SWAC Annual Report Presentation 2013~. To: The Mayor and City Council
From: Meridian Solid Waste Advisory Commission:
Steve Cory, Chair, citizen commissioner
Karie Glenn, Vice-Chair, staff commissioner
Cheryl Caldwell, citizen commissioner
Robert Corrie, citizen commissioner
Nancy Mann, citizen commissioner
Jeffrey Townsend, citizen commissioner
Ashley Miller-Burgess, youth commissioner
Mollie Mangerich, staff commissioner
Andrea Pogue, staff commissioner
Re: 2013 SWAG Annual Report
The following report was approved at the SWAC meeting on October 23, 2013:
A. Membership:
Throughout the year, the Meridian Solid Waste Advisory Commission (SWAC) membership was
fully staffed with five citizens, one youth Commissioner, three City employees, and 2 ex-officio
members.
B. Commercial Recycling Ordinance:
SWAC concluded ayear-long project with City Council's approval of the Commercial Recycling
Ordinance. In 2012 at the request of Western Recycling, City Council asked SWAC to form a
committee to review the status of the City's commercial recycling program and if appropriate, to
develop a commercial recycling exemption to balance the competing interests of the City's solid
waste franchisee and those of independent recyclers wishing to engage in commercial recycling
activity within City limits. The committee, chaired by Commissioner Steve Cory, and comprised
of representatives from SWAC, City Environmental Division, Republic Services, CINTAS,
United Metals, North American Recycling, and Western Recycling, met seven times. The group
unanimously approved a drafted exemption at its meeting on October 23, 2012 which was then
presented to SWAC for consideration. In 2013, SWAC received public input at two separate
meetings and made some changes to the drafted exemption as a result (eliminating primarily the
permit requirement} before recommending the Ordinance to City Council for approval. The
Ordinance passed and went into effect on April 29, 2013.
C. Community Recycling Fund Program (CRFP}:
The beginning balance for FY13 was $69,277.09 of which $23,500.00 was approved for
distribution on the carry-over 2012 Split Corridor Arts Project and Dog Park projects leaving
2013 SWAC Annual Report
~, $45,777.09 available for new projects.l SWAG im roved the fo
p rms, application and award time
frames, and process to better assist the public throu h the a lication "
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window to submit applications for FY 13 ran from November 1-December
31, 2012. SWAG
reviewed applications as a group after the submittal window closed. SWA
Cranked the
applications and recommended to City Council for fundin a royal those whi '
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CRFP s purpose and selection criteria.
In FY13, SWAG reviewed. and recommended four (4) a lications for Cit Council'
pp y s approval
and continued to monitor the Split Corridor Arts Pro ect Award as well. The success 1 '
J fu prof ects
were:
1. Public Proj ects:
a. Meridian Youth Baseball; Purchase and Installation of Aluminum Bleachers at
Settlers Park Baseball Complex-$8,902.50 was approved and $8,902.50 was s ent.
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e MYB organ~zatlon fulfilled their cash match of $3,902.50 to com lete the
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profect.
b. City of Meridian Parks and Recreation Department, Project #2: 8th Street Pla round
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qulpment-$21,500.00 was approved and $23,801.08 was spent to urchase
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playground equipment manufactured from 50% postconsumer plastics. Installation is
set to occur on November 1, 2013. The Parks and Recreations cash match of
~, $8,260.00 will be fulfilled at the time of installation.
c. City of Meridian Environmental Division: Graphics Animation "It Starts at Home-
Solid Waste & Recycling Services inMeridian"-$5.000 was approved and s ent to
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fund the completion of a storyboard process with the consultant and the develo ment
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of draft graphics to be used in the Animation.
2. SWAG sponsored the following project:
a. City of Meridian Parks and Recreation Department, Project #1: Rec clin Containers
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Installation at Heroes and Julius Klelner .City Parks- $15,575.00 was ap roved and
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$14,773.00 was spent. $842.00 was returned to the CRFP.
1 In early 2013, SWAC's stewardship of the CRFP included working with one of the 2012
Award recipients, the Dog Park Task Force, and pertinent City Staff involved in workin throu h
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the details of the profect s fundraiser to ensure that the profect remained true to its on final
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application. When it became apparent that the profect was in the process of mo hin into a ver
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different project than had been approved by City Council, SWAG asked the a licant to come to
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a meeting to discuss the situation. The applicant was made aware of the Commission's concerns
in advance of the meeting and ultimately chose to return the money awarded $3,500 instead of
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appearing. The return of those funds brought the FY 13 balance to $49,277.09.
