HomeMy Public PortalAbout2023.10.27 Special Meeting MinutesMINUTES
McCall City Council
Special Meeting
McCall City Hall -- Legion Hall
VIA TEAMS Virtual
October 27, 2023
Call to Order and Roll Call
Work Session
Public Comment
Adjournment
CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
1
Mayor Giles called the Special meeting of the McCall City Council to order at 9:00 a.m.
Mayor Giles, Council Member Maciaszek, Council Member Nelson, and Council Member
Nielsen all answered roll call. Council Member Thrower was absent.
City staff members present were Anette Spickard, City Manager; BessieJo Wagner, City Clerk;
Erin Greaves, Communications Manager; Michelle Groenevelt, Community and Economic
Development Director; Brian Parker, City Planner; Sean Reilly, Network Administrator; Meredith
Todd, Assistant City Planner.
Also, in attendance were Mark Fulwiler, Lakeshore Disposal District Manager; Aaron Donnelly,
Lakeshore Disposal Regional Municipality Manager; Elt Hasbrouck, Valley County
Commissioner.
WORK SESSION
1
AB 23-210 Solid Waste, Recycling and Compositing Overview with Lake Shore Disposal
The Community and Economic Development Director, Michelle Groenevelt, introduced the topic
to the City Council. On August 24, the McCall City Council discussed a Request for Proposals
(RFP) Solid Waste, Recycling and Composting. This meeting topic included the background on
contract development and previous RFP efforts as well as numerous proposals to add recycling as
a service and discussions of composting programs. Based on the McCall Area Comprehensive
Plan, the City should support curbside recycling and composting. At the August 24 meeting,
Lakeshore Disposal provided some information about the topic, and a work session was requested
with Lakeshore Disposal to better understand the existing program in McCall, industry standards,
and ideas for McCall moving forward prior to the RFP being issued.
Mark Fulwiler and Aaron Donnelly with Lakeshore Disposal presented to the City Council. Mr.
Donnelly reviewed prior and current recycling options. Prior to 2020, the local recycling option
was a community drop box. Currently, there is a recycling center in Lake Fork and Lakeshore
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October 27, 2023 Special Meeting
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Disposal offers commercial cardboard service. There are also local small composting programs
and wood debris collections throughout Valley County.
Mr. Donnelly additionally gave a review of the recycling market. Mayor Giles commented on the
State of Oregon and other states that have financial incentives for recycling bottles and asked Mr.
Donnelly what the State of Oregon did when China stopped taking recycling materials. Mr.
Donnelly noted that the Oregon Bottles and Recycling Cooperative manages the incentive program
and if the material is clean and source separated there is still a market for the recyclable material.
Council Member Nelson asked about the premium per ton and Mr. Fulwiler noted that the premium
for the area is over $100 per ton.
Mr. Donnelly reviewed extended producer responsibility legislation that some states have put into
effect. The legislation requires plastic producers to pay for community education to reduce
contamination and to stabilize recycling markets. Mayor Giles asked if the legislation is national
and if the State of Idaho is considering such legislation. Mr. Donnelly reviewed that the legislation
is on a state -to -state basis and not a national requirement. Mr. Donnelly was unsure whether the
State of Idaho was considering enacting such legislation. Council Member Nelson asked Valley
County Commissioner Elt Hasbrouck to comment on the potential for legislation and the recycling
center. Commissioner Hasbrouck reviewed the financial struggles to keep the recycling center
going and challenges the County faced over the past year.
Mr. Donnelly noted that the goal of recycling is to reduce impact on the climate. Food waste is a
large percentage of the solid waste stream. The Environmental Protection Agency did a study that
showed 21% of foods break down in the landfill and in an oxygen depleted atmosphere creating
methane. Methane is 25 times more damaging to the environment than carbon dioxide.
