Recycling and Resource Conservation Advisory Board Minutes
Meeting Minutes for August 10, 2005
Board Members Present: Dickie Heckler, Shannon Criss, Laura Routh, Marie Stockett, John Craft
Staff: Mollie Mangerich
Mollie has *real* numbers for glass recycling-she will email those to the Board. Minutes from July meeting were approved unanimously. Laura Routh: motion; Shannon Criss: 2nd.
1. Home Energy Fair Update: Mollie Mangerich /Dickie Heckler looking at vending/food options with 4H and Girl Scouts. Michelle will be back on Monday. “Save The Date” Postcards were sent out: Fair scheduled for Sunday, October 9, 2005. Discussion regarding highlighting Green Builders: Subcommittee determined that criteria needed to be established. Mollie requested Board to consider offering a “Recognition” rather than an ‘Award”. Lawrence Home Builders Association should be notified of a recognition program, and perhaps 2 facilities can be included. Chris Cobb has possible speaker for Energy Fair, Mr. Rich Wentzle.
2. Emails received by RRCAB—Laura agrees to draft responses as Steve Hughes is not present. Discussion regarding appropriate responses: Mollie shares with Board Bob Yoos’ requested language for one letter; Laura notes the suggested language is his opinion, not a fact. Laura Routh feels that the emails were directed to the RRCAB, not the Public Works/SW department, and the responses should reflect the will of the RRCAB, not necessarily City Department opinion. Bob Yoos is not a member of the RRCAB, Laura Routh notes.
The Board agreed that responses need to affirm citizen input and solicit feedback and participation in public meetings, and where needed, acknowledge that research has not yet been done.
3. Discussion of recycling and curbside: John Craft asks whether by leaving recycling to the private sector and citizens to deliver their own materials, the City is not just transferring the cost, rather than avoiding it? Someone asks if the RRCAB recommended curbside, would the Commission approve it? Mollie Mangerich notes that staff does not currently support implementing a city-provided curbside collection program because their data reflects the increase in recycling rate (no more than 3.5%) would not justify the cost. She notes that it would most likely be the City Commission’s preference that a curbside recycling program be decided by referendum/vote. John Craft: was the transit program a referendum? How did that happen? No answer given. Laura Routh notes that only one cost estimate has been developed (in the SW department’s earlier report, “Evaluation of Waste Diversion Strategies for Lawrence Special Focus on Curbside Collection of Recyclables”, October, 2004) and it assumed that the building of a MRF was required. Laura Routh argues that other models are possible. Mollie Mangerich informs the subcommittee that if they intend to conduct a survey, or anything else, they should write a scope/proposal and run it through her so she may get it to appropriate management. Laura Routh states that nothing will be done by the Recycling subcommittee without the full input of the Board and the knowledge of staff.
4. E-Waste: Mollie Mangerich asks Board to generate comments regarding Electronics Waste project in works by State officials. Draft letter to be reviewed at September meeting. Issues to be addressed include lack of state’s support for Producer Responsibility, failing to adequately regulate E-waste recyclers operating in KS, failing to discuss the environmental factors involved in E-waste management, and stability of funding sources.
Meeting adjourned 6 PM.