Sep 13, 2023 Zero Waste Advisory Commission

UNANIMOUS.

UH, THE SECOND ITEM IS THE AUGUST 9TH MEETING.

MINUTES AND THERETO, I'LL, UH, I'LL LOOK FOR A, UH, A MOTION.

I MOVE THAT WE ACCEPT THE AUGUST 9TH MINUTES.

I SECOND THE MOTION, I REPEAT PERFORMANCE.

THANK YOU GUYS.

, HAVING SAID THAT, UH, ANY DISCUSSION ON THE AUGUST 9TH MINUTES HEARING? NO DISCUSSION.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR HAND.

ACKNOWLEDGE.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS.

MOVING ALONG HERE.

THE NEXT, UH, THE NEXT ITEM IS THE, UH,

[3. Review and Discussion of Director’s Report (Curbside Composting, MoveOutATX, Circular Austin Showcase, ‘Don’t Bag Your Recyclables’ Campaign, Solicitations Update, Performance Reports, and Statistical Reports) – Richard McHale]

DISCUSSION ITEM, WHICH I THINK, UH, STAFF HAS, WHICH IS THE REVIEW AND DISCUSSION OF THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT.

AND DO YOU WANNA DEFER THAT, RICHARD, OR DO YOU WANNA GO AHEAD? GO AHEAD.

THAT'S FINE.

GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.

RICHARD MCHALE, DIRECTOR FOR AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY.

UM, BEFORE YOU, WE HAVE THE, UH, DIRECTOR'S REPORT.

UH, A FEW ITEMS OF MENTION.

UH, THE FIRST TOPIC WAS ABOUT, UH, PET WASTE ISSUE BROUGHT UP TO US BY COMMISSIONER NAZO.

UM, WE DID TALK WITH OUR, UH, ORGANICS BY GOSH, OUR, OUR COMPOST, UH, VENDOR.

UH, THEY DID NOT HAVE ANY ISSUES WITH, UH, THE MATERIALS THAT YOU BROUGHT, UH, UH, THE, UH, THE LININGS FOR THE BIRD CAGES.

AND, UH, THAT, UM, IF YOU READ THROUGH THERE, THOUGH, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT WE TALKED AT THE, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE CAT LITTER.

THEY SAID THE WOOD BASE WAS FINE, BUT I GUESS THERE'S OTHER TYPES OF CAT LITTER THAT WEREN'T, UH, THE MAIN REASON WE DON'T TAKE, UH, DOG AND, AND CAT WASTE IN GENERAL.

UM, THERE ARE A LOT OF COMPOSTABLE BAGS THAT PEOPLE PUT THAT STUFF IN, AND IT COULD, YOU KNOW, THEORETICALLY BE TAKEN TO OUR, UH, OUR VENDOR FOR PROCESSING.

'CAUSE THE TEMPERATURES REACH HIGH ENOUGH TEMPERATURES WHERE THOSE PATHOGENS COULD BE DESTROYED.

BUT, UH, UNFORTUNATELY, A LOT OF FOLKS DON'T USE THE COMPOSTABLE BAGS AND END UP WITH REGULAR PLASTIC BAGS, AND WE REALLY DON'T WANT THAT MATERIAL IN THAT WASTE STREAM AND CONTAMINATING THAT MATERIAL.

SO THAT'S WHY WE DON'T TAKE THAT TYPE OF PET WASTE.

BUT, UH, THE OTHER PET WASTE, UM, IS NOT TYPICALLY BAGGED IN THOSE BAGS.

SO, UM, SO WE DID DO SOME RESEARCH AND THOSE WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE ITEMS FOR US.

SO, UH, THE NEXT ITEM WAS, UH, MOVE OUT A T X.

AND THIS IS A, UH, AN EVENT.

THE, UH, AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY IS, IS INVOLVED IN, AND THIS IS KIND OF A, UH, PROGRAM IN, UH, AROUND THE UT CAMPUS, WHEREAS STUDENTS MOVE OUT, THEY HAVE EXCESS FURNITURE AND ITEMS THAT THEY DON'T NEED.

THEY DON'T WANT TO BE NOT ABLE TO TAKE HOME WITH THEM.

AND INSTEAD OF THEM ITEMS ALL ENDING UP IN DUMPSTERS OVER THERE IN WEST CAMPUS, UH, WE HAVE A PROGRAM WHERE THOSE ITEMS CAN BE DROPPED OFF.

WE HAVE WORKED WITH OUR OTHER PARTNERS TO COLLECT THAT MATERIAL, AND WE BRING IT TO A CENTRALIZED LOCATION WHERE THEY CAN THEN BE GIVEN OUT

[00:05:01]

TO FOLKS THAT NEED THOSE MATERIALS.

AND, UM, ONE ITEM, A NOTE ON THIS IN PARTICULAR, WHICH IS SOME GOOD NEWS, IS, UH, TODAY THE E P A RELEASED, UH, INFORMATION THAT, UH, AUSTIN, CITY OF AUSTIN, A R R, RECEIVED A GRANT FOR $4 MILLION FOR A PERMANENT REUSE WAREHOUSE.

SO, THANK YOU.

WE WILL BE, UH, ACCEPTING THAT MONEY AND LOOKING FOR A PERMANENT BUILDING TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS, UH, OPERATION OUT OF, AND THIS WILL OPEN UP A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR US, NOT ONLY FOR MOVE OUT AT T X MM-HMM.

, BUT, UH, A LOT OF THE MATERIALS WE GET THROUGH, POTENTIALLY THROUGH OUR BULK COLLECTION PROGRAM THAT ARE STILL USABLE, THAT WE REALLY DON'T HAVE A PLACE TO STORE, UM, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO REPURPOSE THOSE ITEMS AT THIS FACILITY AND POTENTIALLY WORK WITH, UH, UH, OTHER GROUPS FOR, UH, WORK TRAINING PROGRAMS AND, YOU KNOW, REPAIRING MATERIALS AND, UH, FURNITURE AND SUCH.

UM, SO WE REALLY SEE THIS AS A BIG OPPORTUNITY FOR THE DEPARTMENT.

SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED IN OUR, UH, STRATEGIC INITIATIVES, UH, DIVISION, UH, AND A CIRCULAR ECONOMY PROGRAM.

FOLKS JUST DID A GREAT JOB IN, IN GETTING THIS ALL TOGETHER.

IT WAS A LOT OF WORK.

I THINK.

I BELIEVE THEY WERE THE ONLY ORGANIZATION IN TEXAS OTHER THAN THE T C Q, WHICH ALSO HAD RECEIVED SOME FUNDS, BUT I THINK WE WERE THE ONLY CITY THAT ACTUALLY, UH, RECEIVED FUNDS IN TEXAS.

SO SOME GOOD NEWS, AND I THINK THERE'LL BE A CITYWIDE PRESS RELEASE TOMORROW ON THAT.

UM, AND, UH, JUST SOME OTHER ITEMS OF THE CIRCULAR AUSTIN SHOWCASE.

UM, THIS WAS ANOTHER EVENT THAT OUR CIRCULAR ECONOMY PROGRAM, UH, HOLDS.

AND THIS WAS, UH, AN EVENT TO, UM, MATCH UP, UH, ASPIRING ENTREPRENEURS WITH MATERIALS FROM OTHER COMPANIES THAT ARE CURRENTLY BEING, HAVING TO BE LANDFILLED.

AND, UH, THE GOAL IS FOR THEM TO ABLE FIND A USE FOR THOSE MATERIALS.

SO, UM, THEY DID HAVE A WINNER.

UH, THE WINNER WAS A CONSCIOUS PET.

UH, AND, UH, LET'S SEE, THEY WILL UPCYCLE SURPLUS FOOD SCRAPS INTO DEHYDRATED DOG FOOD.

SO, UH, FINDING A USE FOR ONE OF OUR LARGER AMOUNTS OF OUR WASTE STREAM, WHICH IS, UH, WASTED FOOD.

SO, UM, WE, WE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT PROGRAM AS WELL.

