TOWN OF MANSFIELD

Solid Waste Advisory Committee

Minutes of the Meeting

March 9, 2006

Present:  Gogarten (chair), Smith, Roberts, Hultgren (staff), Walton (staff)

Chair Gogarten called the meeting to order at 7:31 p.m.

The minutes of November 10, 2005 and January 12, 2006 were approved.

Walton reported that she attended a tour, organized by the Connecticut Recyclers Coalition, of the Mark Twain Visitor’s Center on March 8, 2006 since it is the first building in Connecticut that received LEED certification. Some of its green features include a geothermal heating/cooling system, day lighting, use of native plants, recycled carpets, display materials made of corn fiber composite, designed for PV panels, and shallow stairs to reduce elevator use.

Walton stated that this legislative session is a short one. Three bills of interest include the bottle bill expansion, electronics recycling, and green building design standards. Gogarten reported that she saw a flyer in Big Y at the checkout counter alerting customers to the increase in price for bottled water if the bottle bill expansion goes through. It was suggested that staff ask Big Y if we can put a flyer at the checkout from another perspective. Maria said she would be willing to distribute the flyer.

The transfer station use report was distributed to members. A discrepancy between some of the numbers in tables one and five were discovered. Staff will go back to IT and ask for a reworking of the report commands before bringing it is completed and distributed.

Walton stated that she resigned from the ReCONNstruction Center board of directors. In February, the Center’s sales covered expenses. Business is picking up with the promise of warmer weather. Sales increases may be attributed to repeat customers and newspaper publicity. It was suggested that a poster be placed at the library.

Walton reported that there is a large group of UConn Community Outreach volunteers who will be cleaning up litter on Saturdays within the next few months. This is being coordinated with the public works crew who will collect the bags the following Monday morning.

Walton stated that she has drafted a letter of request to DEP for holding a one-day paint swap at the transfer station. The time of year has been left open-ended, not knowing when DEP will be able to review the request. Walton said that there are some outlets for leftover paint – the Mansfield Housing Authority would be interested in certain shades of paint –antique white, bold white, grays and blues; the MMS art teacher could use paints for the Festival on the Green student art project and Jay Ames is interested in working with a group of students during the summer to spruce up the transfer station.

Walton reported that she spoke to Willimantic Waste Paper about expanding the recycling program. WWP is amenable to taking plastic grocery bags collected at the transfer station, but will not take them curbside. Details on how to get them to WWP still need to be worked out. Tim DeVivo stated that the Town could begin collecting pots and pans with the cans and bottles grouping. Walton stated that she would include this in the April billing messages.

Walton discussed offering a composting workshop this spring. The last workshop attendees were offered a discounted compost bin for $30; however the price of the bins has increased dramatically. It was decided to charge workshop attendees $40 for a Biostack compost bin. Gogarten suggested advertising the workshop at the community center and on the town website.

Hultgren stated that the multi-family (MF) mini trash service and one-can trash service rates were not raised with the single-family fees January 1, 2006. This was an oversight as MF mini and one-can service rates have not increased since January 1, 2003 and the solid waste fund continues to lose money. The committee reviewed a proposed rate increase of 7%, which would make the fees similar to the single-family mini and 1-can charges. It was recommended that the MF mini service monthly rate increase from $13 to $14, and the one-can service from $16.75 to $18. Staff will make this recommendation to Town Council.

The next meeting is scheduled for May 18, 2006. The meeting was adjourned at 8:25 pm

Respectfully Submitted,

Virginia Walton

Recycling/Refuse Coordinator

Cc: Lon R. Hultgren, Director of Public Works, Members, file, Town Manager, Town Clerk