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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSWAB minutes 040507 Minutes - Regular Meeting Solid Waste Advisory Board April 5, 2007 Approved May 3, 2007 Attendance : Linda Bowerman, Al Vickers, Remus Smith, Bonnie Norwood, Jan Sassaman, and BJ Tipton Staff: Gayle Wilson, Blair Pollock, Wanda McCain, and Paul Spire 1 . Adoption of Minutes from March 8 SWAB meeting Norwood moves to accept. Vickers 2nd . Passes unanimously . 2 . Board Member Comments . Sassaman states that after observing a number of Chapel Hill Town Council meetings and Orange County Board of Commissioners meetings in the past couple of months, I liked that at the beginning of the meeting they had time allotted for the members to talk about what they wanted to . I ' d like to try that out with our meetings . This would give you a chance to address things from your constituencies . If it is going to be on the agenda wait until we are at that point. Secondly, if it will take a lot of discussion, bring it up and then we will move it to the end of the meeting . Norwood states that the attendant, Mr . Van [Phelps] at the convenience center on Eubanks Rd . does an exemplary job . The attitude of people going there now and the lack of tension there is a large difference . Mr . Van ' s wife will be going through some major surgery and some good thoughts his way would help . Vickers states that in my homeowners association [Lake Hogan Farms] there is a lot of cardboard dumped outside [near] the common area . In this particular area there is an Asian community and the issue comes down to a cultural issue . They are Chinese and they don ' t understand the rules of the system . They have no idea where the cardboard goes or how things work . Pollock states that we have stuff [recycling information] in Korean, Japanese and Chinese already . If you want to have some specific message translated let us know . Smith states that the part in the minutes that relates to the visitors comments last time Mr . Kingman was concerned about the traffic on Rogers Rd and Ms . Cook was concerned about the garbage trucks . Can we control which way they go ? Wilson asks are you talking about the transfer station trucks specifically ? Smith replies yes and also traffic and speed . Mr . Kingman also states that the garbage trucks often speed and that was part of the fear . Sassaman states that that discussion is part of item 4 c . Bowerman states that what I want to say will be part of item 4 . 1 Minutes - Regular Meeting Solid Waste Advisory Board April 5, 2007 Approved May 3, 2007 Sassaman states that we' ve sat in these meetings for six years and there have been a lot of times when we felt that we were out on a limb and we ' ve done a lot of work to answer questions from Gayle and the BOCC and felt we were not heard . At last weeks BOCC meeting, in the discussion for the first time I felt that the commissioners were listening to the SWAB and that they respected the SWAB and our opinions, not just because of how they voted . And they implied at that time that they should have listened to us earlier . They recognize the time and effort we put into what we do and take it seriously . Two of them made a point specifically to me about this after the meeting . The other thing is that Mike Nelson is the new BOCC liaison for the SWAB, replacing Barry . He could not be here tonight because of a conflict. His main concern is the issue of a lack of capacity in the landfill . He' s afraid that even the best case is that we' ll just get the transfer station running when the landfill is full . He would like for us to talk about what options we might have for creating additional capacity . We can put this at the end of the discussion for this time or put it on the agenda for the next meeting. 3 . Review of Report on Update on Solid Waste Management Planning Process Pollock states that we created a timeline to go along with the presentation. What we are looking for tonight is to use this as some broad discussion about the plan and some specifics about what is a good way to proceed . The timeline has been laid out with a little more flow to it, noting milestones and the kinds of decisions that have to be made . Even though it says timeline there is no time associated with this that makes sense given our multiyear process . We can fill in whatever dates we want Sasaman states that there needs to be some sort of idea of time . What do we anticipate as a time for this to come out of our hands? Pollock states that initially Gayle and I thought this would be completed by the end of 2006 . We could be done with this by the end of 2007; that is December 2007. We could walk through what realistically can happen . What can we do with commercial recycling task force, the rural waste franchise, someone has to carry water for just that. Any of these tasks could be a six-month task in itself. We could compress the schedule and start at the back from December 2007. Sassaman states that the only date I am looking for is when we will be done . Wilson states that I would like the workgroup to make their final recommendation and report before January . Pollock states that you can go with whatever timeline you can live with at the very least it provides something to push against. 