Wendell News Outlet

Board of Commissioners Friday Update

April 11, 2008

ITEM 1. APRIL 14^TH AGENDA

· Mercury Development has asked to delay the second reading of its PUD document. NCDOT has requested an analysis of the traffic impact of the proposed changes prior to getting the final approval of the changes. This analysis should be completed fairly quickly.

ITEM 2. DROUGHT UPDATE

According to Raleigh Public Utilities Director Dale Crisp, the Falls Lake level as of 8 A.M. Tuesday, April 8^th was 252.51 feet MSL, which is 1.01 feet ABOVE the level of the lake when the water supply pool is 100% full (251.5 feet MSL). The lake level has now fully recovered due to the rain events that occurred over the past few weeks and now is considered to be in “flood storage mode” by the Corps of Engineers.

The water supply days projection using the current 30 day pumpage average indicates we have 386 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 April 29, 2009 (see attached), which is 97 additional days beyond the projection date from last week’s report.

Even with the significant rain events over the past few weeks, according to the NWS rain gauge at RDU Airport, the Triangle area (as of April 8^th) is still approximately 1 inch below normal rainfall in 2008. This same rain gauge ended 2007 with a deficit of 7.2 inches of below normal rainfall, for a current total deficit of 8.2 inches since January 1, 2007.

Earlier during the drought, estimates were published that it would take more than 2 feet of rainfall to refill the water supply reservoirs most severely impacted by the exceptional drought, such as Falls Lake. This prediction has proven to be incorrect since the total amount of rainfall that occurred from when Falls Lake level was at its lowest till when it refilled as measured at the RDU NWS rain gauge was only 12 inches.

Rainfall is predicted for this weekend, and some forecasts indicate it could be a significant event (i.e. more than one inch). The long term update from the National Weather Service (NWS) and NC Climatology Office now indicates that the La Nina effect driving the drought conditions experienced in N.C. since August, 2007 has weakened and there is now an equal chance for normal rainfall to continue during the period of April through September, 2008.

The Raleigh City Council, at its regular meeting on March 18, 200,8 approved the delegation of authority to the City Manager to return Raleigh’s water conservation status from its current Stage 2 Water Use Restrictions back to the Amended Stage 1 Water Use Restrictions when the water supply pool storage remaining in Falls Lake reached 90% or greater. Also, when Falls Lake level reached 251.5 feet MSL and the water supply pool is 100%, the water conservation status would return to Stage 1 Water Use Restrictions.

On Saturday, April 5^th both the 90% and 251.5 feet MSL (100%) milestones were reached, due to the rain events that occurred last week and continued on Saturday. Therefore on April 7^th, City Manager Russell Allen changed the City’s water conservation status back to the Stage 1 water use restrictions (ordinance copy attached).

With Falls Lake completely refilling, Raleigh Public Utilities Director Dale Crisp will cease his weekly updates of the drought situation, which he sent to the town managers in the merger communities.

The NC Drought Advisory Council has reduced Wake County from the “Exceptional Drought” category to the “Severe Drought” category. Much of the coastal plain and furthermost western parts of North Carolina have been downgraded to “Moderate Drought” or “Abnormally Dry”, but most of the Piedmont remains in the “Severe Drought” category. Several counties in the Charlotte area remain in the “Exceptional Drought” category. Click here to view the NC Drought Advisory map.

ITEM 3. POSSIBLE SAFETY PROJECT AT THE INTERSECTION OF 97 AND 64 BUSINESS

Planning Director Teresa Piner reports that she has spoken with a DOT staff member, who has indicated that DOT is actively seeking an alternate alignment and funding sources for the intersection at 97 and 64 Business. DOT is currently working with Hephzibah Baptist Church to look at its concerns over ingress and egress. Due to the intersection being a safety concern and depending on the funding amount needed, this project (if the amount remains low enough) could be funded through Spot Safety Funds. Once an area is determined to be a safety issue, spot safety funds can be allocated, usually with a shorter waiting period than DOT’s Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) list. However, if the cost exceeds the funding cap of a spot safety project, it may be necessary to seek other funding sources or be placed on the TIP list for future funding.

ITEM 4. “SUPERCENTER” RECYCLING SITE

Staff members of Wendell and surrounding communities are working with Wake County staff to help identify potential sites for a Wake County Convenience Center that would offer increased services (as compared with the existing Wake County Convenience Center just east of Wendell).

ITEM 5. OTHER:

A. Please keep Public Works Supervisor Kenny Goad in your thoughts – he has been out due to a probable kidney stone.

B. Former Interim Manager Wayne Deal stopped by for a visit on Friday. Please keep him in your thoughts, as well. Wayne has been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

C. 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 @ WENDELL TOWN HALL:

DATE TIME EVENT

04/14 7:00 p.m. Board of Commissioners Meeting
04/21 7:00 p.m. Planning Board Meeting
04/22 10:00 a.m. Board of Commissioners Budget Work Session

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

05/01 7:00 p.m. Public Meeting to Receive Input about Desired Traits and Skills for a New Police Chief

05/05 6:00 p.m. UDO Meeting

05/01 7:00 p.m. Board of Commissioners Meeting to Give Input about Desired Traits and Skills for a New Police Chief

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

Manager’s FY 2008-09 Proposed Budget)

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

05/19 7:00 p.m. Planning Board Meeting
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)

posted by Administrator  # 7:13 AM