Oct 13, 2021 Zero Waste Advisory Commission

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STAFF VISITORS.

THANK YOU GUYS VERY MUCH FOR THE PATIENCE AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THANK YOU FOR GOD, OUR, FOR ATTENDING THE FIRST, UH, LIVE COMMISSIONED MEETING THAT WE'VE HAD IN WHAT OVER A YEAR AND A HALF.

THANK YOU FOR THE PATIENTS.

AND, UH, AGAIN, STAFF, THANK YOU FOR ORGANIZING THIS.

ALL RIGHT.

HAVING SAID THAT WE HAVE AN AGENDA IN FRONT OF US AND COMMISSIONERS.

I, WE HAVE PROBABLY AN HOUR.

I THINK WE HAVE A HARD STOP AT SEVEN 30.

WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'D LIKE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THIS AGENDA.

PROBABLY RE WELL REARRANGE IT JUST A LITTLE BIT, UH, ITEMS, UH, NUMBER ONE, THE RCA.

WE COULD PROBABLY TACKLE THAT ONE FIRST AND THEN YON YOUR, UH, YOUR, UH, UPDATE ON THE C AND D SUB COMMITTEE MEETING.

AND THEN AFTER THAT, WE'LL JUMP INTO THE, UH, PRESENTATION, THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE BY SCOTT PASTERNAK.

AND THEN, UH, IF TIME PERMITS, WE'LL DO THE SURVEY RESULTS AT THE VERY END.

BUT AGAIN, COMMISSIONER, THANK YOU FOR THE PATIENT STAFF.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE, FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE WITH YOU GUYS.

SO, UH, GETTING STARTED HERE, CITIZENS COMMUNICATIONS, THE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS, IT DOES NOT LOOK LIKE ANYONE HAS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK TO CITIZENS COMMUNICATION.

WE DO HAVE TWO SPEAKERS THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK SPECIFICALLY TO ITEMS. I THINK THE ITEM THAT THEY'RE SPEAKING TO WILL BE ITEM TWO B, WHICH IS THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE, BUT THAT WILL BE AFTER THE PRESENTATION IS COMPLETED.

AND, UH, MOVING ON GUYS, ITEM NUMBER ONE IS THE RCA, I GUESS STAFF.

THIS IS YOUR, UH, PRESENTATION.

OH, THANK YOU, JOHN.

UH,

[1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: August 19th, 2021, Regular Meeting Minutes]

THANK YOU.

I MOVE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.

COMMISSIONER, GET TO MOVES APPROVAL TO HEAR A SECOND COMMISSIONER, STIER SECONDS.

ANY QUESTIONS? ANY COMMENTS? ANY DISCUSSION HEARING? NONE.

I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.

I MEAN, I'LL TAKE THE VOTE PLEASE.

THANK YOU.

OH MY GOD.

IT'S BEEN SO LONG GUYS.

SEE AND HEAR ALL THOSE WHO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.

RAISE YOUR HAND PLEASE.

THANK YOU.

ANYBODY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS? NONE UNANIMOUS.

I'M USED TO THAT VIRTUAL CHASE.

SHOULD I VOTE OR AM I JUST OBSERVING SINCE I'M REMOTE? NO, YOU'RE ACTUALLY PART OF THE MEETING.

I MEAN, IN ESSENCE WE DO HAVE A WARM UP HERE.

I'M SORRY.

GOT IT.

NO WORRIES.

SO, UH, IN FAVOR OF APPROVAL AS WELL.

THANK YOU, AMANDA.

YES, WE DO HAVE ONE VIRTUAL ATTENDEE.

AMANDA MESSINA IS THAT WE DO HAVE SEVEN MEMBERS WHO WERE PRESENT

[2A. Discussion and Action: Austin Resource Recovery (ARR) Electronics Recycling RCA-Andy Dawson]

THIS IS YOUR PRESENTATION.

UH, YES, THIS IS ANDY DAWSON FOSTER RESOURCE RECOVERY.

THIS ITEM WAS ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED FOR THE LAST MONTH, BUT DUE TO OPERATIONAL NEEDS, IT WILL BE ON THE COUNCIL AGENDA TOMORROW.

UM, WE WOULD LIKE TO ASK FOR A FAVORABLE RECOMMENDATION FOR AWARD ON ITS EACH FROM CONTRACT UNIVERSAL RECYCLING TECHNOLOGIES TO PROVIDE ELECTRONICS RECYCLING FOR UP TO FIVE MONTHS FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $720,000.

THIS CONTRACT WILL PROVIDE FOR THE PICKUP TRANSPORTATION AND RECYCLING OF ELECTRONICS RECYCLING.

WE USE DROP-OFF CENTER CONTRACTOR MUST RECYCLE THE MATERIALS IN ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND MANNER IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE EASTERN STANDARD OR RESPONSIBLE CYCLING OF ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT OF THE BASIL ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, WORK AS WELL AS CLIENTS WITH ALL FEDERAL STATE AND LOCAL LAWS.

UM, I'M AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT ANYONE MAY HAVE.

OKAY.

YOU WERE KIND OF BREAKING IN AND OUT OF THERE, ANDY, BUT I THINK WE GOT THE, THIS COMMITTEE.

ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THE RCA? UM, I'M SORRY.

I KNOW, I THINK WE HAD MAYBE SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS IN THE PAST, BUT, UM, IS THIS, CAN YOU, CAN YOU DESCRIBE THIS? IS, IS THIS FOR VEHICLES OR IS THIS FOR THE SERVICES? IT'S THE HANDY IT'S FOR THE, UH, ACTUAL, UH, TECHNOLOGY RECYCLING, RIGHT? THIS IS SO, UH, BOTH CITY DEPARTMENTS AND RESIDENTS CAN DROP OFF ELECTRONICS AT THE DROP OFF CENTER, UH, OR

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OKAY.

THANKS.

SO IT'S STILL FOR, DROP-OFF NOT FOR COLLECTION.

YES.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

AND THIS IS JUST A CONTINUATION OF SERVICES, CORRECT? UH, YES, THAT'S CORRECT.

WE ARE CURRENTLY, UH, WHERE WE'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS NOW.

IT'S JUST A CONTINUATION.

JONATHAN IS YOUR MICHAEL.

I DON'T EAT HERE.

OKAY, GOOD.

OKAY.

ALL RIGHT GUYS, ANY OF Y'ALL? YEAH.

AND, UM, UH, I GUESS THIS IS JUST MY GENERAL QUESTION WHEN IT COMES TO THESE, IF WE CAN START TO SEE WHAT THIS WAS LIKE IN THE PAST, RIGHT? WHENEVER WE'RE CONTINUING A SERVICE, I'D LOVE TO GET SOME CONTEXT FOR HOW MUCH WE'RE GROWING THE EXPENDITURE AND THE EXTENT OF ANY OF THESE CONTRACTS, BECAUSE IT'S HARD WITHOUT THAT CONTEXT TO UNDERSTAND WE'RE GOING, WHETHER WE'RE IMPROVING THE SERVICES OR PRICING IS GOING UP OR DOWN OR WHAT OH, WELL, UM, A LOT OF THAT CAN DEPEND ON, UH, THE MARKET, THE RECYCLING MARKET.

UM, THERE IS ULTIMATELY A COST TO THESE SERVICES, UH, AS FAR AS TONNAGE GOES, IF THAT'S KINDA, UM, THAT'S ONE OF THE METRICS THAT WE GAUGE OUR SUCCESS BY, UH, AT THE END OF FYI 19, WE HAD ACCEPTED AND RECYCLED 600, UH, TONS OF ELECTRONIC MATERIALS.

