“It’s cost-effective and efficient, especially compared to the way we do it now,” said Daniel Weeks, project analyst with the town.
Currently, the town hauls and disposes of yard waste at a facility near Fuquay-Varina at a rate of approximately $45 per ton with $75,000 budgeted for landfill fees. Staff trucks visit the site an average of 12 trips per week during non-leaf season and 110 trips per week during leaf season, resulting in about $118,000 annually in fuel and labor.
To transfer yard waste to Earthtec, the town is to purchase a $45,000 110-cubic-yard trailer, which would be pulled by an existing truck to the Earthtec site. Staff estimated the truck will average less than one trip per week during non-leaf season and eight trips per week during leaf season to the Sanford site. The total projected cost to the town is $18,000 annually, staff said.
Earthtec processes yard waste and uses it to decontaminate soil, staff said. Weeks credited Councilman Chet VanFossen with associating the town with the Earthtec facility.
“Sooner or later we’re going to run out of places to spread our sludge,” VanFossen said.
VanFossen suggested acquiring an old landfill site, taking sludge from the town’s wastewater treatment plant and using it and yard waste on the land to make topsoil to sell or give to residents.
“That once again leaves us in control of what we’re doing, and I think that’s really where we want to go long-term,” he said.
Councilman Vinnie DeBenedetto applauded the savings but noted that the project came after the town voted to increase residents’ yard waste fees by $1 per month this fiscal year.
“If we’re getting all these savings, why are we increasing the yard waste fee?” he asked.
Councilman Tim Sack said the fee was increased because the town did not have the Earthtec contract at the time the budget was approved. Town Manager Carl Dean said that the town pays for yard waste collection. DeBenedetto was told he could bring up the issue of reducing fees at the next council meeting.
At the first council meeting this month, the council approved borrowing $6.524 million to build a new community center and renovate the existing town gymnasium off Stinson Ave. The town is to take out an 18-year loan at 5.2 percent. Staff said the loan will be paid for in part by savings in yard waste disposal and increases in parks and recreation program revenues. At that meeting, DeBenedetto voted against approving the loan. Budget process discussed Though the community center project was not discussed as part of the yard waste topic, DeBenedetto raised concern about a report itemizing budget amendments approved by the council. The report, which was originally to be approved without discussion as part of the meeting’s consent agenda, was taken up for discussion by DeBenedetto because of its inclusion of funding for community center construction and renovation.
“My concern is we’re rushing to include this in our budget … without getting approval by the LGC (Local Government Commission),” DeBenedetto said, referring to the agency that is to determine if the town can take out a loan for the community center.
“In order for us to make the application to the LGC, this (budget report) has to come to pass,” Dean said. “You have to have a project budget.”
Dean said that the town was not committing any money; it was merely showing how the money would be spent once the LGC approves the financing, he said.
“This is only a listing of budget amendments that have been previously been approved,” said Drew Holland, the town’s Finance Department director. “We were given direction by the council to do this project.”
DeBenedetto asked what would happen if the LGC denied installment financing.
“If it had a chance of being denied by the LGC, we would not submit to them,” Holland said.
“We are well within the confines and the parameters for the LGC,” VanFossen said.
Staff said that if financing was denied, the project budget “goes away.”
“That was all presented in August as well,” Holland said. “We have to have a project budget to even move forward. … This is the same process for every financing we’ve done. It’s no different.” “The corporate president of Capital Bank at the ribbon cutting did make a comment that they were very proud that in this economy they were able to loan the town this money,” Holly Springs Mayor Dick Sears said. “I don’t understand what the problem is.”
A vote on approval of the report was taken; DeBenedetto’s vote was the only vote against the report. Novartis gives update
An update on progress at the Novartis pharmaceutical facility in the business park was given to councilmen at the meeting. Construction is ongoing on multiple buildings on 67 acres of the site. “It’s been interesting seeing these photos progress … going from a forest to a clear parcel of land,” said Jamie Iudica, director of engineering from Novartis.
Iudica said the facility will be producing batches by April 2010. Testing on its bulk manufacturing equipment will occur in the third quarter of 2010 and production of bulk products will follow. Staffing at the facility increased from 77 employees in December 2008 to 159 employees currently. Of those, 70 percent were hired locally. Iudica said the company expects 233 employees by the year’s end and 350 employees eventually. Currently, about 190 additional contractors supplement the Novartis staff, and about 800 construction staff are on-site.
“We’re very proud to have Novartis as part of our family,” Sears said.
Other business The council approved amending town ordinances regarding landscaping related to setbacks for commercial buildings. Another ordinance regarding sign regulations was amended, permitting town banners on light poles in the village district – something the town already is doing, councilmen joked.
The ordinance amendment also requires signage to be removed when a business moves out of a building and allows one governmental flag per lot up to a maximum size and height
The council approved rezoning three different properties on Cotton Ln. off Avent Ferry Rd. Plans call for the property to be attached residential. About a year ago, some of the properties were rezoned at higher densities, and now the properties are returning to their former zonings, staff said.
The town council approved extending allowance for reduced setbacks for 10 lots at Parkside Village. The setbacks match those of the rest of the neighborhood, staff said.
Also, at the meeting’s end, VanFossen asked when the ABC store was scheduled to open. Though the question produced chuckles, VanFossen said residents had questioned him about the opening. “If it will help you out … mid November,” Dean said.
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