MINUTES OF THE METRO COUNCIL

SOLID WASTE & RECYCLING COMMITTEE MEETING

Wednesday, January 17, 2001

Council Chamber

Members Present:  Bill Atherton (Chair), Susan McLain (Vice Chair), Rod Monroe

Also present:    

Chair Atherton called the meeting to order at 3:36 p.m.

1.  CONSIDERATION OF THE MINUTES OF THE DECEMBER 6, 2000, REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE MEETING

2.  REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR’S UPDATE

Terry Peterson, Director of the Regional Environmental Management Department, discussed the STS change of ownership, the REM Department’s work priorities for the coming year, enforcement actions against East County Recycling and a new Recycling Market Development manager, Steve Engel. (For more details, see the copy of the update attached to the permanent record of this meeting).

Councilor McLain asked if they would look to the Regional Solid Waste Management Plan (RSWMP) for guidance or use grant criteria.

Mr. Peterson said that would have to be finalized before any money was awarded.

Councilor McLain felt it was important for the Council to have the opportunity to look at the criteria and the goals and objectives that staff would be working from. She said the Council had given clear direction through the budget on the direction they felt the program should go. She added that they had not yet had the opportunity to discuss some important policy issues.

Chair Atherton asked the Department’s priorities for the grant program.

Mr. Peterson responded that the process was still ongoing and the program priorities had not been finalized.

3.  ORDINANCE NO. 00-876, For the Purpose of Amending Metro Code Chapter 5.02 to Create a Disposal Charge for Compostable Organic Waste at Metro Transfer Stations and Making Related Changes to the Metro Excise Tax and Metro Code Chapter 7.01

Mr. Peterson reported that this item was carried over from last year’s Regional Environmental Management Committee and dealt with setting a rate for accepting clean organic compostable loads at the transfer stations.

Doug Anderson, Waste Reduction Planning and Outreach Manager, summarized the history of the ordinance for the committee. He pointed out that the ordinance is consistent with Metro policy not to tax recyclable material. He said it contains the option to temporarily subsidize the rate if necessary. He added that the Council had full review and approval authority over the rate, with or without the subsidy.

He said organics recovery is an important part of Metro’s future recycling strategy. He explained that the 7-8 points in the current regional recovery rate for composting was comprised of residentially generated yard debris. In order to reach the goal of 12 points of the 56% rate by 2005, another 50-60,000 tons of organic material would have to be removed from the waste stream.

He commented that the Regional Solid Waste Management Plan approved by the Council in 1995 had an approach to organic waste recovery that had not been wholly successful. This ordinance had a more proactive approach and would look to best practices and techniques in high food generating industries to prevent waste in the first place. Then, it would look at food left unused but still suitable for human consumption that could be diverted to support the Oregon Food Bank and others. If it couldn’t be diverted to human use or prevented in the first place, it would divert to animal feed. He added that this part of the plan was at the assessment stage because they did not have a lot of experience in this area. They were looking at opportunities. Lastly, anything that could not be consumed by humans or animals would be composted instead of put into the landfill. Their main goal in the composting of food waste was to leverage local processing capacity so the waste would not be sent to the landfills. He added that the processors felt it was really risky and low profit, but they were willing to consider it if they were shown the waste could actually be delivered.

Councilor Monroe asked how this ordinance interfaced with the new North Plains recycling facility.

Mr. Anderson responded that the new facility was not fully authorized to receive food waste so there would be very little interfacing right now. He said it was precisely that kind of facility they were hoping to leverage locally.

Chair Atherton asked if they would not have to gain some experience with the process before they could know it if would be revenue neutral as the report stated.

Mr. Anderson responded that the rate would be a cost driven rate. The ideal rate would be whatever it took to consolidate, transport, and deliver the waste to the processing sites. The reduction from the garbage rate would be the forgiveness of the excise tax and the system fee. He said the monies were already budgeted in the organics budget to subsidize the market rate fees if it was needed. He said the hope was ultimately to just recover costs.

Chair Atherton opened a public hearing on Ordinance No. 00-876. No one came forward to testify so the public hearing was closed.

Chair Atherton assigned Councilor McLain to carry the ordinance to the full council.

4.  RESOLUTION NO. 00-3017, For the Purpose of Approving Change Order No. 25 to the Waste Transport Services Contract

Mr. Peterson explained that this resolution gave authorization to modify the contract with STS to lease employee parking next to the transfer station. He said it was a 5-year lease and needed to be renewed at this time.

John Houser, Senior Council Analyst, clarified this was an “A” version because of the need to change the number of the Change Order from 25 to 26 only.

Chair Atherton assigned Councilor Monroe to carry the resolution to the full council.

5.  RESOLUTION NO. 00-3018, For the Purpose of Declaring Certain Property Surplus and Authorizing the Execution of Metro Contract No. 922569 for a Lease

Mr. Peterson explained that this was also a 5-year lease renewal, with STS leasing office space from Metro. He explained that State law required Metro to declare the property surplus in order to enter into the lease.

Chair Atherton will carry the resolution to the full council.

6  RESOLUTION NO. 01-3027, For the Purpose of Appointing Jim Stahly, Dale MacHaffie, and Scott Rosenlund to Three Expiring Terms on the Metro Central Station Community Enhancement Committee

Katie Dowdell, Community Enhancement Coordinator, related the qualifications of each nominee for the committee.

Chair Atherton assigned Councilor Burkholder to carry the resolution to the full Council as he is Chair of the Enhancement Committee.

5.  COUNCILOR COMMUNICATIONS

Councilor Monroe commented that Chair Atherton had done an outstanding job of chairing the first session of this committee.

Councilor McLain asked Mr. Peterson for help regarding a letter about the bid process for fuel for the garbage haulers.

Mr. Peterson explained that the contract in question was for the purchase of fuel for transport operations. He said the current contract allowed the extension, which they opted to exercise. He said there was no violation of any contracting condition. He said he would provide any information needed.

Councilor McLain felt when that kind of controversial letter was written, it was important to be responsive. She encouraged the Chair and the Solid Waste Director to consider a joint letter showing we did understand the importance of the issue.

Chair Atherton asked for comments on the committee’s work plan.

Councilor McLain felt it was important to coordinate in a positive and proactive way with the SWAC committee. Important issues included:

•  The REM Strategic Plan: she felt everything needed to flow from that plan which fit into the Chair’s plans for this committee.

•  The function of the current Solid Waste System: Metro’s role included rate setting issues, flow control, financial plan, and some of the legal decisions they were facing.

•  RSWMP issues included:. Their vision for keeping recycling goals up, the Regional Solid Waste Management Plan, St Johns closure permit, market development.

Councilor Monroe said he had reviewed the committee’s work plan and felt it was in order. He commented that this was a critical committee to the work of Metro.

Chair Atherton said the committee would also be revisiting some issues and discussing possible changes to how the solid waste was handled. He said he had some options for funding that he wanted to discuss with the committee at a later time. His ultimate goal was to have fewer committee meetings, but he was still looking into the feasibility of that.

There being no further business to come before the committee, the meeting was adjourned at 4:30 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Cheryl Grant

Council Assistant

ATTACHMENTS TO THE PUBLIC RECORD FOR THE REM MEETING OF JUNE 7, 2000

Testimony Cards: None.