AND WE EXPECT THAT NUMBER TO GROW, UH, ULTIMATELY TO EXCEED A THOUSAND TONS A YEAR OR THE END OF THIS CONTRACT.

AND SO HOW DOES THE COST FOR THIS AUTHORIZATION COMPARE WITH PREVIOUS YEARS? UM, IT IS THE SAME VENDOR THAT WE'VE HAD FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS NOW.

SO, UH, WITH UNIVERSAL RECYCLING TECHNOLOGIES AND THEIR COSTS HAVE STAYED THE SAME, UH, OR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.

OKAY.

AND WE DO THAT ON A PER TON BASIS, OR IT IS PER POUND AND IT DOES VARY DEPENDING ON THE COMMODITY THAT IS RECYCLED A CRT, A CATHOLIC RAY, TWO TVS ARE FOR INSTANCE, YOU KNOW, UH, X CENTS PER POUND OF MIXED, UH, ELECTRONICS THAT ARE KIND OF THE ANCILLARY ITEMS ARE A LITTLE MORE, UH, PRICEY PER POUND BECAUSE THERE'S LESS VALUABLE MATERIALS TO BE RECYCLED THE QUESTIONS.

ALL RIGHT.

COMMISSIONER'S HEARING NO OTHER QUESTIONS.

I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION COMMISSIONER, ROTHROCK MOVES APPROVAL.

I HEAR A SECOND COMMISSIONER.

GOOD TO, SO SECONDS ANY DISCUSSION HEARING, NO FURTHER DISCUSSION.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.

RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY, YEAH, YOUR COMMISSIONER.

YOU OKAY.

UNANIMOUS AGAIN.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, ANDY.

ALL RIGHT.

THE

[2D. Discussion and Action: C & D Committee Meeting Review- Ian Steyaert]

THIS IS YEAH.

AND WE'RE GOING TO BLOW THROUGH THIS PRETTY QUICKLY.

I'VE WE'VE GOT THE MATERIALS HERE.

UH, SO THIS WAS, UM, THIS WAS THE MEETING WE HAD IN AUGUST.

THIS WAS OUR SECOND MEETING OF THIS, UM, SUBCOMMITTEE.

WE'VE HAD SOME CHALLENGES, I'LL SAY GETTING THE GROUP TOGETHER DUE TO PROBLEMS WITH, UH, SCHEDULING WITH CONFERENCING, ET CETERA.

SO WE'LL BRING THAT UP TOWARDS THE END.

BUT IN THIS CASE WE HAD KATHY, AMANDA AND MYSELF WERE ATTENDING.

WE HAD SEVERAL CITIZEN SPEAKERS AGAIN.

UM, AGAIN, FOLKS FROM LOCAL RECYCLING BUSINESSES AND THE INDUSTRY, UM, JUST CONTINUING TO EXPRESS OPINIONS ABOUT THE REPORTING PROCESS THAT'S GOING ON AND THE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE RULES ABOUT, UM, BURNING WOOD AND USING HIS COVER.

AND IN LIGHT OF THAT, WELL, WE APPROVED THE MINUTES, BUT THEN IN LIGHT OF THAT, WE HAD A BRIEFING BY THE, UM, BY STEVEN BEN O WHO WAS, OR BENTO WHO WAS REPRESENTING THE RCI, WHO EXPLAINED WHAT THEY DO.

AND THAT'S HIS PRESENTATION IS THE BULK OF WHAT WE'VE GOT HERE.

YOU CAN FEEL FREE TO REVIEW THAT.

THERE'S LOTS OF GOOD INFORMATION IN THERE, BUT IF I MAY JUST IN SUMMARY SAY THAT WHAT THEY DO IS DO AUDITING, UM, AS WELL AS JUST KEEPING TRACK, HELPING THE COMPANIES DO THEIR OWN SELF REPORTING, UM, OF THE TYPES OF THINGS THEY'RE RECYCLING, THEIR RECYCLING RATES ACROSS DIFFERENT MATERIALS.

AND THEN THEY REPORT THAT OUT.

THEY TRY TO MAKE IT AS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE, WHICH IS GREAT.

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BUT WHETHER WE THINK THAT THE, UM, THE PERCENTAGES ARE ACCEPTABLE, UH, AS A CITY AND THE, WHETHER TRASH IS BURNED OR NOT, IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THEY REALLY HAVE AN OPINION ON THAT, WHICH IS FINE.

THEY'RE MORE ABOUT THE REPORTING SIDE OF THINGS.

SO AS WE LOOK TO FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS FOR OUR GROUP, WE NEED TO MAKE SOME DECISIONS AS TO WHAT OUR RECOMMENDATIONS WOULD BE AS TO HOW TO CHANGE, UH, IF WE WANT TO MAKE ANY CHANGES TO, UM, WHETHER WE ALLOW BURNING RECYCLED WOOD, FOR INSTANCE, OR USING IT AS COVER, UM, IS, IS STILL UP FOR DISCUSSION.

SO IN LIGHT OF THAT, AND THE FACT THAT WE'VE HAD SO MANY CHALLENGES, REALLY GETTING THE MEAT OF IT IN TERMS OF MEETING AND STARTING TO DISCUSS THIS, WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO IS RECOMMEND THAT WE HAVE A, UM, A, UH, WORKING GROUP AS WELL.

UM, AND SORRY, I WAS GONNA PULL UP WHAT THE RECOMMENDED, UH, TASK OR PURPOSE FOR THIS WORKING GROUP WOULD BE.

UH, WE GOT A RECOMMENDATION FOR THAT.

JUST ONE SECOND.

CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT EDC MEANS? UM, IT IS SO IT'S ALTERNATIVE DAILY COVER.

I KNEW IT WAS DAILY COVER, BUT I COULDN'T REMEMBER IT'S ALTERNATIVE DAILY COVER.

SO IT'S BASICALLY, INSTEAD OF RECYCLING THE WOOD, YOU CAN BASICALLY THROW IT OVER AND USE IT AS A RAIN SHIELD FOR, UH, OTHER GARBAGE BASICALLY.

AND SO DOES THAT COUNT AS REUSING IT, UM, IS IT WOULD BE A QUESTION, RIGHT? SO THE PROPOSED WORKING OUTCOME WOULD BE THROUGH RESEARCH AND DISCUSSION, DEVELOP AN UNDERSTANDING OF CURRENT STATUS AND PERFORMANCE OF THIS C AND D RECYCLING ORDINANCE AND DEVELOP A REPORT THAT IDENTIFIES AREAS OF FOCUS FOR FUTURE POLICY CHANGES.

UM, AND I CAN REPEAT THAT OR WHATEVER, BUT GENERALLY ALLOW US WITHOUT THE FORMALITY OF NECESSARILY HAVING ALL THE VIDEO CONFERENCING AND EVERYTHING SET UP, BE ABLE TO MEET, WE WOULD STILL NEED, WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO MAKE ANY DECISIONS OR TAKE ANY ACTIONS FROM THAT GROUP, BUT WE'D BE ABLE TO DO THE RESEARCH AND DISCUSSIONS THROUGH THAT FORUM AND THEN BRING IT BACK TO THE C AND D UH, SUBCOMMITTEE.

AND THEN EVENTUALLY BACK TO THIS GROUP, UH, USING THAT WORKING GROUP.

SO THAT WOULD BE THE PROPOSAL I'D LIKE TO PUT IN, OR THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO PUT IT IN FRONT OF THE GROUP HERE TODAY.

THAT'S WHY THIS IS A DISCUSSION ACTION ITEM SO THAT WE CAN, UH, HOPEFULLY AT LEAST ADDRESS THAT THIS EVENING AND EITHER DECIDE OR, OR PUT THAT TO REST WHETHER OR NOT WE NEED TO CREATE ANOTHER WORKING GROUP ENVIRONMENT.

