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'*Orange Water and Sewer Authority <br /> February 11,1999 <br /> Page 15 <br /> William Strom said he does not understand why the Town of Hillsborough is not required to get <br /> approvals when OWASA is required to get approvals. Mr.Strom said the agreement is important <br /> enough to move toward signing it and hope that the Town of Hillsborough can be convinced to join. <br /> Peter Gordon said it does not make sense for OWASA to sign the agreement if the Town of <br /> Hillsborough does not sign it. Dr.Gordon said exactly the same provisions should not apply to both <br /> OWASA and the Town of Hillsborough. OWASA's long-term interest area should be recognized by <br /> the Town of Hillsborough and, if not, Peter Gordon said he wonders about the value of the <br /> agreement, <br /> Bernadette Pelissier asked If the Town of Hillsborough definitively said they would not sign <br /> the agreement and Ms. Pelissier also asked whaftheir objections are. It is probably related to the <br /> fact that the,Town of Hillsborough does not have a joint planning agreement and that the Town of <br /> Carrboro ,Town of Chapel Hilt,and Orange County do have joint planning agreements. If OWASA <br /> does not sign the agreement, it will not help the larger issue of the Town of Hillsborough's lack of <br /> participation. <br /> Patrick Davis said if the Town of Hillsborough is not a party to the agreement, there is a <br /> significant hole that relates to the integrity of the rural buffer concept that could present a problem <br /> In terms of the joint planning agreement. Mr. Davis said it is his opinion that if the Town of <br /> Hillsborough decides not to participate in the agreement then that is sufficient reason for OWASA <br /> -not to participate in an agreement of this nature that is designed to formalize OWASA's retail <br /> service extension policies relative to the land use planning efforts of joint planning parties. Patrick' <br /> Davis said the Town of Hillsborough's interest is to have a common boundary line established which <br /> they reviewed some time ago. The -agreement has expanded at this point and the Town of <br /> Hillsborough has not expressed much interest. Mr.Davis said staff of the Town of Hillsborough said <br /> they would be inclined to recommend that the Town of Hillsborough not sign the agreement the way <br /> it has been structured. The Town of Hillsborough's specific concerns have not been formalized in <br /> writing. Patrick Davis said there is strong benefit for OWASA to formalize its commitment to be <br /> cooperative with the local governments in its service area. <br /> Alan Rimer said his concern is that a neighboring community may choose to extend services <br /> into an area that the group believes should not be served. There is precedent for that In the past. <br /> Mr.Rimer said he is concerned that the Town of Hillsborough is not at the table and they may have <br /> designs on the rural buffer where OWASA cannot extend service. Mr. Rimer said he would like <br /> assurances that will not.happen and the agreement should be tailored accordingly. OWASA should <br /> strive to rind a way.to work towards a consensus and make it an agreement that the Town of <br /> Hillsborough will sign. Alan Rimer said it is critical that the Town of Hillsborough comes back to the <br /> table in order for it to be a working agreement. <br /> William-Strom said OWASA can only be responsible for its own actions and .there are <br /> significant benefits for OWASA to sign the agreement» Mr. Strom said it behooves OWASA to <br /> support the rural buffer, to support the agreement, and to support OWASA's constituent <br /> governments by indicating willingness to sign the agreement. <br /> Susannah Holloway asked if the agreements could be bifurcated. For instance,, an <br /> agreement with the Town of Hillsborough regarding the boundary and an agreement for all the other <br /> items. Patrick Davis said in previous years that he and Barry Jacobs proposed a phase I service area <br /> boundary agreement with the Town of Hillsborough because the Task Force had a commitment for <br /> agreement on the boundary line. The Task Force overruled it because the majority of the members <br /> wanted to tackle all rite issues together. <br /> Williant Stront said the December 14, 1994 document from Moses Carey makes approval of <br /> tite boundaries contingent upon rite subsequent agreements. Patrick Davis said that was the Task <br /> 10. 27 <br />