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Solid Waste Committee for Trenton, Maine
Town of Trenton Solid Waste Committee
Agenda for October 1, 2008 meeting
1.
Attendees:
2.
Administrative:
-Vote to accept minutes from September
3, 2008 meeting
New and Old Business
by category:
3. Separation of waste materials
Bulk of separables:
Cardboard – dumpsters on site
9/5/08. Tarps are in place. Bungee
cords vs ropes. Snow plow issues?
Has been filled and dumped twice so far (~9/8 & 9/24)
Paper – same as for cardboard,
except not dumped yet (currently ~3/4 full?)
Containers (plastic, glass,
metal) – will we recommend a dumpster?
How long do we wait before doing so?
Fruit/vegetable/plant composting
– deferred until spring?
Minority: (discuss MDIHS
event. Nothing else?)
Bulky
Construction Debris
Metal
Hazardous (batteries, mercury
bulbs, computers) – MDIHS event 10/11/08!
Remaining MSW – nothing
to discuss
4. Bypassing ‘middleman’
Possible curbside pickup and
take directly to PERC? Central
collection dumpster not feasible due to regulatory burdens. On hold for now.
5. Communication:
Website – Tom is currently
keeping it up to date, sending postings to Janet Muise. Other committee members are encouraged to
check it out and send suggestions to Tom via email.
Mailing – First letter was
mailed by September 12, 2008. Have committee
members received it in their mail?
Town TV – nothing to discuss
Radio Public Service
announcements – nothing to discuss
Newspaper Public Service or town
section notice – nothing to discuss
6. Other old or new business:
-status of Eastern Maine
Recycling (EMR) contract
-reconciling total solid waste
costs - Tom reports that the $16,000
discrepancy between bills for 2006-07 solid waste costs of $247,000 and the
official Town Report amount of $263,000 was the result of an accounting
quirk (for $14,700) and some minor math mistakes. As a follow-up, Tom plans to check on the
$25,000 discrepancy for 2005-06, because it cannot be accounted for in
quite the same way.
-Universal Waste Collection at
MDIHS 10/11/08 – volunteers? Show up when? Need to bring gloves or anything
else?
-Maine Municipal Association
Annual Convention – October 8-9, 2008, includes presentations on “Going
Green” (Plan for a Secure Energy Future, Regulating Windmills and other
Energy Technologies, Solid Waste Recycling and Disposal). Anyone interested in going?
7. Identified Action Items:
8. Adjourn meeting
Next
meeting is Wednesday, November 5, 2008, 7PM in the town office.
Minutes for October 1, 2008 meeting
(as accepted November 5, 2008)
1. 1) Attendees: Dotty Young, Peter Rees, Tom Sproule, Chuck
Starr, Bob Kates, Mike Gilmartin
2. 2) Administrative:
Meeting
called to order 7:04PM. Peter Rees
moved, Eric White seconded, to approve minutes from the September 3, 2008
meeting. Unanimous, minutes approved.
Tom
Sproule, Bob Kates, and Peter Rees volunteered to participate in Hazardous
Waste function at MDI High School.
Maine
Municipal Association (MMA) meeting at Augusta Civic Center Oct 8-9 has
solid waste component and town has agreed to pay for committee member
attendance. Even with busy
schedules, there is some interest in attending.
New and old business by category:
3. 3) Separation of waste materials
So far two
pick ups of dumpster material (9/8 and 9/24) for cardboard, and one pick up
for newspaper (10/1).
Decision
made that Janet Muise would be the sole point of contact with Gott’s for solid
waste dumpster pick up notification.
Discussion
of dumpster operations: need bungee
cords to replace lacing cord (Action
item, Chuck to procure), snow removal issues, and signage requirements. Eric White completed action item for tarp
cover.
Discussion of
third dumpster for plastic, glass, and tin; Chuck Starr moved that we procure
a third dumpster, Tom Sproule seconded, unanimous vote. Action
item: Tom to report committee recommendation to Selectmen 10/7/08.
Discussion
of Gott and EMR weighing operations for town’s credit accountability. Gott plans weekly cardboard pickup, but will
mix with Airport, and other businesses cardboard separation operations.
4. 4) Bypassing “middleman”
No new discussion.
5. 5) Communication:
Website:
Tom Sproule reported that the site is up and running and changes and
additions to the info are carried out by Janet Muise. Tom Sproule completed action item for web
site development. Continuing action
as required.
Mailing of
notice to all addresses of townspeople was successful. Peter Rees action item completed.
News
release within local newspapers was discussed. Action
item: Peter Rees contacted BDN on
article for eco-friendly town operations.
Discussion
of recycling and solid waste management participation in Trenton Elementary
School Earth Day or school studies. Action Item : Peter Rees to investigate options.
6) Other old or new
business:
Discussion
of town’s costs and the reconciling old issues, and issues for town
taxpayers in light of potential cost increase in EMR’s contract.
ADD and
Trenton’s representatives received EMR’s contract a week earlier and are
studying the ramifications. Bob
Kates and Peter Rees to attend October 2, 2008 ADD meeting on contract
negotiations, as town representatives.
Will discuss contract with committee at next meeting.
Meeting adjourned at 8:37. The next meeting is Wednesday, November 5,
2008.
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