Minutes - Oct. 15, 2012 Regular Meeting

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BK 00025 PG a difficult position in keeping an affordable means of waste disposal in the County. The County needs to leverage the City's waste volume in our negotiations or bidding this service. Without this issue being resolved, the County is stuck without a contract on July 1, 2013 for disposal of our municipal solid waste. As you recall we discussed this issue back in our budget meetings in May /June. We decided to contact other waste companies to see about their interest in handling our disposal services. No other companies have shown any interest in providing us a proposal, at least until the City's issues is resolved. Based on recent discussions with our current contractor, Waste Management, the possibility of substantial cost increases to dispose of solid waste starting July 1 St is a real possibility. I have asked the City Manager to bid their services as quickly as possible and suggested wording that he should add to their bid documents that would help all of us in the future with the disposal part of the service. The City is not moving quickly and did not take my advice. Therefore I am not optimistic that this issue will be resolved quickly or favorably to the County. I am working with the Solid Waste staff to develop alternatives for waste disposal. I will keep the Board updated as this situation develops. EDC — as most of you know EDC Director Bob Heuts retired effective October 1, 2012. Between the EDC activities and Airport activities that Mr. Heuts handled, a lot has fallen to me and the City Manager in the interim. Thankfully the EDC has hired a consulting firm to handle the EDC work and the Airport Authority has hired an Airport Manager. A lot of work will be going on at both places in the interim. The EDC has hired Creative Economic Solution, Crystal Morphis to lead the EDC for a 6 to 9 month period. This will give the stakeholders enough time to meet and set a long term path for Economic Development. I have already met with Mrs. Morphis several times and she is getting up to speed quickly. I am very optimistic that she can help us complete several projects that are under way at the EDC, including the paving of Clyde Rhyne Road and the site certification of the Stroud property. County Attorney and Tax Administrator Resumes /Applications — Interviews have been scheduled for both positions. Hopefully the Board will be in a position to hire a Tax Administrator very quickly and a County Attorney in a few weeks. Goldston Sewer Project — The City of Sanford wanted us to be aware that they will be extending sewer services to the Town of Goldston. As part of the process the City will be acquiring right of way with owners consent through the unincorporated areas of the County to get to the Buffalo Creek Sewer Plant. This is a very small project — maybe 60,000 gallons per day. Since the City by law can acquire easements in Lee County, they are not required to get our approval. However, they wanted to make sure we knew about the project and to keep us informed.