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HAMILTON COUNTY May 9, 2002
PLACE: Hamilton County Department of Environmental Services PRESENT: Policy Committee Members DOES Staff Others In Attendance ABSENT: Policy Committee Members I. CALL TO ORDER Mr. Portune called the meeting to order at 2:06 pm. Mr. Portune welcomed everyone to the meeting. II. CLERK'S REPORT A. Approval of Minutes - March 14 and April 2, 2002 Dr. O'Reilly motioned to approve the March 14 and April 2, 2002 minutes. Mr. Graham seconded. All were in favor and the minutes were approved by acclamation. B. Additions/Changes to the Agenda Add the following under informational items:
A. Finance SubCommittee Report - May 9, 2002 Mr. Graham stated that the Finance SubCommittee received an informative summary of the whole financial structure of the District from Mr. Aluotto and Mr. Khodadad. The summary showed that District finances are in good order and there is one operating years worth of carry-over balance. Mr. Aluotto and Mr. Khodadad will provide the Finance SubCommittee a yearly summary regarding District finances. Mr. Graham stated that the Finance SubCommittee reviewed the tipping fee revenues and the expenditures for the past month. The tipping fee revenues show a decrease in March as compared to last month but only in out-of-state waste. In-District and Ohio generated waste roughly the same level as last month. Staff will be researching with Rumpke as to the reason for this shortfall. Overall, year-to-date revenues are above the budget and ahead of last year.
The Finance SubCommittee reviewed the expenditures and recommended approval of SWR 04/2002 which covers expenditures from March 1 - April 30, 2002. Mr. Graham motioned approval of SWR 04/2002. Mr. Corman seconded and SWR 04/2002 was approved by acclamation. IV. PRESENTATIONS Mr. Aluotto discussed background information regarding the District's Reduction Assistance Grants. A. Village of Lockland Mr. Johnson, who is the City of Lockland's Police Chief, stated that Lockland did not have any recycling opportunities until receiving a grant for $22,370 from the District. This grant allowed Lockland to implement a 24-hour drop-off location. Mr. Johnson thanked the District, especially, Ms. Christmann, Ms. Brugger, and Ms. Wenhame, for their assistance in promoting the new drop-off.
Mr. Edwards stated that Gorman Heritage Farm received a grant from the District for $3,815. Gorman Heritage Farm is partnering with Pipkin Fruits and Vegetable Market to develop a composting operation for pre-consumer food material at Gorman Heritage Farm. Mr. Edwards passed out pictures showing the composting operation.
Mr. Aluotto thanked Mr. Nutini for helping Gorman Heritage Farm obtain the proper permits for the operation of the compost site.
Mr. Gamstetter stated he would be discussing the project and introduced Mr. Kastner as the grant administrator. Mr. Gamstetter showed a slide presentation showing the implementation of their urban wood-waste recovery program and explained that it is part of the SAW America Initiative and it concentrated on material produced from the City's urban forestry activities. A brief question and answer session occurred following each presentation. POLICY ITEMS A. Lead and Lead Abatement Project Mr. Aluotto stated that this is a project the City of Cincinnati has been working on for quite some time. There is now an opportunity for grant dollars to become available on a county-wide basis and there is still information being gathered on this issue. Mr. Aluotto suggested to table this item until the July 11, 2002 Policy Committee Meeting. The Policy Committee concurred after a brief discussion. B. Report From Eastman and Smith Mr. Aluotto reiterated to the Policy Committee about the District contracting with Eastman & Smith to provide the District a report that outlines and explains the Maharg fee structure. The report answers questions the Policy Committee had regarding how this type of fee structure might be implemented in Hamilton County. Included as Attachment B of the Manager's Memo is that report. Eastman & Smith will also be presenting this information at a future Policy Committee meeting. Mr. Portune suggested that the Finance SubCommittee review the report and bring it to the Policy Committee when it is appropriate due to the favorable Finance SubCommittee report that was given earlier. C. Omaha Paper Stock Grant Mr. Aluotto stated that the District should be hearing ODNR's decision regarding the grant by next week. The last communication from ODNR was that, because of the Policy Committee's actions, the grant is being considered along with the other grants that were submitted versus being discarded. D. Environmental Court Mr. Portune stated that he attended a meeting prior to the Policy Committee Meeting regarding Environmental Court with representatives from the City of Cincinnati. As the Policy Committee moves forward, the question if Hamilton County can even have an Environmental Court arises from a Municipal Court level. Mr. Portune stated that additionally, representation from the Prosecutor's Office was needed as well. Mr. Portune stated that other Hamilton County jurisdictions need to be informed so they can gage how a docket control mechanism will be utilized by other jurisdictions. Mr. Portune instructed Staff to draft a letter, with his signature, to inform all 48 political subdivisions of the potential for Environmental Court from a Municipal Court level and gather their feelings on it. It is not necessary to send the letter to the City of Cincinnati. Mr. Portune stated that Mr. Dowlin routed a memo to Mr. Krings regarding the proposed Environmental Court that raised multiple detailed questions. Mr. Portune passed out the memo to the Policy Committee. Mr. Aluotto stated that at the last Policy Committee meeting, the Committee was trying to agree on some revised language for the amended resolution. That language was reached however, voting on the actual resolution was tabled in light of the necessity for discussing some issues with the Prosecutor's Office specifically, how such a court would affect staffing levels at the Prosecutor level. Mr. Aluotto stated that since the last Policy Committee meeting, he has communicated with Ms. Chin regarding this issue and it was his understanding that the existing levels of staffing would be adequate given the current level of case load but that growth of the court could spur the necessity for additional staffing. Ms. Chin stated that the Municipal dockets are covered both by the City Prosecutor's Office and the County Prosecutor's Office. If an Environmental Court is initiated, all the cases will go to a special environmental docket and will continue to be divided by both the City and County Prosecutor's Office's. If the case load increases significantly, additional staffing would be needed. Mr. Portune suggested to table the resolution to the July 11, 2002 Policy Committee Meeting so Mr. Dowlin's memo could be read and addressed and so a letter could be sent to the Political Subdivisions. By doing this, it will give the resolution greater credibility. The Policy Committee concurred on Mr. Portune's suggestion. E. Cincinnati Public Schools Master Plan - Green Building Mr. Aluotto stated that the Ohio Facilities School Commission has embarked on a plan to upgrade all of Ohio's public schools to the same level if standard and quality. Cincinnati Public Schools System has been in front with having actually constructing one of the first facilities master plans to upgrade schools. Thirty-four schools will be constructed and 32 schools will be rehabilitated. The District has engaged in discussions with the school board to involve them in some of the green building practices. Ms. Christmann described what services are available through the District regarding green building practices. The recommendation from Staff is for the Policy Committee forward some sort of communication to the Cincinnati Public School Board and the Superintendent suggesting this idea of incorporating green building. The Policy Committee concurred with the Staff Recommendation and Mr. Portune directed Staff to draft a letter.
