /> 42 Danny Rogers said it is permission to say it is going to be done, permission to find out <br /> 43 how it is going to be done and doing it committing the actual funds later. <br /> 44 Alderman Seils said this process has been known all along, and the steps are of no <br /> 45 surprise. He said the expenditures, up to this point being eligible for reimbursement, are <br /> 46 something he spoke of in front of the Board of County Commissioners in 2012, and he said it is <br /> 47 important to stay in the program to be eligible. <br /> 48 Mayor Lavelle said the voters voted for light rail, and having a few more months to feel <br /> 49 more grounded is reasonable. <br />