Mr. Donnelly reviewed how the Lake Fork Recycling Center works. Lakeshore Disposal brings
waste from the commercial cardboard route to the recycling center. Additionally, Mr. Donnelly
noted that the City can start an independent recycling and compost center. Mayor Giles expressed
that a centrally located recycling center is a better option to separate recycling centers in each city
and expressed the attractiveness to the curbside recycling option. Mr. Donnelly reviewed curbside
recycling options. The cost is reduced by mandatory trash and recycling services but there is an
option for a subscription for current customers to pay for curbside recycling if the customer wants
it. There is an additional option for cardboard only curbside recycling every other week. Cardboard
is always marketable unlike plastics. With curbside recycling comes a need for a centralized transit
center for the recycling to be sorted before being trucked out of the area. Alternative options
include a centralized depot with public drop-off, Community mini -depot bins, Targeted large
generator partnership bins and Community Recycling take -back and drop off events. The issues
that could arise include security issues, staffing issues and contamination. The dangers of lithium
batteries in landfills were discussed at length. Additional services offered by Lakeshore Disposal
are organic and yard debris curbside pickup. Mr. Donnelly noted that the curbside organics pick
up could attract more wildlife.
Council Member Nelson asked about the environmental impact of trucking out recycling to a
sorting facility. Mr. Donnelly noted studies have shown that even with the use of diesel trucks
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October 27, 2023 Special Meeting
there is not a considerable amount of impact added. Additionally noted was a group called the
Recycling Partnership which is a nationwide group that provides grant funding for cities that do
not have curbside recycling. The group will provide up to 15% of the cost of the carts and have
also provided grant funding for depots if the City does not already have a depot established. At
this point in time the group has not awarded any grants in the State of Idaho. Mr. Fulwiler and Mr.
Donnelly reviewed how the City of Hailey accomplishes curbside recycling.
Mayor Giles asked if comingled recycling is being recycled. Mr. Fulwiler noted that what is being
collected in Valley County is being recycled because the items are presorted. Cardboard and
plastics 1 and 2 are most often recyclable when recyclables are comingled, and other items may
be more contaminated in the comingle option. Mr. Fulwiler expressed that there is more value in
comingled options because of the volume of recyclables as opposed to the presorted option that
takes more time to process. Mayor Giles noted that the number of items being recycled with presort
options is significant compared to the number of items not recycled because of plastic types or
contamination in comingle options. The number of items successfully being recycled is important
to the community. Mr. Donnelly noted that starting a new recycling program has the benefit of
community education to limit contamination if the program is comingled.
Mr. Fulwiler reviewed the Orange Energy Bag program utilized in Ada County. The Orange
Energy Bag allows customers to put all plastics 3 through 7 in an orange bag within the comingled
container. This allows the waste company to easily bundle up specific plastics with less
contamination. The bundles are then transported to Salt Lake City Utah to heat a cement kiln. Mr.
Donnelly further explained how plastics replace the coal burning process with a process that has
far less emissions and impact on the environment than coal does.
Mayor Giles asked about the different bin colors used in other communities. Mr. Fulwiler reviewed
how each bin is designated for either waste, recycling or yard debris and each bin is picked up on
a rotating schedule. Additionally reviewed was the glass recycling container at Eagle City Hall.
The container is picked up Monday's and Fridays and is always full. A company in east Boise does
sandblasting and the crushed glass can be used in the sandblasting process. The tradeoff is that
there can be no labels or caps and Lakeshore disposal disposes of any non -glass items in the
container free of charge so the sandblasting company can use the glass.
Mayor Giles asked about food waste and Council Member Nielsen asked for Mr. Donnelly to
review composting. Mr. Donnelly reviewed location needs and Mr. Fulwiler reviewed programs
in the Treasure Valley. Council Member Nielsen asked where the closest composting processor is
located. Mr. Fulwiler noted that Timber Creek recycling in Meridian is the closest option for
transporting waste to be composted. Mr. Fulwiler also explained that there would need to be a
location to store yard debris and food waste until there is a full load to take to the Treasure Valley.
