SOLID WASTE POLICY BOARD MEETING 

June 6, 2007

Solid Waste Department

9 a.m.

INTRODUCTIONS & ROLL CALL

Terry Hanson, Committee Chair, called the meeting to order at 9 a.m.

CONSENT AGENDA

• Approval of Minutes

• Annual Meeting Information (July 11, 2007)

• Miscellaneous Information

Brian reviewed the agenda for the upcoming annual Solid Waste Disposal System meeting.  The meeting will be on July 11, 2007 at the Stoney Creek Inn.  Registration fee is $9 which includes lunch. 

Maureen Freedlund shared the latest draft resolution of Sustainability Re: Eco-County Designation.  If the resolution passes the board would like this to be included in the agenda at the next policy board agenda.  Buffie will copy the Solid Waste Policy Board with the resolution once it passes the La Crosse County Board. 

MOTION by Hexom/Parkhurst to approve the meeting minutes of March 14, 2007.  Motion Carried Unanimously.  (Gilman, Pfaff, Riester excused)

SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN REVIEW AND DIRECTION

Warren Shuros presented an in-depth PowerPoint presentation of the Draft Solid Waste Management Plan.  The purpose of the SWM plan is to solidify La Crosse County and regional system by developing or strengthening service relationships with current or future participants.  There was discussion on the recommendation of a creation of a full time Regional Public Education, Communications & Marketing position to address needs on a regional basis. Further discussion included how this position would be funded.  (PowerPoint attached).

MOTION by Freedlund/Hexom to create a full time Regional Public Education, Communications & Marketing position to address needs on a regular basis.  Motion Carried Unanimously.  (Gilman, Pfaff, Riester excused) 

MOTION by Hexom/Hogden to accept the recommendation of funding the Regional Public Education, Communications & Marketing position with the primary fund source being a tipping fee increase of $1/ton at Xcel Energy and future consideration of a dividend type approach.   Motion Carried Unanimously.  (Gilman, Pfaff, Riester excused) 

UPDATE ON PERMANENT PHARMACEUTICAL COLLECTIONS

HHM began accepting medications on June 1, 2007.  HHM accepts all prescription and over-the- counter medications which include all pills, ointments, creams, patches, and liquids.  Residents will dump their own medications into a drum and take the containers home for disposal.  There is no fee for La Crosse County residents.  Businesses will pay the transaction fee plus $3 per pound with a minimum one pound charge.  Out-of-County residents pay $3 per pound with a minimum one pound charge.  Four staff members of the HHM facility were deputized enabling them to be in possession of controlled substances.    

RESOLUTION TO BAN COMPUTERS AND TELEVISIONS (e-waste) FROM LA CROSSE COUNTY LANDFILL

The Policy Board considered the resolution on e-waste which recommended the present business ban on the landfilling of electronic parts containing cathode-ray tubes, LCD or plasma screens to be expanded to households.  The Household Hazardous Materials Advisory Panel (HHMAP) requested at its May 15, 2007 meeting that the County ban e-waste from the County landfill.  At present, Minnesota bans this e-waste from Minnesota landfills but in Wisconsin such bans only goes to businesses and not households.  Jon Schrader expressed his concerns with the resolution because if implemented La Crosse County would have the only landfill in Wisconsin with such an expanded ban and such a ban would place the La Crosse County landfill at an economic disadvantage.  Brian stated that a hauler may use this expanded ban as a sales tool to divert waste away from the La Crosse County landfill but such a diversion may be small because all municipalities in La Crosse County direct all residential contracted waste to the La Crosse County facilities.  Brian mentioned he had support from the Town of Medary, City of Onalaska and Town of Shelby for such a ban but has not heard from other municipalities.  Jon stated that even though at present there is a ban on the landfilling of appliances a number of appliances continue to come into the waste stream and that this may be the case for e-waste.  Jon also stated that he would be observant of waste loads coming into the landfill in the upcoming months to see how much e-waste is actually arriving in the waste.  Brian mentioned that an alternative resolution could be to request that all municipalities no longer collect e-waste for landfilling and also request residents to either take it to a community e-waste drop off site or to drop the e-waste directly at the La Crosse County Household Hazardous Materials facility.  There was also discussion that the e-waste ban date could be switched from July 1, 2008 to January 1, 2009, this would give municipalities and residents further time to consider how they will manage their e-waste.  This topic will be discussed again at the next Policy Board meeting in September. 

MOTION by Hogden/Freedlund to table the Resolution Re:  Banning of Certain Electronic Waste from the La Crosse County Landfill from the Public Works & Infrastructure meeting until further study and information is provided.  Motion Carried Unanimously.  (Gilman, Pfaff, Riester excused) 

DIRECTION ON DISASTER DEBRIS PLANNING

This topic will be discussed at the next Policy Board meeting in September.

PROGRESS ON TOP 20 ISSUES OF SOLID WASTE POLICY BOARD

This topic will be discussed at the next Policy Board meeting in September.

AGENDA ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING

1. Resolution to ban computers and televisions (e-waste)

2. Direction on disaster debris planning

3. Progress on Top 20 issues of solid waste policy board

ADJOURNMENT

MOTION by Parkhurst/Hexom to adjourn the meeting.  Motion Carried Unanimously.   (Gilman, Pfaff, Riester excused) The meeting adjourned at 11:54 a.m.

The above minutes may be approved, amended, or corrected at the next Committee meeting.

Buffie Linberg, Recorder