BCR's Daily Fishwrap Report for December 8, 2009

Image-conscious types should be thankful there's not more images floating around from last night's Orange County Board of Commissioners meeting, where the O.C. types saw their long-awaited vote on where to situate a new solid waste facility were met by a crowd with bright green "Choose Durham" stickers.

Something about the idea of a sticker campaign sending your trash to the Bull City doesn't sound great from an image perspective.  But it could be very good from a financial perspective, as Durham may have found a partner to help finance a future shared solid waste transfer station -- even though the current deal to be negotiated will only run for a 3-5 year time frame. (Herald-Sun, N&O)

Though given the chilling account by members of the historically-black Eubanks Rd. community (home to the Orange landfill since the early 1970s) that they never got the rec center they were promised by Chapel Hill and Carrboro leaders in exchange for agreeing to allow the landfill to come in, maybe Orange County could use Durham's help in building a rec center for their citizenry. Hey, we're pretty good at that, as the Holton Center and Walltown show.

In other news:

Recycling to Sonoco: A 5-2 vote saw the City Council go along with the administration's recommendation to give Durham's recycling processing vote to Sonoco as part of a no-cost, no-risk deal. Mayor Bell and Mayor pro tem Cora Cole-McFadden stood opposed, concerned over job losses at incumbent Tidewater Fibre -- though Councilmen Woodard and Clement raised questions about TFC's allegations over the number of job cuts at TFC's Durham shipment center, contamination rates in Durham's recycling stream, and Sonoco facility safety. (Herald-Sun)

BOCC, Council Keep Chairs: The Board of County Commissioners unanimously re-elected Michael Page as chair and Ellen Reckhow as vice-chair, while Mayor Bell again tapped Cora Cole-McFadden as Durham's Mayor pro tem. (Herald-Sun)

Zoning, Water Quality Worries for Farms: A report finds plenty of economic upside to be explored from farms in Durham County given the demand here for local food. Durham farms sold $7.3m in goods in 2007, one quarter of Orange County's levels -- and far less than the $143m taken in in Chatham Co. that year. A consultant's report found a need for more economic development outreach to help new farmers start, desirable changes in land-use practices to minimize need for property subdivision -- but also raised questions about the Falls Lake pollution rules, given that agriculture is seen as the cause of one-third of Falls Lake nutrient pollution. (Herald-Sun)

Regional Jets Dominant at RDU: A new study finds that the usually-50-seater regional jets are the dominant mode of travel at RDU airport by flight departures; RJs allow a smaller market like the Triangle to still see multiple daily departures to hub and non-hub cities, which works better for business travelers. Except for the suckers who fly Continental Express, A.K.A. turboprop city. (Triangle Business Journal)

Quintiles Debt Issuance to $525m: A previous planned debt issuance by Durham CRO firm Quintiles of $400 million is now up to $525 million. (N&O)

Comments

[ACW]

RE: The disparity in farm sales among the counties...
Perhaps I'm wrong, but (a) Orange and Chatham seem less urban, meaning more room/propensity for farming; (b) the demographics in Orange may result in higher profits at their markets; and, (c) are these numbers gross or net? - and does Chatham's include livestock (which is a huge business there)? - because a side of beef certainly fetches more than a box of cabbage. I think the H-S article skimmed over some information needed to form a solid comparison.
Personally, I'm content to keep large-scale livestock operations out of Durham, but would love to see more produce farms here.

[jonn]

There are definitely just more farms in Orange and Chatham too though. The small-farming culture is really ingrained there..which is a little different from Durham. We like to consume it ..but maybe not necessarily grow it.

[Michael Bacon]

I say we send architect George Williams to Orange County to help them with their rec center -- then refuse to let him back across the county line.

[Eric W]

It's a fascinating shell game we're playing with the leftovers of our consumption...over one day, the Triangle governments have voted to send all of Orange Co's trash to Durham and all of Durham's recyclables to Raleigh.