Minutes of the Lunch Meeting between the Cary Town Council and The Ferguson Group
Page-Walker Arts and History Center
119 Ambassador Loop, Cary, NC
December 27, 2004
Noon
Subject:  Federal Legislative Agenda

Present: Mayor Ernest McAlister, Council Members Marla Dorrel, Michael Joyce, Julie Robison, and Nels Roseland,

Absent: Mayor Pro Tem Jack Smith, Council Members Jennifer Robinson

Prior to meeting with Council, representatives of The Ferguson Group met with staff to provide them with updates on the outcome of the 2005 appropriations process and to review ideas looking ahead to priorities for the Town in the upcoming appropriations process. Members of The Ferguson Group commended the legislative delegation for their work on behalf of Cary ’s legislative agenda.  (A copy of The Ferguson Group’s FY2005 Federal Agenda Update is attached to and incorporated in these minutes as Exhibit A)

Earmarked projects were affected by across the board budget cuts and funding was directed toward different programs. However, three projects from Cary ’s FY05 legislative agenda received funding: (1)  Jordan Lake water reclamation and reuse project, which is a regional project between Durham County , Wake County and Cary , was funded at $1.5 million. The fact that this is a regional project aided in the receipt of the funds; (2) West Cary watershed protection project, funded through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) under the National Resource Conservations Service (NRCS), received an appropriation of $300,000 to be used primarily for open space preservation and conservation in western Cary; (3) West Cary Stream Restoration, which is an ongoing project funded through the Corps of Engineers, received $193,000 to continue with work already started for that project (the funds are typically available for a three year period).

The Jordan Lake project is a 45/55 match, with 45 percent of the funds coming from local government and 55 percent from the federal government. Funding for the NRCF project depends on the specifics of the project; once reviewed by the USDA the local match will vary. The stream restoration is a 35 percent local cost share.

The pedestrian/bike trail project for $1.3 million dollars falls under the Transportation Reauthorization Bill and passed in the House, but the Senate did not reach agreement on a final version. Therefore, the transportation program is currently operating under a temporary authorization expiring on May 31, 2005 . A new bill will have to be reintroduced in the next Congress and go through the same process all over again. The Ferguson Group anticipates that the pedestrian/bike trail project will continue to be a priority for the delegation and will ensure that Congress is aware of the project’s history, as well as the continued community support for it. The republican leaders in the house and senate have indicated that the authorization of the transportation program is a priority early on in the Congress, and it will likely be the leader of the projects which were not funded in the last session.

The Walker Street grade separation project will be raised early with the congressional delegation. The indication is that this is still a major priority given the impact it will have if it doesn’t go forward. With this being a complimentary project to the Triangle Transit Authority (TTA), The Ferguson Group will explore the possibility of TTA being more vocal with their support to the delegation.

The Ferguson group is aware that technology improvements continue to be a need for the Town. However, to receive some support, it may be necessary to only focus on one particular technology need going forward for FY06.

The appropriations bill combined two law enforcement grant programs into one program which resulted in a significantly reduced level of funding. Because of the reduction, it is not possible to predict what the consolidation will mean for the COPS program.

The Town Center Area Plan is another project not funded. It may be because the overall plan has not been completed and the delegation may have summarized that the timing for funding was not right. Priorities for funding are placed on actual construction as opposed to planning. The Town should continue to pursue funding for this project if it is still a priority because there is a likelihood of funding being granted, although it may take a few years.

The Ferguson group stated that the Town has the right projects and the right focus for its legislative agenda, reflecting a solid set of requests. If Cary decides to choose other projects, Council should look at similar allocations in terms of funding and setting priorities. Money is periodically available from different sources where it may not have been in the past and The Ferguson group will alert the Council to those possibilities.

The Ferguson group will pull together a draft agenda containing the basic information needed for the delegation to review the Town’s requests and will officially present it to the delegation They will also work to ensure regional support is lined up for regional projects.

The meeting concluded at 1:30 p.m.