Recycling Ad Hoc Committee

RECYCLING AD HOC COMMITTEE MINUTES - NOVEMBER 24, 2020 11/ 24/ 2020 - Minutes 1. Declaration Of A Quorum And Call Meeting To Order Chair Joanie Steinhaus declared a quorum and called the meeting to order at 1: 02 p. m. 2. Roll Call Present ( video videoconference): Board Members Joanie Steinhaus, Cody Wright, Matt Havard, Susan Syler, Dorothy Trevino, and Paul Sivon; Cindy Dewitt, Director of Administration and Sanitation; Scott Van Slyke, Recycling Department; Janelle Williams, City Secretary; and Dr. Jackie Cole. Absent: Board Member Stephanie Vasut. 3. Public Comments ( Limited To Three Minutes Each) None. 4. Report From Staff; Responses To Questions And Action Items From November 10 Meeting None. 5. Park Board Recycling Program ( Contingent On Park Board Representative Availability) A Park Board representative will provide the committee with information on their recycling program at the December 8th meeting. 6. Goals For Recycling Committee ( RC) a. Definition/ discussion RC goals and expectation for Galveston' s Recycling Program; Integration with Staff s suggestion for RC goals b. Discussion of objectives' value; initial prioritization, and follow- up actions c. Consideration of an internal " Charter" definition Cindy Dewitt provided the committee with written documentation on long and short term goals prior to the meeting. The committee discussed potential goals including assisting staff with setting up some sort of public education campaign and the different ways the City could communicate with the public, the recycling center' s goals already defined by City staff in prior handouts, any additional goals the committee may want to add, a reference case and how success from recycling should be defined, and the lack of clarity of the committee' s purpose. The committee requested background information and specific numbers for the recycling center from City staff so they can continue to move forward. Dr. Cole provided some background information on Council' s discussion when the committee was created, including: one of the main things the committee should be doing is to make sure items are actually being recycled; the committee needs a baseline and disposition of items coming into the recycling center; and what processes can be tweaked to ensure items are actually recycled. Cindy Dewitt advised the new contracts for commodities will include requirements that the City receives reports on the disposition of items. Historically, that has not been required from the vendors. Scott Van Slyke reported that City staff is creating new processes, separating items such as tin and aluminum, seeking out new vendors to start new processes, and getting reporting information. The committee would like information on the contamination rate, how much is being taken to the landfill vs. being recycled, and baseline information using January 1st as a reference. The  committee suggested that public education should include what items are recyclable and why certain products are not accepted. Education should come in pieces rather than in a huge campaign. Dr. Cole suggested that perhaps the City' s Public Information Officer could put some videos together. The committee expressed an interest in taking a field trip to the recycling center. 7. Member And Staff Concerns, Edits, Comments With The Strawman Process ( Below) a. Definition and Clarification of the Committee Charter b. Develop an understanding of the status, expectations, constraints, value and impact of the current recycling process c. Identify goals not captured in the Charter; seek approval for inclusion d. Define the Committee' s view of recycling value and success; including measures e. Identify and discuss impacts of trends in recycling and possible responses f. Identify opportunities to achieve success; including estimates of cost and impact Examples: improved education, reduced costs, integrated waste reduction, improved cost/ unit waste recycled or reduced, discontinuation of low value activities, enhancement of high value activities) g. Develop a means of defining and communication value of changes to the Reference Case. Consider Matrix approach. h. Develop recommendation to Council with support information i. Compile and communicate a Report Paul Sivon provided information on an example decision matrix that could assist the committee in reaching their final recommendations and a report to Council. 8. Request Agenda Items For Future Meetings Committee members will send any additional questions they may have to staff. Suggestions for filling out the matrix should be sent to Joanie. 9. Schedule Future Meetings The next meeting will be held on December 8, 2020. 10. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 2: 25 p. m. ALAAJ. ( t Janelle Williams, City Secretary Date Approved: December 8, 2020 h t t p s : / / w w w . g a l v e s