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11/19/1993 - Meeting Minutes SALT LAKE VALLEY SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT COUNCIL AGENDA Friday, November 19, 1993 11:00 A.M. Commission Chambers, North Building Salt Lake County Government Center 2001 South State Street Salt Lake City, Utah 1. Approval of Minutes (September 30, 1993) 2 . Citizens of Salt Lake County - Citizen comments are welcome during the proceedings of the meeting. 3 . Report on Input from the Solid Waste Advisory Board and Summation of the Public comment on Proposed Fee Increase - Recommendation to Salt Lake County Commission and Salt Lake City Mayor and Council. 4 . Other Items Reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities provided upon request; for information, contact Cara Bryant in Personnel, 468-2120 . agendas93 .oct Salt Lake County ,� Board of Commissioners �������- Jim Bradley CHAIRMAN Randy Horiuchi SALT LAKE COUNTY Brent Overson SALT LAKE COUNTY GOVERNMENT CENTER 2001 S. State Street Suite N2100 December 15, 1993 Salt Lake City Utah 84190-1000 Tel (801) 468-3350 Fax (801) 468-3535 Mr. Romney M. Stewart, Manager Salt Lake Valley Landfill 7125 South 600 West Midvale, Utah Dear Mr. Stewart: The Board of County Commissioners, at its meeting held this day, approved the Salt Lake Valley Solid Waste Management Council's recommendations from their November 19, 1993, meeting. Included in those recommendations was the increase in tipping fees to $19.00. Commissioner Overson voted in favor of this increase with the understanding that there should be up to $1.00 increase into the environmental health and Commissioner Horiuchi voted in favor of this increase with the understanding that • there should be up to a $1.00 increase for household hazardous waste. Commissioner Bradley voted against this increase. Pursuant to the above, you are hereby authorized to effect same. Very truly yours, BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS SHERRIE SWENSEN, COUNTY CLERK Deputy Cl rk hfp cc: Commissioner Bradley Commissioner Horiuchi Commissioner Overson Minutes of the Salt Lake Valley Solid Waste Management Council held Friday, November 19, 1993 at 11: 00 A.M. in the Commission Chambers, North Building, Government Center, Salt Lake City, Utah Those present: Brad Stewart Salt Lake City Lonnie Johnson Salt Lake County Kent Miner SLC/County Health Dept. Russell Willardson COG, WVC Excused: Dr. Ryan Dupont USU Others in Attendance: Earl Jackson USU Extension Service Ralph Bohn Utah DEQ Rainer Dahl Recycling Corp. of America Jim Jones Waste Management Daniel L. Bauer Solid Waste Disposal Bud L. Stanford Solid Waste Disposal Christopher Smart Recycling Info Office Jeff Erickson So. Salt Lake Mike Mehroban South Salt Lake Cindy Morgan E.T. Technologies Romney M. Stewart Solid Waste Disposal Paul Maughan County Attorney Pam Derbidge Solid Waste Disposal 1. Approval of Minutes (September 30, 1993) Lonnie Johnson made a motion to approve the minutes of the September 30, 1993 meeting; Kent Miner seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. 2 . Citizens of Salt Lake County - Citizen comments are welcome during the proceedings of the meeting. 3, Report on Input from the Solid Waste Advisory Board and Summation of the Public comment on Proposed Fee Increase - Recommendation to Salt Lake County Commission and Salt Lake City Mayor and Council. Brad Stewart noted that the comments from SWAB on the proposed fee increase had already been made during the public hearing. Lonnie Johnson made a motion for a fee increase to $19 with the surplus funds over and above the operating, capital and reserve costs of the landfill to go back to Salt Lake County and Salt Lake City for their use in recycling, sanitation collection and associated programs. The motion was seconded by Brad Stewart. Russell Willardson stated that the fee increase , was not justified since the Landfill is operated as an enterprise fund. The surplus funds should not be made to benefit only certain entities. Paul Maughan commented that programs proposed for the fund received over and above the operating costs would benefit the Landfill by reducing the amount of solid waste disposed of at the Landfill, as well as increasing the life of the Landfill. The fee increase will benefit the Landfill operation as a whole. The vote passed 3-1; Brad Stewart, Kent Miner, and Lonnie Johnson, aye; Russell Willardson, nay. Kent Miner indicated the fee increase would benefit the County as whole by reducing the volume of material being disposed of at the tipping face. 4 . Other The next meeting will be held January 21; the time and place will be announced. Move to adjourn at 11:10 A.M. mins93 .nov SALT LAKE VALLEY SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT COUNCIL AGENDA Friday, November 19, .1993 11 : 00 A.M. Commission Chambers, North Building Salt Lake County Government Center 2001 South State Street Salt Lake City, Utah 1 . Approval of Minutes (September 30, 1993) 2 . Citizens of Salt Lake County - Citizen comments are welcome during the proceedings of the meeting. 