Mr. Ralph McKinney has requested time on the agenda to make comments to the Commissioners. Please note his written request.

1. Nonprofit Presentations to the Board of County Commissioners

The Board of Commissioners requested that nonprofit agencies that have applied for funding during the FY 1999-00 Budget be given an opportunity to make presentations. Previously, the Board has allowed three minutes per presentation.

County Manager’s Recommendation: Utilize these presentations in the Board’s future deliberations on these requests after the overall County budget is proposed through my office.

2. Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion Report

The attached report (Attachment A) is an update on the County’s plans to upgrade the Triangle Wastewater Treatment Plant located on Highway 55 in southern Durham County. These upgrades include replacement of outdated facilities (to overcome flooding and OSHA safety issues), improvements to the treatment process (specifically Nitrogen removal), and the expansion of available capacity (for additional customers and for future economic development potential).

To proceed with the design of this project, McKim and Creed was ranked by a selection committee formed for this project as the best qualified applicant to provide the County with these services. The selection process, scope of work, and fee proposal are described in the report.

Attachment B is an outline of the presentation for this item.

County Engineering requests the Board receive this report, provide input and direction to staff, and consider approval of a contract with McKim & Creed at the May 10 meeting.

Resource persons: Glen Whisler, County Engineer; Sandra Phillips, Purchasing Director; David Powell, Economic Development and Property Management; Chuck Hill, Utility Division Manager.

County Manager’s Recommendation: This report addresses several significant issues including sewer service to County residents, improving the level of treatment to improve water quality, and providing the capacity for industries to locate and expand in this section of the County resulting in an expanded tax base. The proposed contract is the first step towards the upgrade of the County’s Wastewater Treatment Plant, which has previously been discussed with the Board. The recommendation is for a contract approval which will be administered in two phases to address expediently the most immediate needs. The cost of this contract is $2,135,500 ($759,900 in Phase 1, $1,375,600 in Phase 2). Funds in the amount of $2,500,000 are currently budgeted in the Enterprise Fund for design of Treatment Plant improvements. To emphasize its priority, the project schedule is included in the contract (this is a new procedure intended to keep projects on schedule).

The County Manager recommends the Board receive the attached report, provide input to staff, and consider approval of a contract with McKim and Creed at the May 10 meeting.

3. Lease Agreement for Fire Marshal/Emergency Management Department

The Fire Marshal/Emergency Management Department is requesting to move operations into the Wachovia Bank facility in downtown Durham. The Fire Marshal and Emergency Management agencies were consolidated at the beginning of the fiscal year. Staff is currently located in different facilities. The space currently being occupied is overcrowded with insufficient accommodations for evidence storage and interviewing suspects and witnesses during fire investigations. The new space will allow the agency to locate personnel into one location; will accommodate the agency’s space needs; and will provide sufficient space to County-locate an Emergency Operations Center in the same space, if so determined by the County Manager and BOCC in the future. In addition, the move will allow other County agencies to alleviate space problems by utilizing the vacated space.

Staff investigated several space options in the downtown area for the Fire Marshal/Emergency Management Department. Staff recommends leasing 8,000 square feet of office space at the Wachovia Bank facility (2000 West Main Street). The proposed lease rate is $8.00 per square foot on a full service basis. The term of the agreement is for three years beginning June 1, 1999. The lease rate will increase by 5% per year. Even with the annual increases in rent, the rate will remain below market rate for downtown Durham, which is approximately $10 to $11 per square foot.

The County will be responsible for the costs of alterations and computer wiring/installation (estimated at $46,029). Physical improvements to the space will cost an estimated $21,150 and computer networking and hardware will cost an estimated $24,879. Funds for rent and alternations were budgeted in the FY 1999 operating budget. No additional funds are required.

Resource Persons: David Powell, Economic & Physical Development, Jeff Batten, Fire Marshal/Emergency Management

County Manager’s Recommendation: Place item on the consent agenda for the May 10^th meeting. The County Manager recommends approving this request given the overall organizational need for more office space and the specific needs of this agency. Leasing space at Wachovia will not only meet the needs of this agency but also free up much needed space for other County agencies.