YES.

OKAY.

SO ANY QUESTIONS I CAN REPEAT THE PURPOSE? UH, IT'S FAIRLY STRICT.

WHAT'S THAT I SUPPORT.

OKAY.

SO I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION THEN TO SUPPORT THIS WORKING GROUP CREATION.

YES.

I'D LIKE TO PROPOSE THAT WE HAVE A WORKING GROUP AT THIS COMMISSIONER COMMISSIONER GOOD TO SO MOVES APPROVAL OF A WORKING GROUP, ISTAT BEING ESTABLISHED AND A COMMISSIONER VERONA SECONDS AT ANY DISCUSSION, FURTHER DISCUSSION HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.

RAISE YOUR HAND, AMANDA.

HI, UNANIMOUS.

ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU ALL.

THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT.

THE

[2B. Discussion and Action: Austin Resource Recovery (ARR) Comprehensive Plan Update-Scott Pasternak, Burns & McDonnell]

AND I THINK SCOTT PASTERNAK WITH BURNS AND MCDONALD WOOD, UH, WILL BE PRESENTING TO US.

THANK YOU, SCOTT.

GOOD EVENING.

HOW ARE Y'ALL DOING WELL AS A, AS A POINT OF ORDER, GIVEN THAT YOU HAVE A HARD STOP AT SEVEN 30, ANY PREFERENCE ON WHAT YOU'D LIKE TO SEE AS FAR AS THE LENGTH OF THE PRESENTATION I HAD PLANNED FOR IT TO BE ROUGHLY 25 MINUTES, IF THAT'S STILL OKAY.

OR I COULD SHORTEN IT UP, WHATEVER THE COMMISSION'S PREFERENCE WOULD BE.

I PERSONALLY WOULD LOVE TO GET AS COMPREHENSIVE AS POSSIBLE COMMISSIONERS.

I DON'T.

OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY FOR PROVIDING US WITH THIS, THIS FORUM THIS EVENING TO, TO PROVIDE OUR SECOND UPDATE.

UH, IT WILL NOT BE THE, THIS IS THE, I THINK THE SECOND OF THREE OR FOUR PLANNED UPDATES WITH THIS WHACK.

UH, AGAIN, MY NAME IS SCOTT PASTERNAK AND I'M WITH BURNS AND MCDONALD WHERE THE LEAD FROM

[00:15:01]

AND THE THREE OF US WILL ALSO BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS FOR YOU THIS EVENING IN TERMS OF WHAT WE WANTED TO COMMUNICATE.

UM, WITH THE LAST TIME THAT WE SPOKE WITH YOU ALL WAS IN JUNE OF 2020.

SO WE'VE BEEN, UH, VERY BUSY COLLABORATING WITH, UM, CITY OF AUSTIN STAFF, AS WELL AS A NUMBER OF STAKEHOLDERS WHO WANT TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON OUR PROGRESS, AND THEN WHERE WE WANT TO SPEND MOST OF THE TIME IN THE DISCUSSION THIS EVENING IS TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON WHAT SOME OF THE, UH, SELECT STRATEGIES AND TACTICS ARE THAT ARE BEING CONSIDERED AS PART OF THE PLANNING PROCESS.

AND THEN I'LL GIVE YOU SOME CONTEXT AS FAR AS WHERE WE ARE IN THAT EFFORT.

AND THEN FROM THERE, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE FOR US.

UH, SO TO JUMP IN THING INTO THINGS, AS FAR AS A PROGRESS UPDATE, AGAIN, I KNOW IT WAS MORE THAN A YEAR AGO, SO YOU MAY NOT SPECIFICALLY REMEMBER THIS SLIDE, BUT IT IS ONE THAT WE COMMUNICATED, UM, BACK IN, IN JUNE OF LAST YEAR, JUST TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF WHAT OUR PLANNING PROCESS LOOKS LIKE TO COLLABORATE WITH THE CITY TO DEVELOP THIS, THIS PLAN.

AND SO IT, IT STARTED WITH A PRETTY EXTENSIVE RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS OF A VARIETY OF IMPORTANT ZERO WASTE, SOLID WASTE AND OTHER DIVERSION TYPES OF TOPICS.

UM, AND THEN FROM THERE, AND THE SECOND BOX FROM THE LEFT, UH, HAVE COLLABORATED EXTENSIVELY WITH THE CITY, UH, TO LOOK, TO DEVELOP A NUMBER OF, OF STRATEGIES AND OPTIONS.

I WILL EMPHASIZE THAT WE HAVE ALSO WORKED TO ESTABLISH THE PLAN GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.

UM, IF YOU LOOK BACK AT, UH, WHEN THIS ITEM CAME BEFORE CITY COUNCIL IS VERY CLEAR, AS FAR AS THE REQUEST OR THE DIRECTION FOR THE CITY TO CONTINUE ON ITS PATH, TO, TO ZERO WASTE AND TO MAINTAIN THE, THE LONG-TERM GOALS OF 90% DIVERSION BY, UM, BY 2040, THAT IS, IS STILL VERY MUCH, UH, THE CASE.

UM, I WILL TALK TO YOU TONIGHT ABOUT SOME INTERIM METRICS AND OTHER GOALS THAT WE'RE ALSO, UM, WORKING ON.

AND THEN WE HAVE COLLABORATED WITH ARR ON MULTIPLE STRATEGY WORKSHOPS.

AND AGAIN, SEVERAL OF THOSE PREFERRED STRATEGIES WILL BE WHAT WE TALK WITH YOU ALL TONIGHT ABOUT.

AND THEN THE LAST BOX ON THE RIGHT IS THE ONE THAT WE ARE PRESENTLY WORKING ON RIGHT NOW.

AND THAT'S JUST WHERE WE HAVE STARTED THE DRAFTING OF THE PLAN.

AND I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THERE, WE'RE JUST AT THE BEGINNING STAGES OF THAT.

SO THE TIMING OF TONIGHT'S MEETING IS, IS REALLY, UH, VERY WELL-PLACED IN TERMS OF WE'RE FAR ENOUGH ALONG TO WHERE WE CAN GIVE YOU SOME, SOME VERY MEANINGFUL UPDATES, BUT WE'RE NOT SO FAR ALONG, UH, THAT THE PLAN IS, IS WRITTEN.

AND THEN ACROSS THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE THAT COMMUNICATES THE CITY AND STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT IN PUBLIC OUTREACH, THAT IS HAPPENED DURING THE COURSE OF THE PROJECT.

THAT'S BEEN A COMBINATION OF EFFORTS BY OUR TEAM, AS WELL AS OTHER STAFF WITHIN THE CITY, THROUGH A COMBINATION OF, UM, UM, FOCUS GROUP MEETINGS, UM, AS WELL AS SURVEYS.

UM, THAT'S AN EFFORT THAT HAS DEFINITELY BEEN IMPACTED BECAUSE OF COVID.

UH, BUT I THINK WE STILL HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE SOME VERY MEANINGFUL, UM, ENGAGEMENT IN PUBLIC OUTREACH.

SO THIS NEXT SLIDE JUST GIVES YOU A SENSE OF, OF THE PROJECT SCHEDULE AND ON A TASK BY TASK BASIS COMMUNICATES, UH, THE EFFORTS THAT HAVE, HAVE BEEN UNDERTAKEN.

AND SO, UH, WHAT WE'VE COMPLETED SO FAR IN, IN, IN TASK ONE, TWO AND THREE, AGAIN, ARE THE, THE ANALYSIS, A LOT OF THE STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS.

