Minutes 09-04-2025-Business Meeting

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31 VOTE: UNANIMOUS Commissioner Greene requested that Roger Waldon, Kevin Foy, and Barry Jacobs be asked to attend the work session on September 9 since they were part of the original plan. Cy Stober said they would reach out. The Board began considering the budget as proposed in the agenda materials. Applied Resource Management (ARM) — For groundwater hydrology and community well expertise. To include meeting preparation, attendance, and presentation - $2,250 Chair Bedford asked what a civil engineer does. She noted related to the budget item, that Tony Whitaker from Civil Consultants offered to provide information pro-bono. Cy Stober said a civil engineering is a discipline that integrates mathematics, physics, and in this case, chemistry. He said civil engineers build the world around us and the infrastructure we rely on in daily life. He said they are governed by administrative code that determines their ethics and professional standards. He said the septic systems in question are for 3,000 gallons per day of wastewater, or more community septic systems. He said they felt they needed someone with experience designing, managing, and permitting those systems. He said Mr. Whitaker had that experience and has served on the Board of Health. He said Mr. Cornett with Applied Resource Management has worked with Mr. Whitaker on other projects. He said a professional geologist can speak to the hydrology and the complex needs of Piedmont bedrock. He said Mr. Cornett comes highly recommended. Chair Bedford said those two presenters sound good to her. She asked if they should vote on each budget item separately. Commissioner McKee said he would prefer one at a time. Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked for clarification on who would be paid to speak to the Board. Chair Bedford said Tony Whitaker would not charge a fee. Commissioner Fowler said two people will provide information, one who will be paid and one who will not. Commissioner McKee made a motion to approve a budget of $2,250 for Applied Research Systems to provide a presentation to the Board. Commissioner Greene seconded the motion. Vice-Chair Hamilton said she shares concerns that Applied Resource Management is a provider that installs these systems, and it may affect how they look at these things. She said she had concerns that they would not get an independent opinion. She said even with the best intentions, that perspective can skew things. She said that she would prefer someone completely independent. Commissioner Fowler said it would be difficult to find that person. She said it would have to be from a university, and no one is going to be trained in this and not working in it. She said that she trusts Tony Whittaker, but it sounds like he feels limited on what he could provide. She said they have different expertise. Cy Stober said Tony Whitaker's expertise is wastewater, and it's very different. Commissioner Carter asked if getting the experience from the Briar Chapel community septic system in Chatham County would be helpful. She noted they'd had some issues. Cy Stober said he had spoken with the Chatham Planning Director regarding this issue. He said that Briar Chapel's situation was called a package plant, which is different from a community septic system. He said based on previous feedback they removed package plants as a solution for wastewater treatment.