2013 SWAC Annual Report 2
~ Each of the FY13 projects above were timel erformed and a close-o
Y p ut report has already been
submitted to City Council. With .regard to the FY12 Meridian S lit Co ' '
. . , , p rridor Arts Project, it fell
behind its initial prod ected timeline due to rocess Bela s in selectin '
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art piece to City Council. However, SWAC voted to recommend a fundin '
g extension to the end
of calendar year 2013 provided a final art piece was selected b Cit Co '
y y until within that time
period, City Council did approve the CJ Rench "Under the Sun and Dreamin " '
g art piece on
October 1, 2013, SWAC will monitor the project to ensure re ortin obli ation
p g g s are fulfilled.
The ending CRFP balance in FY 13 is $1066.84.
D. Secondary Market(s):
The secondary markets remained depressed during 2013 resultin in zero residential cur '
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recycling revenue or City Parks recycling revenue being returned to the CRFP since November
2012. SWAC will continue to monitor market trends and work with Re ublic Services to identif
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new recycling revenue sources for the CRFP.
E. Commission Business-other:
Throughout the year, other Commission business included:
1. Monitoring and reporting to City Council on the developments and demise of the
Dynamis Waste- to-Energy project at the Ada County Landfill as a ro riate.
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2. Monitoring the progress and developments related to changin from the current volume-
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based (per cubic yard) tipping fee system at the Ada County Landfill to a wei ht-based
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(per ton) fee system and reporting to the Mayor and City Council as a ro date.
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3. Developing the Meridian Residential Curbside Services Chart to assist Re ublic Service
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customer service representatives in answenng questions about Meridian's services so as
not to be confused with other local cities' services also provided by Republic Services.
The chart is posted on Republic's website as well as the Cit 's Environmental website.
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4. Analyzing and recommending Chan es to the format of the Solid Waste R t
g a es Schedule
for more transparency.
5. Reviewing and recommending to City Council approval of Republic's ro osed FY 13
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Annual Rate Adjustment Report to City Council,
6. Reviewing citizen input regarding noise related to early AM collection times at a local
school. SWAC and Republic worked with citizens and City staff to im rove ualit of
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service to citizens' satisfaction.
7. Reviewing a citizen's recommendation that Meridian adopt two of Boise's ro rams: 1
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~ Coupons for Paper Leaf Bags, and (2) Overflow stickers. After discussion includin
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consideration of the citizen's input, SWAC did not vote to recommend these two
2013 S WAC Annual Report
~"`~~ programs because they are both heavily subsidized and involve increased ' '
administrative
burdens that would not be cost-effective here. Boise's use of ov r
e flow stickers
philosophically differs as well from the histor of Meridian's ado
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implementation of its automated waste pro ram in 2010.
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8. Visiting the Environmental Abrasives facilit in SE Boise to learn ab
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recycling operation.
9. Receiving presentations from citizens and Re ublic Services includin :
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(a) Chad Schwend, PSE, regarding the Household Hazardous Waste Pro ram•
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(b) Anthony Navarro Mountain Glass Recycling, re ardin ro osed lass rec clin
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services;
(c}Bill Jarocki, VOLTAIC Solutions, regarding cleaning trash and rec clin container
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services;
(d) Republic Services, regarding the Free Sharps Containers Pro ram•
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(e) Republic Services, regarding the status of the Materials Recover Facilit MRF
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(~ Republic Services, regarding multiple issues related to Ada Count Landfill•
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(g) Republic Services, regarding the status of secondary markets;
(h) Republic Services, regarding the development and status of the Grass Rec clin Pilot
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Program;
(i) Republic Services, regarding the requested annual rate/CPI ad'ustment• and
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~ (~) CRFP Award Recipients, regarding their close-out reports.
F. Commission Business-going forward:
In 2014, SWAG is particularly looking forward to:
1. Continuing to participate in and monitor the developments of the Ada Count Landfill
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Tip Fee Working Group with regard to any changes to dis osal rates and u datin the
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Mayor and City Council as appropriate.
2. Monitoring the progress of the pilot Grass Recycling Program and re ortin back to the
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Mayor and City Council as appropriate.
3. Continuing to research and learn more about glass and other rec clin o ortunities
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including yard debris composting.
4. Continuing to expand the CRFP by locating new recyclin revenue sources and as the
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Fund allows, sponsoring prod ects, advertising the CRFP to the public, and rocessin
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ecting, and recommending to City Council proj ect applications which fulfill the
purpose and requirements of the program.
5. Expanding the role of the Youth Commissioner to coordinate with MYAC the lannin
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,~ of opportunities to promote recycling in the community.
2013 SWAG Annual Report
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~, 6. Assisting in the development of a Cit electronic waster '
, Y ecycling program, thereby
diverting hazardous waste from the landfill, et also adminis '
. , , Y tered in comport with the
City s Purchasing policies.
In conclusion, it has been a productive year for S WAC. We contin
ue to learn as a Commission
and look forward to even greater productivit in the ear to come.
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2013 SWAG Annual Report
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