Agenda - 02-18-2014 - 6a - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 IN will collect a mandatory fee from residents and that the proceeds of that fee will be used by the county for curbside recycling within the individual towns. It was also my understanding (based on discussions at county, town, and joint meetings of elected officials) that the county would collect funds for rural curbside recycling by means of a district tax structure within those areas of the county where recycling would be collected at the curb. As I read it, the proposal before you would establish a Rural Curbside Recycling Subscription Service to be operated by the county and necessitating up front purchase of two new recycling vehicles and up to 11,000 roll carts, as well as paying for the first six months of service to those rural customers with $315 K from general funds. Based on this understanding, I have several questions that I hope you will ask of staff and for which you will require detailed and satisfactory response before approving considering a subscription -based rural curbside recycling program. 1. The action item abstract is based on an expectation that only 20% of the existing 13,700 households currently receiving curbside collection will opt out of the service, thus necessitating purchase of 11,000 carts. Currently, with a service not covered by a fee and essentially paid up front, we have significantly less than 80% participation. I understand on the order of 60% participation. Given the high level of educational outreach to date, it is unreasonable to expect that significantly more households will now elect to pay for a service that at present they do not use, despite the fact that it is already paid for. Lack of an adequate subscriber base will likely require a significant increase in the annual cost of the program per subscriber, resulting in additional erosion of the subscriber base and potentially leading to an upward spiral of costs and a downward spiral of the program. Alternatively, it may result in the need for additional subsidies from the general! fund. Thus success of this program would depend upon enrolling 80% of the eligible population in the program. Such a key factor, and evidence that 80% participation is not assured, warrants additional evidence and assurance from staff that education and outreach would increase participation rates. 2. If this program is approved as outlined in Action Agenda Item 7b, there are a number of potential pitfalls. As outlined, the county would purchase 2 trucks, and more importantly, up to 11,000 roll carts would be purchased to be placed in service no later than January 1, 2015. If significantly less than 11,000 customers elect to continue service, we can have a significant sunk cost of those carts not needed. As the individuals in the customer base change as people move, decline service, etc., how will county staff keep track of who has paid for the service and who does not get service, as well as who should have the carts and where are they. Carts are not cheap disposable items. These and other key operational issues should be addressed before approving Action Agenda Item 7b. 3. Lastly, there is the issue of perception associated with both a voluntary service in the county and the diversion of general funds to pay for the first 6 months of the program. The towns have agreed to participate with the county on curbside recycling, but there has been at least an implied assumption that the town and rural programs would be equivalent (mandatory, fee -based in the towns and tax district -based in the county). With approval of Action Agenda Item 7b, the playing field may well be changed, if not in fact, at least in perception. I urge you to assure yourselves of acceptance of such a program on the part of your equivalent town elected officials before approval. The recycling efforts in Orange County do not need another bump in the road. Thank you for your consideration. I again apologize for not being able to be there this evening.