AND SO WHAT I WOULD ASK TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO NOW, OR OUR TASKS NUMBERS FIVE AND SIX, UH, WITH TASK NUMBER FOUR, BEING OUR DRAFTING OF THE PLAN, UM, AND THEN TASK NUMBER FIVE, BEING VARIOUS MEETINGS AND WORKSHOPS.

SO IS WAC IS, IS THE DIAMOND, UM, ICON ON, ON THAT PINK INCLINE.

AND SO WHAT YOU'LL SEE THERE IS, UM, IF YOU LOOK AT, AT OCTOBER OF 2021, THAT'S THE MEETING AT THAT WE'RE AT THIS EVENING, AND WE DO HAVE, UH, TWO MORE MEETINGS, UH, TO UPDATE YOU ALL ON, ON THE EFFORT TO UPDATE THE PLAN IN THOSE ARE GOING TO SYNC UP WITH OUR EFFORTS TO PROVIDE, UH, VARIOUS ITERATIONS OF THE DRAFT PLAN TO ARR.

SO AGAIN, UM, THE TIMING IS GOOD AS FAR AS TO PROVIDE YOU ALL WITH AN UPDATE AND YOU'LL BE SEEING US, UM, HOPEFULLY FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF MEETINGS.

SO I'D LIKE TO NOW TURN OUR ATTENTION TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON SOME OF THE SELECT STRATEGIES AND TACTICS.

I MEAN, WE, WE HAVE DEVELOPED LITERALLY DOZENS OF, UH, VARIOUS STRATEGIES AND TACTICS.

SO, YOU KNOW, GIVEN THE TIME CONSTRAINTS THAT YOU'RE UNDER THIS EVENING, UH, WE JUST WANTED TO FOCUS ON THOSE THAT WE THOUGHT

[00:20:01]

UM, AS, AS I GO THROUGH ON, ON THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE THAT SOME OF THEM WILL HAVE A STAR NEXT TO THEM.

AND A STAR JUST SIMPLY COMMUNICATES THAT THIS IS A TACTIC THAT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE PREVIOUS PLAN.

AND SO I'LL GO THROUGH THIS, THIS INFORMATION, UH, STARTING WITH, UH, THE RESIDENTIAL SECTOR AND THEN TO COVER SOME OF THE OTHER KEY ASPECTS.

AND SO WE'RE USING IN THE PLANNING PROCESS, THE TERMS, UH, STRATEGIES AND TACTICS.

SO WHAT, WHAT ARE THOSE? UM, SO STRATEGIES ARE THOSE SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, THAT NEED TO BE PUT IN PLACE TO HELP THE CITY, ITS GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.

AND SO ON EACH OF THESE SLIDES, THEY'RE FORMATTED IN THE SAME MANNER.

SO THE STRATEGIES ARE NUMBERED AND IN BLUE, AND THEN TACTICS ARE THE SPECIFIC ACTIONS THAT NEED TO OCCUR TO HELP ACHIEVE THOSE STRATEGIES.

AND THOSE ARE COMMUNICATED, UH, IN VIA THE BULLETED ITEMS IN THE BLACK FONT.

AND SO I MENTIONED EARLIER THAT, UH, THE, THE GOAL OF, OF THE 90% BY THE YEAR 2040 IS DEFINITELY STILL IN PLACE, BUT ON THE RESIDENTIAL SIDE, WE THOUGHT THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR THE CITY TO LOOK, TO IMPLEMENT SEVERAL ALTERNATIVE METRICS.

AND THE FIRST ONE OF THOSE IS TO, UH, ALSO TRACK PER CAPITA DISPOSAL, UH, TO, TO BETTER DETERMINE STRATEGIES FOR REACHING THE CITY'S ZERO WASTE GOAL.

AND A LOT OF THIS REALLY FOCUSES ON, UH, CONTINUING TO CHANGE FROM A CONSUMPTION BASED SOCIETY TO ONE THAT VALUES, UH, SOURCE REDUCTION AND REUSE, UH, MORE IMPORTANTLY, AND THE WAY TO, UH, TO MEASURE THAT IS, IS FROM A DISPOSAL PERSPECTIVE.

UH, BUT THEN THERE'S ALSO A STRONG RECOGNITION OF THE IMPORTANCE TO CAPTURE, UH, AS, AS MUCH OF THE MATERIAL THAT EITHER GOES INTO THE BLUE RECYCLING CARTS OR THE GREEN ORGANICS CARDS, UM, AS MUCH OF THAT MATERIAL AS, AS POSSIBLE.

AND SO THAT, THAT HAS GOTTEN A LOT OF INTEREST OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS AS TO BE DEFINED AS, AS A CAPTURE RATE.

SO AS MANY BOTTLES CANS, PAPER, UH, THAT ARE A PART OF THE PROGRAM TO SPECIFICALLY MEASURE WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THOSE ARE GOING INTO THE RECYCLING STREAM, AS OPPOSED TO GOING INTO THE LANDFILL, AND THEN TO ALSO REALLY HAVE A SIGNIFICANT FOCUS ON WHAT ARE THE MATERIALS THAT HAVE THE HIGHEST ECONOMIC VALUE, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE ALUMINUM CANS AND MILK JUGS THAT ARE WORTH, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN A THOUSAND AND $2,000 PER TON ARE GOING INTO THE, THE RIGHT PLACES.

UM, AND SO NUMBER TWO IS, IS TO CAPTURE RESIDENTIAL MATERIAL WITH THE GREATEST FUTURE DIVERSION POTENTIAL.

UM, AUSTIN ACTUALLY HAS ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE BEST CONTAMINATION RATES OF CITIES HERE IN TEXAS, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE BIG CITIES, BUT THE CONTAMINATION RATE, UH, LIKE IN SO MANY COMMUNITIES IS STARTING TO CREEP UP.

AND SO, UH, WE'VE WORKED PRETTY EXTENSIVELY WITH ARR TO LOOK AT, TO DETERMINE SOME STRATEGIES THAT WOULD STILL FOCUS ON THE POSITIVES OF, OF EDUCATION AND OUTREACH.

UH, SO LEADING, UH, MORE SO ON THAT FRONT, BUT TO RECOGNIZE THAT AT SOME POINT, IF SOMEBODY IS NOT PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM, UH, APPROPRIATELY, THAT, THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO INCORPORATE FEES ASSOCIATED WITH EXCESS CONTAMINATION, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, UH, THE INTENT OF THIS IS REALLY FOCUSED ON BEHAVIOR CHANGE AND TO PROVIDE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE FEES TO BE WAIVED THROUGH CONTINUED EDUCATION.

UH, THIS IS MODELED AFTER A PROGRAM THAT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO HAS IMPLEMENTED THAT THEY'VE FOUND TO BE VERY SUCCESSFUL.

AND THEN THE LAST BULLET HERE TALKS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF MULTIFAMILY AND IN THE CONTEXT OF THE PILOT PROGRAM, THAT'S ONGOING FOR COMPOSTING AND DO ASSESS OPPORTUNITIES, UH, FOR MULTI-FAMILY COMPOSTING TO CONTINUE.

SO THEN THE LAST STRATEGY THAT WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT ON THE RESIDENTIAL SECTOR, UH, FOCUSES ON THE MANAGEMENT OF, OF HARD, TO HARD TO RECYCLE MATERIALS AND, UH, AND HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE.

SO THIS MAP COMMUNICATES WHERE THE RECYCLING AND REUSE DROP-OFF CENTER, UH, IS LOCATED AND HOW FREQUENTLY, UH, THAT SITE IS, IS USED BY CITY RESIDENTS AND THE RED DOTS REPRESENT ANYBODY WHO LIVES SOUTH OF THE RIVER.

AND THEN THE BLUE ARE THOSE THAT ARE LOCATED NORTH OF THE RIVER.

