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Home My WebLink About2011-03-23 Environmental Management Commission Agenda ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION March 23, 2011 nd West Hawai`i Civic Center, Kona Liquor Control Conf. Room, Bldg .B, 2 Floor, 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Hwy, and Closed Kona Landfill (within the Kealakehe Transfer Station site), Kailua-Kona, HI 96740 ALSO COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Mina Apostadiro PRESENT: Scott Enright Lani Bowman Sherm Warner Christine Dochin Bruce Lim Marni Herkes Steve Pavao Cathy Hirayama Michelle Zalenski Pete Hoffmann, Councilmember Margaret Pahio EXCUSED: Stan Boren Steven Okoji STAFF: Frank DeMarco, Director Paulette Pavao Ivan Torigoe, Deputy Corp. Counsel Sharron Henry, Secretary Robin Bauman, Business Manager Linda Peters, Recycling Coordinator Angela Kang, Recycling Specialist James Vasconcellos, W HI SWD Supt. CALL TO ORDER & ANNOUNCEMENTS: 1. Commission Chair Scott Enright called the meeting to order at 9:18 a.m. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF JANUARY 26, 2011 MEETING MINUTES 2. : Commissioner Sherm Warner moved to approve the January 26, 2011 minutes as written. Commissioner Bruce Lim seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. APPROVAL OF ADDENDUM AND/OR SUPPLEMENTAL AGENDA: 3. None STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON ITEMS LISTED ON AGENDA: 4. -Margaret Pahio, President of Business Services Hawai‘i, addressed the commission requesting they look into the rising delinquent solid waste disposal fee bills owed the department and ( ineffective methods for their collection.Complete testimony and handout is attached to original minutes.) -Marni Herkes requested bin removal rescheduling assistance at the Kealakehe Transfer Station Recycling area because the bins continue to be full and overflowing. Ms Herkes stated this showed how successful these programs are. -Mina Apostadiro, a student at North Kohala Elementary School and her teacher, Lani Bauman, explained to the commission their 6000-60 Battery Recycling Project – the goal being to collect and recycle 6000 household batteries in 60 days by providing bins at North Kohala local stores and businesses. They were asked to return to the commission following the event to provide information on their success. They encouraged the county to place battery collection bins at the transfer stations and provided flyers to their school offering how to get the most life out of batteries because most of the batteries collected were tested and showed they still had life. CORRESPONDENCE/REPORTS/DISCUSSION: 5. Director’s Report (attached to original minutes) – Additional discussion: -BUDGET:The commission members were encouraged to engage their district councilmember in support of the department budget. Vacancies and loss of positions in the proposed budget will be a challenge to the start-up of the Sort Station and continuing full service to the residents of the island. -SEWER RATE STUDY: The department is considering 3 proposals offered by RW Beck, after their completing a Sewer Rate Study, regarding collection of delinquent payments. A plan must be implemented and a strong effort made to collect delinquent accounts before the department can request the council to approve a rate increase. Delinquent accounts are being reviewed to determine and write off the non-collectables such as bankruptcy filings, closures of businesses and departure from the island or state. -GREEN WASTE COLLECTION: Waimea Recycling & Transfer Station does not have a separate area for collection of green waste because green waste cannot be collected and stored on the old Waimea landfill due to fire risk. Also the department does not have the funds to haul green waste. Waimea residents have the choice of disposing of their green waste with their regular rubbish which is landfilled, not recycled, or they can recycle their green waste for a minimal fee at a private compost business, OrganaGrow located Kona side of Waimea. The department is also looking into providing one-day green waste collection events around the island in the future. - E-WASTE STATUS: Bayside Computers and Kona CompuCycle have closed. The department lobbied the State Legislature to amend the State E-waste Take-Back Program legislation to better provide disposal options on the outer islands but the amended bill did not pass. The department is working to encourage a private off-island company to provide e-waste collection in our county. Again, there are budget restraints as the department only has a $100,000 e-waste budget which is not ample to cover collection and disposal of e-waste. Commission Member District Update Reports: None UNFINISHED BUSINESS 6.- None NEW BUSINESS 7. Presentation by Councilmember Pete Hoffmann of the proposed Plastic Bag Reduction Bill Councilmember Hoffmann offered the following background: What the Bill is NOT: -It is not a plastic bag ban. -It does not limit of individuals’ freedom of choice to use plastic bags. They can bring them to the stores. -It is not a case of paper OR plastic. What the Bill DOES -Only prohibits retail stores from giving plastic bags to customers at checkout. -It is a “plastic or any other reusable bag” bill. There are to be six public meetings scheduled around the island from June to November to obtain more input from the community. The bill can be amended until it takes effect. Discussion of Proposed Fiscal Year 20-11-2012 Budget (Operations and Capital Improvement Budgets attached to original minutes) -March 1, 2011: Mayor’s first submittal to Council -March 28-30, 2011: Council Finance Committee Review of Department Budgets -March 30, 2011: the Environmental Management is the third of 3 departments scheduled for budget review beginning at 1:30 p.m. in the Hilo Councilroom. -The proposed budget reflects an increase indepartment contracts and increased recycling budget to accommodate the organics diversion mandate from the council. -The proposed budget reflects a decrease of 8 solid waste positions that will affect services and the department is having to look at possible ways to limit some services to accommodate this loss of funding. - Re-appropriation of funds for specific department Capital Improvement Projects was discussed. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS 8. th The Director was asked to invite a member of the Water Board to attend the May 25 meeting to participate in discussion relating to collecting water and wastewater bills. Sort Station site visit – May 25, 2011 E-waste status RW Beck Sewer Rate Study presentation Household Hazardous Waste Update on the North Kohala School’s 6000-60 Household Battery Recycling Program MEETING ANNOUNCEMENTS 9. May 25, 2011, Hilo, Liquor Control Conf. Room, 2nd Floor, 101 Aupuni Street, Suite 230, Hilo, HI July 27, 2011, Waimea, W.M. Keck Observatory, 65- Kamuela, HI nd September 28, 2011, March 23, 2011, Kona, Kona Liquor Control Conf. Room, Bldg. B, 2 Floor, 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Hwy., Kailua-Kona, HI nd November 23, 2011, Hilo, Liquor Control Conf. Room, 2 Floor, 101 Aupuni Street, Suite 230, Hilo, HI The chair recessed the meeting at 10:50 a.m. for travel to the closed Kona landfill and was reconvened at the site at 11:30 a.m. TOUR OF THE CLOSED KONA LANDFILL 10. Commission members and staff were taken to the closed landfill area. Terin Gloor, SWD Engineer, and James Vasconcellos provided background information as well as information on how the department monitors the landfill and continues to work to eliminate the underground fires. ADJOURNMENT 10. Commissioner Steve Pavao moved to adjourn. Commissioner Warner seconded and it passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 11:57 a.m. Minutes Respectfully Submitted by: SHARRON HENRY Environmental Management Secretary BOLD FORMAT NOTE: ACTION ITEMS ARE IN PRINT (MOTIONS AND ITEMS REQUIRING ACTION TO BE TAKEN FOR FUTURE MEETINGS).