SSRC MSW Manager Breakfast Forum Minutes

2/9/2005, 9:00 am, Abington Town Hall

accepted 3/9/05

Present: Abington:  Susan Brennan*, Michelle Roberts*, Dori Jamieson; Cohasset: Merle Brown*; Hanover: Steve Herrmann*; Holbrook:  Ken Brown*, Jeff Lowe*; Kingston:  Paul Basler*;  Marshfield:  Bob Griffin*, Paul Tomkavage*; Norwell:  Joanne Dirk*; Rockland:  Janice McCarthy; Whitman: Thomas Burnett*,  Al Scoglio*, Loni Bezanson, Jay Freeman;  Rosemary Nolan, MA DEP; Mike DelPrete; Claire Sullivan, SSRC Executive Director

*appointed Board members

Chairman Merle Brown called the meeting to order at 9:25.   He read a letter of resignation from SSRC Secretary John McNabb and asked board members to consider stepping in to that Executive Board position in June.  Mr. Herrmann moved that the SSRC present John with a plaque recognizing his contributions to the SSRC.  Mr. Burnett seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.  The presentation will be made at the April 22 Legislative Breakfast.

Will Conrad, Marketing Director for Sam White and Sons, advised the board on technical aspects of the grinding and screening bids.  He distributed spec sheets on the equipment being considered in the bids, pointing out that output is affected by horsepower, engine size and design.  Grinders may be horizontal or vertical (tub), with the horizontals such as the Diamond Z his company uses, requiring less maintenance and able to handle a wider range of material than a tub grinder. However, since most of the material our towns will be processing is smaller brush,  the reputation of the companies may be the most important consideration.  The Ex.Dir. asked at what point the size of the loader becomes a limiting factor in output.  He advised that the 2.5 CY loader specified by Letourneau should be able to keep up with both grinders they spec’ed.  

Minutes:  Chairman Brown noted some errors in the January minutes, and requested that acronyms be replaced with the full words.  Mr. Scoglio pointed out some typos.  Mr. K Brown moved that the 1/13/05 minutes be accepted as amended, Mr. Burnett seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.

Treasurer’s Report:  Ms. Dirk reported that the balance as of 12/31/04 was a healthy $60,748.24.  Mr. K Brown moved that the treasurer’s report be accepted, Mr. Basler seconded, passed unanimously.

New Board Representatives:  Ms. Dirk also reported that Norwell will be appointing Pattie Hainer of the Norwell Recycling Committee to be Norwell’s second Board representative to the SSRC.  Ms. Hainer is a former reporter for the Patriot Ledger, and will attend the next meeting.

Mr. Burnett then announced that he will be stepping down as one of Whitman’s reps, and introduced his replacement, Loni Bezanson, who works at the Whitman DPW.

Mr. Brown inquired whether Pembroke of Hanson had indicated any intention to (re)join the SSRC.  The Ex. Dir. reported that she had spoken with Gordon Martin of Pembroke, who didn’t hold out much hope for the near term with the current BOH.  She has maintained contact with the Hanson officials too, but they are not in an urgent situation yet, with a Tier One contract with SEMASS for the next 4 years, but she anticipates that they will come around. 

Holbrook PAYT:  Mr. K. Brown reported that since the implementation of Pay as You Throw in Holbrook last October, tonnage of waste going to SEMASS has been reduced by half.  The DPW ran out of recycling bins for residents.  Some residents hired their own trash haulers.  They just learned that the price of the bags would be going up 18% (?) soon.  A yard waste dropoff day and HHP day will be paid for out of the $375K budget. 

