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CORRESPONDENCE/REPORTS/DISCUSSION: <br />5. <br />Director’s Report <br />(attached to original minutes) – Additional discussion: <br />-BUDGET:The commission members were encouraged to engage their district councilmember <br />in support of the department budget. Vacancies and loss of positions in the proposed budget <br />will be a challenge to the start-up of the Sort Station and continuing full service to the residents <br />of the island. <br />-SEWER RATE STUDY: The department is considering 3 proposals offered by RW Beck, after <br />their completing a Sewer Rate Study, regarding collection of delinquent payments. A plan <br />must be implemented and a strong effort made to collect delinquent accounts before the <br />department can request the council to approve a rate increase. Delinquent accounts are being <br />reviewed to determine and write off the non-collectables such as bankruptcy filings, closures of <br />businesses and departure from the island or state. <br />-GREEN WASTE COLLECTION: Waimea Recycling & Transfer Station does not have a <br />separate area for collection of green waste because green waste cannot be collected and stored <br />on the old Waimea landfill due to fire risk. Also the department does not have the funds to haul <br />green waste. Waimea residents have the choice of disposing of their green waste with their <br />regular rubbish which is landfilled, not recycled, or they can recycle their green waste for a <br />minimal fee at a private compost business, OrganaGrow located Kona side of Waimea. The <br />department is also looking into providing one-day green waste collection events around the <br />island in the future. <br />- E-WASTE STATUS: Bayside Computers and Kona CompuCycle have closed. The <br />department lobbied the State Legislature to amend the State E-waste Take-Back Program <br />legislation to better provide disposal options on the outer islands but the amended bill did not <br />pass. The department is working to encourage a private off-island company to provide e-waste <br />collection in our county. Again, there are budget restraints as the department only has a <br />$100,000 e-waste budget which is not ample to cover collection and disposal of e-waste. <br />Commission Member District Update Reports: <br />None <br />UNFINISHED BUSINESS <br />6.- None <br />NEW BUSINESS <br />7. <br />Presentation by Councilmember Pete Hoffmann of the proposed Plastic Bag Reduction Bill <br />Councilmember Hoffmann offered the following background: <br />What the Bill is NOT: <br />-It is not a plastic bag ban. <br />-It does not limit of individuals’ freedom of choice to use plastic bags. They can bring them to <br />the stores. <br />-It is not a case of paper OR plastic. <br />What the Bill DOES <br />-Only prohibits retail stores from giving plastic bags to customers at checkout. <br />-It is a “plastic or any other reusable bag” bill. <br />There are to be six public meetings scheduled around the island from June to November to obtain <br />more input from the community. The bill can be amended until it takes effect. <br />Discussion of Proposed Fiscal Year 20-11-2012 Budget <br /> (Operations and Capital Improvement <br />Budgets attached to original minutes) <br />-March 1, 2011: Mayor’s first submittal to Council <br />-March 28-30, 2011: Council Finance Committee Review of Department Budgets <br />-March 30, 2011: the Environmental Management is the third of 3 departments scheduled for <br /> <br />