2 Minutes - Regular Meeting Solid Waste Advisory Board April 5, 2007 Approved May 3, 2007 Vickers states that there are five or six meetings between now and the end of the year . We are at box one and there are seventeen inputs between now and the final . Norwood states in the face of the landfill siting, if we now want to [further] prove to the commissioners what we are capable of, since we have their attention now, we could meet more than once a month and get this done in a year . Wilson states that it is the workgroup that will be making the recommendation even though you are doing a lot of work . Sassaman states that we could serve as a subgroup of the workgroup and bring that discussion to the workgroup . Vickers states that as we go into April, May and June all the political entities will be tied up in budgets . Sassaman states that we could present the work group a set of recommendations to say yes or no to . We would do all the brainstorming . Pollock states that that creates an interesting wrinkle in the proposed process, but I' ll just review the document showing the process we' ve got right now . [Reviews the various studies and the document. ] In general, the highlights of the MRF RFPs that are out on the street right now include one in which we are going to get bids from the currently operating private MRFs to take our material . The other approach is to get qualifications from different bidders and then use that to have RRSI [our MRF consultant] set up a straw system using the best elements of each and the County would then put out a request for bids to ask what it would cost to put that system together . We would then compare whether the privates might do a better job based on their proposals to take our materials compared to what we might do . [Describes the timelines for these projects including the separate RFP _ for cost of hauling and brokerage costs . ] The future of the drop off and convenience center recycling study is a natural outgrowth of what its like to have mixed paper at the curb and the push from the other end where convenience center sites are closing and changing. We' ve also been asked by the BOCC to look at capturing the waste in unincorporated areas now collected by private haulers and the various ways to approach that, voluntary, mandatory, integrated with how the dropoff and convenience center piece [falls out] . Then there is a legal study of waste hauling franchising in North Carolina . Our legal consultant' s opinion is that you cannot franchise recycling hauling in North Carolina . Wilson points out there are franchise haulers of recyclables in North Carolina . 3 Minutes - Regular Meeting Solid Waste Advisory Board April 5, 2007 Approved May 3, 2007 Pollock states that there is another element which could include the commercial waste from within iciiti the municipalities as those governments lose tonnage to private haulers from this sector . That completes the overview of what studies are upcoming . We hope to get the work group together the week of May 741 . That seems to dovetail well with what the SWAB schedule is . Wilson notes that OWASA has expressed some interest in composting and will contact us when they are ready to move forward on this . Bowerman asks if commercial food waste would fall into the same category as dry recyclables, that is exempt from being franchised . Pollock states that this is completely unclear and was not explicitly addressed in the memo and continues on the presentation. Financing is a big area that has not been addressed . Litter, waste reduction, and education are also nontrivial but have to be put on the back burner for now . The transfer station location could require a detailed analysis of how much it costs to deliver recyclables . If the cost of shipping recyclables out is all attributed to the waste transfer station, it makes the cost of recycling $400, 000 less than it would have cost to build the recycling transfer pad . Some of it is an analytical decision about where you want to allocate the costs . That decision will have a profound impact on the economics of processing v . shipping out recycling . How many convenience centers do you want, want kind of franchising do you favor, do you build a MRF or ship it out, then there is integration of all these decisions to come up with elements of a plan. Commercial recycling is a big element and it' s separate because it' s complicated and costly . Do you want to finance it or use regulations to drive it. Financing is huge and follows right from commercial because that is such a large part of what needs to be financed . That is followed by a series of public meetings to put this out for comment, get feedback and bring it back to the elected officials for approval . What is fruitful is to put a timeline to it. Vickers asks should we look at the commercial with regulations or have the County set up a collection system [if franchising is no longer an option] . Pollock states that if we believe Richard [Whisnant] ' s interpretation of the NC law that says you cant franchise commercial recycling, but there are already commercial franchises operating, then we have to pick regulating or letting the County set up a system . Vickers asks what if the County attorney disagrees with Whisnant' s interpretation and thinks we could franchise ? Wilson adds that fighting this in court could take a very long time . 