Minutes 04-09-2013 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Commissioner Price said she is more concerned about the 12 private haulers and their sustainability. Frank Clifton said right now there is no relationship with these haulers. He said it is an open market system. Chair Jacobs said, if it is a taxing district for recycling, there would be no effect on municipal solid waste haulers who are currently picking up household garbage. Commissioner Dorosin said Chair Jacobs talked with the jurisdictions and he needed a clarification on the options. He said that he understood that the taxing districts in 2, 3 and 4 don't require the municipalities to participate and the only one that requires participation is the solid waste management authority. He asked if any of the conversations with town leaders had included discussions of involvement in a solid waste management authority. Chair Jacobs said the conversations were addressing the current integrated recycling system, and the mayors were supportive of options that maintain this system and were theoretically committed to participation. He only brought up the waste authority option with one mayor, who was not very interested at this point. He noted that this will likely be a lengthy process and there will be many more discussions. Frank Clifton said the towns would have to agree to be part of a district in the countywide system. He said that the towns have the authority to regulate recycling in their own jurisdiction. If the towns desire to continue the current system, each of them would have to agree to opt in for recycling services that would be paid for with a countywide tax. Commissioner Dorosin noted that if the towns do not opt in the county could still move forward. Frank Clifton said yes, but it would be only for unincorporated areas. He said that a special tax can be enacted for the unincorporated areas, but the towns have to agree to participate. Commissioner Pelissier asked if the municipalities have the authority to levy fees, and would it help or hinder the Board in any of these options. John Roberts said the court said the county did not have the authority to levy a fee, but that the municipalities can levy fees. He said he believes the towns have that authority, but the town attorneys disagree. Commissioner Pelissier asked if it would help the situation if the towns agreed that there were such authority. John Roberts said it would result in a situation where the towns could, by resolution, declare the county has the right to continue the current service within town jurisdiction. The towns would then handle establishment of the fee through their budget process, and would authorize the county to collect the fee and run the program. He said this would be considerably easier. Commissioner Pelissier asked how long it would take to establish an authority. She also asked, if only one municipality agreed to participate, would it be possible to add others to the authority later on down the road. John Roberts said he does not know how long the establishment would take, likely several months at the least. He said it is a step by step procedural process. He said municipalities can opt in later. Frank Clifton said that if one town agreed to participate, the process could be started fairly quickly and then other towns could join later by following the process. He noted that the eastern part of the state has a large solid waste authority, involving 4 or 5 counties. He said that the towns all have their own solid waste collection, paid for out of general funds, and the focus should be on recycling, as this is why towns would join. Commissioner Rich said she would like to hear more information from Gayle Wilson on his professional opinion regarding the options that have been presented.