Solid Waste Management Coordinating Board Agenda Item #1
Solid Waste Management Coordinating Board
Minutes
Wednesday, April 25, 2001
Metro Counties Governance Building
Members Present:
Commissioner Jim Kordiak, Anoka County
Commissioner Susan Haigh, Ramsey County
Commissioner Joseph Harris, Dakota County
Commissioner Paul McCarron, Anoka County
Commissioner Victoria Reinhardt, Ramsey County
Commissioner Peter McLaughlin, Hennepin County
Commissioner Dick Stafford, Washington County
Commissioner Don Maher, Dakota County
Commissioner Jim Ische, Carver County
Commissioner Penny Steele, Hennepin County
Sherry Enzler, OEA
Others Present:
Barry Schade, Dakota County
Phil Eckhert, Hennepin County
Erin Bowley, Ramsey County
MaryBeth Neal, Hennepin County
Bob Meier, OEA
Zack Hansen, Ramsey County
Don Chapdelaine, SKB
Tom Osdoba, e4 partner, inc
Warren Wilson, Dakota County
Tom Burrows, Dakota County
Lori Frekot, Dakota County
Judy Hunter, Washington County
Mike Lein, Carver County
Kirk Rosenberger, NRG
Kevin Johnson, Lindquist & Vennum
Brad Fields, Anoka County
Cathi Lyman-Onkka, Ramsey County
Michael Reed, Ramsey County
Corey Brinkema, e4 partners
Susan Cairn, Cairn & Associates
Mary Richardson, RRA
Peggy Aho, RRA
Jan Lucke, RRA
Linda Gondringer, RRA
Kathie Doty, RRA
Agenda Item #1. Minutes.
Commissioner Maher made a motion to approve the March 28, 2001 minutes. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Harris and passed unanimously on a voice vote.
Agenda Item #2. Checks and Claims.
Commissioner Maher made a motion to ratify the Checks and Claims. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Stafford and passed unanimously on a voice vote.
Agenda Item #3. Management and Policy.
Mary Richardson gave an update of the Mixed Municipal Solid Waste Processing Tax Credit bill. The bill states that the Commissioner shall pay counties a processing tax credit for each ton of mixed municipal solid waste that is generated in the county and processed at a resource recovery facility located in Minnesota. The appropriation would be $12 million for fiscal year 2002 and $12 million for fiscal year 2003, would be appropriated from the environmental fund, and would be effective July 1, 2001. Chair Haigh noted that the House wants to use SCORE funding for the processing credit. Chair Haigh noted that the alternative tax bill is being well received.
Bob Meier gave an update on the mercury and thermometer bills and a status of the Workman bill. The Workman bill transfers most of the duties of the MPCA and eliminates 18 position in the OEA and transfers 11 positions of the PCA to the Department of Trade and Economic Development and 24 positions from the SCORE program to the Department of Revenue. This could take affect on July 1, 2002 and would save $2.1 million per year. It is expected that the bill will be passed out of the Ways and Means Committee this week and be on the floor of the House the first week in May. The PCA bonding allocation was restored on April 23 and it is assumed that this will be a bonding bill out of the Senate.
The mercury bill passed out of both the House and the Senate and it is expected that Governor Ventura will sign the bill into law.
Barry Schade gave an overview of the policy position the SWMCB took last year regarding procurement of administrative and policy analysis services and legal services. The RFQs for these services are set to be released on April 30. Management Unit Commissioners will review the vendor qualifications and hold interviews if necessary, and will bring a recommendation to the SWMCB at its June 27 meeting. Chair Haigh noted that this process needs to be complete prior to developing the 2002 budget. Commissioner Reinhardt made a motion that the SWMCB authorize the release of RFQs for administrative and policy consultant services and for legal services. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Harris and passed unanimously on a voice vote.
Agenda Item #4. Reduction and Recycling.
Susan Cairn, Cairn and Associates, gave an overview of the Solid Waste and Toxicity Reduction Community Education Project and noted that there are three waste reduction and two toxicity reduction outcomes in the Regional Solid Waste Master Plan that call for citizen behavior change. Through research presented at the changing public behavior forum, the SWMCB learned that changing public behavior requires a multi-faceted approach, including: media campaign to raise awareness and create the backdrop for specific message; flyers, brochures, posters, etc. to deliver specific messages, hands-on activities with kids to shape their future behaviors; hands-on activities with community groups to learn different strategies and methods; and law and policy where voluntary approaches do not work.
Judy Hunter noted that Commissioner Reinhardt would be involved in the selection of community group partners. Commissioner Reinhardt noted that she will update the Board regularly on the project and work with the Chair to follow all SWMCB contracting requirements and policies. Staff noted that a clear set of criteria will be set for groups to submit their work plans. Commissioner Stafford noted that he would like the SWMCB to partner with a major catalyst (i.e. YMCA, etc.).