UM, AND JUST, UH, WE DID ALSO, UM, SEPTEMBER WE ARE FOCUSING ON DON'T BAGGING, UH, FOR FOLKS NOT TO BAG THE RECYCLABLES.

'CAUSE WE KNOW WHAT A PROBLEM THIS IS FOR OUR MATERIAL RECOVERY FACILITIES.

AS THAT MATERIAL GOES ACROSS THE SORT LINE, UH, THE SORTERS JUST DON'T HAVE TIME TO STOP AND GRAB EVERY BAG AND RIP IT OPEN AND DUMP EVERYTHING OUT.

SO UNFORTUNATELY, A LOT OF THOSE TIMES, EVERYTHING IT'S IN A BAG ENDS UP GETTING TOSSED AWAY.

SO WE ASK FOLKS NOT TO PUT ITEMS IN PLASTIC BAGS AND JUST TO HAVE THEM SEPARATELY LOOSE IN THEIR CART.

SO, UM, AND WITH THAT, I WILL, UH, TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.

GO AHEAD.

UH, MY, MY QUESTION IS THIS, THERE, THERE'S A TYPE OF CAT LITTER CALLED YESTERDAY'S NEWS.

AND WHAT IT IS, IS COMPRESSED OLD NEWSPAPER THAT SHOULD RECYCLE.

RIGHT.

THAT SHOULD, SOUNDS LIKE FROM YOUR DESCRIPTION, IT SOUNDS LIKE IT WOULD BE MM-HMM.

ABLE TO BE INCLUDED IN OUR PROGRAM.

I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE.

'CAUSE THAT'S A COMMON ONE THAT'S USED.

IT'S ALREADY REUSED, SO IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S A PRETTY GOOD CIRCULAR THING.

WE WILL, WE'LL FOLLOW UP THOUGH, JUST TO VERIFY THAT OKAY.

, ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? RICH? CONGRATULATIONS.

I MEAN, A $4 MILLION OPPORTUNITY IS WONDERFUL.

IT'S A GIFT AND IT'S SOMETHING WE, AS YOU STATED, CAN CERTAINLY USE.

THERE'S, UH, NO END IN SIGHT FOR, FOR THAT TYPE OF MONEY.

TO DRIVE ALL THE WAY ACROSS TOWN TO TO, TO GET THAT MATERIAL.

SO NOW IF WE CAN FIND SOME REAL ESTATE FOR THAT, WE CAN BUY FOR, FOR THAT.

SO, SO IS THE NEW FACILITY GONNA, UH, LIKE, HAVE USED FURNITURE AND STUFF LIKE THAT? IS THAT THE INTENTION? YES.

IT COULD HAVE USED FURNITURE.

IT COULD.

UH, AND, AND YOU KNOW, WE ALSO WORK WITH OUR, UM, OUR HOMELESS, UH, OFFICE.

AND SO WHEN FOLKS ARE, ARE FINDING, UH, PERMANENT OR EVEN TEMPORARY SHELTERS AND PERMANENT SHELTERS, UH, WE'RE ABLE TO GATHER MATERIALS AND HELP TO, UH, GET THOSE FOLKS OFF TO THE RIGHT START.

SO TOILETRIES THAT GET THAT, THAT WE COLLECT.

AND, UH, OTHER ITEMS, FURNITURE, SMALL APPLIANCES, TOASTERS, STUFF LIKE THAT, UH, THAT THEY CAN USE SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO GO OUT AND BUY THOSE THINGS.

AWESOME.

LET ME ASK YOU, NOW, AGAIN, I KNOW WE'VE GOT SOME OTHER, OTHER OPPORTUNITIES AND, AND POSSIBLE USES FOR THE A 12 FACILITY, BUT WOULD THAT BE AN OPPORTUNITY WHERE, AGAIN, THE DIRT'S PAID FOR, IT'S, IT BELONGS TO THE CITY, BELONGS TO THE DEPARTMENT, IF NOT THAT LOCATION, I KNOW WE HAVE A COUPLE OF OTHER PIECES OF PROPERTY THAT WE COULD PERHAPS INCORPORATE THAT INTO THOSE, INTO THAT FACILITY OR, YEAH, UNFORTUNATELY FOR THIS GRANT, WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO USE EIGHT 12 'CAUSE WE REALLY HAVE TO FIND A READY-MADE BUILDING THAT'S READY TO MOVE IN.

MM-HMM.

, BECAUSE, UH, WE HAVE A TIME LIMIT IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO SPEND THAT MONEY AND TO GO THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION PROCESS WOULD, UH, PUSH US PAST THAT DEADLINE.

SO, UH, THAT PARTICULAR FACILITY WON'T BE AN OPTION.

PLUS WE WANNA TRY TO GET SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT MORE CENTRAL.

UM, SO FOLKS THAT ACTUALLY NEED IT ARE HAVING

[00:10:01]

SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN FIND A SUITABLE FACILITY SOMEWHERE IN, UH, MORE, A LITTLE BIT MORE CENTRAL.

AGAIN, BACK TO YOUR CHALLENGE, PRICE, PRICE, PRICE.

OH GOD.

WHAT SIZE FACILITY ARE YOU LOOKING AT? UH, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE, I HAVE WE WITHOUT LOOKING.

I, WE'D HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK.

AGAIN, CONGRAT.

CONGRATULATIONS GUYS.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, AMANDA? YEAH, YEAH.

UM, I, SO THIS IS GREAT NEWS ABOUT THE GRANT AND ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF BUILDING ON, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU DO WITH MOVE OUT A T X.

I'M ALWAYS CURIOUS ABOUT THIS, AND I DON'T THINK THAT I'VE, WE'VE EVER REALLY TALKED ABOUT WHY IS IT ONLY UT, UH, WHY NOT ST.

ED'S, WHY NOT HT? UM, SO THAT'S ONE QUESTION.

AND THEN THE TIMING IS THE OTHER QUESTION.

UM, I THOUGHT AT ONE POINT THIS WAS TO CORRELATE WITH MAY MOVE OUT FOR STUDENTS, UM, AND THIS ONE'S, UH, SUMMER MOVE OUT.

DO, DO WE ALTERNATE ON THAT? SO I'M GONNA ASK ASSISTANT DIRECTOR MCKINLEY TO COME UP TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL.

BUT I BELIEVE AS FAR AS THE MOVE OUT DATE, I THINK THAT'S WHEN THE LEASES TYPICALLY EXPIRE FOR THOSE STUDENTS IN, UH, THE JULY TIMEFRAME.

SO I THINK THAT'S WHY THAT, UH, UH, THAT TIMEFRAME WAS PICKED.

UH, AND I BELIEVE, AND I, GINA CAN CORRECT ME, BUT I THINK, UH, WE WORKED KIND OF HAND IN HAND WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, UH, SUSTAINABILITY OFFICE TO, TO GET THIS PROGRAM STARTED.

SO THEY WERE KIND OF THE PARTNER IN THE BEGINNING.

AND THAT'S, SO THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT THIS PROGRAM COULDN'T BE EXPANDED CITYWIDE.

SO, UH, WE COULD CERTAINLY LOOK AT OTHER, UH, OTHER INSTITUTIONS TO DO THAT.

SO, AND I DON'T KNOW, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING OKAY, I PRETTY MUCH COVERED IT THERE.

REUSE WAREHOUSE WILL ALLOW US TO EXPAND.

THE, YEAH, THE, THE REUSE WAREHOUSE, UH, WILL ALLOW US TO EXPAND AND BE ABLE TO, TO TOUCH ANOTHER, UH, HIGHER EDUCATION LOCATIONS.

HOW MANY, HOW MANY ITERATIONS OF MOVE OUT A T X HAVE THERE BEEN ALREADY? I THINK THIS IS THE FIFTH YEAR IT'S BEEN OKAY.

THAT'S A GOOD GUESS.

IT'S, I THINK IN 2015, I BELIEVE, IF I'M, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY.

