Solid Waste Management Coordinating Board Agenda Item #1

Solid Waste Management Coordinating Board

Minutes

Wednesday, July 24, 2002

Metro Counties Government Center

Members Present:

Commissioner Susan Haigh, Ramsey County

Commissioner John Siegfried, Carver County

Commissioner Jim Kordiak, Anoka County

Commissioner Don Maher, Dakota County

Commissioner Victoria Reinhardt, Ramsey County

Commissioner Dennis Hegberg, Washington County

Commissioner Joseph Harris, Dakota County

Commissioner Randy Johnson, Hennepin County

Commissioner Jim Ische, Carver County

Rodney Massey, MPCA

Others Present:

Zack Hansen, Ramsey County

Barry Tilley, Dakota County

Barry Schade, Dakota County

Brad Fields, Anoka County

Mike Lein, Carver County

Don Chapdelaine, SKB

Irv Stern, BFI

Doc St. Clair, SKB Environmental

Eric Makela, Recyclaholics

Carl Michaud, Hennepin County

Angie Timmons, Hennepin County

Amy Roering, Hennepin County

Dianna Kennedy, Eureka Recycling

Susan Cairn, Cairn & Associates

Kathy Scott, Dakota County

Tim Brownell, Eureka Recycling

Betsy Barnum, Great River Earth Institute

Elana Gravits, Nokomis Healthy Seniors

Jan Lucke, RRA

Peggy Aho, RRA

Linda Gondringer, RRA

 

Agenda Item #1. Minutes of the June 26, 2002 Meeting.

Commissioner Hegberg made a motion to approve the June 26, 2002 minutes. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Maher 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 Siegfried and passed unanimously on a voice vote.

Agenda Item #3. Policy and Management

a. Regional Public Communications Plan.
    1. Brand and Logo. Chair Haigh noted that the Communications Committee has not finished its work and, therefore, is not ready to make a recommendation to the Board on the brand and logo. Commissioner Reinhardt made a motion that the Board delegate to the Communications Committee the final authority to decide which name and logo the SWMCB will use for its regional public communications plan. Commissioner Ische seconded the motion and the motion passed unanimously on a voice vote.
    2. 2002 Resources Needed to Support the Communications Plan: Amendment #1 to the Richardson, Richter & Associates, Inc. Agreement. Chair Haigh noted that the SWMCB, in June, approved a communications plan which calls for the development of a comprehensive user-friendly web site that will be a primary source of solid waste information in the region. Chair Haigh noted that the SWMCB must support the development and on going updating of the web site by working with North Woods Advertising to determine the format for the web pages and determining the web page content, researching other websites and sources of information on waste issues, drafting content for the website pages and working with North Woods Advertising to finalize the text to be placed on the website, building email lists for rapid communications with interested parties and providing coordination of the communication project. Chair Haigh also noted that staff is recommending that Richardson Richter & Associates, Inc. provide the communications support needed for the remainder of 2002. Commissioner Reinhardt made a motion that an amendment to the 2002 SWMCB Work Plan and Budget be made to transfer $25,000 from the Project Reserve Fund to the Public Education: General Awareness Project under the Regional Policy Development and Performance Measurement budget category, and that the Chair be authorized to execute and enter into Amendment No. 1 to the Richardson, Richter & Associates’ 2002 Agreement increasing the contract maximum by $25,000 for the support of the activities of the communications plan through December 2002. Commissioner Siegfried seconded the motion and the motion passed unanimously on a voice vote.
    1. 2003 Work Plan and Budget: County Contributions.

Barry Schade noted that staff are in the process of developing the 2003 work plan and budget for the Board’s consideration at the September meeting. Mr. Schade noted that historically, the SWMCB’s revenue primarily comes from MLAA funds and county contributions. Mr. Schade noted that the 2003 revenue is projected to be $1, 563,000. Commissioner Hegberg made a motion that county contributions for 2003 remain at the same rate as 2002 which is $19,000 per county. Commissioner Reinhardt seconded the motion. Commissioner Maher suggested that the SWMCB look at reducing county contributions for 2003 because of budget shortfalls for counties next year. Commissioner Siegfried noted that it falls to the counties to give a strong indication that they are contributing to this project and the Board needs to show that we aren’t withdrawing county monetary support because of economic downtimes. The motion passed on a voice vote.

Agenda Item #4. Reduction and Recycling.

    1. A Comparative Analysis of Applied Recycling Collection Methods in St. Paul: Presentation by Eureka Recycling.

      2. Tim Brownell, Eureka Recycling, presented a comparison of piloted recycling collection scenarios and noted that a two-stream commingled collection was recommended for the City of St. Paul.

    2. 2001 Community Power Projects Report.

      3. Susan Cairn, Cairn and Associates, presented the highlights of the 2001 Community Power Projects. Presentations were also made by Betsy Barnum, Great River Earth Institute, on their "Voluntary Simplicity" program and Elana Gravitz, Nokomis Seniors, on their Healthy Seniors project.

       

    3. Update on Activities.

Jan Lucke gave the Reduction and Recycling group update on transport packaging. Ms. Lucke noted that the team completed Reusables 101 and has published articles in two trade association journals and has plans to publish more. Ms. Lucke also noted that the team is planning a reusable transport packaging workshop for October 1.

Agenda Item #5. Toxicity Reduction: Update on Activities.

Commissioner Kordiak noted that staff have been reviewing the US EPA’s proposed rules to regulate transportation and recycling of electronics and will be drafting a response by the middle of August. Commissioner Kordiak also noted that the Toxicity Reduction Group is working to get at least three new initiatives with regarding to latex paint going by the end of 2002.

Agenda Item #6. Other.

Chair Haigh noted that the SWMCB had been presented with a 2002 National Association of Counties’ Achievement Award for its Resourceful Waste Management Guide program.

There being no further business, the Chair adjourned the meeting at 11:35 a.m.