MInutes 02-06-2024 - Business Meeting

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45 and it should not be hauled off into the rural communities. She asked that they consider a fair fee structure and the rural community concerns related to the waste transfer stations. Vice-Chair Greene said her understanding is that the Board should provide feedback on their preference of the plans that have been presented. Jennifer Porter said they have brought the SWAG recommendation to the commissioners for them to discuss. Bonnie Hammersley said that the recommendation was for the commissioners to provide direction to staff, not to approve one of the scenarios. Vice-Chair Greene said she would like to hear public comment on Scenario 3. She said she is in favor of this option. She said that, in her own experience, this has been about getting Orange County as close as possible to zero waste and it has been a discussion for over 20 years. She said that Orange County will not have a landfill. She said she was impressed by the summary of public feedback. She read from Cradle to Cradle and said it is made of recyclable plastic. She read about the Styrofoam trash problem in China. She said she is excited to think about how close they can be to zero waste. Commissioner Fowler said SWAG members were convinced to go to Scenario 3 with cost mitigation (like LHA program) and they started with scenario 2. She said that they thought of things like long-term homeowners' tax fund issue. She said this brings out the issue of who is using it and can the fee structure be written in a way that is more equitable. She asked if it can be done in such a way that people receiving the benefits are the ones paying for it rather than those out in the county. Robert Williams said towns charge for the collection of waste and the use of waste and recycling centers are available to anyone in the county. He said if a rural customer does not want to bring that, they pay a private collector. He said that if volume increases in the county of the use of private collection, it will decrease the costs because it is by volume. Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked if everyone will experience the increase of 44%. Jennifer Porter said that would be the range if everyone paid it. She said there is an assistance program now that people have access to. Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked if everyone paid that, would that be the $7-10 million dollars. Jennifer Porter said yes. Robert Williams said this is a 20-year process with staggered increases. Chair Bedford directed the commissioners to Appendix C. She said she does not support Scenario 3 at this time. She said she thinks every neighborhood that is the site of a suggested transfer station will oppose it. She said the increase in the expenses for every household to pay is not worth that change. She said she prefers to start with number 1 and then work in number 2 to see how it is going. She said prevention is important. Commissioner Hamilton asked how many responses they got from people who were non- English speakers. Jennifer Porter said less than 100. Commissioner Hamilton said the report talked about the Eubanks Road disposal facility limitations and asked about those. Chris Lund said the limitations include the plastics area is sitting on top of the expansion area and has to be moved and relocated. He said that it tightens space at that location and there is less space to do that consolidation. He said that some will have to be moved to make room for the site to handle the future need of new materials. Commissioner Hamilton asked if that is already in the plans to do some of that work. Robert Williams said currently they relocate recyclable materials and if they do not make a change, they will not be able to use that. He said that metals, and bringing in MSW from the towns, help generate revenues and they have shifted the services over from where they are.