4 Minutes - Regular Meeting Solid Waste Advisory Board April 5 , 2007 Approved May 3, 2007 Pollock speculates that only if there' s a political clamor for franchising should we pursue it. Vickers states that the County Commissioners might like the franchise because it' s less money out of their capital budget. Tipton asks for clarification of which sector might be franchised, residential or commercial? Wilson replies mostly residential but some commercial has been tried not in major metro areas where it might be more difficult. Pollock states that we've been successful because our cost and quality is good . Wilson states that if you car t franchise, the private sector may cherry pick the good materials while the County is left with glass and low value plastics . If we can' t have the good staff, we don' t want the bad stuff. Pollock suggests that the group can either tackle the timeline or the tasks . Wilson states that the memo is written from me to the work group . Another way to do it is to the SWAB and you all have the responsibility to go to your respective boards . Sassaman states that the way it' s done [now] is better . Wilson states that [Blair] when this is redone you may want to add a little more context to the first paragraph that explains why we are doing this . Sassaman states that this should go beyond the workgroup . The [other] elected officials should be copied . To go back to Bonnie ' s suggestion is there anything to gain by meeting again in April . What do we think we can do to expedite this . Wilson states that nothing will be ready . Sassaman asks if there will be some preliminary information to look at on May 3rd . Wilson replies it' s hard to say . Until we get it we don ' t know how raw it will be . Sassaman states that what I am pushing against is whether we should be spending a big portion of our time on May 3rd at looking at some this in preparation for the following week ' s meeting with the work group . 5 Minutes - Regular Meeting Solid Waste Advisory Board April 5, 2007 Approved May 3, 2007 Wilson states that one of the disadvantages you are going to have is that we are going to be bringing in the consultant to make a presentation and answer question for the workgroup . You all may have questions that Blair and I won' t have the answers to . Vickers asks if the consultant will be available in the morning to answer questions as before . Wilson replies that it is possible . Sassaman states that it is important to make sure we get as much attendance as possible from the workgroup . We haven' t met in a while and the momentum is not there . I was wondering if there was some way for us to jumpstart the process . Wilson suggests the workgroup meets in mid-May and again two weeks later . That is possible is we are continuing the discussion and refining stuff. If the first meeting produces more questions and request for more data there won ' t be time . Sassaman states that there is a time when you say no more data . Tipton suggests letting the workgroup know what is going on, but have this group look over something and have an understanding of it before you bring the workgroup in and anything you can tell them about what to expect when even if it' s just ` the next steps are ' . Sassaman concurs . Pollock states that we are trying to steer towards that. Sassaman asks are there any decisions we need to make tonight. Wilson replies this is the kind of update that will bridge us through to the more substantive reports and meetings . Is there anything that we have left out? Vickers states that I believe we can go with this update with the introductory paragraph that Gayle suggested stating where we are and we may take a shot at scheduling the May 10th meeting, this is the target date, who can attend, this is what we are going to accomplish . Tipton asks if the SWAB will still meet on May 3rd and then the workgroup will meet on May 10th. Pollock states that on May 3rd we hope to bring to you all some of these reports to a get a start on even though it' s flawed . 6 Minutes - Regular Meeting Solid Waste Advisory Board April 5, 2007 Approved May 3, 2007 Sassaman states that the workgroup will plan to meet May 10th at 5pm . 4 . Orange County Transfer Station a . BOCC Decision Sassaman states that the BOCC voted unanimously to place the transfer station at the Eubanks Rd . site . [Reads from finalized resolution] There were some conditions such as buffers, design a brick fagade or stone, etc . The important thing was the board wanted to enter into a discussion with the historic Rogers Rd . neighborhood to determine community development programs . There were some specific items listed such as reduction of the speed limit along Rogers and Eubanks, pave the drive way surface into and out of the new facility, community development, numbering trucks, sealing truck interiors, etc . The bottom line is with these caveats we are a ' go . ' b . SWAB Process/Memo from Chair Sassaman states that prior to the vote I had put this nity to discuss the memo that I wrote to Gayle as on the agenda to have the opportu part of the supporting documentation. Vickers states that one of the things that did not come out of the discussion, but is a major issue is that there is traffic on Eubanks Rd . It is problematic not because of the technical issue, but because it is a jurisdiction issue . It is a state road that is partly in Chapel Hill, Orange County, and Carrboro . It will take all those jurisdictions to work together to get it approved . The SWAB should write a letter to suggest to the commissioners that the county and each of the towns work together on resolving the issues of Eubanks Rd and improving Wilson asks what type of improvements are required - four lanes ? That will make the traffic faster . Vickers states that there will be a major issue down that road, it will become a transportation hub with the new school out there and we should be saying this is an issue that needs to be addressed in a timely manner . Pollock notes that this is not on anyone' s agenda right now . DOT nor anyone . Norwood states that at every neighborhood meeting there is a mention of a traffic study . Nothing has happened yet. There are fifty-one new Habitat Homes and the whole Greene tract area could be affordable housing. At each meeting we are told that Gayle will come talk and a traffic study will be done . Vickers notes that Bill Strom wants to use the easement along the railroad tracks to get access to the Habitat land . 