Orange County Board of Commissioners Meeting Agenda

Regular Meeting
Thursday, November 15, 2007
7:30 p.m.
Southern Human Services Center
2501 Homestead Road
Chapel Hill, NC

Note: Background Material on all abstracts available in the Clerk's Office

COMPLIANCE WITH THE "AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT" - Interpreter services and/or special sound equipment are available with prior notice. If you need this assistance, call the County Clerk's office at 732-8181, ext. 2130. If you are disabled and need assistance, contact the ADA Coordinator at extension 2300 or TDD# 644-3045.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON AGENDA ITEMS - is available in the Clerk's office and complete copies of agenda material are located at the Orange County Library in Hillsborough and the Chapel Hill Library in Chapel Hill.

1. Additions or Changes to the Agenda

PUBLIC CHARGE

The Board of Commissioners pledges to the citizens of Orange County its respect. The Board asks its citizens to conduct themselves in a respectful, courteous manner, both with the Board and with fellow citizens. At any time should any member of the Board or any citizen fail to observe this public charge, the Chair will ask the offending person to leave the meeting until that individual regains personal control. Should decorum fail to be restored, the Chair will recess the meeting until such time that a genuine commitment to this public charge is observed. All electronic devices such as cell phones, pagers, and computers should please be turned off or set to silent/vibrate.

2. Public Comments

(We would appreciate you signing the pad ahead of time so that you are not overlooked.)

a. Matters not on the Printed Agenda

b. Matters on the Printed Agenda

(These matters will be considered when the Board addresses that item on the agenda below.)

3. Proclamations/ Resolutions/ Special Presentations

4. Consent Agenda

a. Minutes - None

b. Appointments - None

c. Approval of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle (3R) Financial Assistance Program Policy

The Board will consider approving a revised 3R (Waste Reduction, Recycle and Reuse) Assistance Program Policy to align the qualifications requirement with the new State Homestead Exemption income standards.

d. Motor Vehicle Property Tax Release/Refunds

The Board will consider adoption of a refund resolution related to 40 requests for motor vehicle property tax releases or refunds in accordance with North Carolina General Statutes.

e. Contract Approval: Construction Materials Testing and Observation Services for Solid Waste Operations Center Project

The Board will consider approving a contract with Summit Engineering, Hillsborough, North Carolina to perform construction materials testing and construction observation in conjunction with the Solid Waste Operations Center Project and authorize the Manager to sign.

f. Fiscal Year 2007-08 Budget Amendment #4

The Board will consider approving budget ordinance amendments for fiscal year 2007-08.

g. Approval of Annual Budget Request Process for County Financial Support to Human Services Related Agencies

The Board will consider approving changes in the annual budget request process for Human Services related outside agencies requesting County financial support.

h. e-NC Capital Expenditure Grant for Qualified PEG Channels

The Board will consider authorizing a request to submit a grant application in the amount of $3,950 to the e-NC Authority for the purchase of capital equipment needed to produce and program local content on the Orange County government access Channel 265 and authorize the Manager to sign.

i. Proposed Revision to Representation on the Human Services Advisory Commission (HSAC)

The Board will consider proposed revision to representation on the Human Services Advisory Commission.

j. Final Report of the Cable Television Advisory Committee

The Board will receive the final report of the Cable Television Advisory Committee and consider its recommendations, including a sunset of the existing committee and suggestions for a future committee.

k. 2007-2008 Small Business and Technology Development Center (SBTDC) Contract Renewal

The Board will consider renewal of a contract with SBTDC to continue support of small business development services for Orange County, as stated in the Economic Development Strategic Plan adopted May 14, 1996, and reaffirmed by the Economic Development Commission in its new strategic plan, Investing in Innovation: 2005-2010 and authorize the Manager and the Clerk to execute the contract.

5. Public Hearings

a. Animal Ordinance Civil Penalty and Fee Increases

The Board will conduct a public hearing regarding the proposed amendments to the County's Animal Ordinance and consider approving the proposed amendments.

b. 2008-2018 Capital Investment Plan (CIP) Public Hearing

The Board will conduct a public hearing to receive public comments regarding the County Manager's Recommended 2008-2018 Capital Investment Plan (CIP) for County and school projects.

