SWAG quick report 080912 - Laserfiche WebLink

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2 Future SWAB Activities: A discussion of the future of the SWAB and possible activities included the following: When is the [County-wide] three year solid waste plan update due to the State? December 2013. That would give the SWAB ample time to begin work on the plan to bring to the boards by fall of 2013. Given our past history of overdue plans, that is not unrealistic to start our internal process as soon as this fall. Discussion of Town of Chapel Hill pending solid waste plan included: interest in whether a SWAB review (or opportunity to comment) could be included in the overall plan review process and about the need to check the draft report for accuracy of factual matters an E.g. where and how yard waste is handled. Wendy Simmons stated the Town Plan will be submitted this fall by SCS engineers, the consultants, and the Council will review. There was a question of if there would be a public process and how that would be conducted. The Town Council has not determined that yet. Simmons also stated that the Town does plan to ship waste to Durham. UNC representative BJ Tipton discussed the University’s increase in food waste diversion will include the “Blue Zone’ football catering area, other special events and eventually the retail spots like the Alpine Bagel and other smaller venues for paper cups and other post- consumer wastes. While they remain dual stream in theory, a lot of their recycling is in fact single stream and they will be re-evaluating their overall recycling program this year. A discussion of the SWAB’s future ensued. The SWAB is very underpopulated now with only three of the potential eight official members and the feeling is that no one in authority is interested in what the SWAB says although solid waste matters remain firmly on the Towns’ and County’s agenda. There was a brief informal historical overview of some past SWAB accomplishments and efforts on issues including developing the public water line for Rogers Road, scavenging and theft policies, SW Plan development, convenience center design and services, single stream recycling, rural curbside service, public forum for discussion of waste-to- energy and pyrolosys, facility siting proposals, etc.. There is a sense among staff that the SWAB meetings create opportunity for interstaff communications but those could be facilitated among the staff without the need for SWAB formal meetings that take staff and member time and effort. A consensus developed among board and staff present that there were substantive issues to be addressed that could be effectively joined if the SWAB were fully populated and given direction from elected officials and/or if the SWAB were reconstituted to include more elected officials and staff. The issues could include review of the pending Town of Chapel Hill solid waste report, consideration of how to implement more of the convenience center improvements, development of the 2013 plan update, expansion of recycling, franchising of rural solid waste collection, spearheading a reconvening of the Solid Waste Task Force that included elected officials. The result was that the SWAB will bring forward a proposal to the BOCC for consideration at a fall 2012 meeting of the future of the SWAB, suggesting a set of issues that the SWAB might work on and recommending that the member governments appoint SWAB members again or formally dissolve or suspend SWAB. There was a strong feeling that there is potentially much work to be done, notwithstanding the timing of delivery of the Town of Chapel Hill waste study.