Wendell News Outlet

Board of Commissioners Friday Update

March 27, 2008

ITEM 1. AIRPORT MEETING AT 6:00 P.M. ON THURSDAY, APRIL 3^RD

The April 3^rd Public Meeting about a possible general aviation airport in eastern Wake County will start with an informational workshop from 6:00 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. at the community center. A public comment period is scheduled to start at 7:30. The workshop is planned to be casual, with numerous maps and information board set-up, with consultants available to talk more on a more personal, one-on-one basis.

To possibly move forward, the board will NOT have to decide, at this point, if it wants to support an airport in eastern Wake County; rather, the board may decide if it wants to support further evaluation of potential sites for an airport in eastern Wake County. The next step would be for Wake County to conduct an environmental assessment of potential sites.

ITEM 2. DROUGHT UPDATE

There was an interesting article in the Fayetteville Observer about people falsely feeling that the drought is behind us. The recent rains may only be short-term relief. The article describes an analysis of tree rings of a longleaf pine that dates back to 1548. The tree rings show a pattern of four-year severe droughts. This pattern is consistent, apparently, with similar analyses across the southeastern United States. Hopefully, we are not in one of these four-year drought cycles. To read the entire article, click here.

According to CORPUD Director Dale Crisp, the lake level at Falls Lake as of 2 p.m. Tuesday was 249.49 feet MSL, which is only 2.01 feet below the level of the lake when the water supply pool is full (251.5 feet MSL). The current rolling 30 day pumpage demand average from Raleigh’s customers for the EMJWTP is 38.0 MGD, which is a decrease of 0.2 MGD from the value reported last week. The water supply pool storage in Falls Lake is approximately 75.9% based on the Corps of Engineers’s estimate Tuesday, for a total of 11.1 billon gallons. When the water supply pool in the lake is 100% it holds 14.6 billion gallons. The water supply days projection using the current 30 day pumpage average indicates we have 293 days of water supply pool currently in storage at Falls Lake (assumes worst case scenario of no rain during this period). Using the predicted total water supply days remaining then projects to January 12, 2009, which is 16 additional days beyond the projection date from last week’s report.

Attached is an updated spreadsheet showing Raleigh’s response initiatives to the drought.

ITEM 3. OUTDOOR BURNING BAN IS BACK IN EFFECT

An outdoor burning ban was reinstated for NC, effective at noon on Thursday, March 27^th. The ban is due to dry weather and high winds. For more information, click here.

ITEM 4. EWTV UPDATE

The managers and finance directors of Knightdale, Wendell and Zebulon met on March 27^th to discuss a 2008-09 budget and capital needs for EWTV. The EWTV budget is still in development.

Wendell will likely need to wait until the fall to apply for grant funding of TV cameras and other equipment needed to broadcast town meetings. About $50,000 in equipment is needed. The town would need to apply for about $25,000 in grant funds, which would be matched with $25,000 in PEG funds from EWTV. So, it may be next spring before the town could broadcast its board meetings.

Knightdale Town Manager Gary McConkey has tentatively agreed to speak to the Wendell board at the May 27^th work session about applying for the grant funds and preparing to broadcast meetings.

ITEM 5. OTHER:

A. Town Clerk Jonnie Driver will be on vacation from March 28^th through April 4^th.

B. The section of Martin Pond Road around Richardson Road will be closed beginning the week of April 14^th and will be closed for about 120 days, due to construction for Wendell Falls.

ITEM 6. UPCOMING EVENTS:

DATE TIME EVENT LOCATION

04/03 Special Called Meeting – Community Meeting about a General Aviation Airport @ Community Ctr.

6:00 p.m.- Informational Workshop

7:30 p.m.

7:30 p.m. Public Comment Period to start

04/07 6:00 p.m. UDO Meeting @ Town Hall

04/14 7:00 p.m. Board of Commissioners Meeting @ Town Hall
04/21 7:00 p.m. Planning Board Meeting @ Town Hall

04/22 10:00 a.m. Board of Commissioners Budget Work Session @ Town Hall

04/28 7:00 p.m. Board of Commissioners Committee Meeting @ Town Hall

05/05 6:00 p.m. UDO Meeting @ Town Hall

05/12 7:00 p.m. Board of Commissioners Meeting (including presentation of the

Manager’s FY 2008-09 Proposed Budget) @ Town Hall

05/14 1:00 p.m. Wendell Chamber Golf Tournament @ Wendell Country Club

05/19 7:00 p.m. Planning Board Meeting @ Town Hall

05/26 Memorial Day – Town offices closed

05/27 7:00 p.m. (RE-SCHEDULED DUE TO HOLIDAY) Board of Commissioners Committee Meeting (including the public hearing on the budget) @ Town Hall

05/31 East Wake Public Health Forum @ Community Ctr.

06/02 6:00 p.m. UDO Meeting @ Town Hall

06/04 NCLM Town Hall Day @ NC Legislature

06/09 7:00 p.m. Board of Commissioners Meeting (including, potentially, adoption of the FY 2008-09 Budget) @ Town Hall

posted by Administrator  # 11:40 AM