Minutes 11-21-2013 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

Metadata

Thumbnails

Annotations

Mayor Chilton asked if there was any clarity about Chapel Hill's participation in the County's urban curbside program. Mayor Kleinschmidt said this decision is not clear yet for the town of Chapel Hill. He said the council was able to discuss this in a work session prior to the receipt of responses to council questions and comparisons of private contractors and the County. He said the council is being convened tonight with this report in front of them for the first time. He said there is one more meeting between now and the end of the year, and he understands the urgency to provide information by the end of the year. Mayor Chilton said he has not looked at the numbers from other contractors, but he would like to point out that Orange County was the first County to achieve, in a meaningful way, the state's solid waste reduction goals through recycling. He said the County has set and achieved the most aggressive target of any County in North Carolina. He said people visit from all over the world to see the County's solid waste management system. He would hope that the numbers would have to be extremely compelling in order for the Chapel Hill Town Council to walk away from the state's most successful solid waste management system. He realizes it is not impossible to work together even if Chapel Hill has a separate contract for curbside collection; but the program has gotten this far together, and he feels the Towns and County should move forward together to take it to the next level. Mayor Kleinschmidt said he does not want there to be any perception of a lack of appreciation for the success that has been achieved over the last few decades. He said this achievement is understood by every member of the council, and this will inform whatever decision is made. Mayor Kleinschmidt said he does want to note that the solid waste system that exists today is not the same system that existed two years ago. He said there is no longer a landfill in Orange County, and waste is being shipped elsewhere. He said the curbside recycling is contracted by Orange County to operate in the Town limits. He said these are different parts than existed two years again, and he thinks it is not unwise to reflect on how the Town might use these parts to best achieve the goals of the citizens. He said he understands the urgency, and he anticipates a decision very soon; however he is not going to get ahead of his council on what that decision will be. Council Member Ward said he does not understand the urgency yet. He hears the words, but he has also heard that the end of the year timeline is not the only time frame by which this can be done. He would like to understand more about the current timeline, as well as the best alternatives should that deadline not be met. He has heard that this roll cart system could be rolled out just as easily in September of 2014, which would allow 2 more months for a decision. Michael Talbert said this could be done in September. He said there have been some changes, as mentioned by Mayor Kleinschmidt; however, the rural and curbside recycling has continued to operate at the pleasure of the Board of Commissioners through the use of reserves in the solid waste fund. He said this has been very seamless for the Towns and the rural areas. He said staff has moved forward with a single stream, and the system continues to use the smaller 18 gallon containers to do this. He said this is not as efficient or as easy as it would be with the larger roll carts. He said this could be delayed; however the consideration is the feasibility of levying the fees as part of the budget for next year. He said this fee would be effective as of July 1. He said the goal is to deliver, as a show of good faith, on July 1, a new and upgraded service to the citizens paying that fee. He said the goal is to improve the system, increase the recycling capacity and achieve the goal of 61 percent.