SO UNDERSTANDABLY JUST, JUST HAVE A LOT MORE PARTICIPATION BY THOSE FOLKS THAT LIVE CLOSER TO THE FACILITY, WHICH, WHICH MAKES SENSE.

UM, YOU KNOW, IF WE, AND SO THE, THE STRATEGY HERE IS THAT THERE'S A REAL NEED TO INCREASE ACCESS TO PROPER MANAGEMENT OF THE HARD TO RECYCLE MATERIALS.

[00:25:01]

AND SO, UH, THEY'RE GOING TO DO THAT ON A, ON A PILOT, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT THEY'RE THINKING AND WHAT WE AGREED WITH, MAKE SENSE, AND TO EVALUATE THE LONG-TERM FEASIBILITY OF THAT.

UM, NEVERTHELESS, WE, WE DO THINK THAT, AND I THINK THIS MAP TELLS THE, TELLS THE PICTURE AND WITH THE GROWTH IN AUSTIN, WE THINK IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO START PLANNING FOR NORTH AUSTIN FACILITY, UH, TO MANAGE THESE, THESE MATERIALS AS WELL.

SO THE NEXT TOPIC THAT WE WANT TO DISCUSS FOCUSES ON A TRANSITION TO THE COMMERCIAL SECTOR.

AND SO I DO WANT TO EMPHASIZE HERE THAT, UH, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS EVENING IS, IS REALLY JUST AN IDEA IN TERMS OF WHAT COULD BE DONE TO INCREASE COMMERCIAL RECYCLING.

UH, WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENING, UH, FROM A COMMERCIAL PERSPECTIVE, UH, THAT RECYCLING RATE FOR BOTH RECYCLABLES AND ORGANICS IS ABOUT 30%.

AND SO AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN LOOKING TO REACH A 90% GOAL, UH, THERE IS A NEED TO LOOK AT MORE INNOVATIVE, PROGRESSIVE ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN, UH, TO FURTHER INCREASE, UH, WHAT'S HAPPENING TO VIRGIN WISE ON, ON THE COMMERCIAL SECTOR SIDE OF THINGS.

AND SO, AS WE LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THE COMMERCIAL SECTOR NOW, UM, IT IS, UH, AN OPEN MARKET WHERE YOU HAVE MORE THAN A HUNDRED PERMITTED HOLLERS.

AND WHILE IT'S MENTIONED HERE, I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THE IDEA OF AN EXCLUSIVE OR A ZONE FRANCHISE SYSTEM IS SOMETHING THAT WE THINK OUGHT TO BE CONSIDERED.

BUT AT THIS POINT, WE'RE NOT SPECIFICALLY RECOMMENDING THAT, BUT WE JUST WANTED TO COME BEFORE HIS AND TO, TO TALK ABOUT THAT WITH YOU ALL, UM, BECAUSE, UH, THERE ARE SOME BENEFITS TO GOING TO A, A FRANCHISE SYSTEM AS FAR AS A, A MUCH GREATER OPPORTUNITY TO REGULATE, UH, HOLLER ACTIVITY, AS WELL AS TO, UH, MAKE SURE THAT REQUIREMENTS THAT REALLY CAN DRIVE DIVERSION ARE OCCURRING.

AND PART OF THE REASON WHY WE SAY THIS IS, IS TO LOOK TO THE TWO LARGEST CITIES IN THE COUNTRY, IN BOTH LA AND NEW YORK, UM, THAT IN THE CASE OF LOS ANGELES HAS ALREADY IMPLEMENTED THIS TYPE OF A SYSTEM IN NEW YORK IS IN THE PROCESS OF, OF DOING SO.

AND ONE OF THE KEY REASONS WHY THEY'RE DOING THAT IS TO HELP THEM ACHIEVE THEIR ZERO WASTE GOALS.

UH, BUT THERE'S ALSO A NUMBER OF OTHER ASSOCIATED BENEFITS.

I MEAN, JUST THINK FROM A TRAFFIC PERSPECTIVE, UM, ESPECIALLY IN, UH, IN A PLACE LIKE NEW YORK WHERE THERE'S JUST SO MUCH CONGESTION, UH, THAT BEING ABLE TO, UH, FIGURE OUT, UH, BETTER WAYS TO, TO ROUTE TRUCKS AND TO NOT HAVE SO MANY TRUCKS IN OVERLAPPING AREAS, SO THAT THAT'S MORE COORDINATED, UH, IT CAN BE A VERY EFFECTIVE APPROACH AND ALSO HAS A LOT OF BENEFITS, UH, FOR ANOTHER IMPORTANT ISSUE IN AUSTIN IN TERMS OF HELPING THE CITY TO ACHIEVE ITS CLIMATE GOALS AND TO REDUCE AIR POLLUTION.

AND THEN A FRANCHISE SYSTEM WOULD, WOULD ALSO INCREASE ROUTING EFFICIENCY, HOPEFULLY PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR MORE COMPETITIVE COSTS FOR SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED, AND THEN ALSO TO IMPROVE, UM, AAR'S ABILITY TO ENSURE CONSISTENT DATA TRACKING, UH, PROVISION OF SERVICES, AS WELL AS, UH, MESSAGING.

AND WHAT WE MEAN BY MESSAGING IS JUST IF THE CITY WOULD HAVE, UM, GREATER INVOLVEMENT ON THE COMMERCIAL SECTOR, UH, TO BE ABLE TO ENSURE THAT THAT INFORMATION IS BEING COMMUNICATED IN A CLEAR, CONSISTENT MANNER, UH, ACROSS VARIOUS AREAS WITHIN THE CITY.

SO I, I DO WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT WE'RE INTRODUCING THIS IDEA OF A FRANCHISE SYSTEM, UH, BUT IT IS VERY MUCH EARLY IN, IN THE DISCUSSION TO SAY SPECIFICALLY WHAT WOULD BE RECOMMENDED.

AND SO THE PURPOSE OF THIS SLIDE IS TO COMMUNICATE, UH, WHAT WE ARE PUTTING FORTH AS, AS A, AS A STRATEGY.

AND THAT'S THE PLAN.

AND I REALLY WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT WORD PLAN, BUT TO PLAN, TO TRY TO TRANSITION TO A FRANCHISE SYSTEM, UH, TO EXPAND, ENHANCE THE URL.

AND SO WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT THIS OCCUR IN, IN THREE STEPS, SO THAT IN, AND THAT THIS WOULD OCCUR OVER A FIVE-YEAR PERIOD.

AND SO RIGHT OFF THE BAT, I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THERE, BUT THAT, BY DOING THAT OVER A FIVE-YEAR PERIOD, WE ARE STRONGLY RECOMMENDING THAT CITY OF AUSTIN AND

[00:30:01]

AND SO THAT WOULD START WITH THE FIRST STEP, WHICH WOULD BE TO DEVELOP, UM, CITYWIDE, CONTINUOUS EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND INCENTIVES FOR GENERATORS TO IMPROVE WHAT THEY'RE DOING FROM A DIVERSION PERSPECTIVE.

AND THEN STEP TWO, A DOES SPECIFICALLY THEY'RE START TO ADDRESS THE TRANSITION TO A FRANCHISE SYSTEM AND ULTIMATELY TO COMPLETE AN RFP.

UH, BUT WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY EMBARK ON A, ON A FEASIBILITY STUDY, UH, THAT WOULD BE, UM, WOULD THAT WOULD INCLUDE EXTENSIVE STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS WITH THE GENERATORS OR THE BUSINESSES, AS WELL AS THE HOLLER COMMUNITY.

AND THEN THERE'S A NUMBER OF CITIES, NOT JUST LA AND NEW YORK, BUT OTHERS THAT, UH, CAN PROVIDE ADDITIONAL KEY INFORMATION AS A PART OF THIS PROCESS.

