03/07/1997 - Minutes u
City of Tigard, Oregon
Solid Waste Efficiencies Task Force
Meeting of Friday, March 7, 1997
Minutes
Members present: Mike Leichner, Larry Schmidt, Bob Rohlf, Steve Bried, John Cook, Buck
Westfall.
Staff Present: Wayne Lowry
Minutes from the February 21 meeting were approved.
Steve led the discussion with comments about the meeting with the haulers to arrive at the
commingling recyclables alternatives. Their group came up with two alternatives. One
alternative includes the collection of commingled recyclables every other week in a 60 gallon
cart on opposite weeks from yard debris. Items included would be glass, tin, metal, aluminum,
newspaper, magazines, plastic jugs, scrap paper and corrugated cardboard. The other alternative
envisions the same arrangement but collected each week.
The commingling of these materials would save costs in equipment, labor due to automation. It
would also allow for the use of more standard equipment for the haulers.
The committee discussed both of these options.
The size of the carts was discussed. Larry felt 32 gallon would not be enough. Summerfield
residents would not need 60 gallon carts. The potential unhappiness by citizens to storing a third
60 gallon cart was discussed. The carts would make recycling easier and more convenient and
the red bins could be disposed of.
The committee discussed the # of trucks involved in recycling and the current market conditions.
Volumes in average carts were also discussed.
The committee discussed the idea of picking up garbage ever other week instead of weekly.
DEQ apparently removed their every 7 day pick up rule. Larry expressed his preference for
every other week pickup. The committee discussed leaving the every other week pick up of
garbage issue to a later time.
Bob questioned why have the every week pick up of commingled recycling option.
Wayne asked about commingling recycling with yard debris. The mixture of yard debris would
ruin the other materials making them unmarketable.
The committee decided to forward the two options on to HLA for analysis. Wayne and Loreen
will meet with 14LA to get them started on the project and report back to the committee at the
next meeting about the time frame for getting information back.
Bob asked the haulers when they thought such a change in their systems could be implemented.
Larry thought by the end of summer. Mike suggested maybe a pilot program or test to see which
option works best. The cost of the carts was determined to be the majority of the costs of the
program. Carts cost $50 to $60 each.
The committee shifted their focus to administrative operations of the haulers and related
customer service.
The haulers billing systems were discussed. They explained that they bill for two months and
use post cards. Any change in this system may have the effect of increasing costs reported in the
rate setting process.
The committee asked the haulers to cost out monthly postcard bills rather than bimonthly and
then to determine the costs of monthly invoice style bills with return envelopes.
The committee discussed communications with customers and the notices the haulers use to
inform customers of problems with set outs. The common practice is to give two such notices
and then leave materials improperly placed or prepared. Steve felt the notices were very
impersonal and that the haulers should all have a standard system of notification.
The haulers pointed out that the customers have some responsibility.
The haulers agreed to develop a common procedure to notify customers of problems.
The next meeting is scheduled for 3/21/97 at 7:30 am. Items to be discussed are Haulers
Administrative procedures and billing costs, Service standards for tagging items improperly
prepared or placed, duplication of efforts, and the balance of the efficiency items on the haulers
list. Lynn Storz will be moved to the April 4 meeting.