Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 05241994 - 2.5 s _ 2.5 THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA Adopted this Order on _May 24, 1994 by the following vote: AYES: Supervisors Smith, Bishop, DeSaulnier, Torlakson, Powers NOES: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None SUBJECT: Status Report on the Contra Costa Household Hazardous Waste Program The Board considered the Status Report on the Contra Costa Household Hazardous Waste Program from Phil Batchelor, County Administrator, and Mark Finucane, Health Services Director. A copy of said report is attached and included as a part of this Board Order. At the conclusion of the discussion on this report, the Board: A. ACCEPTED the referenced Status Report; B. INSTRUCTED the Health Services Director to continue the program and provide notification on sites where household hazardous wastes may be deposited; and C. REQUESTED the Health Services Director to report to the Board on June 21, 1994, on the scope of the County's Household Hazardous Waste Program, including revenue source and alternatives relative to the cost factor. I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Boar,+ of Supervisors on the date shown. ATTESTED: _ , /y `I fe _ PHIL_SATCHE40R,Clerk of the Board cc: Health Services Director of Supervisors and County Administrator EY Deauty 7 Contra Costa County The Board of Supervisors HEALTH SERVICES DEPARTMENT OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR Tom Powers,1st District Jeff Smith,2nd District Mark Finucane, Director Gayle Bishop,3rd District 20 Allen Street Sunne Wright McPeak,4th District s� L Martinez,California 94553-3191 Tom Torlakson,5th District (510)370-5003 { County Administrator FAX(510)370-5098 `� - Phil Batchelor County Administrator 40 �o:;• `_ .-fir S,`4 COU11� Date: May 19, 1994 To: Members of the Board of Supervisors From: Phil Batchelor,0 / County dmin'strato i f Mark Finucane, Director Health Services Department Subject: Status Report on the Contra Costa Household Hazardous Waste Program At the May 17, 1994 Board of Supervisors meeting you requested a full report on the status of the Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) program, specifically as it has been implemented in central and east county. The report addressed the concerns raised at the meeting including: a chronology of events, the role and purview of the Oversight Committee and the progress achieved to date for reinstating the collection program in central and east county. I. Chronology of Events Regarding Tipping Fee Collection At The Acme Landfill January 1990 Assembly Bill 939 enacted requiring cities and counties to plan for and implement HHW programs. Spring 1992 Cities and the County approve the Household Hazardous Waste Element as required by Assembly Bill 939. September 1992 The Public Managers' Association (PMA) Solid Waste Committee and the Health Services Department negotiated the final details of a county- wide HHW collection program including the establishment of the Oversight Committee. Household Hazardous Waste Status Report - Page 1 Merrithew Memorial Hospital 8 Clinics Public Health • Mental Health • Substance Abuse Environmental Health Contra Costa Health Plan Emergency Medical Services • Home Health Agency Geriatrics A-345 (2/93) October 1992 Seventeen of the eighteen cities in the county approved the HHW program by resolution. The City of Pittsburg declined to participate. November 1992 _ The Board of Supervisors approved HHW program financing at a start- up rate of 41C/ton at solid waste facilities beginning on November 23, 1992 and the full operation rate of $2.12/ton beginning on July 1, 1993. Letter sent from Health Services Department to Mr. Olney (and all other solid waste facility operators) regarding the Board of Supervisors' action to increase tipping fees to cover the HHW program. January 1993 Letter sent from Health Services Department to Mr. Olney with a signed copy of the Board Order approving the increase in tipping fees to fund the HHW program. February 1993 - Oversight Committee meets monthly (except September) to discuss October 1993 development and implementation of the program. June 1993 HHW collection program initiated. August 9, 1993 Letter sent from the Health Services Department to Mr. Olney (and all other solid waste facility operators) to remind him that Acme should be collecting $2.12 per ton on all solid waste to cover the costs of the HHW program. December 1993 Health Services Department informed that tipping fees were maintained at 41C/ton at the Acme landfill. January 6, 1994 City managers informed at a PMA meeting that the $2.12 has not been collected at the Acme solid waste facility. Until this funding issue is resolved, the city managers did not want discuss the transfer funds from tipping fees to the cities via garbage surcharges. Oversight Committee meeting agrees that the collection events would be curtailed until funding was resolved. January 7; 1994 Letter from Mr. Olney to Mr. Batchelor indicating that he is under the impression that he is not to raise the HHW fee to $2.12. He asks for written confirmation if he is to increase the applicable tipping fee from 41C to $2.12 per ton. January 27, 1994 Meeting with Mr. Olney, Mr. Pezzaglia, Mr. Gordon, Dr. Walker and Household Hazardous Waste Status Report - Page 2 Ms. Masters to discuss unreimbursed expenditures for HHW collection for Acme service area. Mr. Olney indicates that he will pay $300,000 to the Health Services Department and that he will work with the County Administrator regarding the $2.12 per ton tipping fee. February 1994 Collection program curtailed in central and east county until the tipping fee issue is resolved. Collection program continues in West County unaffected