Orange County NC Website
19 <br /> 1 Amy Eckberg said she hopes to do this at Breeze Farms and said that farmers would <br /> 2 like to learn about new technology that could be helpful. She said farmers mentioned learning <br /> 3 more about sustainable farming practices. <br /> 4 Commissioner Fowler asked if there are particular crops that work best in these <br /> 5 conditions. <br /> 6 Amy Eckberg said there has been a lot of research on that question and they are getting <br /> 7 feedback on it. She said that the solar panels will help provide a level of shade and moisture as <br /> 8 temperatures continue to increase with climate change. <br /> 9 Commissioner Richards asked where they provide for funding in the climate action plan. <br /> 10 Amy Eckberg said she anticipates there will be more input on the budget next year after <br /> 11 the survey closes. <br /> 12 Commissioner Richards asked how many EVs are in the fleet. <br /> 13 Amy Eckbert said there are three and 10 more will be ordered. <br /> 14 Commissioner Richards asked if there is a plan to do a certain number per year. She <br /> 15 asked if it's the practice to lease and then buy vehicles. <br /> 16 Robert Williams said there is a plan to phase in additional vehicles, but they want the <br /> 17 infrastructure first to understand the capacity. He said it's case by case, but it's not the standard <br /> 18 practice. <br /> 19 Travis Myren said there was a special incentive at the time for leases, but it is no longer <br /> 20 available, so rather than buy or lease new vehicles, the recommendation is to buy out the <br /> 21 leases. <br /> 22 Commissioner Hamilton asked if the $312,000 sustainability fund would be a pay-as- <br /> 23 you-go funding source. <br /> 24 Kirk Vaughn said sustainability is financed by debt in the first five years and as more <br /> 25 capacity is built they hope to transition it to county-funded pay-go. They do not have the grant in <br /> 26 the project, but will do a budget amendment as they come in. <br /> 27 Commissioner Hamilton asked if the county match will come from borrowed money and <br /> 28 is under the category for tax-supported debt-financing. <br /> 29 Kirk Vaughn said yes. <br /> 30 Vice-Chair McKee asked if because it is pay-as-you-go tax-supported if there have been <br /> 31 numbers run for what the tax impact will be. <br /> 32 Kirk Vaugn said natural growth picks up the pay-go and no tax increase is projected. He <br /> 33 said that as the county does more pay-as-you-go, they will be saving the county but paying up <br /> 34 front. <br /> 35 Travis Myren said the pay-go increases are built into the debt model, so no tax increases <br /> 36 are projected. <br /> 37 <br /> 38 <br />