Informational Meeting

MINUTES Informational Meeting Tuesday, October 12, 2021 at 4:00 PM Carnegie Town Hall, 235 West 10th St., Sioux Falls, SD 57104 1. Call To Order Council Members Present: Janet Brekke, Christine M. Erickson (via Telecom), Alex Jensen, Rick Kiley, Greg Neitzert, Marshall Selberg, Curt Soehl, Pat Starr Council Members Absent: None 2. Committee/Commission Reports A. South Dakota Municipal League Board of Directors: Tuesday, October 5, 2021 (Council Member Erickson) Erickson provided an update on the conference held this week in Spearfish for the South Dakota Municipal League. She stated that several City emloyees and City Council Members were in attendance. Erickson noted the building for the Municipal League will be paid off by the end of October. Erickson stated there were several good presentations at the conference including a couple of housing presentations that will impact housing in the State of South Dakota whether you are from a larger city or a smaller city. 3. Councilor Remarks There were none. 4. Presentations A. Garbage Container Placement Survey Presentation by Mark Cotter, Director of Public Works Presentation: Approximately 30 minutes followed by discussion Cotter provided opening remarks about the garbage container placement survey. He reviewed the following areas that will be covered in the presentation: 1) Garbage Container Placement Survey; 2) Industry input; 3) Solid Waste Planning Board recommendation; 4) Current ordinances; 5) Potential paths forward;; and 6) Planning for the Future: Efficiencies and Effective Regulation. Joshua Peterson, Environmental Services Manager, reviewed statistical data generated from the survey. One of the major findings discussed was that a majority of respondents (58%) are in favor of allowing curbside placement of containers.  Survey conflicts were close between who brings the container down and who returns the container to the structure. Peterson reviewed the valet, low garbage fees, and what citizens thought were more important. Industry input included: reviewing the current challenges; the potential benefits of curbside pickup; cans tipping over/blowing trash; safety and property damage; cans not returned timely; inconspicuous location; continuing valet service; customers continuing curbside service; additional operating costs; stabilizing rates; COVID's impact causing employee shortages; higher wages needed; higher rates required; and an increase in the cost of parts and supplies. The Solid Waste Planning Board recommendation, made at their August 23, 2021 meeting, was to allow containers to be placed adjacent to the structure or curbside on collection day, subject to what the hauler and customer agree on. Discussion included: not having a market mandate, allowing the market to decide what is acceptable and necessary. The ordinances reviewed included 57.022, 57.026 and 57.027, with dialogue that stipulated a need for the language to be cleaned up to ensure consistency between the ordinances. An additional clean up should be included to clarify the responsibilities for the hauler and the customers. Pathways to move foward include the following options: 1) Allow curbside, do not mandate; 2) Allow curbside, do not mandate, and require haulers to return the container to the sructure after collection; 3) Allow valet only. Discussion followed regarding: the reasons for 'capping' the number of haulers in the City; the definition of curbside pickup and the location of the containers; the responses from citizens regarding curbside pickup; the interpretations of the word 'inconspicious' and a need for clarification; the need for haulers to be aware of the current ordinances and what the violations are; enforcement possibilities in the future; the added fee by some haulers for non-curbside service; what other City licenses have a cap on them; complications in regards to multi-family dwellings; the background and origins of the original ordinances for haulers; the concerns about limiting the number of haulers in the City or setting the cap too low; the benefits of having more haulers vs. less; the minutes from the Solid Waste Advisory Board; curbside containers being secure, the concern for garbage blowing around; does the valet option always include an extra cost; clarification on the slide regarding Pathways to Move Forward; - Item two about allowing curbside, etc; customer loyalty to their haulers; allowing the market to mandate future pathways for curbside pickup; who is in violation if the ordinance is not followed and the methods of enforcement used; and the need for better communication with the public before any changes are made. 5. Public Comment There was none. 6. Executive Session  A. Consulting with legal counsel or reviewing communications from legal counsel about proposed or pending litigation or contractual matters pursuant to SDCL 1-25- 2(3) A motion was made by Council Member Jensen and seconded by Council Member Kiley to enter Executive Session at 5:07 p.m. for Consulting with legal counsel or reviewing communications from legal counsel about proposed or pending litigation or contractual matters pursuant to SDCL 1-25-2(3). Roll call vote to enter Executive Session. 8 Yes: Brekke, Erickson, Jensen, Kiley, Neitzert, Selberg, Soehl, Starr; 0 No: (None). Motion Passed. A motion was made by Council Member Jensen and seconded by Council Member Kiley to exit Executive Session at 5:32 p.m. Voice vote to exit Executive Session. 8 Yes: Brekke, Erickson, Jensen, Kiley, Neitzert, Selberg, Soehl, Starr; 0 No: (None). Motion Passed. 7. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 5:32 p.m. Tamara Jorgensen, MMC, Assistant City Clerk