City of Lawrence

Sustainability Advisory Board (SAB)

March 12, 2008 (5:30 PM) Meeting Minutes

MEMBERS PRESENT:	Chris Cobb, Paul Dietz, Dickie Heckler, Sarah Hill-Nelson , Matt Lehrman, Daniel Poull, Laura Routh, Simran Sethi, Brian Sifton, Cindy Strecker
MEMBERS ABSENT:
STAFF PRESENT:	Tammy Bennett, Cassandra Ford, Michelle Gundy, Tom Hogan, Tammy Parris, Kathy Richardson
CITY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT:
PUBLIC PRESENT:	Michael Almon, Ernest Cowden, Doug Dubois, Bay Liss Harsh, Tim Hjersted, Carey Maynard-Moody, Steve Moring, Amy Schutz, Ian Spomer

ANNOUCEMENTS and INTRODUCTIONS

The Waste Reduction and Recycling Division staff was present during the first part of the board meeting and each took a couple minutes to explain what they do on the job. All staff can be reached at 832-3030.

Kathy Richardson, WRR Operations Supervisor (krichardson@ci.lawrence.ks.us)

Kathy coordinates and oversees the activities and operations of the Waste Reduction and Recycling Programs for the City of Lawrence.

Michelle Gundy, WRR Field Supervisor (mgundy@ci.lawrence.ks.us)

Michelle supervises the City’s recycling routes: cardboard and office paper at business locations and community newspaper, cardboard and mixed paper multi-lift bins throughout town. Michelle is responsible for the shipments and sale of the city’s recyclables.

WRR Specialists perform a variety of technical, educational and administrative tasks related to the program areas within the Waste Reduction and Recycling Division. Although cross trained, they each provide technical lead in the program area of expertise.

Tom Hogan, WRR Specialist (thogan@ci.lawrence.ks.us)

Focus: Household Hazardous Waste Program and Small Quantity Generator Program

Tammy Parris, WRR Specialist (tparris@ci.lawrence.ks.us)

Focus: Household Hazardous Waste Program and Small Quantity Generator Program

Cassandra Ford, WRR Specialist (cford@ci.lawrence.ks.us)

Focus: Composting and Outreach/Education

Approval of meeting Minutes

Motion and second to approve the January 9, 2008 minutes and the February 13, 2008 meeting notes (Routh/Heckler). Vote: Motion was passed unanimously.

Presentation from Peak Oil Action Committee

Steve Morning distributed handouts (attached) and gave a PowerPoint presentation titled “Responding to the Crisis of Energy Depletion”. The Peak Oil Action Committee would like SAB to recommend to the City Commission to form a Peak Oil Task Force. There was discussion on how best to approach this and whether this is the right time to push for the formation of this Task Force (since SAB recently asked the City Commission to form the Climate Protection Plan Task Force). Also discussed was the potential for the Peak Oil Task Force to be incorporated into the Climate Protection Plan Task Force as a subgroup.

SAB members agreed that it would be best to ask the City Commissioners for a study session. SAB and the Peak Oil Action Committee would attend this study session.

Motion and second that SAB will propose to the City Commissioners to schedule a study session to discuss the Peak Oil issues with the Peak Oil Action Committee present (Heckler/Sifton). Vote: Motion was passed unanimously.

The Peak Oil Action Committee asked if SAB members could be involved in editing their PowerPoint Presentation and handouts before presenting these to the City Commissioners.

Action: Laura Routh volunteered to send comments/feedback to the Peak Oil Action Committee on their proposal.

Formal Approval of the City Recycling Survey

Motion and second to approve the City’s Recycling Survey (Sifton/Cobb). Vote: Motion was passed unanimously.

Craft letter stating SAB’s position on city-wide curbside recycling

There was discussion regarding the Lawrence Journal World’s article and editorial regarding the City’s Recycling Survey and the cost of one model for city-wide curbside recycling. No SAB member was quoted in the article.

Tammy Bennett, Assistant Public Works Director, clarified that Mark Fagan’s article in the Lawrence Journal World was not staff initiated, nor staff driven. She also mentioned that she gave Mark the phone number for Daniel Poull, SAB chair, and encouraged him to call Daniel.

There was more discussion regarding how SAB should proceed on getting their message across to the public. Dickie Heckler proposed that SAB draft Press Releases or “talking points”. Daniel Poull suggested submitting a letter as a guest editorial to the Lawrence Journal World regarding the Board’s position on city-wide curbside recycling.

SAB once again questioned why pay-as-you-throw is not part of the Recycling Survey. Laura Routh mentioned that she would like to see the City contract a professional group to help with some of the long range planning for solid waste. Tammy Bennett stated that there is a Solid Waste Management Plan Committee that meets every year to revise the Douglas and Jefferson Counties Solid Waste Management Plan. Laura would like to see the current Solid Waste Management Plan compared to other communities.