Commissioner Reinhardt made a motion that the SWMCB approve pursuing community group partnerships to reduce the volume and toxicity of waste and the creation of the Reduce Waste Partnership Fund in the amount of $75,000, as indicated in the 2001 Work Plan and Budget, to support this effort. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Kordiak and passed unanimously on a voice vote.
b. Amendment No. 1 to the Agreement with Materials Processing LLC
During 2000, the SWMCB contracted with Materials Processing LLC to recruit to businesses to participate in office paper reduction demonstration projects. Materials Processing LLC’s agreement with the SWMCB expires on May 31, 2001. More time is needed to assist Agribank and Cities Management, Inc. in completing an analysis of paper reduction opportunities and implementing paper reduction recommendations. No additional funds are requested. Commissioner Reinhardt made a motion that the SWMCB authorize the Chair to execute Amendment No. 1 to the Materials Processing LLC agreement extending the term to December 31, 2001. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Harris and passed unanimously on a voice vote.
c. Residential Composting Bin Program Update and Budget Amendment
Staff noted that the demand for compost bins has been very strong and orders received from residents already exceed the amended budget of $90,000. Staff are requesting that the SWMCB increase the Reduction and Recycling budget for the composting bin project by $76,000 to $166,000. This $76,000 increase would allow 11,500 bins to be ordered. Commissioner Harris made a motion that the SWMCB amend the Reduction and Recycling Budget by increasing the budget for the Composting Bin project by $76,000 to $166,000 and approve the purchase of additional compost bins from Greenline Products. Chair Haigh noted that the money would come from the unallocated reserve account. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Ische and passed unanimously on a voice vote. Commissioner McLaughlin asked if there had been any thought to further expanding the program, given the response to the composting bin project. Chair Haigh noted that it was the SWMCB’s legal staff’s response that the Board would need to issue another request for bids if it wished to expand the program to include another distribution.
Commissioner McLaughlin made a motion that staff come back to the SWMCB at its May 23 meeting and give the Board an update on the Spring bin distribution and a recommendation regarding the feasibility for a Fall bin distribution. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Reinhardt and passed unanimously on a voice vote.
d. Reduction and Recycling Update
Commissioner Reinhardt encouraged the commissioners to get involved in the Earth Action Challenge Campaign, which is a strategy to achieve the Master Plan goal of reducing county waste generation by 10% by 2003. Commissioner Reinhardt also noted that the Recycling Trends Report will be presented to the SWMCB at a future meeting and that the Resourceful Waste Management Guide is being edited and will be printed in July and distributed in August.
Agenda Item #5. Toxicity Reduction.
a. Latex Paint Project Update and Resolution 2000-01
Following a presentation by Corey Brinkema, e4 partners, on the SWMCB Recycled Latex Paint Project, the SWMCB was asked to consider a resolution which encourages the use of recycled paint and asks counties to incorporate into the contract specifications a requirement and waiver provision that recycled content paint be used on county construction and renovation projects. Commissioner Reinhardt made a motion that the SWMCB approve Resolution 2001-01 which encourages Minnesota counties, cities, state and other jurisdictions to begin using or increase the use of recycled content paint (RCP) on government projects and asked each participating SWMCB county, the MOEA, and the MPCA to identify, by the June 27 SWMCB meeting, at least one major construction or renovation project where RFP will be used in the next 12 months, and that each participating SWMCB county incorporate into their contract specifications a requirement and waiver provision that RCP be used rather than virgin paint on county construction and renovation projects. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Ische and passed unanimously on a voice vote.
Commissioner Kordiak noted that the SWMCB has been asked to participate in a national effort to work with industry on designing and implementing a system to collect and recycle old TVs and computer monitors and that as co-chair of the CRT Task Force he attended a meeting on April 19 in Arlington, VA. Commissioner Kordiak handed out CRT brochures, which were developed by the SWMCB, and asked that members and staff make sure that they are handed out to as many locations as possible.
Agenda Item #6. NonMSW Management.
a. Agreement with URS Corporation for Construction Waste Project
The SWMCB released an RFP for a Construction Waste Project. The following four firms responded to the SWMCB’s RFP, e4 partners, inc., J.L. Taitt and Associates, Inc., Lloyd’s Construction Services, Inc. and URS Corporation. Based on its knowledge and experience working in the construction waste industry and its proposed work plan, staff recommended that URS Corporation be awarded the contract. Commissioner Harris made a motion that the SWMCB authorize the Chair to negotiate contract terms and to execute an agreement with URS Corporation to complete the SWMCB’s construction waste project for an amount not-to-exceed $44,934.50 with a term of May 15, 2001 to December 31, 2002. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Kordiak and passed unanimously on a voice vote.
Due to time constraints, the reminder of the April agenda will be held over until the May 23rd meeting. Chair Haigh apologized to the Dakota County presenter for the delay in the nonMSW presentation and noted that the nonMSW presentation would be first on the May Board agenda. Chair Haigh adjourned the meeting.