Natural Resources Committee Meets on IBT

The Board's Natural Resources Committee (NRC) will meet on Wednesday, March 8 at 3pm to hear from representatives from the cities of Concord and Kannapolis regarding their interbasin transfer (IBT) request to remove water from the Catawba River basin. The cities of Concord and Kannapolis are seeking a total transfer of up to 48 million gallons of water per day (mgd) from the Catawba and Yadkin-Pee Dee River basins. Up to 38 mgd would be removed from the Catawba and up to 10 mgd from the Yadkin/Pee Dee. 

This water would be returned to the Rocky River basin and is therefore considered to be an interbasin transfer. North Carolina (NC) state law requires that requests for new or increased IBTs obtain approval in the form of a "certificate" from the NC Environmental Management Commission (EMC).

The cities of Concord and Kannapolis are currently going through this approval process which requires preparation of environmental studies and includes opportunities for comments from the public, key stakeholders as well as other State agencies. At the conclusion of this process, the EMC will decide whether to issue the certificate or not, and if so, any conditions that should be placed upon the approval. Their decision will be based on findings related to impacts that the transfer of water from the Catawba basin to the Rocky River is likely to have as well as other considerations.

Recently, several NC jurisdictions on the west side of the Catawba River, some South Carolina jurisdictions, and the South Carolina General Assembly have passed resolutions either opposing or seeking a delay of the Concord-Kannapolis IBT request. Those entities, along with the Catawba Riverkeeper would like for Mecklenburg County government to pass a similar resolution. 

It appears that the opposition to this IBT request stems from a variety of concerns. First, the magnitude of the water withdrawal request has many Catawba River basin jurisdictions worried about the potential affects on the Catawba River water supply especially under drought conditions.  Additionally, the federal government is not expected to render its decision with respect to water levels and other requirements associated with the current Duke Power re-licensing effort until 2008. Also contributing to the discussion are jurisdictions' concerns that the public hearings regarding this request were not inclusive and were not adequately publicized. Therefore, the process is being criticized. 

County staff has polled the managers of the City of Charlotte and the six Mecklenburg County towns regarding their respective positions on this matter. At this time, many have not taken an official position, while others are willing for the process to proceed and await the outcome. After receiving information from the cities of Concord and Kannapolis, the Natural Resources Committee will recommend what action, if any, should be taken by Mecklenburg County with respect to this important regional issue.

African American Leadership Summit Held in DC

I have been nominated by Sen. Richard Burr to participate in the African American Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C. on March 27-28.  The Summit, sponsored by Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison and Senator Rick Santorum, will bring together government leaders and prominent African Americans from across the country to address issues impacting our communities. Topics will include economic development and creating jobs, education and healthcare. Members of Congress, representatives of the Bush Administration and other experts will lead panels on legislative concerns. To learn more about the summit please visit www.publicforuminstitute.org/aals

Health Forum Set for April 26

The Mecklenburg County Health Department invites you to the State of the County Public Health Forum on Friday, April 26 from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The Forum is sponsored by Mecklenburg Healthy Carolinians and the Mecklenburg County Health Department. It will be held at the Police and Fire Academy, 1770 Shopton Road in Charlotte.

The Forum will present information on Mecklenburg County's priority health issues and what is being done to address them. It also will highlight how policies at various levels create a healthy environment and support people in making healthy choices.

Forum topics include:

• Healthy behaviors
• Substance abuse
• Access to healthcare
• Health disparities
• Emergency preparedness
• Responsible sexual behavior

For additional information, and to RSVP by April 21, please contact Adrienne Gent, Mecklenburg Healthy Carolinians Coordinator at 704-432-4249 or adrienne.gent@carolinas.org.

Board Budget/Public Policy Workshop Tentative Schedule

Please note to the right the schedule of Budget/Public Policy Workshops and the topics tentatively scheduled for those dates. Other topics, including questions raised at the Board's Strategic Planning Conference, will be addressed through the weekly Board Bulletins or as part of regular Board meetings. 

We anticipate addressing every Board issue through one of these three forums. Additional issues or questions raised throughout the budget process will be added to the list and addressed accordingly. 

Budget/Public Policy Workshops

March 14

• Revenue Projection
• Wiping Out Poverty Briefing
• Health Department Accreditation Briefing
• Health Index Update

March 28

• Employee Compensation/Benefits
• Mecklenburg County Capital Funding Range Guidelines
• CMS Capital Funding Range Guidelines

April 11

• Technology Reserve
• Capital Reserve
• Fleet Rightsizing and Fleet Reserve

April 25

• Hospital Contracts - Public Health
• Indigent Care Funding
• Program Review Briefing

May 9

• Fee Changes
• Criminal Justice System Funding

May 24

• CPCC Operating
• CMS Operating
• EBAC Recommendations

May 25

• CCBAC CIP Recommendations
• Domestic Violence Services Recommendations

Note:  Budget/Public Policy Workshops will be held at 3 p.m. in room 267 of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center.

--Harry L. Jones, Sr., County Manager