Council Member Nielsen asked how much space would be needed for a storage location. Mr.
Fulwiler said that he can research the amount of space needed and provide that information to the
City Council in the future. Commissioner Hasbrouck commented on the current landfill expenses
and challenges. Council Member Nielsen noted that if the garbage is dealt with locally instead of
being transported the expenses would go down.
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October 27, 2023 Special Meeting
Additional discussion was had on the challenges that come with recycling different materials and
Mr. Fulwiler reviewed Food Cycler programs. The Food Cycler is an in-house food composter.
Assistant City Planner Meredith Todd commented on composting and the option of larger
industrial scale composting systems. One way to shrink the amount of space needed for the
program is to use an industrial scale composter. Council Member Nelson commented on the
importance of implementation, education and the community working together moving forward.
Council Member Nielsen asked staff about future contracts for waste service providers and if there
is exclusivity or if someone else can run a composting and recycling site. Director Groenevelt
noted that the city can put provisions in the request for proposal that addresses issues with
exclusivity such as a local small business providing services that the main hauler may not want or
isn't able to provide. Additionally, Council Member Nielsen noted that his personal composting
pile has not been bothered by bears in years. Council Member Nelson again commented on the
importance of educating the community on the proper way to dispose of waste. Council Member
Nielsen strongly expressed that yard debris and food waste are two items that can be delt with
locally without having to transport it somewhere else and the community can end up with a usable
product from it.
Director Groenevelt asked Mr. Fulwiler and Mr. Donnelly for local subscriber statistics.
Communications Manager Erin Greaves noted that the City Council seems keen on educating the
community and additionally reviewed that the City has previously asked the community for
feedback and input on recycling and composting. It is important to be thoughtful and not keep
asking the same questions and getting the same results. Director Groenevelt agreed that the city
has a pretty clear sense of the public's interest in a waste program that includes recycling. Staff
have been asking the public and the public has been commenting to staff and the City Council for
many years about the issue.
Working with Valley County is an important partnership but at the same time the City of McCall
is unique from the rest of Valley County in the sense that 78% of houses are either second homes
or short term rentals. The city also has the actual density to do some programs that potentially
don't make sense for other rural areas in the County. Mr. Fulwiler reviewed service statistics.
Lakeshore Disposal serves 1913 residential customers, and 269 businesses have active accounts in
the City of McCall. There are currently 183 that have switched to seasonal where the service is
switched off when no one is home. Planner Todd noted that there are just over 5000 housing units
in the city, but that number includes apartments and condos that may have dumpster service instead
of individual service. Director Groenevelt asked for clarification on if seasonal residents are
contributing to the revenue stream year-round or just seasonally. Mr. Fulwiler noted that seasonal
service is only paid for when active. The City Council, City Staff and Lakeshore Disposal Staff
additionally discussed mandatory versus non mandatory waste service.
PUBLIC COMMENT
1
Mayor Giles called for public comment.
Michelle Blank, 744 Deer Forest Dr
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October 27, 2023 Special Meeting
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Ms. Blank commented that having the numbers for how many customers are year-round
subscribers may offer good insight into who would being affected by a change to mandatory trash
pickup.
Bill Hendrickson, 302 Mather Rd
Mr. Hendrickson expressed appreciation for the public involvement in the discussion.
Additionally, Mr. Hendrickson expressed a need for education on how to handle all the different
waste streams and suggested a five-year vision as a community of what to do with each waste
stream instead of thinking of them as one bundle.
Nancy Basinger, 302 Mather Rd
Ms. Basinger commented on food waste and the need for the community to rescue edible food.
How is the amount of food waste being impacted by grocery stores, restaurants and other
businesses throwing out edible food.
Hearing no further comments, Mayor Giles closed the comment period.
ADJOURNMENT
1
Without further business, Mayor Giles adjourned the meeting at 10:55 a.m.
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Robert S. Giles, Mayor
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October 27, 2023 Special Meeting
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