3 . Report on Input from the Solid Waste Advisory Board and Summation of the Public comment on Proposed Fee Increase - Recommendation to Salt Lake County Commission and Salt Lake City Mayor and Council . 4 . Other Items Reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities provided upon request; for information, contact Cara Bryant in Personnel, 468-2120 . agendas93 . oct Public Hearing held on Friday, November 19, 1993 at 10 : 30 A.M. in the Commission Chamber, Government Center, North Building, Salt Lake City, Utah. Those present : Brad Stewart Salt Lake City Lonnie Johnson Salt Lake County Kent Miner SLC/Co Health Dept. Russell Willardson COG/WVC Other in Attendance: Earl Jackson USU Extension Service Jeff Ericson South Salt Lake Mike Mehraban South Salt Lake Ralph Bohn Utah DEQ Rainer Dahl Recycling Corp. of America Jim Jones Waste Management Cindy Morgan ET Technologies Joe Castanzo Deseret News Peggy Long Laidlaw Jerry Goodspeed USU Extension Service Christopher Smart Recycling Info Office Bud L. Stanford Solid Waste Disposal Romney M. Stewart Solid Waste Disposal Daniel L. Bauer Solid Waste Disposal Paul Maughan County Attorney Pam Derbidge Solid Waste Disposal Brad Stewart welcomed members of the audience to the public comment meeting to receive comment on the proposed tipping fee increase at the Salt Lake Valley Landfill to be implemented July 1, 1994 . Recommendations on the proposed tipping fee increase will be forwarded to the Salt Lake City Council and the Salt Lake County Commission for ratification. The purpose of this meeting is to consider changing the philosophy of just meeting the expenses of burying garbage on a daily basis at $13 . 00/ton to a market approach to Landfill disposal costs. The fee increase would allow the Landfill to accomplish other solid waste activities, such as encouraging recycling. Brad Stewart stated that the current rate of $13 . 00 per ton charged at the Salt Lake Valley Landfill covered the cost of burying of the solid waste at the Landfill on a day to day basis as well as funds designated for reserves . A shift in philosophy is being considered from just covering the cost of burying the material on a daily basis to a newer approach to Landfill disposal costs to include related activities such as recycling. Disposal fees to the north of us are at $59 . 00 per ton and $28. 00 per ton to the south. The Salt Lake Valley Landfill and the TransJordan Landfill charge $13 . 00 per ton. The $13 . 00/ton rate creates just the opposite effect of what is trying to be accomplished. It is the goal of the Council to preserve the life of the Landfill facility as long as possible. Low tipping fees discourage diverting material to other alternatives, such as recycling, conservation or other environmental purposes. Market based pricing strategies are intended to reduce the waste coming to the Landfill in that the Landfill will not be the magnet for taking solid waste that may have otherwise gone some place else. Burying the material in the Landfill should not always be the option of choice. A market analysis has been completed. A look at the facilities in our the market area puts disposal fee at about $30 .00/ton. If the higher cost facilities are taken out, the cost is closer to $20 . 00/ton. The Council is proposing a disposal fee of $19 . 00/ton in 1994 and moving to market rate in the next year or two. The difference in fees will be used by the owners of the Landfill to fund recycling, social and environmental issues . The Solid Waste Advisory Board met on Wednesday, November 17 . Comments on the fee increase from that meeting include: "Forward Thinking" , "step it in" , "Many good recycling efforts that need a push including schools, " " subsidizing green waste disposal, priced free or subsidized for clean green. " " define well the use of the dollars before going to the market price, " "consider grants for recycling businesses or recycling programs, " "how market rates are established" . Some landfills require transfer stations and that cost should be pulled out. Another comment was "that if the rates increase rates, service should be increased" . The final comment was to "be careful in using subsidies so existing recycling centers are not damaged. " Respect should be given to investments and efforts already in place within the valley. Brad Stewart invited those in attendance to come forward to make any comments . Those wishing to make comments were asked to state their name