12/02/2014 Minutes

From: Michael S. Batcher

Subject: December 2, 2014 SWIP Planning Meeting Minutes

Date: December 10, 2014

Town Representatives: Keith Squires (Arlington), Stu Hurd (Bennington), Rob Gaiotti (Dorset), John O’Keefe (Manchester), Jim Gilbert (Pownal), Megan Randall (Pownal), Suzie dePeyster (Sandgate), Sandy Gaszek (Searsburg), Mitch Race (Shaftsbury), Nancy Bushika (Stamford), Steve Bendix (Sunderland), Bette Charette and Mike Charette (Woodford).

Not in Attendance: Ricky Harrington (Glastenbury), Mark Lourie (Rupert).

BCRC Staff: Michael S. Batcher

Public: No members of public attended

Location and Time: Manchester Town Hall – 4:00 to 6:00 PM

Introductions: As with all meetings, we started by going around the table and introducing ourselves.

Joint Study Committee: At the October meeting, the group had decided to form a joint study committee to move forward toward forming a solid waste alliance through an Interlocal agreement. As of this meeting, Arlington, Rupert, Sandgate, Searsburg, Shaftsbury, Sunderland and Woodford had adopted the resolution appointing representatives. The other towns were planning on having their Select Boards address the resolution soon.

Cost Estimates for Implementing the 2015 SWIP: Michael had sent out a memorandum estimating costs of implementing the new SWIP. He went through the requirements of the VT ANR Materials Management Plan and briefly summarized actions by the following program areas from that plan:

a. General: actions addressing the collection, analysis and reporting of data on disposal and diversion rates, a multi-media outreach plan, public meetings, survey of residents and businesses, and creation and maintenance of a web page.

b. Recycling: outreach actions to schools, businesses, institutions and residents to encourage recycling, including textiles as well as providing technical assistance for events.

c. Organics: outreach actions to schools, businesses, institutions and residents to encourage organics recycling, such as composting as well as collaboration with organizations that provide food for those in need.

d. Construction and Demolition Debris: outreach actions to reduce C&D as well as identification of collection points.

e. Household Hazardous Waste, Universal Waste and Electronic Waste: programs for the collection of these materials as well as outreach to schools, businesses and institutions to reduce the amount of hazardous waste generated. The number of required events will increase from two to four over the five years of the plan.

f. Sludge, Seepage and Residual Wastes: informational awareness programs for waste treatment facility operators and septic system maintenance companies on ways to use residual wastes as well as to reduce hazardous materials and pharmaceuticals that may find their way into such wastes.

g. Program Administration: an additional area added to contain tasks and cost estimates for program management.

Some costs are difficult to predict, especially the required survey to be completed in Years 1 and 5. Household hazardous waste event costs will increase as the number of events required will increase from the current two to five. Creating a permanent facility would likely help reduce those costs and add convenience for residents.

Michael explained that he had requested a review from the Northeast Recycling Council and from the Northeast Resource Recovery Association and would incorporate those comments in revised estimates. VT ANR would also have to review the plan, so the estimates would likely change. However, what the group had were the best available and, since they requested them for budgeting, that is what they should use.

Mitch Race asked it the decision of the group on creating a district was settled. He noted that NERC had recommended a district, which could implement the necessary programs and fund them through fees on MSW hauled, via taxes or via per capita fees. The Alliance can only use per capita fees for funding.

John O’Keefe expressed concern that a district would have limited accountability, and towns would have little or no control over the actions or programs of a district. Stu Hurd said that if we formed an alliance and were successful, then, if we need to form a district in the future, we would have some proven track record of program implementation.

Draft SWIP: Michael is working on the draft SWIP and would be sending that out shortly. He reviewed the status of the various sections, some of which are complete and some needing to be drafted. He asked for comments on the actions section as that was the heart of the plan, with other parts serving as supporting information. The plan would follow the outline he circulated this past summer.

Unit Based Pricing: The group had asked if VT ANR could attend one of our meetings to discuss the required unit based pricing ordinance. We briefly discussed that requirement and decided that they should attend in January.

Ordinances: Solid waste related ordinances currently in existence have to be submitted as part of the SWIP. Michael has ordinances from Bennington, Manchester, Stamford, Sunderland and Woodford and asked representatives to send others they have. At this point it appears Arlington may have an ordinance, but not the other towns.

Next Meeting: The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, January 13th from 4:00 to 6:00 PM at the Arlington Town Hall. Michael will develop an agenda. Mia Rothlein from VT ANR will attend to discuss the unit based pricing element and answer other questions.