6. Closed Session

"To discuss the County's position and to instruct the County Manager and County Attorney on the negotiating position regarding the terms of a contract to purchase real property," NCGS § 143-318.11(a)(5).

"To discuss matters related to the location of businesses in the County," NCGS § 143-318.11(a)(4).

7. Regular Agenda

a. West Ten Soccer Center Master Plan

The Board will review the current adopted master plan for West Ten Soccer Center, and consider possible future facilities for addition to the master plan.

b. Process to Determine Alternate Sites for a Solid Waste Transfer Station

8. Reports

9. Board Comments

10. County Manager's Report

11. Appointments

a. Arts Commission - New Appointment

The Board will consider making a new appointment to the Arts Commission.

b. Carrboro Board of Adjustment - New Appointment

The Board will consider making a new appointment to the Carrboro Board of Adjustment.

c. Commission for Women - New Appointments

The Board will consider making new appointments to the Commission for Women.

d. Local Revenue Options Education Advisory Committee

The Board will consider making appointments to the Local Revenue Options Education Advisory Committee.

12. Information Items

13. Adjournment

Orange County water supply reservoir water levels

Available information as of 4:00 PM, Thursday, November 8, 2007

Lake Orange

Water level is 89.0" below spilling, and this initiates Stage 5 Eno restrictions, no release for instream flow.
Water storage capacity remaining is 40.3% (191 million gallons)
Approximately 73 days of water supply remaining (at Capacity Use specified release rate)
Current Eno River flow at the Hillsborough gage is 2.2 cfs (1.42 mgd). This is approximately 1.2 cfs above minimum flow required by the Eno River Capacity Use Agreement (with only 1.0 cfs from Hillsborough), but well below the median flow for this time of year.
Stage 5 Eno River Capacity Use withdrawal restrictions came into effect today.
Orange Alamance has resumed operating their water plant again with projected withdrawals of 300,000 gallons per day, each Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

West Fork Reservoir (as of 11/8/07)

Water level is 74" below spilling
Water storage capacity remaining is 60.7%
Approximately 216 days of water supply remaining (assuming Town's current release rate (reduced now to 3.0 cfs, 1.94 mgd).
Since 9/11/07, the Town has been releasing a level of flow into the river well in excess of its minimum instream flow release.
As of 10/22/07, the Town's water customers are in Stage I - voluntary water restrictions. .

OWASA Reservoirs

Water level at Cane Creek Reservoir is 133.8" below full
Water level at University Lake is 83.0" below full
Total remaining water storage capacity is approximately 50.7 %
Approximately 217 days of water supply remaining (at current 30-day average daily demand [8.3 million gallons per day])
On October 18, 2007 OWASA (followed by the local governments having civil jurisdiction over OWASA customers) downgraded its water supply condition and enacted its "Stage II Water Shortage" restrictions, a mandatory regulation of uses of water considered extraneous which will be in effect until terminated. Stage II provisions add additional restrictions to those of Stage I, including increased commodity surcharges to water use in excess of specified flows (800 gallons per day residential, no spray irrigation except for those selling plants, only commercial vehicle washing operations where 50% of water used is recycled.

National Weather Service/NOAA Regional Precipitation data (as of 11/6/2007)

(inches above [+] or below [-] normal)

RDU Piedmont-Triad

-1.15" since September 1, 2007 -0.64" since September 1, 2007

-6.75" since January 1, 2007 -10.24" since January 1, 2007

Miscellaneous notes

1. Please note that the rainfall deficits noted above show only deficits from January 2007, and do not reflect deficits that remained at the end of preceding years. USGS ground water specialists and hydrogeologists speculated at a meeting last week that North Carolina as a whole needs 30 to 40" of rainfall by April 2008 to break the drought.

2. The NC Drought Management Advisory Council drought map, updated November 6, 2007, shows that the southern half of Orange County is within the area characterized as experiencing "extreme drought" (the second-most severe drought classification used), while the northern portion of the County is classified as experiencing "severe drought" (the third-most severe drought classification used).

3. Given that: 1) Orange Alamance's withdrawals are now averaging well below historical levels (approximately 130,000 gallons per day); 2) Piedmont Minerals withdrawals are but a tiny fraction of its historical levels of withdrawal; and 3) Hillsborough has been releasing well above its minimum required release, the water level at Lake Orange - though quite low - is well above what might be expected with the current drought situation.