2007-10-24 Regular Meeting
SOLID WASTE ADVISORY BOARD
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
October 24,2007 @ 5:15 p.m.
Borough Conference Room
I. Call to order
Chair Ed Mahoney called to order the Regular Meeting of the SWAB at 5:15
p.m. on October 24, 2007 at KIB Conference Room.
II. Roll call
KEPLEY conducted a roll call and a quorum was established. The following
persons were present:
Board Members Present Not Present Excused
AL TENHOF, Barry ,/
HINKLE, Bill ,/
HOLM, Freya ,/
OWEN, Marion ,/
PILLANS, Richard ,/
MAHONEY, Ed ,/
ROHRER, Dan ,/
Also in attendance were:
Ex-Officio Members: Deb Darminio, Mark Kozak, Chris Lynch, and Tracy
Mitchell. Rick Gifford, Woody Koning, Alan Torres, Mary Barber, and Jessica
Kepley, Kodiak Island Borough and Carroll Mahoney-Tracy, Kodiak Sanitation.
Introductions of attendees were presented.
III. Approval of AQenda
Chair asked for approval to add an item to the agenda. New Business: #2. Discussion
of Extending the Solid Waste Collections Contract. Approval was given by a voice
vote of the board.
IV. Approval of Minutes - September 8.2007
Minutes were not approved at this meeting. They will be provided at the next meeting
for approval.
V. Visitor Comments
Larry Van Daele, Fish & Game representative, spoke in favor of minimizing the bear
problem by using dumpsters and trash bins that would prohibit them from being able to
access the garbage so easily.
VI. Reports
None.
VII. Unfinished Business
None.
VIII. New Business
A. Introduction of Bell & Associates - Presentation of report
Chris Bell and Richard Hertzberg of Bell & Associates presented their preliminary
report to the board. They gathered information, assessed the current system, and
received recommendations to assist with their study. The idea behind the SWAB is to
provide "eyes and ears" for the public on the current study being done, to represent the
community as a whole, to provide Bell & Assoc. with input and help shape the policies
that will eventually be created. Mr. Bell said that the main focus of the study at this
time is the collections services. They will be addressing issues, determining what is
currently working and what is not currently working in the system, and what will be able
to be changed. The primary components of the Solid Waste study are: collection
services, disposal services, transfer stations, promotion and education of the system,
organization and administration of the system, and waste reduction and recycling.
Survey questions provide at the outset of the study will be used as guides while
coming up with the new Solid Waste plan.
Discussion was held on the current recycling program. Future emphasis will be placed
on developing a better program. Currently the recycling material volume is low which in
turn brings up the costs of the program. The study will look at the current program and
find ways of improving the system in order to make it a "for profit" organization,
handling more recycling materials and decreasing the cost to run the program. It was
unanimously agreed upon that the more recycling materials that are process the less
garbage will go into the landfill, expanding the life of the current landfill footprint.
Mr. Bell raised the concern that the current garbage billing done by the Borough is not
an efficient process. His idea is to leave the invoicing in the hands of the collections
contractor thus decreasing the cost in time and hours of handling the billing. Questions
can be answered by the collections contractor, making it easier for the customer.
Collections services will be studied in order to come up with a more convenient
service, with costs based on what is thrown away, setting up collections rates based
on participation and volume. It was suggested that once the study is finalized, the
Borough consider looking into long term contracts with collection companies rather
than the way it is handled currently, where the Borough enters into short term
contracts, which in turn increases the costs of the services.
Discussion was held on options of garbage containers. It is a concern of the Board and
others that containers be bear-proof, hold up in high winds, and limit the spreading of
garbage by birds, yet still are convenient for the consumer to use. The possibility of
reducing the amount of dumpsters in urban areas was discussed. The survey results
determined that there was a desire to do away with dumpsters if residential collections
were available. Disposal options were discussed, determining that there were three
feasible options for Kodiak: bury, burn or barge out. Burying disposed trash generates
a cost of $400-700K to treat leachate created by the buried trash. There is a lot of rain
in Kodiak, which means a lot of leachate for the landfill to handle. The board discussed
the option of incinerating trash at the landfill. Mr. Hertzberg suggested putting out an
RFP to specify the needs of incineration.
In conclusion the immediate and part time priorities of the board and Bell & Associates
will be to consider options for the collection contract which expires in less than a year,
possibly extending the current contract until the study is finalized, and to look at the
how to improve the collections services. The overall concept of the study will be
brought before the Assembly for further directions and guidance to pursue. SWAB can
discuss the new RFP as Bell & Associates continues with the study. The board
discussed time deadlines, constraints and seasonality issues. The current collections
contract has the option to extend the contract deadline until the study is complete and
a new system can be put into place.
A list of questions for the board members to consider and answer will be provided.
They will need to be answered by the board by November 2.
B. Collection Contract Extension
Chair entertained a motion to suggest to the Assembly to honor the collections
contract extension option to extend the contract for an additional year. Upon advice
from Manager Gifford, the board decided to postpone making a motion regarding the
contract until the next meeting, scheduled for November 14 at 5:15 p.m.
IX. Visitor Comments
None.
X. Board Comments
There were no comments by any of the board members.
XI. MeetinQ Schedule
The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, November 14, 2007, 5:15 p.m.
XII. Adiournment
There being no further business, Chair adjourned the meeting at 8:20 p.m.
SUBMITTED BY:
Date: l~ le t f)l
Secretary
/ Facilities Department
APPROVED BY:
/l //./
....' .....
. /" --;"~~
,~~.
Ed Ma ey, Chair ./
SoJid1Vaste Advisory.Zoard
/ C--
--
")
Date: /21/07
/