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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCounty Solid Waste District Recycling Efforts COMMISSION MEMO Memo To: Mayor Jacobson and City Commissioners From: Debbie Arkell, Director of Public Services Chris Kukulski, City Manager CC: Steve Johnson, Solid Waste Superintendent Ron Brey, Deputy City Manager Date: April 21, 2008 Action Item Agenda Re: County Solid Waste District Recycling Efforts RECOMMENDATIONS: Provide the City’s position to the City’s Solid Waste District Board member and City staff on the following issues: 1) The proposed reduction in the number of days the Story Mill landfill convenience station is open to the public; 2) City operation of the Household Hazardous Waste facility at a cost of approximately $20,000 per year, and what portion of that expense, if any, should the City request reimbursement from the District; and 3) The amount of annual lease, if any, should the District pay the City for use of the Convenience facility. BACKGROUND: In March 2007 the Commission voted to join the Gallatin Solid Waste Management District. An Interlocal Agreement to expand the District to include the City of Bozeman took effect on May 1, 2007. The Agreement stipulates that the City will purchase and install a convenience station and Household Hazardous Waste facility (HHW) at the city’s landfill, and that the City and District will negotiate a long-term agreement to have the District pay for the operational costs of maintaining these facilities after the City landfill closes on June 30, 2008. The Agreement further stipulates that once the city’s landfill is closed all recycling programs relying on the District’s financial support are at the sole discretion of the District. Staff has been working with the District’s Board to prepare an Interlocal Agreement for the operation of the Story Mill Landfill convenience site and HHW facility. Three issues were raised at the District Board meeting on April 16, 2008 that the 1 Commission should be aware of. The first is that the District is planning to open the Story Mill landfill convenience station only three days a week. • The citizens of Bozeman and adjacent county residents will not have 6-day per week access to the facility, resulting in the facility being less convenient. Citizens will need to better plan their trips to the local facility or travel to Logan for disposal if the number of days the facility is opened is reduced. The number of customers using the Convenience station and the revenue generated from the convenience station has been low for the first quarter of 2008. From January 1, 2008 through April 15, 2008, an average of 11 customers per day used the facility. A total of $2,720 in revenue was received from 229 compost customers, and $7,340 from convenience station garbage customers during this period. These numbers correspond to the number of customers utilizing the Logan landfill during this period, as they have also seen a decrease in customers and revenue over the past three months. These numbers typically increase in the spring, summer and early fall months and tend to balance out the slower months. • The City Solid Waste Division plans to retain the composting operations due to the amount of compost the Solid Waste Division collects in their residential compost program and the amount of leaves collected each year by the Streets Division. In exchange for a percentage of the compost disposal fee, currently suggested at 20%, the District would collect the tipping fee from private composting customers. Compost is brought to the facility daily by commercial lawn care companies. If the facility is not open 6 days a week, these companies will need to retain their clippings until the facility is open, find another place to dispose of them, or travel to the Logan Landfill and pay full tipping fee, as Logan does not have a composting program. The second issue is the operation of the HHW facility. The HHW facility was always considered to be part of the convenience station operations. The draft agreement has the District reimbursing the City $76,903.51 for its costs of installing the HHW facility, as the District previously verbally agreed to do this reimbursement. A member of the Board indicated last week that it was the Board’s intention to move this facility to the Logan Landfill in order to “provide better service to all of the District”. At the April 16 Board meeting, City Staff and the City’s Board member expressed concern that moving this facility away from the center of the county’s population will discourage its use and result in hazardous chemicals being improperly disposed of in the trash, in the sewer systems, or on the ground. The Board suggested rather than move the unit, that someday the District could purchase a new unit and install it at the Logan Landfill, where it could be open six days per week. It was then proposed that the HHW unit should stay at the Bozeman landfill but that the City should continue to operate it as they are doing now. The Board noted that City staff is trained to operate the facility, and their staff is not. City staff advised the Board that without disposal income to supplement this service, the City would likely be looking to the District for financial assistance to operate the facility. z Page 2 z Page 3 The third issue relates somewhat to the operation of the HHW facility. The draft Interlocal Agreement does not charge the District for leasing the convenience facility at the City landfill. If the District is not going to reimburse the City for the cost of installing the unit and the City continues to operate the HHW facility without any disposal income to off-set the costs, Staff suggests that the District should pay an annual lease for use of the City’s convenience station. Expenses related to the annual operation of the HHW are estimated at $20,000 per year, and are not included in the proposed FY09 budget. More detailed information will be available at the Commission meeting. The District currently reimburses the City for the proportionate share of HHW disposal costs attributable to non-city residents and would be expected to continue to do so. The City has one member on the Solid Waste District Board. If the Commission has comments or concerns about these proposals, the City’s Board member should be directed to relay the Commission’s comments and concerns to the Board and to vote on these matters consist with the City’s position on the issues. FISCAL EFFECTS: If the convenience station is only open three days per week, the City may see a reduction in compost income. If the Solid Waste division retains and continues to operate the HHW facility, we will have expenses of approximately $20,000 per year. This money has not been included in the proposed FY09 budget. ALTERNATIVES: As recommended by the commission. Report Prepared On: April 17, 2008 Attachments: None