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solutions is that it has to be Countywide. It is critically important that all governments stay <br /> engaged in this solid waste discussion. <br /> Solid Waste Director Gayle Wilson made reference to the schools and said that Solid <br /> Waste staff has met with representatives from both school systems and are currently engaged <br /> in discussions that are encouraging about trying to initiative a pilot program for food waste <br /> collection. Regarding the issue of pay-as-you-throw, he said that the 2006 submission of the <br /> plan was late because there was a request to discuss in more detail the issue of pay-as-you- <br /> throw. The work group spent several meetings discussing this issue and no decision was made <br /> to make a recommendation to the boards to implement. He expects it to be a topic of future <br /> discussion. <br /> Gayle Wilson said that as of today, a date has been set for the groundbreaking for a <br /> landfill gas recovery program for November 161h <br /> Jim Ward asked about the benefits of the food waste from the schools. Gayle Wilson said <br /> that there would be a shift of some quantity of food preparation waste and post-consumer <br /> scraps from both school systems that would go into the composting program. This might allow <br /> the school systems to decrease the frequency of their waste collection and would save money. <br /> There would also be an educational benefit for the students. <br /> Jim Ward said that there are so many positives to this and he would encourage the County <br /> to push this and require this if possible. <br /> Gayle Wilson said that there are some challenges in getting students to do the right thing <br /> at the end of the food line. <br /> Randee Haven-O'Donnell said that she had the opportunity to work with the CHCCS at <br /> one time with recycling food waste and they diverted it to a pig farmer. It became a huge <br /> project. The biggest problem was poor separation by the children, but schools and teachers got <br /> behind it. She thinks that it is completely doable and it should be pursued. <br /> Frank Clifton requested that each board move quickly through this when it comes to their <br /> agendas because this report is late. <br /> Other Comments: <br /> Commissioner Jacobs asked Chair Foushee to speak on the future of the Assembly of <br /> Governments (AOG) meetings. <br /> Chair Foushee said that on Tuesday night part of the Board of County Commissioners' <br /> discussion was around whether these AOG meetings should be continued in this particular <br /> format. There have been questions raised about how often they should meet and how effective <br /> the meetings are. The suggestion was to have one AOG meeting annually and then have the <br /> Board of County Commissioners meet with the towns individually. The Board of County <br /> Commissioners already does this with the Town of Hillsborough. This information has gone out <br /> to the town clerks this morning. <br /> Randee Haven-O'Donnell said that her board would be in favor of streamlining the <br /> process. <br /> Jim Ward said that there is value in knowing who you are talking to and getting to know <br /> people from various jurisdictions. <br /> Penny Rich said that a number of citizens feel that the communication between the <br /> governments and the citizens are not getting through somehow. The example was the food <br /> incubator that hit Twitter and then there was a lot of discussion about why no one knew this. <br /> She would like to have a more effective communication mechanism, such as a continuous <br /> document of important points. <br /> Mayor Mark Chilton said that only part of the room was surprised about the Shared Use <br /> Food Processing Center because it has been discussed in at least three different AOG <br /> meetings. <br />