City of Lawrence                                         

Recycling and Resource Conservation Advisory Board

February 14, 2007 Meeting Minutes

 

MEMBERS PRESENT:

Dickie Heckler, Daniel Poull, Marie Stockett, Cindy Strecker, Chris Cobb, Laura Routh, John Craft, Sarah Hill-Nelson

 

MEMBERS ABSENT:

Brent Swain, Jae Chang

STAFF PRESENT:

Kathy Richardson

 

GUESTS PRESENT:

 

 

PUBLIC PRESENT:

 

 

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS – Poull announced that Jae Chang will be gone from the Lawrence area for 5 months on business. Chang has expressed thoughts of resigning the board. Poull has asked Chang to take a 5 month excused absence instead of resigning.

 

Q. What happens when a board member misses meetings without notification?

A. Routh made reference to the By Laws: “Any person who misses two consecutive or 3 cumulative meetings in a year without notifying the Board and/or staff shall be considered to have resigned from the Board.”

 

Q. (Routh) What happened to the RRCAB memo in support of Tree Conservancy in Lawrence?

 

√ □ ACTION ITEM: Routh will contact Richard Morantz to see if he got the RRCAB memo in support of a Tree Protection Ordinance and creation of an advisory board to address the protection of trees within the City. Routh will also see if the memo was sent to the City Commissioners by City Staff.

● Routh contacted Richard Morantz on February 27, 2007 and Morantz confirmed that he did not receive the memo.

● On February 28, 2007 Bob Yoos, Solid Waste Manager, clarified via e-mail to RRCAB members that City Staff did not send the memo to Richard Morantz or the City Commissioners because staff never received a memo from RRCAB. Yoos stated that “We have not seen a FINAL version from the Board, nor is it clear to staff that there is one.”

● On February 28, 2007 Routh drafted a “Protection of the urban forest” memo and e-mailed RRCAB for approval.

● On March 2, 2007 RRCAB approved the memo as written via e-mail. Routh notified RRCAB via e-mail that she will present a copy of the memo at the next City Commission meeting. Routh will present the memo during the Public Comment Section. Routh will notify Richard Morantz.

 

 

1      Approval of meeting Minutes

A Motion was made by Routh to approve the December minutes as amended. 

Motion was seconded by Strecker.

Vote: Motion was passed unanimously. 

Kathy Richardson will send on minutes to Tammy Bennett for inclusion in City Manager’s report and post on website.

 

 

2         Discuss next step in working toward curbside pick up of recyclables. Track the result of the memo presented to City Staff and Commissioners.

Comment: (Craft) thinks we should also alter the way we pick up trash in order to be more efficient.

 

Comment: (Routh) suggests having a dual collection system or picking up three items at one time. City trucks could pick up compost, trash, and recyclables.

 

Comment: (Stockett) suggests that curbside recycling could be a choice on the utility bill. The City would use curbside recycling business services that are in existence now.

 

Comment: (Heckler) suggests breaking up the city in quadrants and assigning curbside recycling businesses to an area.

Comment: (Poull) said this won’t work. He talked to a lawyer. City would have to open up and include other businesses interested in picking up recyclables from households (for example, Deffenbaugh).

 

Comment: (Routh) stated that we now have a Staff Response to the RRCAB’s “Improving Residential Recycling in Lawrence” but doesn’t know if the City Commissioners got the RRCAB memo.

 

√ □ ACTION ITEM: Richardson will e-mail City Staff to see if the City Commissioners received the “Improving Residential Recycling in Lawrence” memo.

● Richardson e-mailed Tammy Bennett, Assistant Public Works Director, on February 15, 2007. Bennett wrote “The memo was sent directly to the City Commissioners via e-mail.  Staff received a copy as did the City Manager's office. Staff prepared a memo for the City Manager's office addressing some issues and opportunities we saw for improvements to current programming.  The City Manager forwarded the staff memo to the RRCAB and the City Commission, I believe, along with another copy of the original memo.”

 

Comment: (Routh) thinks RRCAB should present some of their memos at the City Commission meetings instead of sending memos through City Staff. RRCAB needs to be more visible at City Commission meetings.

 

Comment: (Strecker) doesn’t want RRCAB to go every month to City Commission meetings but instead give a good presentation once in a while.

 

Comment: (Poull) agrees with Strecker.

 

Comment: (Hill-Nelson) doesn’t have a copy of the RRCAB Recycling memo or the Staff response memo.

 

√ □ ACTION ITEM: Richardson will e-mail Hill-Nelson a copy of both memos.

            ● Richardson e-mailed the memos to Hill-Nelson on February 15, 2007.

 

Comment: (Routh) suggests that RRCAB schedule another meeting to discuss “Recycling in Lawrence” with Dave Corliss, City Manager, and Bob Yoos, Solid Waste Manager.

Comment: (Board Members) agree with Routh.

 

Comment: (Hill-Nelson) would like to talk about current curbside recycling businesses during this meeting.

Comment: (Routh) would like the curbside recycling businesses to be the real thing. They should have a license to operate in Lawrence and they should be regulated.

 

Comment: (Poull) would like to see all uniform collection containers for recycling provided by the City.

 

Comment: (Hill-Nelson) would like to see Pay as You Throw implemented in Lawrence.

 

√ □ ACTION ITEM: Richardson will invite Bob Yoos, Solid Waste Manager, and Dave Corliss, City Manager, on behalf of RRCAB to the next Board Meeting on March 14, 2007 at 6:00 p.m.

● Richardson e-mailed Bob Yoos on February 15, 2007. The invitation to the next Board Meeting was sent to the City Manager’s Office via e-mail. Chuck Soules, Public Works Director, notified Richardson that Dave Corliss could not attend a meeting on March 14, 2007 but he was available on March 12, 2007.