AND SO, UH, WE WERE LOOKING AT THIS TO BE A, UH, A MULTI-YEAR PROCESS FOR THE CITY TO DETERMINE WHAT TYPE OF A FRANCHISE SYSTEM, UH, WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE AND WHAT THE CITY'S ROLE MAY BE.

UH, AND FROM THERE, UH, TO ISSUE AN RFP ON THE PRIOR SLIDE.

YES, WE DID MENTION THE IDEA OF EITHER A ZONED SYSTEM, UH, BUT AS FAR AS HOW MANY ZONES THERE WOULD BE, THAT IS WAY PREMATURE TO KNOW AT THIS POINT, THAT WOULD BE THE PART OF THE FEASIBLE PURPOSE OF THE FEASIBILITY STUDY.

UH, AND THEN IN TERMS OF WHETHER IT WOULD BE EVEN, UH, AN EXCLUSIVE SYSTEM OR A NON-EXCLUSIVE, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THAT'S ALL TO BE DETERMINED BASED ON THE OUTCOME OF THAT TYPE OF A FEASIBILITY STUDY.

UH, STEP TWO B, UH, WOULD ALSO BE TO, TO CONTINUE EFFORTS TO ENHANCE THE EXISTING URL AND TO EXPAND THE GENERATOR REQUIREMENTS.

AND THEN STEP NUMBER THREE, UH, WOULD ONLY TAKE PLACE AFTER THE COMPLETION OF THE RFP PROCESS.

UM, AND THERE, WE, I THINK WE'VE CAREFULLY WORDED IT TO SAY THAT THAT'S THE POINT AT WHICH YOU CONSIDER, UH, IMPLEMENTING A COMMERCIAL FRANCHISE SYSTEM BASED ON A TRANSITION PLAN THAT, THAT THE CITY WOULD THEN DEVELOP.

AND SO WHAT THIS IS REALLY COMMUNICATING IS TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS, MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER'S BEING PROPOSED AT THAT POINT IS GOING TO MAKE SENSE TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND THEN TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IMPLEMENTATION.

SO A FEW OTHER, UH, STRATEGIES THAT WOULD AFFECT, UH, THE FACILITIES AND, AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

UH, NUMBER TWO IS TO MONITOR AND DISPOSAL CAPACITY IN THE REGION TO DETERMINE FUTURE FACILITY OWNERSHIP, UM, AS A REGION, UH, THERE'S ABOUT TWENTY-FIVE YEARS LEFT OF, OF PERMITTED LANDFILL CAPACITY, UM, WHICH IN THE WORLD OF, OF SOLID WASTE IS REALLY NOT A VERY, VERY LONG TIME, AND IT'S NOT, UM, SUPER CRITICAL.

UM, BUT IT IS THE CASE WHERE FROM A PLANNING PERSPECTIVE THAT YOU NEED TO REALLY START TO LOOK INTO THOSE ISSUES PRESENTLY.

AND SO THE UTILIZATION OF A, OF A TRANSFER STATION AND, OR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A REGIONAL LANDFILL IS, IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THIS PLANNING PROCESS.

SO YOU MAY BE ASKING YOURSELF, HEY, WAIT A SECOND.

IF THIS IS A ZERO WASTE PLAN UPDATE, WHY ARE YOU EVEN TALKING ABOUT LANDFILLS? UM, AND SO THIS IS, UH, AN ISSUE THAT WE'VE GIVEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION AND CONSIDERATION TO WHAT THEY ARE, AND AS WELL AS OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE ZERO WASTE PLANS IN PLACE.

AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT, UH, ZERO WASTE PLANNING, UH, STILL REQUIRES ADEQUATE DISPOSAL CAPACITY AS THE FOCUS IS DEFINITELY ON REDUCING, UH, BUT YOU MAY NOT EVER BE ABLE TO ELIMINATE DISPOSAL.

AND THEN THE THIRD ITEM HERE IS, IS TO FACILITATE ACCESS TO, UH, CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION RECYCLING.

I KNOW THAT'S AN IMPORTANT TOPIC, UH, FOR YOU ALL.

UM, AND WHAT WE HAVE FOUND IS THAT THERE ACTUALLY IS A PRETTY GOOD PROCESSING CAPACITY FOR CND RECYCLING, UH, BUT IT'S NOT ALWAYS PROVIDED TO ALL OF THE COMPANIES THAT ARE ENGAGED IN C AND D RECYCLING.

AND SO THE TACTIC HERE AND ACCESSING PRIVATELY OWNED C AND D PROCESSING FACILITIES, UH, TO JUST TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT, UH, THOSE FACILITIES THAT ARE IN PLACE TO AS WELL AS TO INCREASE THE RECYCLING OF, OF KEY MATERIALS.

NOW, I WANT TO, JUST FOR A MOMENT, BECAUSE THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT ISSUE, I DO WANT TO COME BACK TO THE LANDFILL AND TRANSFER STATION ISSUE FOR JUST A COUPLE OF MOMENTS INTO, UM, REMINDS WAC THAT THE, THE CITY'S EXISTING DISPOSAL CONTRACT DOES EXPIRE NOW IN LESS THAN 10 YEARS.

AND WHILE, UM, AMENDMENTS TO EXPAND FACILITIES CAN ALWAYS OCCUR.

UH, THE CITY'S CONTRACTED LANDFILL

[00:35:01]

AND SO THIS REALLY IS AN IMPORTANT TIME FOR THE CITY TO, TO SERIOUSLY START TO THINK ABOUT, UH, WHAT YOU MAY WANT TO DO IN TERMS OF DISPOSAL CAPACITY GOING FORWARD.

AND WE WOULD RECOMMEND, UM, THAT THIS, THAT THE UTILIZATION OF A TRANSFER STATION IS GOING TO BE A REALLY KEY COMPONENT TO THAT.

I MEAN, JUST, JUST CLOSE YOUR EYES AND ENVISION YOURSELF IN TYPICAL AUSTIN TRAFFIC, RIGHT? SORRY TO SORRY TO DO THAT TO YOU, BUT, UM, THERE ARE, THERE ARE, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF ROUTES AND IS JUST, THE CITY HAS CONTINUED TO EXPAND, ESPECIALLY TO THE NORTHWEST WHERE THOSE HAULING DISTANCES TO THE LANDFILL CAN BE 60 ROAD MILES.

AND THOSE ARE NOT 60 EASY ROUNDTRIP ROAD MILES, RIGHT? IT'S IN A LOT OF STOP AND GO TRAFFIC.

AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT, UH, THE TYPICAL FEASIBILITY OF A TRANSFER STATION, IT'S USUALLY IN THE RANGE OF ABOUT 30 TO 40 MILES ROUND TRIP.

AND SO, UM, AUSTIN FOR MANY OF ITS ROUTES IS, IS DEFINITELY ON THE HIGHER SIDE OF THAT ALREADY.

AND THEN THERE'S A NUMBER OF ASSOCIATED ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS WITH THE TRANSFER STATION, AS FAR AS THE OPPORTUNITY TO REDUCE THE CARBON FOOTPRINT.

AND WHILE WE'RE NOT AT THIS POINT RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY GO RIGHT NOW TOWARD ELECTRIC VEHICLES, I THINK WE CAN ALL SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THERE'S DEFINITELY A TREND IN THAT DIRECTION.

SO THE LAST, UH, CATEGORY THAT WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS, UH, UH, JUST THREE DIFFERENT STRATEGIES THAT THAT WOULD ADDRESS THINGS ON A CITY-WIDE PERSPECTIVE.

ONE OF THE REALLY COOL THINGS, UM, ABOUT WORKING WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS THAT THEY DO SO MANY INNOVATIVE EFFORTS.