Motion and second to empower Daniel Poull to draft a letter for inclusion in the Lawrence Journal World guest editorial column which SAB will be able to revise and approve via e-mail (Routh/Lehrman). Vote: Motion was passed unanimously.

Earth Day Planning

Kathy Richardson announced that Earth Day planning is going well. Kathy has been sending Earth Day updates to SAB via e-mail. This year the Earth Day Parade is hosted by KU Environs while the City’s Waste Reduction and Recycling (WRR) Division is focusing on the Earth Day Celebration in South Park. Information on how to register for the Parade and Celebration can be found on the WRR website www.LawrenceRecycles.org. Posters for the Earth Day Celebration will be printed soon. Kathy asked SAB to help getting the word out about the event and help distributing posters when those are ready.

Dickie Heckler suggested inviting Casbah to be a food vendor at the Celebration. There was discussion regarding not having bottled water at the Earth Day Celebration. SAB suggested that the City provide water coolers and encourage participants to bring their own reusable water bottles. In addition, it was recommended that the City provide paper cones versus plastic cups for those who forget to bring their reusable water bottles.

Google Group E-mail for SAB

Simran Sethi encourages SAB to create a Google Group so that past discussions and e-mails can be stored. There was general agreement on this issue.

Waste Reduction and Recycling (WRR) Report

Kathy Richardson e-mailed the WRR report to SAB (attached).

Laura Routh asked if staff has ever considered having open hours at the Household Hazardous Waste Facility instead of by appointment. She wonders if this would increase participation. Kathy Richardson reported that the City has discussed appointments versus open hours. Currently the appointment system is what works best for the safety of the employees/participants and it is a plus for program efficiency. The City also had an increase in participation when we transitioned to the appointment scheduling.

Miscellaneous and Guest Comments

Simran Sethi asked that the SAB meeting be as paper-free as possible. Also she mentioned that SAB should discuss the system by which SAB would like to be contacted by media (Who is the contact? Who is the alternate that could speak on behalf of the board?) during the next board meeting.

Meeting adjourned 8:00 p.m.

Next meeting: April 9, 2008

Attachments:

Waste Reduction and Recycling Division report
Lawrence Peak Oil Resolution
T2030 draft January - February 2008 by Michael Almon for Sustainability Action Network
Peak Oil Resolution in the House of Representative, October 24, 2005
Peak Oil – the convergence of three trends
Oil Depletion Protocol by Dr. Colin Campbell
Peak Oil Primer Energy Bulletin, January 1, 2004
Portland Peak Oil Task Force Final Report, March 2007

Attachment: Waste Reduction and Recycling Division Update

Fibers Report

Old Corrugated Containers (OCC)

Cardboard Tons Revenue

Current YTD 190.46 $23,977.82

Prior YTD 137.79 $12,068.85

Avg. Price/ton thru Feb. 2008: $125.90 Avg. Price/ton thru Feb. 2007: $ 87.59

Old Newspapers (ONP)

Newspaper Tons Revenue

Current YTD 133.06 $16,185.00

Prior YTD 166.84 $15,344.20

Avg. Price/ton thru Feb. 2008: $121.63 Avg. Price/ton thru Feb. 2007: $91.97

(one load is estimated weight, still waiting for final wt. from Purina)

Office Waste Paper (SOP)

Sorted Office Paper Tons Revenue

Current YTD No shipments $

Prior YTD No shipments $

Avg. Price/ton thru Feb. 2008: $ Avg. Price/ton thru Feb. 2007: $

(currently waiting for full load – nearly 20 tons in storage)

Old Magazines (OMG)

Current YTD No shipments $

Prior YTD 0.63 $40.63

Avg. Price/ton thru Feb 2008: $ Avg. Price/ton thru Jan. 2007: $65

Mixed Waste Paper (MIX)

Tons Revenue

Current YTD 13.84 $ 1,313.97

Prior YTD N/A $ N/A

Avg. Price/ton thru Feb. 2008: $94.92 Avg. Price/ton thru Feb. 2007: $

(held for most for better price in March, approx. 16 tons in storage to ship soon)

TOTAL ytd tons Revenue

337.36 $41,476.80

Prior YTD 305.26 $27,453.68

Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Program Report

Compost Program

Yard Waste Collection began for 2008 on March 3rd. There has been a good set-out for the first 2 weeks, although it remains mostly leaves from the previous fall.

The Spring Compost Giveaway is scheduled for March 20, 21, and 22.

