HomeMy WebLinkAbout01.26.23 SWAC Minutes DRAFT
JEFFERSON COUNTY
Solid Waste Advisory Committee (SWAC)
Minutes
Regular Meeting, Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023, 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Public Works Office, 623 Sheridan St., Port Townsend, WA
Hybrid Meeting
Audio and video recordings posted under Meeting Recordings on this website
https://www.co.jefferson.wa.us/483/Solid-Waste -Advisory-Committee
Opening Business
Meeting agenda posted on website on Jan. 19, 2023.
Call to Order and Roll Call – Tracy Grisman, Vice-Chair
Committee Members Present:
Greg Brotherton, County Commissioner Bart Kale, Citizen at Large
Tracy Grisman, District #1 Tim Deverin, District #3
Glenn Gately, Conservation District Alysa Thomas, Skookum
Brian Tate, Waste Connection Bliss Morris, City of Port Townsend
Committee Members Absent
Lisa Crosby, Chair & District #1 Steve King, City of Port Townsend
Staff Present
Al Cairns, Solid Waste Manager Chris Spall, Public Works Support Staff
Laura Tucker, Public Health, Education and Outreach
Guests/Visitors: Cherry Sullivan, Elizabeth Court, Alli Kingfisher, WA State Dept. of Ecology, Nick Lawlor,
JCPH, Laura Busby, Ecology, Joey Deese, Waste Connections.
There is a quorum.
Public Comment: None
Approval/Correction of 12/01/2022 Meeting minutes. Bart moved, Tim seconded, and motion carried to accept
minutes as written.
Committee Reports – No sub committees at this time
Staff report Al talked about some items on the report:
• Closing the Transfer Station on Mondays to the public has allowed staff to catchup on required training
and site improvements. Complaints from the public about the change have been minimal.
• The Jan. 21 HHW event at the Haines Place Park and Ride served 197 customers during the 4-hour event.
This is the equivalent number of customers seen over a 2-month period when we operated the fixed
facility.
• Staff are following several legislative bills focused on extended producer responsibility (EPR.) This
includes a bottle bill much like Oregon’s bottle bill. Al will update the SWAC as the bills move along in
the legislative process
Old Business: None
New Business
a. Guest Speaker Chery Sullivan, WA Dept. of Ecology
Cherry did a presentation on the 2022 Organics Management Act (ESSHB 1799). The purpose of the law
is to reduce methane emmissions by diverting food waste from landfills. Al said food waste diversion is a
high proirity in Jefferson County’s SWMP. The focus will be on preventing food waste by keeping
useable food out of the wastestream and getting it to people who need it, and then to livestock. Then we
can evaluate if a centralized composting facility is needed.
b. 2023 meeting schedule – possible revisions
The Solid Waste Facility Replacement planning process is taking a lot of time. Al asked the SWAC to
consider the following schedule changes in light of this:
• A joint meeting of the Jefferson and Clallam SWACs in place of the May 25 regular meeting
• A field trip in June to an east-side transfer station instead of the July 27 regular meeting. Laura
suggested also including a visit to a MRF.
• Substitute Public Meeting # 2 of the Facility Replacement Task Force for the Sept 28 regular
meeting.
SWAC members were supportive of the changes. Al will notify them of dates as they are known.
Partner Updates:
a. Skookum (Alysa Thomas) – Dec. was tough with the weather. Recycle collection sites getting a
lot of construction debris. Cardboard doing better than same time last year. TAP increased from
rock bottom. Glass and Mixed Paper doing the same. Still looking to acquire a new hook truck to
replace main hook truck. All specs need to be right to fit the existing bins.
b. Waste Connections/Olympic Disposal (Brian Tate) –No updates at this time.
c. City of Port Townsend solid waste/recycling/composting (Bliss Morris) – Nothing to report
d. Jefferson County Public Health (Laura Tucker) – Will be putting the recycling flyer out in
upcoming PUD bill. A final contamination audit will be done in June for Ludlow, Quilcene, and
Port Townsend. Developing a flyer with suggestions for less toxic alternatives to typical
household products. Working on a Food summit for March to bring together those with surplus
food and those who can use the surplus food. Same type of event held last November was very
successful.
e. Artist in Residency (AIRE) program (Tracy Grisman) – Annual program for a local artist to
create artwork from materials gleaned from the Transfer Station Tipping floor, and then display
the artwork in a weekend show.
Future Agenda Items – No suggestions given:
Meeting adjourned at 4:25 pm. Bart moved to adjourn the meeting and Tim seconded the motion.
Next Meeting Date: March 23.
2023 Regular Meetings
Thursday, January 26
March 23
May 25
July 27
September 28
December 7