AND, AND ONE OF THOSE IS LOOKING AT WHAT CAN BE DONE FROM AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVE IN THE CONTEXT OF DIVERSION AND RECYCLING.

AND SO THEY HAVE A VERY ACTIVE, UH, PROGRAMMING IN THAT RESPECT.

SO WE HELP THEM TO EVALUATE WHAT TYPE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MAKES THE MOST SENSE FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND THIS REGION GOING FORWARD.

AND SO WE, WE HELP THEM TO, TO EVALUATE, UH, 25 DIFFERENT ZERO WASTE RELATED, UH, FACILITY TYPES IN BUSINESSES, AND THEN APPLIED EVALUATION CRITERIA THAT AGAIN, COLLABORATED ON WITH ARR, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S VERY SPECIFIC TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

SO, UH, WE WANTED TO IDENTIFY BUSINESSES THAT WOULD BE IN ALIGNMENT WITH NOT ONLY THE ZERO WASTE, BUT ALSO SOCIAL ENTERPRISE GOALS HERE IN AUSTIN, AS WELL AS, UH, BUSINESSES THAT WOULD HAVE PROXIMITY TO THE INDUSTRIES THAT ARE, THAT ARE HERE AND RECOGNIZING THAT IT WOULD BE GREAT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ALL THE INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY TYPES OF BUSINESSES THAT, THAT ARE HERE.

UM, SO SOME TYPES OF, OF RECYCLING BUSINESSES THAT WE EXCLUDED OR THINGS LIKE, LIKE MURPH'S, UM, COMPOSTING FACILITIES, UH, BECAUSE THERE ARE ALREADY, UH, EXTENSIVE NUMBERS OF THOSE TYPES OF FACILITIES IN PLACE.

AND SO WHAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING AS PART OF THIS PROCESS ARE WHAT'S SHOWN IN THE GREEN BOXES ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE.

UM, SO TEXTILE UPCYCLING COMPANIES, UM, CITY OF AUSTIN, UH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS SAYS ABOUT US ALL, BUT WE GENERATE A LOT OF GLASS FOR RECYCLING.

UM, AND, AND SO THERE'S RIGHT NOW THAT THAT GLASS HAS TO GO A LONG DISTANCE.

UH, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO HAS TO TRANSPORT THEIR GLASS EVEN FURTHER.

AND SO I'M LOOKING AT GLASS IDENTIFICATION COMPANIES, AND THEN ON THE, ON THE TECHNOLOGY SIDE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE RECENT ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM, FROM TESLA, YOU KNOW, WE THINK THERE'S A POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITY THERE TO LOOK AT RECYCLING OF, OF BATTERY AND ENERGY STORAGE, UH, TYPES OF OPPORTUNITIES.

SO THEN THE LAST COUPLE OF SLIDES HERE, UM, AGAIN FROM A CITY-WIDE PERSPECTIVE, ANOTHER STRATEGY IS TO EXPAND THE CONCEPT IS ZERO WASTE ON A COMMUNITY-WIDE BASIS.

UH, WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE SOME OF OUR PROJECT TEAM MEMBERS THAT WORK ON BEHAVIOR CHANGE AND COMMUNICATION ISSUES.

AND ONE OF THEIR KEY TACTICS WAS THAT ZERO WASTE IS STILL JUST A SOMEWHAT UNFAMILIAR TERM TO SO MANY PEOPLE THAT DON'T WORK IN THIS BUSINESS, UM, ON A DAY IN DAY OUT BASIS.

AND SO TO RECOGNIZE THAT IN THEIR MESSAGING AND MATERIALS, UM, AND THEN ALSO TO FOCUS ON BEING MORE CONSISTENT IN THAT COMMUNITY-WIDE MESSAGING.

SO THE WAY I LIKE TO EXPLAIN IT IS, YOU KNOW, WHEREVER YOU LIVE, WHEREVER YOU WORK, WHEREVER YOU GO TO SOCIALIZE THAT IT WOULD BE THE, THE SAME PROGRAM, THE SAME MESSAGING, UH, REGARDLESS OF WHERE YOU ARE IN THE CITY.

AND THEN, UM, THE THIRD ONE HERE IS, IS TO DETERMINE A LONG TIME LONG TERM

[00:40:01]

UM, SO AGAIN, A LOT OF THIS IS, IS RECOGNIZING, HEY, RECYCLING IS AWESOME.

THAT'S GREAT.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE, IF WE WANT TO BECOME A MORE CIRCULAR ECONOMY, WE NEED TO ALSO LOOK AT LONG-TERM BEHAVIOR CHANGE.

UM, AND SO THAT WOULD BE, UH, LOOKING AT KIND OF BROADER POLICIES.

SO THIS IS GOING TO THERE'S REASON WHY THIS WAS LONG-TERM IS A LOT OF THIS IS GOING TO BE OUTSIDE OF THE DIRECT CONTROL OF SAY THE CITY OF AUSTIN, BUT STILL IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT IN TERMS OF, UM, COLLABORATION TO DRIVE POLICIES THAT DISINCENTIVIZE THE PURCHASING OF SINGLE USE PRODUCTS AND PROMOTE THE RIGHT TO REPAIR, UH, FROM A REUSE PERSPECTIVE, AND THEN TO CONSIDER ALTERNATIVE RATE STRUCTURES, UH, THAT ARE FOCUSED ON THE, ON REDUCING CONSUMPTION.

SO WITH THAT, I'LL BE HAPPY TO, TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

I THINK WE HAVE TWO SPEAKERS WHO'VE SIGNED UP.

YEAH, OF COURSE, TO SPEAK TO THIS ITEM.

AND THEN AFTER THAT, WE'LL, UH, ADDRESS THE QUESTIONS EXACTLY A BUNCH, BUT NONE OF THIS FIRST SPEAKER IS ADAM GREGORY WITH TEXAS DISPOSAL SYSTEMS. GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS ADAM GREGORY WITH TEXAS DISPOSAL SYSTEMS. THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU TONIGHT.

UH, IT'S NICE TO BE HERE IN PERSON.

UH, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS TONIGHT, BUT I'M LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES.

SO I'LL CONFINE MY COMMENTS TO THE COMMERCIAL FRANCHISE SYSTEM.

THAT'S NOW BEING PROPOSED BY STAFF AND THEIR CONSULTANTS.

I WAS DISAPPOINTED, BUT NOT SURPRISED TO SEE THAT THE CENTERPIECE OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE AS A COMMERCIAL FRANCHISE SYSTEM AND THAT STAFFING CONSULTANTS HAVE CHOSEN TO PURSUE THIS DRASTIC COURSE OF ACTION WITHOUT ANY PRIOR PUBLIC DISCUSSION OR ANY PRIOR STAKEHOLDER INPUT.

I'M DISMAYED THAT THE STAFF WOULD ALSO BE SEEKING OFFICIAL ACTION FROM THE COMMISSION TO BLESS THIS DRASTIC POLICY CHANGE AT THIS POINT, WITHOUT ANY DETAILS.

AND WHEN YOU CAN HAVE NO RELIED REAL IDEA OF THE IMPACTS OF SUCH A POLICY, BUT FIRST, WHAT IS A COMMERCIAL FRANCHISE SYSTEM? SO WHEN THE CITY SELECTS ONE OR JUST A FEW HAULERS, ASSIGNS THEM EXCLUSIVE SERVICE AREAS AND SETS RATES AND COLLECTS FEES FOR ITSELF, SUCH A SYSTEM WOULD ABOLISH THE COMPETITIVE MARKET THAT BUSINESSES AND INSTITUTIONS HAVE ALWAYS RELIED ON TO KEEP COSTS LOW AND TO ENSURE HIGH LEVELS OF QUALITY SERVICE, IT WOULD CONFISCATE THE RIGHT OF BUSINESSES TO HIRE OR FIRE THE SERVICE PROVIDER OF THEIR CHOOSING.

