MINUTES OF THE METRO COUNCIL

SOLID WASTE & RECYCLING COMMITTEE MEETING

Wednesday, June 5, 2002

Council Chamber

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

Absent:    David Bragdon (excused.)

Due to the length of the previous committee meeting, Chair Atherton called the meeting to order at 4:14 p.m.

2.  REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR’S BRIEFING

Terry Petersen, Director, Regional Environmental Management, commented on a creative solution to a safety issue at the transfer stations. Theresa Mitchell, a scalehouse technician, came up with coloring sheets to keep children busy while they wait in their cars (he showed the committee) and he wanted to recognize her for this. He reported a notice of noncompliance was recently issued to the Hillsboro Landfill for accepting putrescible waste, which they are not authorized to accept. He said he had received a request from Valley Landfills, Inc., for a designated facility agreement (DFA). He added that Hillsboro Landfill had requested an amendment to their DFA to operate a material recovery facility (MRF). He hoped to have both requests ready for council consideration before the August recess. He said staff was working two local nurseries, Max & Hildy’s and First Light, on a pilot project to promote natural gardening techniques. The project will run August through September. (For more detail, see the copy of the Regional Environmental Management Director’s Updates attached to the permanent record of this meeting). He added that the ordinances dealing with the regional system fee credit program had been filed and would be first read at council and back to the committee, probably on June 19^th. He asked the committee to notice the sunset clause.

3.  RESOLUTION NO. 02-3185, FOR THE PURPOSE OF AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS, NO. 02-1020REM, FOR A PERSONAL SERVICES CONTRACT FOR DESIGN OF REPAIRS AND IMPROVEMENTS TO THE ROOF AND VENTILATION SYSTEM AT METRO CENTRAL STATION

Paul Ehinger, REM Engineering & Analysis, presented a slide show of the transfer station’s history and the seven phases of additions built over the last 80 years. He explained the need for the repairs and the reasons for adding a ventilation system to improve working conditions. (A copy of the slide show is on a CD included with the permanent record of this meeting). Chair Atherton asked about cost per square and Mr. Ehinger responded it was about $100. He agreed it was indeed an expensive project and it had been accounted for in the renewal and replacement provisions of the bond covenant.

Chair Atherton will carry the resolution to the full Council.

4.  COMMERCIAL RECYCLABLES PROCESSING CAPACITY STUDY

Steve Engel, Recycling Markets Development Coordinator, described the origins and purposes of the commercial recyclables processing capacity study (see copy of Processing Mixed Commercial Recyclables: Overview of Metro’s Study included with the permanent record of this meeting) and reviewed the handout for the committee. He noted the final report is due in August. Councilor McLain had concerns about the sensitivities and the single waste stream concept. Mr. Engel explained that the study would look at the prevalent means of collecting and the trend right now. He said it did not preclude other strategies. Councilor McLain said this study also related to agenda item #5, the transfer station report, and she wanted to be sure an integration of the work so they did not end up with two complete reports that did not integrate in the review. Mr. Engel said he would take that as instruction from the committee.

5.  TRANSFER STATION REPORT UPDATE

Dr. Petersen reported that they had hired a consultant and were on track to have the Transfer Station report ready in October (see Review Schedule for the October 2002 Transfer Station Report included with the permanent record of this meeting). He noted that they had come to the committee previously with a scope of work and questions they would be looking at and asked for clarification of whether they were to review the regulatory system council had adopted last fall to see how well it was working and make recommendations for any improvements they could see, or come up with an entirely new regulatory system. He suggested coming back at a later time to look at the criteria for non-system licenses to make that part of the system consistent with the facility regulations already in place.

Councilor McLain noted, regarding the policy to eliminate access barriers for local haulers, that the industry changed so much those barriers were different every year. She commented that there had always been a debate about distance and travel time and she recalled they had made a decision to say “minimize” those. Dr. Petersen clarified that the message he had heard from the council last fall was that they wanted a system that discouraged cross region hauling by vertically integrated haulers. Councilor McLain agreed but added that they had also talked about ownership and traffic issues and other barriers including where the facilities were sited. Chair Atherton reiterated that the issue was indeed cross region shifting of waste, but it was also an issue of efficient use of the facilities. Councilor Park commented that the time vs. distance issue was going to be an interesting question. He noted there were policy guidelines at the state level on reducing vehicle miles traveled (VMTs), but there were also some economic issues that needed further study.

1.  CONSIDERATION OF THE MINUTES OF THE MAY 15, 2002 SOLID WASTE & RECYCLING COMMITTEE MEETING.

Adjourn

There being no further business to come before the Solid Waste & Recycling Committee, Chair Atherton adjourned the meeting at 5:03 p.m.

Prepared by

Cheryl Grant

Council Assistant

Attachments to the Public Record for the

Solid Waste & Recycling Committees Meeting of June 5, 2002:

Testimony Cards:

None.