Oct 08, 2025 Zero Waste Advisory Commission

[00:00:05]

GETS, GETS

[CALL MEETING TO ORDER]

WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO START THIS MEETING.

WELCOME MICHAEL.

WELCOME MELISSA.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, SIR.

ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, THIS SHOULD BE A STRAIGHTFORWARD AGENDA.

I WAS LOOKING AT, UH, AT THE, UH, AGENDA, AND I WAS ASKING THE COMMISSIONERS ON THE DAIS.

AND, UH, I'LL ASK THE, UH, COMMISSIONERS WHO ARE LINE JOINING US.

UH, ITEM NUMBER THREE, WHICH IS THE, UH, DISCUSSION AND ACTION REGARDING THE, UH, CITY AUDITS OF A RR.

IF WE CAN MOVE THAT ONE TO THE, TO THE END OF THE, UH, MEETING, I WOULD LOVE THAT WE CAN, UH, END, HOPEFULLY ON A GOOD NOTE, IF THAT MAKES SENSE AND, UH, MOVE FORWARD.

BUT ANYWAY, THAT'D BE THE WILL OF THIS COMMISSION.

I THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS.

THANK YOU.

ALRIGHT.

THE FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS IS THE, UH, I GUESS THERE IS NO PUBLIC, UH, SIGNUPS OR NO ONE SPEAKING.

ALRIGHT, SEE NO ONE HERE TO SPEAK.

THE FIRST ITEM IS THE

[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

YES.

YES.

I MEAN, MAKE A MOTION TO YES.

NO, NO.

MAKE A MOTION.

I'M LOOKING FOR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE, TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.

YES.

LOOKING FOR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE, UM, PREVIOUS MEETING FROM AUGUST 13TH.

SETH MOVES.

DO I HEAR A SECOND HERE? BEYOND SECONDS THAT, DO I HEAR? ANY QUESTIONS, ANY CONCERNS, ANY DISCUSSION ON THOSE MINUTES? HEARING NONE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THANK YOU, UNANIMOUS.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS.

UH, THE NEXT ITEM

[2. Approve the 2026 Zero Waste Advisory Commission Meeting Schedule.]

AND HOPEFULLY YOU HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK THIS OVER.

IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO THE, UH, THE SCHEDULE WE HAD THIS PAST YEAR AND IN PREVIOUS YEARS, THE TWO, THE TWO MONTHS THAT WE USUALLY, UH, TAKE OFF, OR DURING THE, UH, SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, UH, MONTH, WHICH IS, UH, MARCH, AND THEN AROUND CHRISTMAS AT THE END OF THE YEAR.

AND, AND AGAIN, THIS, UH, SCHEDULE IS HERE.

DO I HEAR ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS? ANY CONCERNS, ANY THOUGHTS, ANY REARRANGEMENT OF SCHEDULES? IF THEN I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.

IF THERE'S NO QUESTIONS, I MOTION TO .

THIS IS ALI.

I, I'M SORRY, WHO? WHO'S, THIS IS ALI .

ALI, I HAVE TO HAVE YOUR FACE, ALI.

AH, GOT IT, GOT IT.

OKAY.

GIMME JUST A FEW MINUTES.

I, YES, YES.

THANK YOU.

ALI, IN YOU HAVE TO IN THE INTERIM.

YES, GO AHEAD.

I WOULD SAY WE CAN APPROVE THEM.

YES.

YES, YES.

WE HAVE A, I THINK WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A MOTION.

DO I HEAR A SECOND HERE? I'LL SECOND MOTION I SECONDS.

DO I HEAR ANY, ANY QUESTIONS, ANY DISCUSSION ON THE SCHEDULE, HEARING NOTICE, DISCUSSIONS, OR QUESTIONS? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

ALL THOSE, UH, UNANIMOUS, I'M ASSUMING ALLIE JUST, ALL RIGHT.

SO WE ARE CURRENTLY DOWN TO, WHAT IS IT? UH, SEVEN MEMBERS? YEAH, THAT'S SEVEN.

YEAH, SEVEN MEMBERS.

SO WE'RE GOOD.

ALRIGHT, GUYS, THE NEXT

[4. Recommend authorizing the negotiation and execution of a multi-term contract to provide residential dumpster collection services, with Texas Disposal Systems, for up to 36 months, with two 12-month options, for a total contract amount not to exceed $2,500,000.]

I, OKAY.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS.

MY NAME IS LIONEL BENFORD.

I'M THE DIVISION MANAGER FOR COLLECTION SERVICES FOR AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY.

AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY IS REQUESTING A FAVORABLE RECOMMENDATION FOR A RESIDENTIAL DUMPSTER COLLECTION SERVICE CONTRACT WITH A TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 2.5 MILLION.

THE CONTRACT WILL

[00:05:01]

THE CONTRACT WILL SUPPORT THE CITY ZERO WASTE INITIATIVES BY ENSURING CONTINUED AND EXPANDED RESIDENTIAL DUMPSTER COLLECTION SERVICES.

THE CONTRACTOR WILL ALSO PROVIDE COLLECTION, TRANSPORTATION, MAINTENANCE, CLEANUP, AND ADJUSTMENT OF DUMPER SIZES AS NEEDED.