IT WOULD FORCE THEM TO PAY ARTIFICIALLY HIGH PRICES REGARDLESS OF NEEDED SERVICE LEVELS OR SERVICE QUALITY.

SUCH A SYSTEM WOULD PUT OUT A BUSINESS, MANY DOZENS OF COMPANIES THAT HAVE BUILT THEIR BUSINESSES ON HARD ONE SERVICE CONTRACTS SECURED IN A COMPETITIVE MARKET BECAUSE THEY WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE BEST SERVICES FOR THE BEST VALUE TO PARTICULAR CUSTOMERS.

THOSE SERVICE CONTRACTS WOULD BE DECLARED NULL AND VOID BY THE STROKE OF A PEN AND COUNTLESS BUSINESSES.

AND EMPLOYEES WOULD HAVE THEIR LIVELIHOOD JEOPARDIZED THE STAFF AND ITS CONSULTANTS HAVEN'T EVEN TOLD US WHAT CRISES ARE SO DIRE AS TO JUSTIFY SUCH AN EXTREME SOLUTION.

WHY IS THE STAFF PURSUING THIS AND WHY ARE WE ALL JUST NOW HEARING ABOUT IT? WHEN YOU TAKE AWAY A COMPETITIVE MARKET PRICES GO UP DRASTICALLY.

I BELIEVE THAT THIS MAY ACTUALLY BE THE DESIRED OUTCOME FOR THE CITY.

THE CITY WILL CERTAINLY CHARGE HIGH PERCENTAGE FEES ON MUCH HIGHER RATES TO SECURE A MAJOR NEW REVENUE STREAM FOR ITSELF.

I ASSURE YOU IT'S ALL ABOUT THE MONEY.

IT'S AN EXCELLENT WAY TO MAKE AUSTIN EVEN LESS AFFORDABLE FOR EVERY SINGLE CITIZEN.

CITY STAFF HAS A HISTORY OF EFFORTS TO IMPOSE A COMMERCIAL FRANCHISE SYSTEM EFFORTS IN THE PAST WERE DEFEATED WHEN THOUSANDS OF BUSINESS OWNERS AND OPERATORS, ASSOCIATIONS, AND INSTITUTIONS SPOKE UP LOUDLY AND DEFEATED THEM.

IT IS OUR SINCERE HOPE THAT SUCH A FIGHT WON'T AGAIN BECOME NECESSARY, BUT WE ARE CERTAINLY WILLING TO FIGHT TO DEFEND THE RIGHTS OF BUSINESSES AND THE RIGHTS OF HAULERS TO CONTINUE TO EXIST.

THE COMMUNITY OF PRIVATE HAULERS AND BUSINESSES ARE EAGER TO WORK WITH THE STAFF TO DEVELOP STRATEGIES AND SOLUTIONS TO ALL OF THE ISSUES THAT THE COMMERCIAL FRANCHISE HAS PURPORTS TO ADDRESS.

IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT WE HAVEN'T EVEN BEEN GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE PRIOR TO THE STAFF AND CONSULTANTS, APPARENTLY MAKING UP THEIR MIND.

I HUMBLY REQUEST THAT THE COMMISSION RECOMMEND THAT A COMMERCIAL FRANCHISE SYSTEM NOT BE INCLUDED IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE, OR AT THE VERY LEAST MAKE IT CLEAR THAT SUCH A POLICY DOES NOT HAVE THE BLESSING OF WHACK.

THIS POINT IN TIME, THREE MINUTES IS NOT A LOT OF TIME.

I'M FORMALLY REQUESTING THE OPPORTUNITY FOR TDS TO ADDRESS THIS TOPIC MORE THOROUGHLY, UM, BY GIVING A PRESENTATION UNDER AN AGENDA ITEM AT ONE OF YOUR NEXT TWO MEETINGS.

UM, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS.

I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU, MIKE.

MINOAN CENTRAL WAIST

[00:45:10]

COMMISSIONERS MICHAEL MANOIR AND PRESIDENT CENTRAL WASTE AND RECYCLING.

UM, I'M FROM LOS ANGELES.

MY FAMILY'S BEEN THERE FOR 1920S OWNED THE TRASH COMPANY IN LOS ANGELES.

MOVED TO TEXAS 2012.

STARTED MY COMPANY WHEN I MOVED, UM, LOS ANGELES WAS TALKING ABOUT THE ZONED FRANCHISE SYSTEM.

I AM VERY FAMILIAR WITH COMMERCIAL FRANCHISES ZONING IN LOS ANGELES, RAISED THEIR RATES.

I'M TELLING YOU IT DID 300, 400%.

THEIR TRASH BILLS WENT UP.

UM, BIG HAULERS, WASTE MANAGEMENT, REPUBLIC SERVICES, STRUGGLED TO ROLL THAT PROGRAM OUT.

IT WAS ALL OVER THE NEWS.

UH, THAT SYSTEM IS FIVE YEARS IN.

THEY ARE BEING FINED STILL TO THIS DAY EVERY MONTH BECAUSE THEY CAN'T GET IT RIGHT.

IT'S VERY HARD, VERY, VERY HARD.

UM, I WOULD RECOMMEND WE HAVE MORE STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS WITH THE SIX HAULERS IN THIS TOWN THAT ACTUALLY DO COMMERCIAL FRONT LOAD SERVICES.

THERE'S ONLY SIX.

UH, AND, AND JUST, THAT'S THE INPUT I HAVE FOR YOU GUYS.

SO I WISH YOU LUCK AND YES, WE DO NEED A TRANSFER STATION.

WE'RE A MAJOR METROPOLITAN AREA AND WE HAVE NO TRANSFER STATION, WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY SHOCKING.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU.

MANY QUESTIONS.

I THINK WE HAVE QUESTIONS FOR THE OVERALL BASED ON THE OVERALL PRESENTATION.

SO DON'T GO TOO FAR.

YOU MAY GET ADDRESSED HERE, BUT ALL MY COMMISSIONERS WE'VE WE HAVE, UH, WE HAD A PRESENTATION BY, UH, BURNS AND MCDONALD SCOTT PASTERNAK.

SCOTT, THANK YOU FOR THAT STAFF, UH, OR COMMISSIONERS FIRST OFF, I'M GOING TO DEFER MY QUESTIONS AND, UH, I THINK THERE WAS A FEW QUESTIONS BY SOME OF MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS HERE.

COMMISSIONER, WHY DO YOU WANT TO START? THEY LIKE, SHOULD I PICK ONE AND THEN WE'LL GO DOWN AND COME AROUND.

ALL RIGHT.

UM, WHERE, WHICH, WHICH ONE TO GO FIRST? UM, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

UM, DO YOU THINK, UH, THERE'S SOME, SOME GOOD IDEAS IN HERE THAT HOPEFULLY WE'LL DISCUSS? UM, I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT THE, UM, THE RECYCLING DROP-OFF CENTER.

I SEE THAT YOU'RE PROPOSING ANOTHER LOCATION.

UM, AND, AND CERTAINLY, DO YOU THINK THAT MAKES SENSE, BUT I'M WONDERING IF YOU DID ANY ANALYSIS, UH, LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, TH THE BENEFIT THAT COULD BE HAD BY COLLECTING THOSE MATERIALS DOOR TO DOOR, AS OPPOSED TO JUST ONE MORE LOCATION.

AND IT, IT, I DON'T THINK THE NUMBER IS ON THE PAGE THOUGH.