SO MAYBE THE SIXTH YEAR OR NO, EIGHT YEARS YOU SAID LONGER THAN, YEAH, I THINK SHE, HOW MUCH, UM, YOU KNOW, COORDINATION, UH, LOGISTICAL SUPPORT PERSONNEL IS PROVIDED BY THE SUSTAINABILITY OFFICE VERSUS A R R, UH, YOU KNOW, I WOULD HAVE TO GET THE, THE PROGRAM MANAGER OVER THAT, UH, TO GET YOU THOSE DETAILS, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT IT'S A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT'S DONE BY UT IT'S ACTUALLY, UH, ONE OF THE DROPOFF LOCATION IS ON UT PROPERTY, AND, UH, WE'VE WORKED WITH THEM AND THEY PROVIDE A LOT OF STAFF, UM, AS WELL TO, UH, HELP AT THE DROPOFF CENTER IN DIRECTING TRAFFIC.

SO IT'S, UH, UH, QUITE A SIZABLE, UM, AMOUNT OF INVOLVEMENT BY THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS.

YEAH, I WOULD IMAGINE SO.

AND IT MIGHT BE PARALLEL AT OUR CAMPUS OR AT ST.

ED'S WHERE YOU WOULD NEED, YOU KNOW, INVESTMENT FROM THEIR OFFICES.

BUT WE ARE ALSO SMALLER CAMPUSES, UM, AND I THINK MAYBE LOGISTICALLY SIMPLER IN, IN SOME WAYS.

SO, UH, WHILE IT WOULD BE GREAT TO, I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT TO EXPAND AND PERHAPS NOT WAIT FOR THIS FACILITY TO DO SO, UM, EVEN IF IT'S JUST BEGINNING THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH THOSE CAMPUS SUSTAINABILITY OFFICES TO SEE WHAT WOULD NEED TO HAPPEN ON THEIR END TO BE PART OF THIS.

UM, AT HT WE SOMETIMES PARTNER WITH LIKE, GOODWILL OR GROUPS LIKE THAT, BUT IT'S, IT'S NOT QUITE THE SAME AS WHAT YOU ALL ARE DOING.

UM, AND, AND I THINK, I CAN'T IMAGINE THAT, UH, ST.

ED'S WOULDN'T HAVE THE SAME KIND OF MATERIAL WE END UP WITH AND THAT UT ENDS UP WITH.

SO I WOULD BE REALLY INTERESTED TO KNOW WHAT THOSE CONNECTIONS ARE AND, AND HOW TO MOVE FORWARD WITH SOME OF THE OTHER SPACES, UM, YOU KNOW, EVEN IN ADVANCE OF GETTING THIS FACILITY.

NO, I, I DON'T DISAGREE AT ALL.

AND WE CAN, UH, WE CAN, UH, HUDDLE BACK AT THE, AT THE OFFICE THERE AND SEE WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO GO AHEAD AND, AND, AND TO GET THESE, TO GROW THIS PROGRAM EVEN MORE.

'CAUSE IT'S, IT'S A GREAT PROGRAM.

I'VE, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO VOLUNTEERER OUT THERE FOR THE LAST COUPLE YEARS AND IT'S JUST, UH, UM, WE ACTUALLY, THIS LAST ONE WAS IN THIS, I GUESS IT WAS THIS PAST JULY, AND WE HAD FOLKS COMING FROM, FROM ALL PARTS OF THE CITY AND EVEN FROM OUTSIDE THE CITY THAT HEARD ABOUT THE PROGRAM.

SO, UM, THERE'S REALLY A, A BIG INTEREST IN THIS.

OF MATERIAL THAT, UH, IS ACTUALLY PRESENTED.

IT'S, IT'S REMARKABLE.

I MEAN, IT'S GREAT.

AND, AND EVEN THOUGH THOSE OTHER CAMPUSES YOU MIGHT NOT GET, YOU KNOW, THE SAME VOLUME THAT YOU GET FROM UT, IT'LL ADD UP.

I MEAN, THIS IS REALLY, THE AMOUNT DIVERTED, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO BENEFIT IS REALLY TREMENDOUS.

SO.

ABSOLUTELY, AND YOU'RE RIGHT, AMANDA ST.

EDWARDS DID HAVE A SIMILAR EVENT AND OH MY GOODNESS, FOR A SMALL CAMPUS, IT WAS ENORMOUS.

AND I WORKED AT THE, UH, UT FACILITY OR EVENT, UH, GOD, IT'S PROBABLY BEEN SIX, SEVEN YEARS AGO IF THAT.

AND IT WAS SCARY.

IT WAS SCARY AT THE AMOUNT

[00:15:01]

YOU DON'T THINK, UH, YOU DON'T THINK THAT, UH, IS POSSIBLE, BUT OH MY GOD, IT'S, IT'S AMAZING.

AND YOU'RE CONSISTENTLY HAULING THAT AWAY.

IT WAS A BIG BOOM.

IT WAS A GREAT PROGRAM AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IT EXPAND TO THE, UH, SMALLER UNIVERSITIES AND, AND, AND COLLEGES THAT WE HAVE AROUND US.

AND IT, THEY CAN HAPPEN.

THIS STAFF CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN, SO NO PRESSURE.

ALRIGHT, ANYWAY, COMMISSIONERS, ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR THOUGHTS? UH, I HAVE A QUICK COMMENT, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY ABOUT THE REDDIT A M A.

UH, I JUST WANTED TO ENCOURAGE YOU GUYS TO KEEP DOING THOSE.

I SAW WHEN IT HAPPENED, AND I FEEL LIKE, UH, IT'S A REALLY GOOD WAY TO INTERACT WITH THE COMMUNITY, AN ADDITIONAL WAY TO INTERACT WITH THE COMMUNITY.

AND I FEEL LIKE I DO ALWAYS SEE A DECENT AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING ASKING HOW THEY CAN COMPOST.

SO I THINK THAT'S JUST GOOD FEEDBACK FOR US SINCE WE'RE TRYING TO PUSH THAT.

GREAT.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS, STAFF.

SO WE HAD A REALLY GOOD TURNOUT WITH THAT.

I THINK WE HAD, UM, SOMEWHERE NEAR A HUNDRED COMMENTS, I THINK.

AND, UH, SO GOOD INFORMATION, GOOD INTERACTION.

THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH FOR THE WONDERFUL NEWS.

LET'S GO SPEND IT NOW, .

AND ALL RIGHT, GUYS, LOOKING THE AGENDA MOVING ON.

THE NEXT ITEM

[4. Review, update, and approval of Zero Waste Advisory Commission By-Laws – Gerry Acuna]

WE HAVE HERE IS BASICALLY JUST TO REVIEW AND UPDATE AN APPROVAL OF THE, UH, ZERO WASTE ADVISORY COMMISSION BYLAWS.

AND, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT LITERALLY, IT'S KIND OF MAINLY HOUSE CLEANING AND, AND, UH, IT'S KIND OF A PROCESS THAT OCCURRED, UH, BECAUSE, BECAUSE OF SOME CONVERSATIONS WE HAD WITH, UH, WITH, UH, AT THE TIME, UH, DIRECTOR SNIPES KEN SNIPES, IT WAS, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THE POSSIBILITY OF CONSOLIDATING OUR MEETING SCHEDULE FROM ITS CURRENT, UH, ONCE A YEAR, UH, BYLAW STATE AT A MEETING SCHEDULE TO ONE IN WHICH THERE WAS, UH, RICHARD HELPED ME HERE.

I THINK WE HAD TALKED ABOUT EIGHT MEETINGS AT THE TIME, IS THAT CORRECT? CONSOLIDATION OF EIGHT TO EIGHT MEETINGS.

AND, AND AGAIN, THIS WAS, UH, TOPICS THAT WERE HAPPENING DURING C O V I D AND, AND AGAIN, SOME OF THE OTHER CHALLENGING EVENTS IN, IN OUR AUSTIN'S HISTORY WITH THE ICE STORM, TWO ICE STORMS, I SHOULD SAY, PLUS THE, UH, COVID EVENT.

IT MADE IT DIFFICULT FOR SOME OF US TO GET TOGETHER AND MEET.

BUT, UH, NONETHELESS, I MEAN, WE, WE DO HAVE A SCHEDULE.