by Central/East County events. February 23, 1994 The Health Services Department met with the Oversight Committee to discuss tipping fee issues and concomitant funding shortfalls for the program. The Oversight Committee and the Health Services Department discussed maintaining the 41 C/ton rate at the Acme facility for the near future. February 24, 1994 Meeting with Mr. Olney, Mr. Gordon, Dr. Walker, Mr. Marchesi and Mr. Batchelor regarding the need for Acme Landfill to collect the full $2.12 tipping fees and reimburse the $300,000 to the Health Services Department. Despite the temporary curtailment of the collection events in central and east county, staff nonetheless have been developing new aspects of the program to improve services to all county residents. Examples of program developments are outlined below. (1) Permanent Collection Sites for Recyclable HHWs: Approval expected from the California Integrated Waste Management Board in May 1994 to establish two permanent facilities to collect recyclables (used oil, antifreeze, car batteries and latex paint). The locations will be at the Erickson facility in Richmond and the County Recycling Center in Martinez. These facilities could be operational as early as July, 1995. Note: city staff indicated the Walnut Creek Recycling Center and the San Ramon Recycling Center could not accommodate these expanded programs at this time. The City of Antioch indicated that the Pleasant Hill Bayshore facility already offers sufficient services for their city. (2) Collection and Disposal Services for Small Businesses: Collection services are being developed for Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Generators (CESQG). These are businesses which generated no more than 27 gallons/month (100kg/month) of hazardous waste. Typical CESQGs include paint contractors, small auto repair shops, furniture repair shops, print shops, and apartment owners. This program will be conducted on a fee-for-service basis. (3) Workshop to Promote Curbside Recycling of Used Oil: A workshop was held for city and solid waste hauler staff on curbside collection of used oil. This program is Household Hazardous Waste Status Report - Page 3 already in place in several cities and may be expanded to other cities in the near future. County staff will be assisting these jurisdictions as they begin curbside recycling programs. U. Oversight Committee A. Role of the Oversight Committee The Oversight Committee to the HHW program was established in September 1992 to review the program budget and make recommendations regarding programmatic or budgetary adjustments that may be needed as a result of any differences between the action and projected program costs. In addition to advising the Health Services Department on program and budget development, the Committee also was charged with assisting in selecting sites for collection events, program publicity, and on-going planning and monitoring of program activities. Members of the Oversight Committee assisted county staff in hiring decisions and selecting the contractor (Rollins) for the collection events. The agreement between the county and the Public Managers' Association (PMA) regarding the role and purview of the Oversight Committee was memorialized in a letter from Mark Finucane, Director of the Health Services Department to Joseph Tanner, Pleasant Hill City Manager dated September 3, 1993. (See attached). B. Structure of the Committee The Oversight Committee is comprised of four city managers and three AB 939 project managers who are selected by the PMA. Current membership includes: Don Blubaugh (Walnut Creek) Susan Katchee (El Cerrito) Rory Robinson (San Pablo) Lee Ann Nelson (Pleasant Hill) Herb Moniz (San Ramon) Dave Brennan (Brentwood) Dave Rowlands (Antioch) Avon Wilson (Solid Waste Commission) The Oversight Committee met monthly from February 1993 - August 1993, October 1993 and January 1994. The next committee meeting is scheduled for May 26, 1994. The Health Services Department prepared meeting agendas and provided written summaries of the activities and decisions made at most meetings. In general, the Oversight Committee discussed the program design (appointment system), site selection, program publicity, program staffing and program implementation. While the Health Services Department agreed to provide quarterly reports to the Oversight Committee regarding program implementation, such reports were actually made on a monthly basis during the initial phases of the program. In addition, a status report on the HHW program was sent to all city project managers in October 1993 reflecting the program activity during the first full quarter of the program. Household Hazardous Waste Status Report - Page 4 1 III. Reinstatement of Collection Events As per the Board's instructions, on May 18, 1994 County Counsel has written to Mr. Olney notifying him that Acme is in arrears as to fees required to be paid to Contra Costa County for the HHW program. In addition, the letter from County Counsel requests payment of $302,170.68 on or before the close of business on Monday, May 23, 1994 in order to make the county whole for services rendered from July 1, 1993 - December 31, 1993. Mr. Olney also was informed that if payment is not received by May 23, 1994, County Counsel will pursue all legal means to recover the amount due. This check was received by the Health Services Department on May 19, 1994. Finally, Mr. Olney was informed that he must pay the county $2.12 per ton collected at Acme from January 1, 1994 - March 31, 1994. This payment is due by May 31, 1994. County Counsel informed Mr. Olney that future payments are expected_ by the end of the month following the quarter for which payment is due. MF:PB:MA:cbc Household Hazardous Waste Status Report - Page 5