WELCOME Tucker Missionary Baptist Church Tuesday, November 22, 2005

Agenda 6:30 pm Welcome --- City Councilor Tom Seals Purpose and ground rules of meeting ---- Dr. Rick Wright Background of Situation --- County Legislator Althea Chaplin 6:50 pm Response to Previewed Questions --- Commission Richard Elander 7: 30 pm Response to Questions from the Audience --- Commissioner Elander 8:15 pm Response to Questions from the Floor --- Commissioner Elander 8: 30 pm Closing: Sign-up for committees --- Dr. Rick Wright 8:45 pm Refreshments

The Environmental Protection Agency must make an Environmental Assessment on any project that receives federal funding. An Environmental Assessment was performed by the EPA, on Midland Ave. in The EPA recognized that the project was taking place in an Environmental Justice Community. The decision to proceed with the project was based, in great part, on mitigation promises made by the County. These questions are about those promises.

Question #1 In the Environmental Assessment of the Midland Plant, it states: "The RTF and the surrounding space will be appropriately landscaped following construction so as to reestablish an open park like area that can be used for recreation by local residents."

We would like to see the plans for landscaping the RTF site. Are plans or drawings of the proposed landscaping available? What will be the process for developing those plans? Will the public have an opportunity to participate in that process?

Question #2 We would like to see what the completed RFT facility will look like. What are the aesthetic considerations that have been taken into account in its design? Are there building plans and drawings that would give the community an idea what they should expect to see on the site?

Specifically, What do the exterior designs of these buildings look like? Have you worked with the community on this design? If so, who? Are these designs set in stone? What will happen to the boarded up housing at Oxford-Blaine?

Question #3 The Environmental Assessment refers to the measures the county will take to reduce noise and rodents. We would like to see these plans for the "soundproofing and vegetation screens to keep operational noise from being obtrusive". What long term habitat modifications are planned to deter resident rodent populations?

Question #4 Has an alignment for Phase 3 been established yet? What are the plans and time schedule for making that decision? What public outreach will be conducted in conjunction with that planning? At a recent SUN meeting, residents were very distressed that no information on the options being considered by the county was presented or offered. The community would like to see the plans and documents relating to Phase 3.

Please bring a map and show us the various options being researched. On each routing, please specify which house or business would be taken through eminent domain.

Specifically, residents want to know: What are the different pipe routings for the Midland's Phase III? What will be the eminent domain process for these home owner or business owners? What is the negotiating process if someone doesn't agree with the price offered for their property? Will evicted residents be given a more reasonable time to vacate their property than the ninety days formerly given?

Question #5 The Environmental Assessment states: “One short-term beneficial effect of the project will be the more than 100 construction related jobs that will be created. The Project Labor Agreement commits the county to employing minorities and women at 10 percent and 5 percent, respectively, of the workforce. There are similar provisions for contractors. The County will make every legal effort to ensure that local residents have the opportunity to be included in the labor force.”

What are the zip codes and ethnicity of the workers at the Midland Avenue RTF construction site? What efforts has the County made to ensure that local residents have an opportunity to be included in the labor force at the construction site?

Question #6 & 7 The Environmental Assessment states: “The loss of open space is an unavoidable impact at this location; the County has proposed to mitigate this by creating new open space with recreational facilities through the demolition of the City-owned building at 115 Oxford Street… and has advocated for the construction of new housing.”

What are the plans for creating “new open space with recreational facilities through demolition of City-owned building at 115 Oxford Street?” What is the status of those plans? How will the community be involved in the process of creating that open space?

What efforts has the County made to advocate for the construction to mitigate for the loss of housing due to the RTF construction at Midland Avenue? What happened to the $3 million dollars earmarked for community development? Is any new housing being proposed?

Question #8 What is the County doing to establish the committees that were discussed at the end of the negotiations over the Midland Facility? We were expecting to see to community committees; one for Jobs and Training; one for Disruption and Displacement.

Committees Jobs and Job Training Community Development Construction and Process on Phase II and III