Yard Trimmings collection: Year to date

	2007 TOTAL	Jan 2008	February
Total Tons collected curbside	14,455.85	NA	NA
Commercial YW received	449.21	0.8	0.7
Other YW received (Christmas Trees)	29.38	20.46 (1716 trees)	NA
Total tons this month	14,934.44	21.26	0.7
Average Preferred Container Compliance	99%	NA	NA

ATTACHMENT: Suggested Lawrence Peak Oil Resolution

Draft Resolution to establish a Peak Oil Task Force to assess Lawrence’s exposure to diminishing supplies of oil and natural gas and make recommendations to address vulnerabilities

WHEREAS, global reserves of oil and natural gas are finite and sufficient substitutes are unlikely to be available in the immediate future; and

WHEREAS, the availability of affordable petroleum is critical to the functioning of our transportation system, the production of our food and of petrochemical-based consumer goods, the paving of roads, the lubrication of all machinery, and myriad other parts of the economy; and

WHEREAS, U.S. oil and natural gas production have peaked and are now in decline, ensuring our nation’s continued and growing dependence on oil and natural gas imported from politically unstable regions; and

WHEREAS, a growing body of energy industry experts believe that the world has already arrived at, or will soon arrive at, the peak of global oil production, which will be followed by an inevitable decline in available supply thereafter; and

WHEREAS, global demand for oil and natural gas continue to increase; and

WHEREAS, following the global oil production peak, the interaction of decreasing supply and increased demand will cause the price of oil and natural gas to become more volatile; and

WHEREAS, The Department of Energy-sponsored study [i] on mitigation of Peak Oil demonstrated that a twenty-year lead time is required for effective mitigation; and

WHEREAS, the City of Lawrence and its citizens and businesses are extremely dependent on oil and natural gas for their economic welfare and their most critical activities, including electricity, transportation and food supply; and

WHEREAS, a large majority of money spent on fossil fuels leaves Kansas and provides no local economic benefit, while many of the solutions to lessening dependence on fossil fuels result in local jobs and substantial economic benefits; and

WHEREAS, Lawrence residents and businesses are not currently aware of the full implications of an impending decline and will greatly benefit from an objective source of information on this topic; and

WHEREAS, the City of Lawrence has adopted the U.S. Mayor’s Climate Protection Agreement, the success of which depends upon reducing carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases created by human use of oil and natural gas; and

WHEREAS, the City of Lawrence has a national reputation for planning and actions aimed at maintaining the City’s social values, equity, and quality of life and can take a leadership role in what may become one of the greatest political, economic and societal issues of the next half-century,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, a Peak Oil Task Force will be established to assess Lawrence’s exposure to diminishing supplies of oil and natural gas and make recommendations to address vulnerabilities. The Task Force will consist of up to 12 members representing a broad range of community and business interests. It will coordinate with the Office of Planning, the Sustainability Advisory Board, and other applicable departments.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the Task Force’s charge is:

a. To acquire and study current and credible data and information on the issues of peak oil and natural gas production and the related economic and other societal consequences;

b. To seek community and business input on the impacts and proposed solutions;

c. To develop recommendations to City Council in this calendar year on strategies the City and its departments can take to mitigate the impacts of declining energy supplies in areas including, but not limited to: transportation, business and home energy use, water, food security, health care, communications, land use planning, and wastewater treatment.

d. To propose methods of educating the public about this issue in order to create positive behavior change among businesses and residents that reduce dependence on fossil fuels.

e. If indicated by the information studies, and deemed appropriate by the Task Force, to develop an emergency plan to provide for the basic life sustaining needs of the citizens of Lawrence in the event of a sudden and dramatic increase in the price of oil or a sudden reduction of supply, with particular emphasis on economically disadvantaged segments of the population most at risk in such situations;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that since the implications of declining energy resources are also a regional concern, the Task Force will consider the input of regional and state planners on this issue and cooperate with any similar task forces created at the county, regional and state levels. In addition the Task Force will cooperate with other groups charged with developing policy on related issues.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that city departments will cooperate with the Task Force as it seeks information needed to complete its charge.

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[i] Robert L. Hirsch, R. Bezdek, R. Wendling, Peaking Of World Oil Production: Impacts, Mitigation, & Risk Management, February 2005,

online at www.mnforsustain.org/oil_peaking_of_world_oil_production_study_hirsch.htm

ADOPTED by the Governing Body of the City of Lawrence, Kansas, this ______ day of ___, 2007.

____________________________________

Sue Hack, Mayor

ATTEST:

______________________________

Frank Reeb, City Clerk

APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY

Prepared by:

Tim Hjersted

785-218-4154

timhjersted@gmail.com