2022-04-27Solid Waste Advisory Commission Meeting – Wednesday, April 27, 2022. Page 1 of 1
All Materials presented at public meetings shall become property of the City of Meridian
SOLID WASTE ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING
City Council Chambers, 33 East Broadway Avenue Meridian, Idaho
Wednesday, April 27, 2022 at 4:00 PM
All materials presented at public meetings become property of the City of Meridian. Anyone desiring accommodation for
disabilities should contact the City Clerk's Office at 208-888-4433 at least 48 hours prior to the public meeting.
Agenda
VIRTUAL MEETING INSTRUCTIONS
Join from a PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone, or Android device:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84837463647 Or Join by phone: 1-669-900-6833
Webinar ID: 848 3746 3647
ROLL-CALL ATTENDANCE
___ Kayleigh Philippi ___ Rand Spiwak ___ Steve Cory
___ Megan Larsen ___ Scott Walters ___ Taryn Richmond
___ Mark Nelson ___ Shawn Keating ___ Tom Otte
___ Rachele Klein, Republic Services Ex-Officio
ADOPTION OF AGENDA
APPROVAL OF MINUTES [ACTION ITEM]
1. Approval of March 23, 2022 Meetings
STAFF PROGRAM REPORT
2. Contract Analysis update (Staff Schultz & PW Director McVey)
3. Quarterly tonnage and diversion report (Staff Schultz)
4. Trash or Treasure (4/30-5/1) and Spring Clean Up (5/2-5/6) Events (Staff Schultz)
OLD BUSINESS [ACTION ITEMS]
5. Recycle a Bike program updates (Commissioner Nelson)
NEW BUSINESS [ACTION ITEMS]
6. CRF- Quarterly report update (Commissioner Cory)
7. Ada County SWAC updates (Commissioner Cory)
NEXT MEETING – May 25, 2022
ADJOURNMENT
Solid Waste Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – Wednesday, April 27, 2022. Page 1 of 4
All Materials presented at public meetings shall become property of the City of Meridian
SOLID WASTE ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING
City Council Chambers, 33 East Broadway Avenue Meridian, Idaho
Wednesday, April 27, 2022 at 4:00 PM
All materials presented at public meetings become property of the City of Meridian. Anyone desiring accommodation for
disabilities should contact the City Clerk's Office at 208-888-4433 at least 48 hours prior to the public meeting.
Meeting Minutes
VIRTUAL MEETING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsCLoTKUe24
ROLL-CALL ATTENDANCE
Yes Kayleigh Philippi Yes Rand Spiwak Yes Steve Cory
Yes Megan Larsen Yes Scott Walters Yes Taryn Richmond
Yes Mark Nelson Yes Shawn Keating Yes Tom Otte
No Rachele Klein, Republic Services Ex-Officio
MEETING BROUGHT TO ORDER
APPROVAL OF AGENDA: Approved
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
1. March 23, 2022 Meeting minutes approved with the addition of comments brought forth by
Commissioner Spiwak. Spiwak would like added to the March meeting minutes under Old
Business that alternate leaf bags were discussed and where by Commissioner Spiwak
thanked the City and Republic for testing the bags for compostability.
STAFF PROGRAM REPORT
2. Contract Analysis update (Staff Schultz & PW Director McVey)
The contract analysis that was preformed by Staff Schultz was brought before City
Council by the Public Work’s Director McVey. The City Council’s recommendations are
to leave the City- Republic Services Contract as is. The contract has been around for a
long time, but that doesn’t mean the contract is faulty. In analyzing the contract, Staff
conducted a SWOT analysis on the risk and benefits of canceling the contract, re-
opening the contract, or re-negotiating the contract. Staff found that the City has a very
positive relationship with Republic Services. In addition, there were no pricing or
service issues identified.
Director McVey also explained that the last residential survey conducted found that
more than 84% of residents were satisfied or very satisfied with their trash service. In
Solid Waste Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – Wednesday, April 27, 2022. Page 2 of 4
All Materials presented at public meetings shall become property of the City of Meridian
addition, the survey showed that less than 10% of residents thought the prices for
service were too high. Staff also analyzed prices throughout the valley for comparable
services and found that Meridian’s rates are right on par with rates seen throughout the
valley.
The annual contract negotiation process as written in the current contract is really
straightforward for the City. Staff talked to other City’s who have different types of
contracts and their process is a lot different, has a lot more variables to negotiate, and
leaves open more chances for changes.
Also, to note, Republic Services continues to donate a substantial amount of services to
the City each year and if the contract was to be re-opened there is a potential that those
services would no longer be donated.
The recommendations that Staff have put forward and that City Council support is a
plan to re-evaluate the contract every three years, the documents associated with the
contract need to be organized and catalogued so they are easier to find, and fix one
vulnerability found in the contract. Staff found that the biosolid services were not
captured well within the contract. Staff is currently working with Republic Services to
memorialize these biosolid services. This includes better defining the services and rates
for hauling grit and material from the waste water treatment plant’s head works.