Bottle Bill:  The Ex. Dir. reported that energy Committee Chairman Sen. O’Leary is filing a bill to repeal the Bottle Bill and replace it with a “litter tax”, to be used for litter and recycling programs.  She reminded the Board that “dedicated” taxes and funds are subject to the whims of the legislature and administration.  Rep. Petersen and Sen. Nuciforo have refiled identical bills to expand the Bottle bill to include noncarbonated, nondairy beverage containers up to 4L.   Recycling rates for deposit containers are about 65%, and about half that for nondeposit containers.  Chairman Brown commented that it would be impractical to include containers larger than 1L, or wine bottles.  Single serve containers should be targeted. The Ex. Dir. noted that at another municipal meeting, the solid waste manager from Fairhaven said he would like to get the wine bottles out of the municipal stream, as glass is such a liability.  Chairman Brown recommended that we advocate for an updated bottle bill (UBB) in general.  Mr. Burnett moved that the Ex. Dir. advocate for passage of a UBB, Mr. K. Brown seconded, approved unanimously.

Grind-Screen-Removal IFB:  The Board reviewed the bids in each award category.  Based on the parameters for award, and supported by references and other relevant information, the contracts were awarded as follows:

Medium Volume Grinding:  Mr. Basler moved that Letourneau Products be awarded this contract, Mr. Burnett seconded, motion passed.

High Volume Grinding:  Mr. Burnett moved that Letourneau Products be awarded this contract, Mr. Basler seconded, motion passed.

Compost Screening :  Mr. Basler moved that Lion’s Head Organics be awarded this contract, Mr. Burnett seconded, motion passed.

Compost and Wood Chip Removal: Mr. Burnett moved that this service be left up to the towns and not awarded.  Ms. Dirk seconded, motion passed with one abstention.

Mr. Herrmann pointed out that it is not incumbent on the towns to use the awarded contracts.

Media Blitz Grant details:  DEP awarded $2,400 toward our grant request for a spring media blitz.  The balance of the request, $4,900, was provided by SEMASS under the Material Separation Plan.  Chairman Brown and the ex. Dir. met with DEP, and must narrow the topics to three.  Mercury disposal must be addressed in at least one ad.  The Ex. Dir. asked the board to select from among the following topics:

1.    Benefits and convenience of recycling; 2.  Composting; 3.  Household Haz Prod collections/ mercury thermometer swaps; 4.  South Shore Business Recycling Partnership; 5. Waste bans.

After some discussion, Mr. Herrmann moved that the SSRC produce radio ads and corresponding newspaper ads on 1.  Waste Bans; 2. Thermometer swaps/ Household Haz Prod collections and 3. Composting.  Mr. K. Brown seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.

Executive Director’s Report:  

Legislative Breakfast – scheduled for Friday, April 22, 9 -11 am at Cameron’s on the Green.  Looking for nominations for the Environmental Hero Award.

SEMASS bills – check bills to ensure there is no commercial waste included.  Mr. Herrmann noted that some of Hanover’s trash was diverted to the Carver landfill from SEMASS due to a boiler shutdown, resulting in a longer haul.  This may not be allowed in the contract.  Ex. Dir. will look into it.

AMT increase requests – towns that should be concerned about exceeding their annual tonnage limits have been contacted to request increases, which are based on the number of households.

SEMASS buyout– Covanta’s parent company, Danielson, is purchasing American Ref-Fuel.

Raynham transfer station proposal –Mr. Carney is proposing to site a 1000 ton per day (TPD) transfer station at the Raynham Dog Track site at Rt. 495 and 24.  This is a good location, and could provide another option for municipal solid waste disposal.

NE Transrail LLC regulatory exemptions, implications – company is bypassing all local and state regulations in siting a transfer station on a rail spur.  This could set a disturbing precedent.  SEMASS, DEP and other disposal and transfer companies are vigorously opposing.

New Business:  Hanover tried to set up a book collection with Hands Across the Water (HATW), but has gotten no response.  Needham and Wellesley have found the book collection program much more time consuming than they had anticipated.

Next mtgs:        March 9, Hanover Town Hall; April 22, brief meeting during / after Legislative breakfast, Cameron’s on the Green; May 11, Norwell Town Hall.

Meeting adjourned at 11:10.

Respectfully submitted,