Minutes 06-04-2015 - Laserfiche WebLink

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■ The FY15-16 Manager Recommended Budget includes the addition of two (2) 0.750 FTE Solid Waste Convenience Center Operator positions and increases two (2) current 0.625 FTE Solid Waste Convenience Center Operator positions to 0.750 FTE. All of these position changes are recommended to become effective on February 1, 2016. These positions are necessary to staff the Eubanks Road Convenience Center (scheduled to open in Spring 2016). Due to the additional recycling and re-use programs, additional staff hours are needed to ensure proper staffing levels. • The increase in hours for the current positions has a total County cost of$2,896, which is entirely personnel services. • The 2 new 0.75 FTE positions have a total County cost of$26,574, including $2,110 in operating expenses and one-time start-up costs. ■ The FY15-16 Manager Recommended Budget includes a decrease of$41,083 in the Vehicle Supplies account. This decrease is due to the reduced cost of fuel and the replacement of older vehicles with new vehicles that get better miles-per-gallon. ■ The FY15-16 Manager Recommended Budget includes a decrease of$28,114 in the Landfill Fees account. This decrease is due to an increase in the proper separation of materials and due to the fact that there have been no inclement weather events with significant vegetative waste. ■ Continuation of the SWCC Improvements Project by completing Phase II of the Solid Waste Convenience Center Improvements at the Eubanks Road Center. ■ The General Fund contribution to Sanitation in the FY15-16 Manager Recommended Budget is $1,718,018; this is a decrease of$138,525 from FY14-15. Commissioner Jacobs asked if there is a status update regarding the landfill gas harvesting. Gayle Wilson said revenue is received from the University of North Carolina, and for next year about $60,000 is anticipated. He said these funds stay in the solid waste budget. Commissioner Jacobs said he has always been concerned about paying someone from Goldston to pick up food waste in order to compost it. He asked if it would be possible to collect and compost food in house in Orange County. Gayle Wilson said in order to compost, the food must be mixed with mulch. He said mulch is a great source of revenue for the County and diverting some of it towards composting would be an economic loss. He said there would also need to be a location available to do the composting. He said that composting appears to be a fairly high priority with the Solid Waste Advisory Group (SWAG) and when directed he will move forward on this issue. He said food waste is being collected from a variety of commercial establishments. He says residential food waste is expensive to collect as it must be done twice a week. He said there are a lot of public health issues related with it. He said it can be done, but is expensive. He said a first step may be to increase the number of commercial entities that participate in the collection process before moving onto residential collection. Commissioner Rich said if food waste is being collected from restaurants where is it going. Gayle Wilson said it is collected and composted by Brooks Contracting in Chatham County and is then bought back by Orange County at a discounted rate and sold at the Eubanks Road facility. Commissioner Rich said the Commission for the Environment was very interested in this concept and she would like to see this initiative move forward. Commissioner Pelissier echoed interest in this concept. She asked if there are opportunities to recycle plastic used by farmers. Gayle Wilson said he does not know much about this topic but can research it.