WE DO HAVE A SET OF BYLAWS AND BYLAWS, WHICH I ENCOURAGE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU TO LOOK AT AND, AND REVIEW, BECAUSE THEY DO.

IT IS THE BIBLE OF WHAT WE DO HERE AND HOW WE WORK WITH STAFF AND, UH, HOW WE WORK TOGETHER TO GET, UH, GET DONE WHAT WE ARE TASKED TO DO.

BUT HAVING SAID THAT, I MEAN, THE, THE MAIN FOCUS OF THE BYLAWS IN MY PERSONAL OPINION IS, IS TRYING TO GET BACK TO A, A MEETING SCHEDULE.

IT LOOKS LIKE NOW THAT WE ARE RESTAFFING THE COMMISSION WITH MEMBERS, I THINK THAT WE ARE NOW GOING TO HAVE A, A MUCH GREATER OPPORTUNITY OF, OF, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, MEETING QUORUM AND, UH, LIVING UP TO THE, UH, I MEAN RESPONSIBILITIES THAT WE ALL SIGN UP FOR.

AND THOSE RESPONSIBILITIES, UH, LITERALLY ARE US MEETING EVERY SECOND WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH.

HAVING SAID THAT, ABOUT 10, 12 YEARS AGO, BECAUSE OF THE, UH, CHALLENGES WE FACED WITH, UH, AUSTIN, I GUESS SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST WAS THE MAIN ONE.

AND RICHARD, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CORRECT ME, SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, WE TOOK THE 12 MONTH SCHEDULE AND WE CONSOLIDATED THAT TO 10, 10 MEETINGS, OF WHICH WITH THE BYLAWS GAVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO STILL CALL ANY SPECIAL MEETING IF NEED BE.

AND THERE WERE TIMES WHEN YOU DID NEED A SPECIAL CALL MEETING WHEN THERE WAS SOME CHALLENGING SITUATIONS, BE IT BUDGET ISSUES AND OR ICE STORM RELATED AND, OR, YOU KNOW, HAD A, HAD TO GET THROUGH A TRAGIC EVENT.

AND, UH, WE ALWAYS ANSWERED THAT BELL, BUT TO MAKE A LONG STORY, SURE.

WE WENT FROM THE 12 SCHEDULED MEETINGS TO 10, AND THAT SEEMED TO WORK FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.

AND DIRECTOR OF I, AM I MISSING SOMETHING HERE? I GUESS, UH, YOU, YOU'RE CORRECT.

WE HAD THAT NUMBER OF MEETINGS.

YES, CORRECT.

ARTICLE TWO, ITEM B FOUR ZERO WASTE PROGRAMS. I'M WONDERING IF PERHAPS WE SHOULD ADD, UH, TO THAT, UH, PURSUANT TO A R R MASTER PLAN GOALS INTO THAT, UH, INTO THAT ITEM THERE.

AND AGAIN, THE OPTION WAS ALWAYS THERE TO HAVE A SPECIAL CALL TO MEETING IF NEED BE.

HAVING SAID THAT, UH, LOOKING AT THE BYLAWS AND, UH, SAYING THAT WE'RE GOING TO REVIEW THE BYLAWS, I MEAN, I JUST TOOK A QUICK GLANCE AT THESE AND, UH, I THINK IT IS IT ITEM B,

[00:20:01]

UH, LET'S SEE.

JERRY, COULD I ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THE MEETINGS? YES.

BECAUSE IN THE LANGUAGE OF THE BYLAWS, IT DOES STILL SAY MONTHLY.

SO IS THAT, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE PROPOSING WE CHANGE IN THE LANGUAGE OF THE BYLAWS THAT WE, WE CHANGE THAT TO 10 TIMES A YEAR OR MONTHLY FOR 10 MONTHS OUT OF THE YEAR OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? OR ARE WE JUST NOTING THAT WE TYPICALLY DON'T MEET IN MARCH? WE TYPICALLY DON'T MEET IN MARCH, TYPICALLY, BUT THE GOAL IS TO, TO, I GUESS, LOOK AT THE BYLAWS, UNDERSTAND THAT WHAT THEY STATE TODAY IS A MONTHLY MEETING SCHEDULE.

RIGHT.

BUT REALITY HAS IT THAT, UH, OVER THE COURSE, AND, AND AGAIN, I'M GONNA GO BACK TO 10, 15 YEARS, WE'VE MET ON A REGULAR BASIS 10 TIMES, NOT, NOT COUNTING ANY NON NON-CORE CHALLENGED MEETINGS, BUT, UH, WE MET 10 TIMES, AND THAT'S BEEN THE STATE WE DID MEET IN MARCH, AND WE USUALLY DIDN'T MEET IN DECEMBER.

IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT.

SO THOSE ARE THE TWO MONTHS THAT WE BASICALLY TOOK OFF.

AND AGAIN, I STATE THAT IF THERE WAS A CHALLENGING EVENT THAT OCCURRED AND IT REQUIRES A SPECIAL, A SPECIAL MEETING, WE WERE ABLE TO ALWAYS GET THAT.

I CAN TELL YOU OVER THE PAST PROBABLY 10 YEARS OR SO, YOU'VE AVERAGED ABOUT EIGHT MEETINGS.

UM, YEAH.

THE FOUR MONTHS THAT YOU TYPICALLY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO MEET HAS BEEN, UH, JANUARY, MARCH, JULY AND DECEMBER.

SO JUST KIND OF FOR A FRAME OF REFERENCE.

SO, UM, YOU KNOW, 10 COULD BE, COULD BE A GOOD NUMBER.

I THINK WE COULD EVEN GO A LITTLE LOWER IF WE'D LIKE, UM, NINE MM-HMM.

, LIKE CHAIR SAID, WE COULD ALWAYS HAVE SPECIAL CALL MEETINGS TO ADDRESS THAT.

ONE THING WE WILL ASK FOR AS WELL.

SO NEXT MONTH WE'LL HAVE TO ACTUALLY PICK THE, THE DATES MM-HMM.

, UH, NOT ONLY FOR THE MEETINGS, WHICH MONTHS WE'LL MEET, UH, BUT ALSO ANY MAKE DATES.

SO IF WE DO MISS A MEETING THAT IS SCHEDULED, WE'LL HAVE TO HAVE A, A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING TO MAKE THAT MEETING UP IN ORDER TO REACH THAT, WHATEVER NUMBER MEETINGS WE DECIDE UPON.

UM, SO WE'LL HAVE TO IDENTIFY THOSE DATES, AND WE WOULD RECOMMEND THE FOURTH WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH IF WE, UH, FOR ANY MAKE DATES, THAT'LL GIVE US A TWO WEEK BREAK IN BETWEEN MEETINGS.

PERFECT.

I'M IN FAVOR OF, OF CHANGING THIS, UH, FROM MONTHLY IN THE BYLAWS.

IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE THAT IT CONTINUES TO SAY MONTHLY, EVEN THOUGH WE KNOW THAT WE MEET 10 TIMES.

UM, I, I DON'T KNOW.

I, I THINK SINCE WE'VE BEEN MEET, YOU KNOW, SCHEDULING 10, I DON'T KNOW IF WE SHOULD HAVE NINE IN THE BYLAWS.

IF WE'VE BEEN SCHEDULING 10 AND BEEN ABLE TO MEET EIGHT TIMES, MY CONCERN IS THAT, THAT WE SCHEDULE NINE, DOES THAT MEAN THAT WE REALLY ONLY MEET SEVEN TIMES OR SIX OR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, WE'LL KEEP SHAVING OFF WHEN WE ACTUALLY MEET BECAUSE OF LOGISTICS.

SO, UM, I, I'D BE IN FAVOR OF AMENDING THAT, UH, WHAT IS IT, ARTICLE SEVEN D.

SO THE BOARD SHALL MEET MONTHLY FOR 10 MONTHS OF THE YEAR, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

AND I HAVE TO, I HAVE TO SAY I, I, I'M MORE COMFORTABLE WITH THAT 10 NUMBER THAN I AM WITH ANY OTHER AT THIS STAGE, SINCE IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE DONE IN THE PAST, WE'VE, UH, BEEN MORE CONSISTENT WITH THAT, UH, WITH THAT NUMBER.

