HomeMy WebLinkAboutCFE minutes 040813
FROM: Commission for the Environment
SUBJECT: Monthly Meeting Summary
DATE: April 8, 2013
LOCATION: Southern Human Services Center, Chapel Hill
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MEMBERS PRESENT: David Neal (Chair), Jan Sassaman (Vice Chair), Lucy Adams, May
Becker, Terri Buckner, Peter Cada, Loren Hintz, Bill Kaiser, Tom O’Dwyer, Gary Saunders,
David Welch
MEMBERS ABSENT: Sam Yellen STAFF: Rich Shaw, Tom Davis
GUESTS: Gayle Wilson, Cody Marshall, Kellem Agnew Emanuele, Jeanette O’Connor
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I. Call to Order: Neal called the meeting to order at 7:32 pm.
II. Additions or Changes to Agenda – None
III. Approval of Minutes – The March 11 meeting summary was approved unanimously.
IV. Food Waste Collection and Composting – Gayle Wilson and Cody Marshall (Recycling
Programs Mgr.) provided an overview of County’s food waste collection and recycling
program. Marshall described efforts to collect food waste and other compostable
organics from about 30 restaurants and groceries using a private contractor. He also
described efforts to increase the recycling of food waste, including a new collection area
at the Walnut Grove SWCC and a pilot project to collect food waste at three schools.
Marshall and Wilson answered questions from CFE members about the program.
V. Orange County Curbside Recycling Program – Neal reviewed discussion from the March
meeting about the County considering to eliminate its curbside recycling for residents in
unincorporated sections of the county and the potential privatization of rural curbside
collections through a franchise contract. He handed out a resolution approved by the
Solid Waste Advisory Board (SWAB) and a draft position statement he prepared for CFE
consideration. CFE members discussed the proposed statement, the idea of creating a
single solid waste collection and disposal tax district, and interest in maintaining an
integrated system for recycling waste from county and municipal residents.
CFE members restructured the position statement and asked Neal to make the final edits
for submittal as a memo to the BOCC prior to its April 8 meeting.
VI. Committee Meetings – The committees did not meet due to the late hour.
VII. Updates and Information Items – CFE members received updates and information on
the following: a) CFE recruitment efforts, b) the Orange County legislative agenda
package 2013, c) the potential repeal of the state solar tax credit, and d) the levels of NC
conservation trust funds in the Governor McCrory budget. Buckner reported OWASA
staff is willing to provide CFE members with a tour of the OWASA Mitigation Tract to see
the forest management activities on that site. Staff will work on the arrangements.
VIII. Adjournment – Neal adjourned the meeting at 9:40 pm.
Minutes by Rich Shaw, DEAPR Staff