Agenda - 10-17-2017 - 8-a - Minutes

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19 1 - Buckhorn EDD— he said he thinks it is critical to push this forward as fast as possible, 2 and infrastructure in this area is vital. 3 - Eno EDD— he said it is unclear what is needed and wanted here, and this is not ready 4 to proceed. 5 - Town of Carrboro- Light Industry/Flex Park- he said the BOCC received a presentation 6 last fall on this item, and has heard little since. He said there needs to be more of a 7 public conversation on this item. 8 9 Commissioner Jacobs agreed with Commissioner McKee's prioritizations, and he is 10 disappointed in the Carrboro project, finding the way that it has come forward to be 11 disrespectful. He said there has never been a public hearing on this project, which is 12 disrespectful to the public. He said the lack of a collaborative process is not good, and it has 13 been a year since the joint entities discussed this and asked questions, with no response from 14 Carrboro on anything. He reviewed minutes from the October 16th 2016 joint meeting with 15 Carrboro, and said the Town has completely failed to respond to any of the BOCC's concerns 16 and questions. 17 Commissioner Jacobs said the Town of Carrboro blew off Orange County, and he will 18 never support this project until the BOCC receives responses to their questions, and the public 19 is informed. He said he is disappointed that this project was even allowed to be included in 20 these proposals. He said the BOCC represents the residents in this area, not Carrboro. 21 Commissioner Burroughs said she is torn with the Carrboro project, and one of her 22 concerns is that she is not sure this is a viable application since you have to have funds in hand 23 as a match, and the USDA funding decision may not come forward until December. 24 Bonnie Hammersley said she brought this project forward as a courtesy to the Town of 25 Carrboro and for her to have stopped it at her desk would not have been the right thing to do, 26 and thus it was brought forward to the Board of County Commissioners. 27 Commissioner Marcoplos said he agreed with Commissioner McKee's assessment, and 28 the Buckhorn EDD is a promising place to provide jobs, and should be looked as often as 29 possible. He said this is the first time he was involved in this process, but he did hear the 30 proposal from Carrboro last year, which could be a good project; but the community has not 31 been involved like it should be. He said the BOCC has a responsibility to the residents in that 32 area. He said he hopes the details will be pursued, but the project does not seem ready at this 33 time. 34 Commissioner Price said there is a difference in the minimum for the Buckhorn EDD 35 and the Carrboro project, and asked if this matters should the BOCC decide to swap out the 36 Carrboro project for the Buckhorn EDD. 37 Bonnie Hammersley said they would have to back in to the $820,000. 38 Chair Dorosin said they would submit less than the minimum that is listed. 39 Commissioner Price asked if this would work with $820,000. 40 Steve Brantley said Carrboro's estimate for total cost was $1.5 million, and he said the 41 original request by the Town was $1.25 million. He said when the Manager's office, and the 42 Economic Development Department, reviewed all five projects; the final recommendation was 43 to include the Carrboro proposal at $820,000. 44 Chair Dorosin said the question is if Buckhorn EDD is put in, and there is only $820,000 45 left, does this affect the proposal. 46 Bonnie Hammersley said it would not, and there are Article 46 monies allocated to that 47 EDD. 48 Commissioner Rich asked if this does get switched out, Carrboro can apply to the 49 County for Article 46 funds.