HomeMy WebLinkAbout09.28.2023 SWAC Minutes DRAFT
JEFFERSON COUNTY
Solid Waste Advisory Committee (SWAC)
Meeting Minutes
Regular Meeting, Thursday, September 28, 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 September 21, 2023.
1. Call to Order and Roll Call – Lisa Crosby, Chair
Committee Members Present for Roll Call
Heidi Eisenhour, County Commissioner Lisa Crosby, Chair & District #1
Tracy Grisman, Vice-Chair & District #1 Glenn Gately, Conservation District
Brian Tate, Waste Connections
Joined meeting after Roll Call
Bart Kale, Citizen at Large Alysa Thomas, Skookum
Committee Members Absent
Tim Deverin, District #3 Steve King, City of Port Townsend
Staff Present
Al Cairns, Solid Waste Manager Chris Spall, Public Works Support Staff
Laura Tucker, Public Health - Solid Waste Educator
Guests/Visitors: Jill Krumlauf, Washington State Dept. of Ecology
There is a quorum.
2. Public Comment: None
3. Approval/ Correction of May 25, 2023 meeting minutes. Under new business, a. Guest Speaker…, correct
the spelling of Louise and remove the apostrophe after the word “wasn’t.” Tracy motioned to approve the
minutes, Heidi seconded it, and it was approved by all.
4. Committee Reports (No sub-committees formed)
5. Staff Reports (Q&A on Staff Report) - Al talked about two items on the report:
Staffing - By November a third of the staff will be out on scheduled medical leave. It’s difficult to recruit new
employees because of the wage rates. Solid Waste can’t maintain its current level of service with only five
employees.
Transfer Station Replacement Planning Process – The agreement with Vikek Environmental Engineers, LLC
has been terminated. Some of the sub-consultants will continue to be involved in the process. Al expects the
process to start up again early next year.
6. Old Business (None)
7. New Business
a. CROP Follow-up Audit/Final LSWFA Grant Report - Laura discussed work on:
• The Waste Reduction and Recycling Education (WRRED) grant has three tasks. Task
1. Food waste Diversion, 70% focus of the grant. Example: Food summits to match
those with food with those in need of food. Task 2. Composting. Example: Home
Composting classes. Task 3 Implementation: Example Classroom presentation on
what is recyclable.
• Local Solid Waste Financial Assistance (LSWFA) grant has three tasks. Task 1.
Moderate Risk Waste (MRW) Reduction. Example: Safer Alternatives flyer on the
web and in PUD bills. Task 2. Food Waste Reduction. Example: Share refrigerators
supplied to 4 schools and one church. Task 3 Crop Implementation. Example: New
flyer in April 2023 PUDs.
Discussion: The City of Port Townsend and Waste Connections will use the County
Recycling flyer instead of having their own. This should reduce messaging inconsistencies.
Now paying $13/ton to recycle TAP. Not sustainable to pay to get rid of TAP. The market for
plastic has tanked
b. Waste Connections Recycling Information (Joey Deese or Alternate)
c. Yard Debris Education/Options (Bliss Morris or Steve King) no member of City of Port
Townsend in attendance. Lisa asked if people in the City know they can put an additional can
at the curb for yard waste. In light of the increased minimum fees for both yard waste and
garbage, Lisa suggested that the option of putting out an extra can of either garbage or yard
waste should be publicized. At approximately $5 a can, this is an affordable way to avoid
taking small loads to the transfer station.
8. Partner Updates
a. Skookum Contract Services (Alysa Thomas) – Contamination Port Ludlow varies day to
day. Cardboard or OCC is coming in fairly clean. Glass is $15/ton. No money is made
off it, but it has always been that way. TAP is in the tank but metals are also not doing
well. Mixed paper has just increased which it has not done in a long time.
b. Waste Connections (Brian Tate) – No updates at this time. Everything going smooth.
c. City of Port Townsend. No one from City in attendance.
d. Artist in Residency Program (Tracy Grisman) – Great semester this summer. Final
touches to site specific sculpture. Have a reveal on Oct. 9th from 5-6 PM. Tracy learned a
lot that will improve the program for next year. The “e” in AIRE is for education. Tracy
thanked everyone for their support.
9. Future Agenda Items
Approve minutes for June 8, 2023 meeting. Al waiting to hear back on joint SWAC meeting with
Clallam County. It may be a different date than the date set for December’s regular meeting. SWAC
members expressed preference to schedule joint meeting with Clallam for next year.
Meeting adjourned at 4:23 PM
Next Meeting Date: December 7, 2023.
2023 Regular Meetings
January 26
March 23
May 25
July 27
September 28
December 7