Republic Services has agreed to keep biosolid services a donation. This decision will be
memorialized in a MOU.
3. Quarterly tonnage and diversion report (Staff Schultz)
Staff Schultz outlined the quarterly tonnage report for the months January, February,
and March 2022. These tonnages were compared to the previous 2020 and 2021 years.
Trash tonnage has been more varied with higher tonnages in the year 2020, a dip in
amounts in 2021, and then a slight increase in 2022. For recycling tonnage, all three
months showed higher tonnage for the year 2022 compared to 2020 and 2021. Glass
subscriptions slowly increased from 2021 to 2022.
4. Trash or Treasure (4/30-5/1) and Spring Clean Up (5/2-5/6) Events (Staff Schultz)
Trash or Treasure event is this weekend and currently there are a little over
300 sign ups. Currently, there are around 200 sign ups for the Spring Clean Up
event. Looking at both events, there are around 500 households that have
signed up for bulky item pickup. The online sign up forms for both events are
working well with just a few residents having to manually sign up via phone.
Konrad of Republic Services sent out a call em’ all and text em’ all reminder to
residents about both events. Staff will be out on Saturday morning taking
photos of items households have put out for Trash or Treasure.
OLD BUSINESS [ACTION ITEMS]
5. Recycle a Bike program updates (Commissioner Nelson)
Commissioner Nelson, Commissioner Walters, and Republic Services have been fixing
up bikes for the giveaway. Currently, there are four residents that have signed up to
request a bicycle. However, a City press release was sent out today.
Staff Schultz will also be providing transportation and materials during the Saturday
event. Timbercreek will also donate a few staff members and a compressor to fill bike
tires. Commissioner Walters wanted to make a correction that the program is officially
Solid Waste Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – Wednesday, April 27, 2022. Page 3 of 4
All Materials presented at public meetings shall become property of the City of Meridian
called Recycle a Bicycle. The Recycle a Bicycle booth location and information is up on
the City’s Park department’s website.
NEW BUSINESS [ACTION ITEMS]
6. CRF- Quarterly report update (Commissioner Cory)
This is a new type of SWAC update that will happen quarterly. Current fund
balance is $69,357.87. Received a payment for a little over $1,600 in December,
little over $1,600 in January, about $1,300 for February, and a little over $1,200
for March. All payments were coming from Hand to Hand Recycling.
Commissioner Cory thanked Republic for continuing that program. This
program is helpful for multi-family units that do not have a recycling outlet in
their complex or other residents that need to get rid of a lot of material.
Commissioner Larsen asked the Chair if SWAC had up coming funding
obligations, such as for squishy water bottles. Staff Schultz answered
Commissioner Larsen saying that she believed it’s a constant line-item for
funding the squishy water bottle recycling program. This funding was approved
by SWAC last fall. Staff Schultz commented that during the May meeting she
would present a flyer and story stroll outreach to promote the proper recycling
of squishy water bottles to the Commission. The funding needed for these
outreach projects would also be presented at the May meeting. If SWAC
approved of these two expenses, the Chair would present these to City Council
for funding approval in June.
Commissioner Nelson commented that the Recycle a Bicycle program is also
going to purchase some supplies. Staff Schultz will be purchasing the material
for them. Staff Schultz commented that these funds are already appropriated
and would not need City Council approval.
Staff Schultz believes that SWAC has around $6,000 that is discretionary funds
to be used for glass recycling and the Recycle a Bicycle program.
7. Ada County SWAC updates (Commissioner Cory)
Ada County SWAC met today. The Landfill is collecting landfill gas and one third
of that gas was directed over to generators to create electricity. The remaining
two thirds is flared. Over the years the Landfill has contracted with LFGD to
collect landfill gas. LFGD will be developing facilities at the Landfill to capture
more landfill gas and turn this gas into pipeline quality methane natural gas that
will be able to be transported within the Intermountain Gas’ pipeline. With this
new system, the Landfill believes it will receive royalties from this. Currently, the
Landfill doesn’t know how much and will report back to SWAC once they have an
idea. Another item discussed was the rate amendment and the Landfill did
incorporate Meridian City staff comments. However, the Ada County
Commissioners still would like to see a flat rate up at the landfill. SWAC
participants commented that it’s much better to have a rate structure that
promotes diversion. City of Boise commented that they have benches made from
the Orange Bag program materials. Garden City has yard debris subscription
service now that has a similar rate to Meridian’s. The Landfill commented that
Solid Waste Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – Wednesday, April 27, 2022. Page 4 of 4
All Materials presented at public meetings shall become property of the City of Meridian
they have DEQ approval to use a foam instead of dirt for daily cover. This will
help preserve landfill space.
ADJOURNMENT: 4:47 pm