AND I BELIEVE, AGAIN, THAT IT'S GOING TO CHANGE WITH THE, WITH THE, UH, GROWTH OF THIS COMMISSION.

AS WE GET MORE MEMBERS HERE, I'M GONNA BELIEVE THAT, UH, WE WON'T HAVE AS MANY NON QUORUM ATTENDED MEETINGS OR CANCELLATIONS, I SHOULD SAY.

BUT, UH, ANYWAY, COMMISSIONERS, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH THE, THE FOCUS OF THIS.

I, I MADE THAT OTHER COMMENT ON ITEM, UH, WHAT IS THAT ARTICLE TWO, ITEM B FOUR.

IF, UH, THE COMMISSION WANTS TO ADD THAT IN, THAT'S FINE.

I'LL ACCEPT THAT.

IF NOT, WE CAN LEAVE IT AS IS.

AND I OPEN THIS UP TO ANY OTHER THOUGHTS OR QUESTIONS THE COMMISSION HAS.

UH, YEAH, I, I, I LIKE ADDING B FOUR IN.

I THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA, PERSONALLY, AND I, I THINK, UM, TO GO LESS THAN 10 MEETINGS MIGHT NOT BE A GOOD IDEA.

AND I'LL TELL YOU WHY.

BECAUSE I'VE HAD SOME EXPERIENCE ON COMMISSIONS WHERE IT IS HARD TO SCHEDULE, UM, SPECIAL CALL MEETING JUST BECAUSE OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR TAKING THE RECORDS AND THE TIME AND EVERYTHING.

AND IF YOU HAVE 10, YOU, YOU

[00:25:01]

CAN RESERVE FOR 10.

AND IF WE THINK, YOU KNOW, I JUST THINK THAT, THAT IT'S A LITTLE SMARTER TO DO THAN TO GO LOWER, BECAUSE YOU CAN CANCEL MEETINGS.

I MEAN, WE, YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE OR, UH, THERE'S SOME KIND OF EVENT DOWNTOWN.

I THINK THAT THAT'S MUCH EASIER TO DO SOMETIMES IN TRYING TO FIND A SLOT FOR A SPECIAL CALL MEETING WHERE ENOUGH PEOPLE CAN COME TO MAKE A QUORUM.

SO I WOULD SAY AT 10, YOU KNOW, I, I WOULD WANNA GO ANY LOWER THAN 10.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.

HOW ABOUT, HOW ABOUT WE PHRASE IT IN A WAY THAT'S A LITTLE MORE ASPIRATIONAL? LIKE WE WILL, IN OTHER WORDS, YOU KNOW, WE WILL HAVE 10 TIME SLOTS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, UH, OR SLOTS, 10 OUT OF THE 12 MONTHS OF THE YEAR.

AND, YOU KNOW, RECOGNIZING THAT DUE TO VARIOUS, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY SOUTH BY WE RECOGNIZE IN DECEMBER ARE ALREADY KIND OF OFF THE TABLE, SO WE'LL MAKE IT 10, AND THEN WE CAN HAVE THE OTHER 10 BE SCHEDULED MEETINGS RECOGNIZING THAT DUE TO QUORUM ISSUES, ET CETERA.

UM, THIS, WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE THIS EVERY TIME.

SO I KNOW THAT'S THE MOST WORDY POSSIBLE WAY TO SAY IT.

BUT, UH, CONCEPTUALLY, WHAT DO YOU THINK? THANK YOU.

ANY COMMENTS? DO YOU WANNA SPECIFY THE MONTHS THAT WE ARE NOT MEETING IN THE BYLAWS? I THINK WE DON'T NECESSARILY NEED TO DO THAT.

I'M JUST SAYING WE COULD, INSTEAD OF TALKING ABOUT, UM, I MEAN, IF WE SAY WE WILL MEET 10 TIMES A YEAR, WELL, FRANKLY, WE DON'T MEET.

WHAT ABOUT, WE'LL, WE MEET MONTHLY FOR 10 MONTHS OF THE YEAR, WHICH, OR I GUESS WHAT I'M SCHEDULED SUGGESTING IS WE, WE WILL SCHEDULE MONTHLY MEETINGS 10 MONTHS OF THE YEAR, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

UH, I, I WILL LET YOU KNOW THE NEXT, I THOUGHT THAT'S WHAT I SAID.

I, I APOLOGIZE.

SO IN NOVEMBER, WE WILL NEED TO GIVE THE MONTHS THOUGH.

WE NEED THE DATES TO THE CITY CLERK.

SO YEAH, I THINK THAT'S FINE.

IT'S JUST OUTSIDE OF THE BYLAWS, IS THAT CORRECT? WOULD, WOULD, IS THAT RIGHT, RICHARD? I, WELL, THE BYLAWS, IT DOES SAY THAT WE ADOPT THE SCHEDULE IN NOVEMBER AS WELL.

THAT'S CORRECT.

SO IN NOVEMBER IS RICHARD STATING HERE WE HAVE TO COME IN WITH OUR CALENDAR MEETING CALENDAR, SO YOU CAN SAY 10 MONTHS, BUT THEN YOU HAVE TO IDENTIFY WHICH 10 MONTHS THOSE ARE.

WE, AND WE CAN IDENTIFY IN NOVEMBER RATHER THAN IN THE BYLAWS SPECIFYING THEM.

AGREED, YEAH.

AGREED.

WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT IT WILL STILL CONTINUE TO BE THE SECOND WEDNESDAY OF WHICHEVER MONTH WE DESIGNATE.

AND THAT'S NOT IN THE BYLAWS EITHER.

IT JUST NO, IT'S NOT.

IT'S JUST A CONSISTENT, UM, OPPORTUNITY.

IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING THAT STAFF WOULD NEED TO RESERVE THE ROOMS, A STEADY SCHEDULE, CONSISTENT SCHEDULE.

SO I HAD TWO OTHER, OTHER THAN THE MEETING, UM, FREQUENCY.

THERE WERE TWO OTHER QUESTIONS OR YEAH, CLARIFICATIONS.

ONE IS, WE HAVE LANGUAGE IN HERE ABOUT, UM, LET ME SEE, I'M LOOKING AT ARTICLE THREE F ABOUT THE SIGN IN SHEET, AND WE SIGN IN AND THEN WE SAY WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST, IT, IT OCCURS TO ME THAT WE HAVE NOT BEEN DOING A PARALLEL PROCESS FOR THE FOLKS THAT ARE CONNECTING VIRTUALLY.

OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, I GUESS SIGNING IN DIGITALLY BY BEING HERE, BUT SHOULD WE BE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING MAKING A STATEMENT ABOUT, UH, LACK OF CONFLICT OR, UH, ANYTHING LIKE THAT? I MEAN, WE CAN'T BE THE ONLY COMMISSION THAT HAS A CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT.

SO I THINK WE SHOULD IN THE BYLAWS, OR AT LEAST FOR OURSELVES IN PROCESS, ADDRESS HOW WE SHOULD DO THAT GOING FORWARD, BECAUSE WE PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN DOING SOMETHING BEFORE THIS ABOUT THAT.

VERY GOOD POINT, AMANDA.

I, I KNOW WE DID HAVE THE SIGN IN SHEET BACK, I GUESS IT WAS PRIOR TO COVID ACTUALLY, THAT WE ALL SIGNED IN STATING WE HAD NO CONFLICT.

AND IF WE DID, WE STATED WHICH ONE, CRAIG? THE LAST COMMISSION I WAS ON, THAT WAS A BIG DEAL, , AND IT WAS A BIG DEAL WITH THE CLERK'S OFFICE.

MM-HMM.

SO I'M KIND OF SURPRISED, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE THEY CAME TO OUR COMMISSION AND THEY MADE SURE WE SIGNED IT.

EVEN WHEN YOU'RE NOT, WHEN YOU COME VIRTUALLY, YOU HAD TO EMAIL THEM ONLINE TO SAY, YOU KNOW, THAT YOU HAD NO CONFLICT.

