Agenda - 11-13-2018 8-a - Minutes

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26 1 We need your help to assure that everyone can GoForward with confidence. 2 3 Thank you 4 5 Cheri Hardman said she is responding to the rail operations maintenance facility and its 6 proximity to her neighborhood. She said Durham County has much of the burden for this 7 project, and there is complete uncertainty at the State and Federal level. She said she is not in 8 support of light rail, and its negative environmental effects. She thinks the site is poorly chosen, 9 especially as it relates to Interstate 40. She said there are many naysayers surrounding this 10 project, which leads it to a large responsibility being placed on Orange and Durham counties. 11 Commissioner Marcoplos said there is concern that the light rail (LRT) project is 12 preventing other transit projects from coming to fruition. He said the transit taxes have paid for 13 other transit projects, and asked if this information is specified on the GoForward website. 14 John Tallmadge said anyone can find the transit plans and fund allocations on line. He 15 said he believes the annual reports are also available. 16 Commissioner Marcoplos said it would be great to make that information front and 17 center. He said there will be an Amtrak station in Hillsborough soon funded by transit tax 18 money. 19 Commissioner Burroughs said she does this commute daily, and she knows exactly at 20 which point her commute will slow down. She said this increasingly sluggish commute was 21 predicted, and the predictions have been spot on, and she appreciated the work of GoTriangle, 22 Orange County and Durham. 23 Commissioner McKee said light rail is burning up more than the majority of the ½ cent 24 sales tax revenue, and he is curious about how many buses will be needed through 2062, and 25 how much would be paid for through this sales tax. He said he anticipates a minute amount of 26 these necessary buses will be paid for by this sales tax. 27 Commissioner Rich asked if the appropriate website for further information could be 28 identified. 29 John Tallmadge said it is www.gotriangle.org/lightrail 30 Commissioner Rich said she frequently hears that the County is ignoring the cost of the 31 debt service, but she disagrees. She said the word “ignore” does not fit the conversation, as all 32 are aware that the debt service is present. 33 Commissioner Rich asked Travis Myren to drive the public to the website, to coordinate 34 answers, and put the information on the GoTriangle website. 35 36 8. Consent Agenda 37 38 • Removal of Any Items from Consent Agenda 39 40 • Approval of Remaining Consent Agenda 41 42 A motion was made by Commissioner Burroughs, seconded by Commissioner McKee to 43 approve the remaining items on the agenda. 44 45 VOTE: UNANIMOUS 46 47 • Discussion and Approval of the Items Removed from the Consent Agenda 48 49 a. Minutes 50