RW Beck Secondary Materials Study Mr. Aluotto discussed the background information regarding the RW Beck Secondary Materials Study and stated that included as Attachment C was a report for the Policy Committee's review. The report is part of Phase 1 which provides initial recommendations. The materials that RW Beck is targeting at this point are scrap tires, food waste, and post-consumer lumber. The District has asked RW Beck to look closer at "organics" as a whole versus food waste or post-consumer lumber. Mr. Aluotto stated that the next step of Phase 1 will be researching organics. The final recommendation will be to see if there is any sort of opportunity for the District to pursue something here and if so, how it could be done. Mr. Portune suggested to put this informational item on for the July 11, 2002 Policy Committee Meeting.
Mr. Aluotto stated that the District will be sponsoring its second annual computer collection event on June 13 and 14, 2002. The event is primarily targeted to the business community. The District will be contracting with the Ohio Penal Industries (OPI) for the event. OPI will accept all of the computer waste at the Hamilton County Fairgrounds and transport it to their facility in Trumbull County. Usable equipment will be refurbished and sold to schools and unusable material will be scrapped and recycled. Last year, the District recycled 56 tons of computer equipment and expects that number to be doubled at this years event.
Mr. Aluotto stated that the District will be conducting its Green Products Expo to be held on May 16, 2002 at the Clarion in Blue Ash. The District, along with the City of Cincinnati's Office of Environmental Management, Greater Cincinnati Earth Coalition are the sponsoring organizations. Mr. Aluotto stated that there were 125 people registered and 30 vendors were scheduled to present. Break out training sessions will also be occurring throughout the day. Mr. Aluotto stated that additionally, there has been a joint city/county effort to develop a website devoted to environmentally preferable purchasing through RCC.
Mr. Aluotto stated that May was mercury collection/awareness month and the District, in cooperation with the Alliance for Chemical Safety and the Hamilton County General Health District kicked-off its mercury collection drive on May 1, 2002. Hamilton County residents can drop off mercury thermometers at participating health departments and receive a digital thermometer in exchange. Residents can also call the District's mercury hotline if they have large quantities of mercury. The District is cooperating with OEPA to provide mobile collection of large quantities and transport it to a reclamation facility in Bowling Green, Ohio. Ms. Christmann stated that so far, 1,000 digital thermometers have been given out.
Mr. Aluotto stated that the District is planning a Community Recycling Workshop to be held on June 5, 2002 at Sharon Woods Park. The workshop, which targets local government officials, will be a one day seminar focusing on improving community recycling programs from a cost and diversion standpoint which originated from the Recycling SubCommittee.
Mr. Aluotto stated that when the District was set up, one of the mandates was to hit a 25% reduction rate for the residential/commercial sector and a 50% reduction rate for the industrial sector by the year 2000. The District has received word from OEPA that those goals were achieved with a 26.58% reduction rate for the residential/commercial sector and a 86.27% reduction rate for the industrial sector. Mr. Portune congratulated the District on a job well done.
Ms. Holterhoff thanked the District for its monetary contribution to the Great American Clean-Up which helped in removing over 81,000 pounds of tires and 292,500 pounds of trash. Ms. Holterhoff discussed the specifics of the Clean-Up (communities involved, number of volunteers, volunteer hours, Public Relations etc.). VII. TENTATIVE FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Other than the Lead & Lead Abatement Project and an update on the RW Beck study, there were no other future agenda items. VIII. POLICY COMMITTEE MEMBERS' COMMENTS Mr. Ingram stated that last night there was a meeting in Whitewater Township for the proposed Miamiview CDD which is close to obtaining a license to operate. If this occurs, it will be the 8th CDD facility in Hamilton County. Mr. Graham and Dr. Evert stated that they will not be able to attend the July 11, 2002 Policy Committee meeting. Mr. Portune stated that the meeting will be rescheduled to accommodate everyone's schedule. Mr. Corman stated that on May 18, 2002, the Friends of the Great Miami will be conducting clean-up along the Great Miami River. For more details, contact the Friends of the Great Miami. Mr. Corman suggested that the District correspond with Europe to find out detailed information regarding their recycling regulations. IX. PUBLIC COMMENTS There were no public comments at this time. X. UPCOMING DISTRICT MEETINGS The next Policy Committee meeting is scheduled for 2:00 pm on Thursday, July 11, 2002 at Hamilton County Department of Environmental Services located at 250 William Howard Taft Road.
The meeting was adjourned by acclamation at 3:36 pm.
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