Those present were: Chairman Grady Hawkins, Vice-Chair Bill Moyer, Commissioner Renee Kumor, Commissioner Don Ward, Commissioner Marilyn Gordon, County Manager David E. Nicholson, Assistant County Manager/Interim County Attorney Angela S. Beeker, and Clerk to the Board Elizabeth W. Corn.

Also present were: County Engineer Gary Tweed and Environmental Planner Nippy Page.

Chairman Hawkins called the meeting to order and welcomed all in attendance.

Chairman Hawkins made the motion to add this item to the agenda. All voted in favor and the motion carried.

Chairman Hawkins made the motion to appoint Mona Quinn as Assistant County Assessor for Human Relations, Mark Edney for Appraisals and Pam Carver for Land Records. All voted in favor and the motion carried.

Chairman Hawkins stated that this work session is dealing with the possibility of franchising or not franchising the county for residential solid waste collection.

He asked that the Board make a decision today whether or not to franchise residential solid waste collection in Henderson County.

Gary Tweed explained what had happened in the past fiscal year with the current operation. He distributed a several page hand-out on Solid Waste Franchising. The first page of the hand out listed vehicles that visited the transfer station and the landfill with the types of waste received. This past year about 85,000 vehicles were processed through the facility. Page three showed what the tons in were by month, the tons out. The tons in we collected a fee for and the tons out were shipped to the Palmetto Landfill. It also showed the dollars taken in, the dollars sent out, revenue kept, operating expenses, and net revenues for the year. This past fiscal year the operation was pretty much a break even operation. Expenses were covered with the revenues taken in. He then briefly discussed the Solid Waste Flow Chart (page 4).

Gary Tweed then reviewed Solid Waste Program Functions:

Private Haulers - Residential

Private Haulers - Commercial

Municipal - Hendersonville and Fletcher

Construction/Demolition

Private Citizens

Henderson County Transfer Station

which is owned/operated by Henderson County

Waste Management

Palmetto Landfill

by contract with Henderson County

He broke down Collection as follows:

Private Haulers - Residential 40,000 tons/yr.

Private Haulers - Commercial 35,000

Municipal: Hendersonville

Fletcher 5,500

Construction/Demolition 9,500

Citizens 5,000

TOTAL COUNTY VOLUME 95,000 tons/yr.

Gary explained that GDS and Waste Management pick up the commercial waste in Henderson County.

In 1997 - 1998 there were about 15 haulers hauling to our landfill. We now have 10 companies involved in the proposed franchise agreement.

Gary then reviewed the pros and cons of franchising solid waste collection:

1. County Controls Flow 1. Market Controls Flow

2. County Controls Rate 2. Market Controls Rate

3. County Controls Service Levels 3. Market Controls Service Levels

4. Enterprise Fund Maintained, No 4. Possible Need for Tax Support

additional tax support

5. Haulers Guaranteed Service District 5. Haulers do not have guaranteed

Improves Collection Efficiency Service District - Decrease

Lower collection cost Collection Efficiency

Higher Collection Cost

6. Supports Regional Solid Waste 6. Hampers Ability to participate

Authority, Flow Control In Solid Waste Authority

Required

7. No Customer Choice 7. Customer Choice, Market Driven

8. Monopolies could be formed, 8. Monopolies could be formed,

Controlled by County Controlled by Market Conditions

9. Haulers are now in agreement 9. Haulers may not be in agreement

To proceed with franchising later

10.County wide recycling program 10.County wide recycling program

possible unlikely

Buncombe County had 23 franchise areas when they started franchising their residential solid waste collection. They now have five districts, all operated by GDS. They have not franchised their commercial solid waste.

Gary stated that our biggest issue is FLOW!

Much discussion followed. One of the concerns of the Commissioners was the inability for new haulers to come into the market unless they buy out a franchiser.

Commissioner Moyer brought up the free enterprise system and stated that he could not support franchising, questioning whether the necessity had been shown to go to franchising.

Commissioner Gordon expressed the same sentiment, stating that she did not feel that this was the right thing to do.

Chairman Hawkins stated that Land of Sky is proposing a regional meeting on a regional authority for sometime in August.

It was the consensus of the Board to discontinue the pursuit of franchising at this time. They will take action at the Monday evening meeting (August 2) to readdress the suspension of processing solid waste permits.

There being no further business to come before the Board, Chairman Hawkins adjourned the meeting at 3:55 p.m.

ATTEST:

Elizabeth W. Corn, Clerk Grady Hawkins, Chairman