7 Minutes - Regular Meeting Solid Waste Advisory Board April 5, 2007 Approved May 3, 2007 Norwood says they want to use the empty flat land for recreation and connect those two neighborhoods go past the Neville tract and Nunn property and past where the new convenience center might be . But it will really impact the people in our neighborhood either way . They don' t listen to what we tell them in meetings . Vickers clarifies that this access is up against the railroad . Bowerman states that this builds on to what Bonnie says . There was a possibility to waive the traffic analysis of the transfer station but this is a much bigger issue and it' s not just one thing . Waiving the traffic analysis zvas a bad idea . They should do it . Each development on its own does not trigger a traffic study so they can go along saying everything' s OK. That' s the wrong way to go about it. They need to take the cumulative impact into account. They should do a much larger more comprehensive study . A shoulder would be a good idea . Spire states there will be a turn lane for the transfer station along with a good sized shoulder . When the school is put in, it' s going to be [a big impact. ] There has been a study from Martin Luther King Jr . Blvd . to Millhouse Rd . but not beyond that. Bowerman states that the intersection of Eubanks and Old NC 86 needs to be studied - it' s very dangerous . Vickers suggests that the SWAB write a letter to each of government entities requesting that they do a joint study on that road because it is an issue for several reasons in the community . Sassaman states that if you will draft a letter for the next meeting we can move on . Vickers agrees to do this . Norwood states that the letter should not be so focused on transfer station traffic because that is going to create the least amount of additional traffic . No one is connecting that every cop car, ambulance, street bus, everything in the town that gets gas will now have to go down Eubanks Rd . Besides when the Animal Shelter opens, many more cars will use that as well in addition to the new development, the Mellott Building, and the school . Tipton asks for request to study pedestrian and bike transportation as well . Bowerman asks where the new dropoff site will be ? 8 Minutes - Regular Meeting Solid Waste Advisory Board April 5, 2007 Approved May 3, 2007 Wilson notes it will be opposite the existing convenience site . There will be a new entrance . The new entrance to the transfer station will parallel that. This will be part of a new master plan that is to go to the board and you' ll want to see that first. c . Next Steps Wilson states that the next step is to figure out from the resolution what is in my control to deal with . There will be a meeting next week to get the permitting and design under way . Vickers asks where do you stand on the plans . Previously there were conceptual plans and a schedule . Wilson states that we will revisit the schedule that was prepared a year-and-a half ago . We will also revisit the draft scope of work and review the preliminary meeting with the Town of Chapel Hill as far as what they told us the requirements were and the timeline . 5 . Programs/Services Update SW Operations Center Wilson states that the design hang-ups have been resolved and the bid package should be ready to go within a couple of weeks . We hope to have the Board approve a contractor by June . Highzvay 57 Convenience Center Site Identification Wilson states that we are still looking for a site . Walnut Grove Convenience Center Temporary Expansion Wilson states that it is slightly ahead of schedule and should have it ready by the time Hwy 57 closes . Future SWAB Priorities Wilson states that the solid waste management plan will probably take up most of your time . You all may have other ideas but some other things are trying to expand the landfill buffers and the master plan . Other Wilson states at the BOCC meeting on the 12th we are going to be talking about the landfill gas project and recommend that they abandon the notion of landfill gas providing energy to the cluster of government buildings in the Eubanks Rd areas . They are going to recommend continuing pursuit of the option of providing energy for part of Carolina North . 6 . Other Business Sassaman states that the one thing that we proposed to bring to other business was Mike Nelson' s request that we begin to deal with the issue of preserving space in the landfill . What I would like to do is pass this to Gayle and let us start discussing this at the next meeting. 9 Minutes - Regular Meeting Solid Waste Advisory Board April 5, 2007 Approved May 3, 2007 Smith states that we have more important things to discuss, it' s a waste of time . There are other straws on the camel' s back . It' s going to be full . We have three years to worry about that. Sassaman states that it dovetails with some of the 10-year plan that we are talking about. Wilson notes that we' ll have an update of landfill life based on aerial survey . Vickers states that if the plan is done in 2008 and gets underway in 2009, then it doesn' t matter, it' s too late to save landfill space from the plan. Wilson states that the Board is asking this as a reasonable question and we have to give them an answer . Sassaman states this may be the answer, that it' s too late to save space . Tipton asks about the density of waste in the landfill . Spire states it averages 1300 to 1400 pounds per cubic yard . Vickers moves to adjourn. Smith 2nd , Adjourn 9 : 10pm Next meeting : May 3, 2007 Southern Human Services Center 10