and the entity they represent. The comments will be used to deliberate on the package the Landfill Council forwards to the Salt Lake County Commissioners and the Salt Lake City Council. Mike Mehraban, Public Works Director, City of South Salt Lake, asked if other entities would benefit from the fee increase. Lonnie Johnson responded that the funds would be distributed to Salt Lake City and the unincorporated portion of Salt Lake County. Mr. Mehraban commented that all users of the Landfill would pay for programs in Salt Lake City and the unincorporated portion of Salt Lake County He asked if the Council had considered privatization. Brad Stewart indicated that Salt Lake City uses a private recycling company to handle the curb side recycling there. Lonnie Johnson indicated Salt Lake County was considering two options. If a transfer station is utilized, there are markets for commingled recyclables on the west coast. Commingled materials would be shipped to Los Angeles or Seattle. If a curbside program is 2 implemented, the recycling would go out to the private sector for bid. Mr. Mehraban asked if additional public comment would be accepted on the proposed" fee increase. Brad Stewart indicated that additional hearings on the fee increase would be held. The City Council would hold a hearing on December 7 and the County Commissioner would hold a hearing on the entire County budget December 8th 5 :30 . The decision on the budget would be made by the Salt Lake City Council on December 14 and on December 15th by Salt Lake County Commission. Mr. Mehraban stated that the City of South Salt Lake would be against the proposed $19 charge in tipping fee. Ralph Bohn, Utah DEQ He commented that the fee increase proposal may change the classification of the Landfill to a commercial facility according to the State regulations, as well as set up different requirements for operation, including a permit, and a $2 . 00 tipping fee that would go to the State. The change would also require the Governor and the Legislature' s approval. Lonnie Johnson stated that the Council had conferred with their legal representative and feel that there would not be a problem with the proposal, i.e. it is a matter of legal interpretation. Russell Willardson stated that he represented West Valley City Mayor Anderson and COG. He commented that he had several concerns regarding the increase. The Landfill has been operating under an interlocal agreement and has been funded by fees paid into an enterprise fund rather than tax dollars. West Valley City has paid the disposal fee set at a rate that covered costs. Even though West Valley City was not a part owner, that West Valley City was paying their fair share of the cost and have considered themselves "partners" in the operation. The original proposal advertised was an increase from $13/ton to $15/ton to cover increases in operations, capital project costs and to fund reserves . West Valley City, as a user and non owner, is willing to pay the additional tipping fee under those conditions. It is not appropriate for Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County to raise fees to be used by Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County exclusively. If the fees are to be increased, all the users at the Landfill should be benefited. If there is a increased risk to the owners of the Landfill, that risk should be covered in the fees that are charged. The owners, by running Landfill as an enterprise fund, are not accepting any greater risk than anyone else using the Landfill . Because reserves are fully funded, the Landfill owners have no greater liability than other Landfill users. If there was an environmental concern at the Landfill, neither Salt Lake City or 3 County would be willing to subsidize that cost of that risk out of their own tax funds . Logically, all the users would be charged. It is not appropriate for Salt Lake City and County to charge citizens of West Valley City an additional $120, 000 . 00 a year to subsidize programs in their entities only. He also did not feel comfortable with the notice that was sent out. He noted there are not a lot of individuals in attendance. The last time the fee was increased there was a whole room full of individuals expressing their views . The notice of the public hearing only advertised a fee increase of $3 .00; a $3 . 00 fee increase did not generate much interest . He felt more people would be in attendance if the fee increase had been publicized to go to $19 . 00 . He expressed his opposition to the $6 increase and stated he would vote against the $6 . 00 increase. Brad Stewart asked for any other comments; hearing none, he closed the public hearing at 11: 00 A.M. He expressed his appreciation to those making comments. • hearing.pub 12/15/93 y 4