Orange County NC Website
14 <br /> <br />Lake watershed. Partners have negotiated a new Memorandum of Agreement defining the <br />terms of this regional effort, which is presented for the BOCC’s consideration. <br /> <br />All parties, with the exception of Orange County, have already approved the MOA, including two <br />Orange County partners, Hillsborough and OWASA. <br /> <br />Commissioner Marcoplos said he appreciated this information being shared tonight, and <br />he is satisfied that this is a transparent issue. He said he noticed that Wake County transferred <br />its Jordan Lake allocation to Cary, and did not become part of this agreement, despite other <br />municipalities in Wake County becoming part of the agreement. He said Hillsborough, <br />Carrboro, and Chapel Hill are party to the agreement through OWASA, and asked if there is <br />anything for Orange County to get out of, or contribute to, the agreement. He said it looks like <br />Wake County is neither getting in the way of, nor contributing to, all the municipalities being <br />involved. <br />Craig Benedict said there is a complex background as to where water supplies come <br />from beyond Jordan Lake. He said Wake County has opted to use some of its other water <br />supplies that are available. He said part of the year and a half period that occurred, prior to the <br />allocation process, was trying to sort out the viability of existing water resources and quantities <br />from other lakes in the area, and how Wake County and Raleigh fit into the program. He said <br />all the partners in the program thought it best for Wake County to give its allocation directly to <br />the municipalities. He said he understands that this is a bigger issue than just Jordan Lake, <br />and Orange County is the only entity without a water treatment facility. He said he thinks the <br />County was forward looking by being involved, and it preserves its allocation for the future for <br />specific growth areas that are anticipated. <br />Commissioner Marcoplos said he now has a greater understanding, and the County has <br />a reserved chip that it can play at a later time, if necessary. <br />Commissioner Jacobs said Orange County has been paying for its allocation since he <br />has been on the Board. He said Hillsborough stopped paying but when it needed water, its <br />allocation was granted back. He said the County has continued to pay for its allocation, even <br />through periods of recession, in order to have it as a bargaining chip. <br /> <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Marcoplos, seconded by Commissioner Jacobs <br />for the Board to: <br /> <br />1. Approve and authorize the Manager to sign the attached TWSP MOA, or a substantially <br />similar version, and to provide such notices and take such actions as the MOA <br />contemplates; <br />2. Authorize the County Manager to designate specific County Staff as a Representative <br />and Alternate Representatives to the TWSP, as deemed necessary, consistent with <br />section 4 of the MOA; and <br />3. Authorize the payment of cost shares, as determined by the TWSP and as approved by <br />the BOCC in the Orange County annual budget. <br /> <br />VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br /> <br />d. Orange County’s Recommendations Regarding Items Proposed for Inclusion in <br />the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners’ (NCACC) 2019-2020 <br />Federal Legislative Agenda