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Minutes - Regular Meeting <br /> Solid Waste Advisory Board <br /> April 5, 2007 <br /> Approved May 3, 2007 <br /> Pollock states that there is another element which could include the commercial waste <br /> from within iciiti the municipalities as those governments lose tonnage to private haulers <br /> from this sector . That completes the overview of what studies are upcoming . We <br /> hope to get the work group together the week of May 741 . That seems to dovetail <br /> well with what the SWAB schedule is . <br /> Wilson notes that OWASA has expressed some interest in composting and will <br /> contact us when they are ready to move forward on this . <br /> Bowerman asks if commercial food waste would fall into the same category as dry <br /> recyclables, that is exempt from being franchised . <br /> Pollock states that this is completely unclear and was not explicitly addressed in the <br /> memo and continues on the presentation. Financing is a big area that has not been <br /> addressed . Litter, waste reduction, and education are also nontrivial but have to be <br /> put on the back burner for now . The transfer station location could require a detailed <br /> analysis of how much it costs to deliver recyclables . If the cost of shipping recyclables <br /> out is all attributed to the waste transfer station, it makes the cost of recycling $400, 000 <br /> less than it would have cost to build the recycling transfer pad . Some of it is an <br /> analytical decision about where you want to allocate the costs . That decision will <br /> have a profound impact on the economics of processing v . shipping out recycling . <br /> How many convenience centers do you want, want kind of franchising do you favor, <br /> do you build a MRF or ship it out, then there is integration of all these decisions to <br /> come up with elements of a plan. Commercial recycling is a big element and it' s <br /> separate because it' s complicated and costly . Do you want to finance it or use <br /> regulations to drive it. Financing is huge and follows right from commercial because <br /> that is such a large part of what needs to be financed . That is followed by a series of <br /> public meetings to put this out for comment, get feedback and bring it back to the <br /> elected officials for approval . What is fruitful is to put a timeline to it. <br /> Vickers asks should we look at the commercial with regulations or have the County <br /> set up a collection system [if franchising is no longer an option] . <br /> Pollock states that if we believe Richard [Whisnant] ' s interpretation of the NC law <br /> that says you cant franchise commercial recycling, but there are already commercial <br /> franchises operating, then we have to pick regulating or letting the County set up a <br /> system . <br /> Vickers asks what if the County attorney disagrees with Whisnant' s interpretation <br /> and thinks we could franchise ? <br /> Wilson adds that fighting this in court could take a very long time . <br /> 4 <br />