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BK - 00025 PG
<br />The Board considered a recommendation presented by Commissioner Womack at the
<br />December 3, 2012 meeting to reorganize the Environmental Affairs Board with a new Environmental
<br />Review & Advisory Committee. Commissioner Womack stated the present Environmental Affairs
<br />Board (EAB) has provided a valuable service to Lee County citizens for nearly 25 years, during which
<br />time there has been little change in its charter and tasks. He stated he was looking at a different angle
<br />for the Board (EAB) from what it is currently is doing. He further stated he wanted to get away from
<br />political appointments by the County, City of Sanford, and Town of Broadway. With Lee County on the
<br />verge of major new industrial developments in the highly technical and complex energy fields of
<br />Horizontal Drilling for Natural Gas and Bio- Fuels, the County needs a much more diverse and balanced
<br />group of technical experts to advise the Board of Commissioners and County staff on a wide range of
<br />environmental - technical matters. He stated the Committee should be made up of representatives from
<br />Agriculture, Biology /Animal Science, Ecology, Environmental Engineering, Environmental
<br />Health/Toxicology, Environmental Law, Forestry, Geology, Hydrology/Water Testing, Meteorology /Air
<br />Testing, Soil Science /Soil Testing, Waste Management, and Regulator Planning & Enforcement. Mr.
<br />Womack further stated he would like to keep the Committee at 9 members and that current members of
<br />the EAB with qualifying expertise will be eligible for transfer to the Environmental Review & Advisory
<br />Committee, upon a vote of approval by the Lee County Board of Commissioners. Commissioner
<br />Dalrymple stated she thought a 12 -15 member board would be best and include "ordinary people" from
<br />the community to serve. Commissioner Reives stated he wanted to keep the EAB as it currently is. He
<br />expressed concern about adding so many different people to a committee. He further suggested the
<br />EAB stay intact and to create another individual board like Commissioner Womack stated. After
<br />discussion, Commissioner Womack moved to disband the Lee County Environmental Affairs Board
<br />(EAB) and instead create an Environmental Review & Advisory Committee (ERAC) that will be
<br />composed of 9 appointed members, each possessing technical skills and experience from the following
<br />areas — Agriculture, Biology /Animal Science, Ecology, Environmental Engineering, Environmental
<br />Health/Toxicology, Environmental Law, Forestry, Geology, Hydrology/Water Testing, Meteorology /Air
<br />Testing, Regulatory Planning & Enforcement (DENR or EPA experience), Soil Science /Soil Testing,
<br />and Waste Management. Members of the EAB are encouraged to submit applications to serve on the
<br />ERAC if they have skills or experience. The mission of this newly established board will be to review
<br />technical documentation and to advise the Board of Commissioners on testing, monitoring, and
<br />regulatory matters affecting the environment of Lee County. After further discussion, Commissioner
<br />Reives amended the motion to make the Committee recommended by Commissioner Womack as a
<br />sub - committee under the current Environmental Affairs Board. Upon a vote of Commissioner Reives
<br />amended motion, the results were as follows:
<br />Aye: Dalrymple, Frazier, and Reives
<br />Nay: Knecht, Parks, Smith, and Womack
<br />The Chairman ruled the motion failed by a 4 to 3 vote.
<br />Upon a vote of the original motion, the results were as follows:
<br />Aye: Knecht, Parks, Smith, and Womack
<br />Nay: Dalrymple, Frazier, and Reives
<br />The Chairman ruled the motion had been adopted by a 4 to 3 vote.
<br />Mr. Ted Abernathy Executive Director from Southern Growth Policies Board and Mr. Dan Parks
<br />from N.C. State University Business and Technology Extension Service State Program Director
<br />(SBTDC) gave a presentation of several months of interviews and research on findings and
<br />recommendations from a newly- created county economic growth plan. Mr. Abernathy and Mr. Parks
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