SO I DON'T KNOW.

I MEAN, I WAS, I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT WAS KINDA LIKE A CLERK'S OFFICE REQUIREMENT.

AND IT IS IN THE BYLAWS ACTUALLY.

I ASSUMED EVERYONE GOT THAT.

SO THAT'S, AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE, WE WILL GO AHEAD AND WE WILL LOOK AT THAT AND ADDRESS THAT, THAT FOR THE NEXT MEETING.

THANK YOU, MA'AM.

YEAH, I THOUGHT AN EMAIL WENT OUT ACTUALLY ABOUT THAT, MAYBE FROM THE CLERK'S OFFICE.

I'M TRYING TO LOOK FOR IT NOW THAT DID SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS BOTH THE ATTENDANCE SHEET AND I THOUGHT THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT AS WELL.

[00:30:01]

I, YOU'RE, YOU'RE PRETTY RIGHT ON THERE.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, THOUGHTS? UM, YEAH, I JUST WANNA COMMENT WHEN YOU'RE DONE WITH THE CONFLICT DISCUSSION, THERE WAS ANOTHER PART THAT I, OH, GO AHEAD.

I'M SORRY, AMANDA, GO AHEAD, PLEASE.

UM, AND THEN THE OTHER COMMENT QUESTION IS SECTION SEVEN, ARTICLE SEVEN, UH, J ON CITIZENS COMMUNICATIONS.

I, I NOTICED THAT OUR LANGUAGE IS, THE CHAIR MAY LIMIT A SPEAKER TO THREE MINUTES.

UM, AND JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT UP FOR DISCUSSION.

I KNOW WE TYPICALLY DEFAULT TO THE THREE MINUTES, AND, AND I, I CAN, I THINK THERE HAVE BEEN INSTANCES WHERE IT GOES LONGER, BUT AFTER, IF WE HAVE QUESTIONS, IF COMMISSIONERS HAVE QUESTIONS, BUT THERE'S ALWAYS THAT THREE MINUTE TIMER ON THE INITIAL STATEMENT FROM THE CITIZEN, UM, IT LOOKS LIKE WE MAY NOT NECESSARILY HAVE TO DO THAT BECAUSE THIS SAYS MAY NOT WILL MM-HMM.

, UM, AND WANTED TO SPEAK TO THE, MY, MY PEERS HERE AND FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU ALL FEEL ABOUT THAT.

IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD SHIFT IN HOW WE DO THINGS, UM, AND, AND MAYBE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS LANGUAGE THAT SAYS MAY OR YEAH.

WELL, HOW DO WE FEEL ABOUT THIS? I MEAN, ON THAT, SPEAKING TO THE QUESTION YEAH, GO AHEAD.

AND THEN WE HAD A BIG ISSUE WITH THAT A FEW TIMES ON THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION.

WE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WANTED TO SPEAK.

AND, UH, THE, WHAT THE ROBERT'S RULES SAYS IS THAT WE CAN CHANGE THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT, AND WE CAN MAKE A POLICY AND WE CAN VOTE ON IT.

IT'S NOT REALLY IN THE BYLAWS AS FAR AS I UNDERSTAND IT, IT'S THE POLICY WE FOLLOW.

JUST LIKE THE CITY COUNCIL, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE WATCHED IT RECENTLY, THE CITY COUNCIL HAS BEEN THROUGH HOW LONG PEOPLE ARE ALLOWED TO SPEAK.

AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF, AND I DON'T THINK WE HAVE TO PUT THAT IN THE BYLAWS, BUT WE DO MAKE A POLICY.

SO I THINK THIS JUST SUGGESTS THAT, BUT WHAT THE CITY DOES AND WHAT EVERY COMMISSION I KNOW IF YOU, UH, PUBLIC COMMUNICATION, YOU DO THREE MINUTES OR, UM, BUT THEN IF PEOPLE WANNA SPEAK ON AN ITEM, DEPENDING ON HOW MANY PEOPLE, WHAT THE CITY COUNCIL DOES NOW IS A ONE MINUTE OR TWO MINUTES, DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH, HOW LONG THEY THINK THE MEETING WILL LAST, YOU KNOW? BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THAT HAS TO BE IN THE BYLAWS.

I I DON'T THINK IT DOES.

I THINK WE CAN, WELL, WE CAN VOTE ON A POLICY THOUGH, EITHER THE, THE BYLAWS CURRENTLY GIVE US OR THE CHAIR THE OPTION OF SETTING THE THREE MINUTE CLOCK.

YEAH, WE USUALLY, THERE, THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW INSTANCES WHEN WE'VE HAD, UH, A TOPIC OR TWO THAT BROUGHT OUT A LOT OF SPEAKERS.

AND AT THAT STAGE TO GET EVERYONE WHO INVOLVED AND ABLE TO SPEAK, YOU HAD TO SET, UH, SET THE TIMER.

AND THAT DOESN'T PRECLUDE US FROM ASKING ANY QUESTIONS OF ANY SPEAKER AT ANY TIME.

RIGHT.

BUT THE, THE THREE MINUTE CLOCK IS JUST SOMETHING OUT OF, OUT OF RESPECT FOR EVERYBODY'S TIME AND, AND, UH, THE OTHERS WHO WANT TO SPEAK, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IT'S AN OPTION WHICH WE'VE RARELY HAVE, UH, ACTUALLY USED SINCE WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A LOT OF, UH, CITIZEN COMMUNICATION, PUBLIC, UH, DISCORD, I SHOULD SAY, I HOPE.

BUT NONETHELESS, IT'S, UH, IT'S AN OPTION THERE.

AND AMANDA, TO YOUR POINT, I, UH, THE THREE MINUTES, UH, THE WAY I READ THIS IS AGAIN, IT'S THE OPTION OF THE COMMISSION TO START THE, START THE CLOCK OR HAVE STAFF START THE CLOCK AT A RESPECT FOR OTHERS TIME.

JOHN, GO AHEAD.

UM, I, I GUESS MY, MY OPINION IS SINCE THIS HAS NOT REALLY BEEN AN ISSUE IN THE PAST, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, CORRECT, UH, I HAVEN'T REALLY SEEN US HAVE A, PEOPLE LINED UP TOO MUCH B THAT PEOPLE FEEL TOO CUT OFF.

AND I THINK, UM, CHAIR, YOU'VE DONE A GOOD JOB OF SOFT CUTTING PEOPLE OFF AT THE, AROUND THE THREE MINUTE MARK.

IT ALSO GIVES PEOPLE A GUIDE AS TO HOW LONG THEIR PREPARED STATEMENT CAN BE.

AND THEN CERTAINLY AS YOU STATED, UH, WE GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS OR THEY GET TO A CHANCE TO REBUTTAL OR RESPOND TO QUESTIONS, ET CETERA.

SO GIVING THEM, I THINK A NUMBER, IF WE THINK THREE MINUTES HAS BEEN TOO SHORT IN THE PAST, UH, WHICH I GUESS I WOULD KIND OF QUESTION, IT SEEMS LIKE PEOPLE CAN MOSTLY GET THEIR INITIAL POINT OF COST IN THREE MINUTES AND THEY CAN SAY, HEY, I'VE GOT MORE INFORMATION IF YOU NEED IT.

AND THEN WE CAN ASK FOR THAT.

I THINK THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD STARTING POINT THAT THEY CAN THEN USE TO DESIGN THEIR INITIAL COMMENT.

AND THEN, UH, IT REALLY HASN'T BEEN SOMETHING WE RUN AGAINST IN, IN TERMS OF IT, IN TERMS OF IT BEING A PROBLEM.

BUT MAYBE SOMEONE'S HEARD SOMETHING.

I HAVEN'T.

THANK YOU, JAN.

NO,

[00:35:01]

MELISSA, YOU HAD A COMMENT? UH, I DO HAVE A COMMENT.

UM, IT REALLY JUST HASN'T BEEN AN ISSUE AT ALL.

MM-HMM.

