TOWN OF MANSFIELD
Solid Waste Advisory Committee
Minutes of the Meeting
October 30, 2003
Present: Gogarten (chair), Ames, Walton (staff), Hultgren (staff), Squires, Knox, Roberts
The meeting was called to order by Chair Gogarten at 7:32 p.m.
As the September minutes had not been distributed, approval of these minutes was postponed to the November meeting.
Walton reported on the recent environmental purchasing conference she attended in Massachusetts. She obtained some data on less toxic cleaners for Southeast School. She also noted that Massachusetts appears to be well ahead of Connecticut on both this and the green building design fronts.
Walton reported that she handed out 15 coupons for litter bags handed in at the transfer station on the second 2003 rid litter day (Saturday, October 18th). Some discussion of this relatively low figure was held, and the first rid litter day of 2004 was scheduled for April 22nd.
Hultgren reported that since commercial bulky waste was excluded, bulky waste shipped from the transfer station had apparently dropped from 90 - 100 tons per month to about 60 tons per month (a drop of 33%). He said he didn’t have the revenue figures for October yet and would continue to monitor bulky waste in and out of the transfer station to determine if fees are adequate to cover costs.
Hultgren said the landfill closure was proceeding with cover material now being purchased and delivered for the first of four sections being covered and seeded.
Staff reported that they are still working on modifying the pre-paid bag proposal to reduce the base fee and possibly phase-in some general tax revenues. This will be discussed at the November meeting.
Staff summarized bids that were received for volume-based multi-family collection. A comparison of the bids and a work-up of the derived fees (by the size of the dumpster) was circulated and discussed. Fees will be very similar to what they were when the volume-based was last used three years ago. Some discussion of some apartments’ down-sizing the size of their dumpsters to save money was held. Staff plans to let apartment owners down-size but only to the extent that refuse is not ending up on the ground due to over-filled dumpsters. The next step in the process is for Council to approve the new fees.
A discussion of the changes in the handling/shipping of cardboard at the transfer station was held. Committee members suggested that instructional signs (“remove plastic, styrofoam and packing materials”; “cardboard boxes must be broken down”, etc.) be placed near the new roll-off. Hultgren said that he was evaluating the use of a compactor for cardboard as well.
Walton circulated a draft letter to the Downtown Partnership noting again that recycling and green building materials for the proposed project were a concern of the committee. Members’ comments were incorporated into the letter.
Walton reported she had contacted Windham Tech to see if they could build public area recycling containers as discussed at the September meeting. Tech was still evaluating this as a project.
Walton said she may be working with Mansfield Discovery Depot to set up a composting project.
Walton asked committee members for suggestions in dealing with E.O. Smith since its recycling efforts are so mediocre. Members volunteered to speak with people they knew at the school or on the Regional Board.
The next meeting was set for November 13th.
The meeting was adjourned at approximately 8:55 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Lon R. Hultgren
Director of Public Works
cc: Town Manager, Town Clerk, Director of Finance, Virginia Walton, Dan Austin, Knox, Robinson, Squires, file