SOLID WASTE COMMITTEE Page 2

March 26, 2008

SOLID WASTE COMMITTEE

MCCARTY, FOURNIER, MURPHY

March 26, 2008

SUSTAINABILITY

Adrian Kuzminski, Sustainable Otsego, stated that there is an energy crunch. The world demand for oil is increasing, and the supply is decreasing. Energy and food costs will become more expensive, so it is prudent to look at local resources. He said that he would like the county to take responsibility about addressing the issue. The first step would be establishing a sustainability advisory committee to look at the issues and develop a comprehensive plan. He urged the county to take the matter seriously.

Martha Clarvoe, OCCA, said that the county should consider joining the non-profit group Cities for Climate Protection, which has an online software package for doing energy audits.

Martha Frey, Otsego 2000, said that the county needs to be holistic when it looks at sustainability and not do it piecemeal. We need to look broadly at all of the issues, such as economic development, transportation, agriculture, energy and environment. There are a lot of groups willing to assist the county in developing a comprehensive plan. Ms. Frey also said that the county needs to consider hiring an expert on sustainability to provide expertise and act as a facilitator for the advisory group.

The committee discussed how to proceed, what the advisory group should look like and who would do the work. Representative Fournier moved to start the process by changing the Solid Waste Committee to the Solid Waste and Environmental Concerns Committee. Seconded, Murphy. Total: 4; Ayes: 3; Absent: 1 - Rothenberger. Motion carried. Representative Fournier then moved to define the responsibilities of this proposed committee as: Agriculture, Environmental Concerns, Soil and Water Conservation District, Solid Waste and Sustainability. Seconded, Murphy. Total: 4; Ayes: 3; Absent: 1 – Rothenberger. Motion carried.

MOSA

Garbage delivery for the month of February was 17 tons short of the monthly GAT.

Representative McCarty asked if the hours at the Northern Transfer Station could be expanded and if the county could get a wavier to deliver the garbage from the county buildings to the Northern Transfer Station. He also said that the county needs to look at the feasibility of the county bidding out its garbage pick up and hauling. Terry Bliss said that these issues have been raised with MOSA in the past. Following discussion, the committee directed Mr. Bliss to send a letter to MOSA asking that MOSA look into retrofitting the Northern Transfer Station so that haulers could deliver and dump their garbage there and to assist the Department of Building Services with developing a bid for the pick up and hauling of garbage from the county buildings.

RECYCLING

Recycling numbers for the first two months of 2008 are slightly lower than last year.

Terry Bliss reported that MOSA has created a Director of Recycling and Waste Reduction. Martha Clarvoe said that this person will be working with all three counties to do research, provide recycling education and develop new recycling programs and initiatives.

Terry Bliss said that MSOA is considering offering an electronics collection service at all of the transfer stations. The idea is still in the discussion stage.

Terry Bliss distributed a draft memo to send to all county departments to find out what type of recycling practices are being done in the county buildings. The committee approved the memo.

FLOW CONTROL LAW

Terry Bliss asked if the committee wanted to do anything about a Flow Control Law at this time. The committee agreed that it was not necessary at this point, but would look at the matter in the future if garbage deliveries start to decrease drastically.

Martha Clarvoe asked if the committee had any thoughts about what to do when the service agreement with MOSA expires in 2014. The committee agreed that it should get some input from haulers on the matter and also agreed to invite Hans Arnold from Gerhardt, LLC, an environmental consultant firm, to the next committee meeting to see what services he has to offer about studying Otsego County’s solid waste options for the future.

There being no further business to discuss, the committee adjourned until Tuesday, April 22, 2008 at 1:00 pm.