PEOPLE DON'T GENERALLY SIGN UP TO SPEAK AT THIS MEETING.

, I FOUND IT REALLY HINDERED THE MOMENTUM ON THE COMMISSION MM-HMM.

AND WHEN YOU WENT TOO LONG IN BETWEEN MEETINGS, PEOPLE WERE FORGETTING WHAT HAPPENED IN THE MEETING BEFORE, AND YOU HAD TO GO BACK OVER IT ALL OVER AGAIN.

I FEEL LIKE THAT'S A TIME WASTER.

SO I DEFINITELY DON'T WANNA DO LESS THAN 10 MEETINGS.

ALRIGHT.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THE, UH, JUST ONE OTHER, YEAH, JUST BRIEF ONE.

I DID FIND THAT EMAIL FROM STEPHANIE HALL REGARDING THE, UM, CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENTS AND ATTENDANCE IN BOTH IN PERSON AS WELL AS VIRTUALLY THAT WAS SENT OUT TO THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONERS COMMISSIONS ON JUNE 27TH THIS YEAR AT 4:12 PM UH, SO I HOPE EVERYONE GOT THAT.

IT DOES SEEM TO CLARIFY.

NOW.

ARE WE FOLLOWING, FOLLOWING EVERYTHING IN THERE? UH, I, I'M NOT, I'M NOT SURE I CAN SAY THAT.

UH, SO THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING WE REFER TO, BUT RATHER THAN CHANGING THE BYLAWS, PERHAPS WE JUST SAY WE'RE FOLLOWING THE, UM, WHAT THE CITY CLERK DETERMINES IS THE APPROPRIATE PROCEDURE FOR THOSE THINGS, I GUESS, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

COMMISSIONERS.

THANK YOU, YOUR HONOR.

ANY OF THE COMMENTS OR THOUGHTS? ALRIGHT, SO JUST TO GO OVER WHAT WE'VE DISCUSSED HERE, I, I THINK THE, UH, THERE WAS THE, UH, ITEM, WHAT IS THAT TO ARTICLE TWO B FOUR? I MEAN, IF WE NEED TO, WE CAN ADD THAT PURSUANT TO A R R MASTER PLAN GOALS, NOT A BIG DEAL, BUT IF YOU WANT TO ADD THAT, WE CAN DO THAT.

UH, WHAT WAS THE OTHER ITEM HERE? THAT WAS THE, I'M SORRY, AMANDA.

THAT WAS ALL RIGHT.

THE, UH, THREE MINUTES, WHICH AGAIN, WE'VE DISCUSSED, WHICH IS NOT, UH, ANYTHING OF, AND THEN ACTUALLY THE SIGN-IN SHEETS AND THE ACTUAL, UH, CONFLICTS, WHICH WE HAD DONE IN THE PAST.

AND NOW WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO IN THE FUTURE, BEGIN TO DO IN THE FUTURE ON A CONSISTENT BASIS.

AND THEN THE MOST, UH, DISCUSSED ITEM IS THE NUMBER OF MEETINGS THAT, UH, WE WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT IN A RE REVISED BYLAW BYLAWS.

AND I THINK THAT IS, UH, 10.

IS THAT A COMFORTABLE NUMBER? OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

SO DID WE GET THAT? I MEAN, ALL RIGHT.

SO HAVING SAID THAT, UH, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.

I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ACCEPT THOSE CHANGES TO THE BYLAWS.

DO I HEAR A SECOND? ACTUALLY, QUICK QUESTION ON THAT.

CAN WE JUST GET THEM ALL WRITTEN UP? AND SINCE WE HAVEN'T SPECIFIED EXACT LANGUAGE, MAYBE THE BEST APPROACH WOULD BE SOMEONE MAKE ALL THOSE CHANGES, HIGHLIGHT THE CHANGES, SEND IT OUT, WE CAN REVIEW IT, AND THEN DO THE FINAL VOTE ONCE WE'VE HAD A CHANCE TO READ THAT, JUST IN CASE THERE'S A LANGUAGE TWEAK.

YEAH, THAT WOULD BE FINE.

THAT WOULD BE FINE.

SO WE HAD A MOTION AND, UH, AN ACCEPTANCE OF THE FRIENDLY.

SO, SO WE'LL, UH, WE'LL WAIT, MAKE THE CHANGES, BRING THOSE BACK.

SO WE WILL HAVE TO ADDRESS THIS PRIOR TO SETTING OUR MEETING SCHEDULE.

MAKE SURE WE PASS THAT AND THEN WE CAN SET OUR SCHEDULE.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS.

OUR SCHEDULED DATE.

ALRIGHT.

SO WE'LL DEFER THIS ITEM UNTIL WE HAVE THE WRITTEN CHANGES.

THANK YOU, YOUR HONOR.

AND HAVING SAID THAT, I THINK THAT PRETTY MUCH, UH, DOES IT WITH THIS ITEM, ALTHOUGH I'M NOT MISTAKEN.

THANK YOU FOR THE INPUT.

ACTUALLY APPRECIATE IT.

WE, WE, ARE WE GEN NEW AGENDA ITEMS? NO, NOT YET.

[5. Review and approval of Landfill Gas Collection and Monitoring Contract– Richard McHale]

UH, LANDFILL GAS COLLECTION AND MONITORING, UH, R C A, UM, COMMISSIONERS, WE ARE SEEKING YOUR APPROVAL FOR A, UH, A FIVE YEAR, UH, CONTRACT WITH STERNS CONRAD AND SCHMIDT CONSULTING, KNOWN IN THE INDUSTRY AS S E S, UH, FOR GREENHOUSE GAS MONITORING, UH, AND OTHER SERVICES RELATED TO OUR

[00:40:01]

METHANE GAS SYSTEM AT LEE CHASE SYSTEM AT OUR FM A 12 LANDFILL.

UM, AND I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT, THAT YOU MAY HAVE.

I HAVE A QUESTION.

GO AHEAD.

SO HOW ARE THEY MONITORING THIS? UH, THERE'S A NUMBER OF WAYS TO DO IT I, THAT I'M AWARE OF.

SO I'M JUST CURIOUS, ARE THEY USING A VARIETY OF METHODS? UH, I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT METHOD THEY USE, BUT WE HAVE ROUTINE MONITORING THAT HAS TO BE DONE AT THE WELLHEADS AT THE FACILITY, AND WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 80 POINTS THAT WE MONITOR FOR.

UH, AND THEN, UH, THAT DATA IS ALSO, UM, COLLECTED.

UH, THE PERFORMANCE MEASURE, UH, PERFORMANCE OF OUR FLARE IS ALSO INCLUDED IN THAT, UH, THERE'S, UH, HOW WELL IT'S, UH, DESTRUCTING, UH, EMISSIONS AND, UH, THAT INFORMATION IS SUBMITTED ANNUALLY, THE E P A FOR THEIR GREENHOUSE GAS REPORT.

'CAUSE I KNOW THEY DO, JUST OUTTA CURIOSITY, I KNOW THEY DO INFRARED, YOU KNOW THAT THAT'S ONE WAY TO DO IT.

BUT SO THIS IS, SO THESE ARE AC THEY'RE ACTUALLY HOOKING UP TO INDIVIDUAL WELLS, SO THEY'RE ACTUALLY SEEING THE METHANE LEVELS.

AND SO THIS ISN'T JUST A INFRARED, UH, PICTURE SHOWING METHANE EMISSIONS.

THIS IS ACTUALLY HOOKING UP MONITORING EQUIPMENT TO THE WELLHEADS AND GETTING THAT INFORMATION.

SURE, YOU'LL DO THAT.

NO, AND ACTUALLY THAT'S A REASONABLE PRICE TOO, I THINK FOR, FOR DOING THAT.

THAT, THAT'S A LOT OF, UH, STUFF TO HOOK UP .

HMM.

UH, WE HAVE AN R C A HERE.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE R C A I, IF I MIGHT BE, I MIGHT BE MISTAKEN, BUT I REMEMBER THE, WAS THERE A DISCUSSION, UM, ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE WERE ACTUALLY POTENTIALLY, IS THIS THE LANDFILL THAT WAS STARTING TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF METHANE OR WAS IT, I GUESS IN SOME CASES WE'RE REDUCING IT IN? OTHERS WE'RE INCREASING.

