02/07/1997 - Minutes City of Tigard, Oregon
Solid Waste Efficiency Task Force
Meeting of February 7, 1997
Minutes
Members present: Bob Rohlf, John Cook, Larry Schmidt, Mike Leichner, Buck Westfall, Loreen
Mills, Wayne Lowry.
Also present was Lynn Storze, Washington County.
The committee still needs a commercial representative. Members were encouraged to give
suggested names to Loreen.
The majority of the meeting was dedicated to Lynn Storze to discuss regional issues.
The committee discussed Metro's authority. Metro has withheld some challenge grants for
various City performance issues. The relationship of local governments to Metro and DEQ for
solid waste issues seems to vague and confusing. It was pointed out that Metro tries to enforce
DEQ rules and some of their own but their authority to do so is not clear in the law. Their
authority is planning but they seem to get into much more.
Bob mentioned his thought that Metro issues should be raised to the elected official level, not
just at the staff level.
Metro's drifting into water issues was also discussed as the activities of RSWAMP.
Metro has discussed taxing authority in the solid waste area. Options they have looked at include
Advance disposal fee, fee on Water and Sewer bills, other revenues and the TIP fee. Tip fee will
be lowered to $71 per ton in July. Loreen explained the problem with this move and it's ill
timing. Haulers recycling revenues have been declining therefore will have an impact on rate of
return. Ratepayers will be expecting a reduction but may not see one.
Flow control was discussed. The ability of Metro to direct where solid waste from the Metro
region is hauled to for disposal. Many believe Metro will not in the end be able to dictate where
garbage is hauled.
The committee discussed how the relationship between Metro and local governments doesn't
work. Metro does not take local politics or necessity into account. There is also a lot of
duplication of effort.
Lynn discussed Metro facility improvements at Metro south and the various planned reload
facilities.
Lynn discussed SB 144 which deals with Commercial recycling and other solid waste mandates.
DEQ requires 50 %recovery, Metro arbitrarily set standard at 52%
Loreen mentioned the concept of Vermaculture. Each member of the committee was asked to
use this term in a sentence for the next meeting.
Mike shared his boyhood memories of transporting food waste to the HOGS.
Lynn mentioned the Governors proposal for a new bottle bill to fund waste operations and parks.
The saturation of recycle materials markets was discussed as was the activities of the Oregon
State recycle markets council. Lynn mentioned MRF's and vertical integration. Potential
impacts on rate payers and competition when multinational companies buy out haulers, reloaders,
and land fill sites.
Future meetings were discussed. The next meeting will be held on 2/21/97 at 7:30 am. The
agenda will include other regional issues and a discussion of which issues can be influenced by
this committee and what actions can be taken.
The following meeting will be 3/7/97 at which the Hauler suggestions for efficiency will be
discussed. The meeting of 3/21/97 will be used to discuss the aggregate Haulers financial reports
for 1996.
The committee elected Steve Bried as chair. Public input was also discussed.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:30 am.