● On February 18, 2007 RRCAB agreed via e-mail to change their next meeting date to March 12, 2007 so that both Yoos and Corliss could attend.

 

√ □ ACTION ITEM: Richardson will bring copies of the memos (“Improving Residential Recycling in Lawrence” and the Staff Response) to next meeting.

 

 

3      Discuss next step in tracking City’s progress on FCIP, Cool Cities Campaign, and LEED certification of library.

Comment: (Hill-Nelson) suggests asking Kevin Doyle, City’s Infrastructure and Development Coordinator, to provide a memo stating updates of all these programs/projects.

 

√ □ ACTION ITEM: Routh will write an Executive Board memo to Kevin Doyle (copy Dave Corliss and Lisa Patterson) requesting an update of all Energy Issues: City’s progress on FCIP, Cool Cities Campaign, LEED certification of library, and EPA Green Power Community. Poull and Strecker will review and approve Routh’s memo via e-mail. Routh will send out memo by Monday, February 19, 2007.

● Routh e-mailed DRAFT memo to RRCAB on March 5, 2007. Memo will be approved at the March 15, 2007 Board Meeting. Once approved, the memo will be sent to Kevin Doyle.

 

4      Presentation by Sarah Hill-Nelson on city attainment of EPA Green status.

Hill-Nelson reported that she met with Kevin Doyle, Lisa Patterson and Michelle Crank regarding EPA Green Power Community. They discussed having a consistent look – uniform campaign (green campaign). City has not yet announced their intent to become an EPA Green Power Community. Hill-Nelson reported that she is waiting for Kevin Doyle to fill out a one page application.

 

Hill-Nelson wanted the EPA Green Power Community to be announced in April (Earth Day) but Lisa Patterson thinks it’s too soon. Patterson suggested July.

 

Comment: (Routh) suggests having Kevin Doyle give RRCAB an update on the EPA Green Power Community.

 

Q. Why was Kevin Doyle not invited to the RRCAB meeting tonight?

A. (Poull) did not think RRCAB was ready to talk about Energy Issues with Kevin Doyle.

 

 

5      Presentation by Laura Routh on revised charter language.

Routh passed out revised By Laws to all RRCAB members present at the meeting.

 

Motion: Craft made the motion to accept the amended By Laws to propose to the City Commission.

Motion 2nd: by Strecker.

Vote: Motion passed unanimously.

 

√ □ ACTION ITEM: Routh will e-mail the amended By Laws and Resolutions to RRCAB members. Resolutions will be discussed as business at the next Board meeting.

●Routh e-mailed RRCAB the DRAFT changes to Resolutions on March 13, 2007.

 

6      Vote on name change to be recommended to commissioners.

Comment: (Poull) stated that RRCAB had a chance to express their opinions via e-mail regarding a new Advisory Board name to recommend to the City Commission.

 

Motion: Poull made the motion to suggest to the City Commission that the Recycling and Resource Conservation Board become the Sustainability Advisory Board.

Motion 2nd: by Strecker.

Vote: Motion passed unanimously.

 

Comment: (Poull) said RRCAB should combine the changes to By Laws, Resolutions and Advisory Board name plus outcome of January’s Strategic Planning and present these recommendations to the City Commission in person after the next Board meeting.

 

Q. Does City Staff put RRCAB on the City Commission agenda?

 

√ □ ACTION ITEM: Richardson will ask City Staff regarding getting RRCAB on the City Commission agenda.

● Richardson e-mailed Tammy Bennett, Assistant Public Works Director, on March 3, 2007. Bennett stated, “City Staff would forward the request to City Manager’s office. The CMO works in conjunction with the CC to set their agenda – timing, schedule, and so forth.”

 

 

7      Waste Reduction and Recycling Report - Staff

Printed copy of monthly updates provided to Board.

 

Richardson announced that the City hired Tom Hogan and Celeste Fish as full time staff. Both are Waste Reduction and Recycling (WRR) Specialists. Hogan’s program area is Hazardous Waste and Fish’s program area is Composting. WRR Staff is crossed-trained.

 

Comment: (Richardson) suggests introductions of new WRR staff be made at the next RRCAB meeting.

 

Richardson also announced that Diana (Sjogren) Wadley’s last day with the City was February 13, 2007 and that Mollie Mangerich’s last day with the City was on February 2, 2007. Richardson handed out an e-mail from Tammy Bennett, Assistant Public Works Director, which provided an update on the hiring process for a new WRR Operations Supervisor. Bennett asked if RRCAB would like to meet with her and provide feedback on the board’s perspective on the qualities an ideal candidate might possess.

 

Comment: (Poull) does not believe RRCAB should meet with City Staff to talk about WRR Operations Supervisor hiring process.

 

Comment: (Routh) would have liked the City to consider having a RRCAB member on the interview panel. Also Routh would have liked a current WRR employee on the interview panel.

 

√ □ ACTION ITEM: Richardson will inform Bennett that RRCAB is not interested in meeting with her and the Public Works Director in regards to providing perspective on the qualities an ideal candidate might possess for the WRR Operations Supervisor position.

          ● Richardson e-mailed Bennett on February 14, 2007.

 

√ □ ACTION ITEM: Richardson will forward Bennett’s e-mail to Routh. Routh would like to respond to Bennett’s e-mail directly.

          ● Richardson forwarded the e-mail to Routh on February 15, 2007.

 

 

8      Miscellaneous and Guest Comments

None presented.

 

Meeting adjourned 7:15 p.m.

 

Next meeting March 15, 2007 at 5:30 pm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Kathy Richardson

Waste Reduction and Recycling Specialist