REMIND ME OF THAT .

SO, FMMA 12 LANDFILL, THE, THE LANDFILL GAS IN GENERAL HAS BEEN IN DECLINE NATURALLY ABOUT A, ABOUT 15 YEARS AFTER THE FINAL FUT TRUSTABLE WASTE IS PUT IN THERE IS REALLY THE PEAK OF THE GAS GENERATION.

AND AFTER THE 15 YEARS, THE QUALITY OF THAT GAS HAS CONTINUES.

UH, THE QUA QUALITY AND QUANTITY OF THE GAS CONTINUES TO DECREASE.

SO, UM, WE CLOSED THIS FACILITY TO ADDRESSABLE WASTE IN 1999, SO IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE'RE AT 24 YEARS, SO THIS, THE QUALITY AND QUANTITY OF GAS GENERATED BY THIS FACILITY IS IN DECLINE.

SO, UM, SO THAT IS A GOOD THING.

UM, BUT YES, THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE THAT CAME FROM.

AND SO WILL THIS, UH, SO IT'S A FIVE-YEAR CONTRACT HERE.

IS THERE A I, AND THIS I GUESS IS JUST A GENERAL INQUIRY, UH, FOR CURIOSITY'S SAKE, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE MONITORED IN KIND OF PERPETUITY OR WHAT DO WE EXPECT? IS THERE A CERTAIN LEVEL BELOW WHICH IT KIND OF, THIS KIND OF DROPS OFF? YES.

JUST WONDER.

YEAH, GREAT QUESTION.

NOW, FEDERAL REGULATIONS REQUIRE 30 YEAR POST CLOSURE MONITORING PERIOD.

SO WE ARE ACTUALLY IN YEAR TWO OF THAT.

UM, THERE HAD, YOU KNOW, THAT THOSE RULES ARE PROMULGATED BACK IN THE EARLY NINETIES, SO NOW WE'RE STARTING TO SEE SOME LANDFILLS THAT ARE ACTUALLY GETTING OUT OF THEIR 30 YEAR PERIOD.

AND SO THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL ABOUT DO WE EXTEND THAT 30 YEAR POST CLOSURE PERIOD AND FOR ADDITIONAL MONITORING AND WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? SO, UM, AS LONG AS THIS IS A CITY LANDFILL, WE'LL BE CONTINUING TO MONITOR IT, UH, EVEN AFTER THAT 30 YEAR PERIOD OF, UH, IF, IF THE NEED IS THERE.

APPRECIATE THAT.

AFTER YEAR 30, IT TURNS INTO A GOLF COURSE, , SO THAT'S A WONDERFUL GIFT.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS.

ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE R C A HEARING? NO OTHER QUESTIONS.

I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.

I MOVE.

WE APPROVE.

CRAIG MOVES APPROVAL.

HEARING NO OTHER QUESTIONS OR ANY OTHER DISCUSSION.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR RAISE YOUR HAND.

THANK YOU RICHARD.

ALRIGHT GUYS, UH, THE

[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]

LAST ITEM OF BUSINESS IS FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. I THINK, UH, CRAIG, YOU HAD A, UH, YEAH, I'VE BEEN ASKED BY MY DISTRICT SEVEN APPOINTER, UH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER LESLIE POOLE.

THEY'RE LOOKING AT CHANGING, UM, UH, AND THEY'VE BEEN TRYING THIS FOR A WHILE TO CHANGE, UH, UH, THE DEVELOPMENT CODE, SO THERE'LL BE MORE REDEVELOPMENT IN, UH, PARTICULARLY SINGLE FAMILY HOME AREAS.

AND SO AS GOING ALONG WITH THAT, THEY, UH, I'VE BEEN ASKED TO LOOK INTO OUR, UH, DECONSTRUCTION, UH, UH, PROGRAM.

AND

[00:45:01]

I, YOU KNOW, I MUST ADMIT I WASN'T, I DIDN'T KNOW WE HAD ONE AT WHEN I, THEY SAID, BUT I'VE BEEN LOOKING INTO A LITTLE BIT.

SO WHAT WE'RE THINKING IS, YOU KNOW, PUTTING THAT ON THE AGENDA TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY WAY WE CAN EXTEND THE DECONSTRUCTION PROGRAM TO SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, WHICH I DON'T THINK IT COVERS RIGHT NOW.

I I I IMAGINE THERE MIGHT BE A REASON WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT YET, BUT I'M NOT SURE.

SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE YOU GUYS A CHANCE TO DO IS TO TELL US ALL ABOUT IT.

VERY GOOD.

UH, GOOD EVENING'S COMMISSIONER, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, GINA MCKINLEY.

UM, AND YES, WE ACTUALLY JUST, WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS VERY THING YESTERDAY AND WE HAVE A C AND D RECYCLING ORDINANCE.

HAPPY TO PROVIDE YOU SOME MORE BACKGROUND ON THAT IF YOU NEED.

UM, BUT IT DOES REQUIRE A CERTAIN LEVEL OF RECYCLING FOR SOME CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION PROJECTS FOR SINGLE FAMILY CONSTRUCTION.

I BELIEVE IT'S 5,000 SQUARE FEET AND GREATER, BECAUSE THAT WAS WHERE THERE WAS THE MOST OPPORTUNITY AREA FOR MATERIAL.

NOW THAT'S TALKING ABOUT RECYCLING, BUT THE ORDINANCE, WHILE IT DOESN'T MANDATE DECONSTRUCTION, IT DOES ENCOURAGE, UH, THAT DECONSTRUCTION BE CONSIDERED IN THAT PROCESS.

BUT WE ARE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE AND THERE'S A LOT OF WORK IN TALKING ABOUT DECONSTRUCTION, EVEN HOME MOVING.

AND SO WE, WE JUST HAD THAT CONVERSATION YESTERDAY AND I, I THINK IT COULD BE BENEFICIAL TO HAVE A CONVERSATION, NOT JUST WITH OUR STAFF, BUT ALSO MAYBE INVITE THAT STAFF TO COME AS WELL TO PROVIDE YOU SOME MORE BACKGROUND CURRENT STATE OF THE C AND D ORDINANCE AND, AND INCORPORATE WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO AS A CITY IN TERMS OF DECONSTRUCTION AND PRESERVING SOME OF THAT MATERIAL RATHER THAN JUST RECYCLING IT.

YEAH, THAT SOUNDS GOOD.

ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU GINA.

UH, WE ALSO HAVE, I GUESS THE, UH, WHAT IS IT, THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PRESENTATION IS THAT NEXT MONTH.

AND LET'S SEE, COMMISSIONERS, UH, I GUESS THE, UH, COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO, TO ACTUALLY START DISCUSSING THE MASTER PLAN.

IS THAT CORRECT, RICHARD? OR IS THAT, ARE THEY ONE AND THE SAME FOR THE MOST PART? YEAH, SO I, YEAH, NO, THE, THE, THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS THE CORRECT NEW AND IMPROVED MASTER PLAN.

SO I'M GONNA KEEP THAT THEN AS ONE INSTEAD OF, I WANTED TO HAVE A SEPARATE DISCUSSION ACTION ITEM ON THE MASTER PLAN ITSELF.

BUT IF THIS IS IT, WE'LL, WE'LL TAKE THAT.

ANY OTHER ITEMS, COMMISSIONERS THAT HEARING? NO OTHER ITEMS? I CAN'T BELIEVE THERE'S STILL LIGHT OUT THERE.

AND WE MAY ADJOURN.

THERE'S PROBABLY STILL TRAFFIC THEN.

GOOD POINT.

ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, I THINK THAT IS IT.

THAT WRAPS US UP AND I WILL AGAIN ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT.

THERE YOU GO.

I MOVE.

DO WE HEAR? THANK YOU, CRAIG.

SECOND MADELINE SECONDS.

HEARING NO DISCUSSION.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS.