SWAC Rec on the Renewal of the Solid Waste Franchise Agmt with Republic Services for FY2014To: The Mayor and City Council, City of Meridian
From: Steve Cory, Chairman, Solid Waste Advisory Commission (SWAG)
Date: September 26, 2013
Re: SWAG Recommendation on the Renewal of the Solid Waste Franchise Agreement with
Republic Services for FY2014
Purpose: Per City Council instructions, the Solid Waste Advisory Commission (SWAG)
completed its review of Republic Service's performance during FY2013 in order to make a
recommendation whether or not to approve the automatic renewal beginning October 1, 2013 of
the Franchise Agreement with Republic Services for FY2014.
While conducting the current review, SWAG relied upon its firsthand experience workin with
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Republic Services on a variety of matters this past year, and the following information: 2012
Republic Services Annual Report, 2013 First and Second Quarter Reports, and various in ut
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from City staff and the community as outlined below.
Findings:
1. FY13 represents the first full year of Republic Services providing franchised solid waste
collection services to the City. City Council approved the assignment of the Cit 's
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Franchise Agreement with SSC to Republic Services on March 13, 2012 (Resolution 12-
844}. The assignment took effect on April 1, 2012.
2. Growth in the number of residential and commercial customers engaged in recyclin
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continued in FY13. All of the mayor recycling programs in Meridian showed increases in
volume during 2013.Over the last four quarters, there was an impressive increase in
volume of collected commercial recyclables totaling 1,243 tons. The City of Meridian's
commercial customers averaged 311 tons per quarter and finished Q2 of 2013 with 323
tons! The residential sector saw an increase as well. Residents recycled 4,090 tons over
the last four quarters. Residents averaged 1,023 tons per quarter and finished Q2 of 2013
with 1,050 tons.
3. Republic Services collected a total of 340 tons of leaves during Meridian's three-week
residential curbside Fall Leaf collection program. There is no additional cost to customers
for this program.
4. Republic Services collected a total of 602 tons of trash during the Christmas unlimited
collection week. This was 8 tons less than the week before and the week after Christmas
unlimited collection week.
a. Republic Services collected a total of 2,586 Christmas trees for recycling. The
average Christmas tree weighs 50 pounds, therefore the estimated weight is 65
tons.
5. Republic Services collected a total of 830 tons of trash during Meridian's Spring Clean
Up week. This was 68 tons more than the week before and the week after Spring Clean
Up. There is no additional cost to customers for this program.
6. Republic Services collected a total of 3 trash trucks, a box truck full of old televisions
and multiple construction boxes with trash, wood and 30 cubic yards of material at the
Old Town Clean Up. There is no additional cost to customers for this program.
7. Due to continued downturn on commodity prices, Republic Services was only able to
return $1,965.25 of residential recycling revenue to the City in FY13. The extended
downturn in secondary markets throughout FY13 has had a dramatic negative impact on
the Community Recycling Fund balance. The current balance is $ 264.84.
8. In an effort to find new revenue sources for funding the Meridian Community Recycling
Fund, Republic Services agreed to return 80% of its commercial recycling revenue for
recycled materials collected from the City's parks (Settlers Park, Heroes Park and Julias
Kleiner Park) which provide recycling containers for the public. Additionally, Republic
and SWAG are working through the details of expanding this commitment to include all
City parks with recycling containers within.
9. In addition to performing its contracted duties, Republic participated in the development
of the City's adopted Commercial Recycling Exemption to City's Solid Waste Ordinance
in order to balance competing interests of independent commercial recycling services
within the City limits. Republic's participation in the process was vital to the
development of the exemption.
10. In response to customer demand, Republic Services launched asubscription-based Grass
Recycling Pilot Program in Meridian, Boise, and Eagle. Meridian's customers make up
62% of the total number of customers participating in this new program. Republic
Services agreed to keep track of all the relevant data and will report back to SWAG at the
end of the Pilot Program year.
1 1. Republic Services made several presentations to SWAG and City Council throughout the
year to keep the City apprised of a variety of matters including the demise of the
Dynamis Waste-to-Energy project at the Ada County landfill, the potential impact on
tipping fees/rates by the installation of scales at the landfill, the status of the Republic
Services future material recovery facility, the history of the City's free Sharps container
and Household Hazardous Waste programs, comparison of local rate structures per a
citizen's inquiry, secondary market fluctuations, and periodic status reports on Boise's
glass beverage container recycling program.
12. Republic Services participated with SWAG to promptly solve a residential customer's
request to decrease early AM noise by changing the recycling container's metal lid to
plastic and instructing the driver not to bang the container to loosen materials at the
bottom of it.
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13. Republic Services worked with City staff to develop aone-page layout of Meridian's
residential curbside programs to distinguish them from Boise's which will be a handy
reference tool for customer service representatives, City staff, SWAG commissioners,
and the public alike.
14. During the course of preparing its annual report on rates, Republic Services worked with
City staff to change the format and content of the rate schedule to be more transparent
and informative.
Conclusion: Based on its findings SWAG concluded that Republic Services provided services in
addition to its contracted duties and responsibilities and performed them above and beyond the
manner and standard prescribed in the Agreement. As a result of its review, SWAG voted at its
meeting on September 25, 2013 to recommend approval of the automatic renewal of the
Franchise Agreement with Republic Services for FY2o 14.
Steve Cory, Chairman
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