SWAG agenda 092415 - Laserfiche WebLink

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0 Memorandum To: Bonnie Hammersley, County Manager From: Gayle Wilson, Orange County Solid Waste Director Subject: Information Report - Rural Recycling Service Area Expansion Date: September 15, 2015 As a result of review, collaboration and multiple discussions on recycling funding options with the Solid Waste Advisory Group (SWAG), the towns of Carrboro, Chapel Hill and Hillsborough in spring 2015 authorized Orange County to impose and administer a single, county -wide fee funding mechanism for solid waste and recycling services. A primary function of this new funding mechanism was a planned three -year expansion of curbside recycling service to the remaining unincorporated portion of the county, or approximately 7,000 residences, not currently serviced by the rural curbside recycling trucks. Currently, the County provides rural curbside recycling service to approximately 14,900 residences. The proposed plan for this expansion was to commence service of curbside recycling for approximately 3,500 residences by late spring 2016 and to commence service for the remaining population by spring 2018. A preliminary assessment of the un- served area indicated that at least two additional trucks and drivers would be needed to expand the service county -wide. By implementing the unserved area in two phases staff was attempting to reduce the total impact of the expansion on the Solid Waste Programs Fee in one year, and to gain experience along the new routes and resolve any collection, routing or other unforeseen problems. The original expansion plan included the purchase of one new automated recycling collection truck and the hiring of a new driver in FY 15/16. An additional driver to hire and another collection truck was expected to be funded in FY 17/18 to service the remaining portion of the county residences. Currently the County has contracted with a consulting firm to conduct a recycling route optimization study to determine the efficiency and effectiveness of current collection routes and to develop collection routing for the remaining unincorporated portion of the county not currently being serviced. With preliminary collection routing developed as a result of estimated participation, setout rates, tonnage and other routing and collection parameters, the additional driver to hire and collection truck expected to be funded in FY 17/18 will not be required. The study concluded that the Solid Waste Department could route and commence collection of the entire unincorporated portion of the county (7,000 residences) in a single phase. Unless the BOCC expresses reservations with this revised implementation plan staff will proceed to fully implement the remaining rural curbside recycling with bins /roll carts expansion by August of 2016 rather than by May 2018.