UH, ARR IS REQUESTING AUTHORIZATION TO EXECUTE A MULTI-TERM CONTRACT FOR UP TO 36 MONTHS WITH, UH, TWO 12 MONTH OPTIONS.

ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, LIONEL.

COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS ON THE PROPOSED AGREEMENT? ANY DISCUSSION? I GUESS MY STANDARD QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT AGREEMENT IS THIS REPLACING? WHAT WAS THE VALUE OF THAT AGREEMENT? ARE THERE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN IT'S REPLACING, UH, RESIDENTIAL ION CONTRACT THAT WAS WITH TDS? CORRECT.

AND IT WAS A THREE YEAR, UH, WITH TWO 12 MONTH OPTIONS, THE SAME CONTRACT.

OKAY.

AND THE, IS THE PRICING EQUIVALENT? IT'S UP A LITTLE BIT, BUT, UH, PURSUIT, I MEAN, CONSISTENT WITH THE, THE MARKETS.

OKAY.

THAT'S A ONE YEAR CONTRACT WITH TWO OPTIONS, MAKING IT A TOTAL OF THREE OR THREE WITH TWO OPTIONS, MAKING IT A TOTAL OF FIVE, A THREE YEAR WITH TWO OPTIONS, MAKING A TOTAL OUT FILE.

OKAY.

MAKES SENSE.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONERS, HEARING? NO, THE QUESTIONS.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? WELL, FIRST OFF, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.

LET'S, LET'S START THERE FIRST.

CAN I SEE THAT? YES.

YEP.

CAN I ASK ONE MORE QUESTION? I'M SORRY.

YES.

IT SAYS IN THE PREVIOUS CONTRACT THAT IT WAS 2.1 MILLION.

YES, SIR.

BUT THAT THE ACTUAL SPEND WAS 1.1 MILLION ABOUT IF THE ACTUAL SPEND WAS LESS, HOW COME THE NEW CONTRACT IS MORE THAN THE PREVIOUS CONTRACT? THE COST OF SERVICE.

AND WE, RIGHT NOW WITH THAT CONTRACT, WE, UH, THE AMOUNT OF DUMPSTERS THAT WE HAVE IS DECREASED, AND JUST IN CASE WE HAVE TWO INCREASED DUMPSTERS, THE COST OF THOSE DUMPSTERS.

AND, BUT WOULD YOU EXPECT IT TO COME IN? LIKE, I DON'T KNOW, THIS IS SIGNIFICANTLY LESS THAT IT CAME IN LAST TIME.

IS THAT PROBABLY WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN? HOPE, HOPEFULLY, HOPE SO.

BUT IT JUST GIVES YOU THE, A RANGE OF, WITH THE, UH, WITH THE RESIDENTS AND US DELIVERING RECYCLING, UH, CONTAINERS AND COMPOST CONTAINERS, WE'RE HOPING THAT WE REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF DUMPSTERS.

OKAY.

THANKS.

JUST CLARIFYING.

YEAH.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONERS? I THINK YEAH, AS YOU'RE, YOU'RE MENTIONING IT, IT'D BE INTERESTING TO SEE KIND OF HOW THAT PLAYS OUT OVER TIME.

LIKE, IT'D BE GOOD TO GET SOME FEEDBACK AS TO, HEY, YEAH, THIS TURNED OUT TO BE MORE OR LESS.

UH, SO JUST A NOTE, I GUESS, TO CONTINUE TO WATCH THAT SORT OF THING.

GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.

I'M RON ROMERO, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR WITH AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY.

WE CAN CERTAINLY BRING YOU SOME MORE INFORMATION SIX MONTHS INTO THE CONTRACT, A YEAR INTO THE CONTRACT.

MM-HMM .

LET YOU KNOW WHAT THE STATUS OF THAT IS, WHAT THE SPEND LOOKS LIKE.

UH, OF COURSE, LIONEL MENTIONED IT'S AUTHORIZATION TO SPEND THAT MUCH.

WE DEFINITELY, UH, WE'VE GOT A GOOD PARTNERSHIP WITH, UH, UH, TDS.

THEY'VE HAD THE PREVIOUS CONTRACT.

WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE THE RELATIONSHIP, UH, BUT WE'LL BE, UH, GLAD TO COME BACK AND PROVIDE SOME UPDATED, UH, INFORMATION ON THE CONTRACT IF YOU GUYS SO PREFER.

THANK YOU, RON.

ALRIGHT.

COMMISSIONERS.

THERE IS A, I'VE GOT ONE MORE QUESTION.

OH, I'M ACTUALLY SORRY, MICHAEL.

GO.

YEAH.

UM, THANKS FOR, UH, PROVIDING INFORMATION ON THIS CONTRACT.

UH, I KNOW THERE WERE THREE OTHER BIDS, SO I WAS JUST, DID ALL OTHER BIDS COME IN AT, UH, OR WHAT I, I SUPPOSE JUST SIMPLY WHAT WAS THE REASON THAT WE CHOSE THIS ONE RENEWING WITH THIS CONTRACT OVER THE OTHER THREE OPTIONS? UH, I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT DETAILS ON, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD BE A, UH, QUESTION THAT WE'D HAVE TO POSE TO PURCHASING CONTRACT.

YEAH.

UH, CORPORATE PURCHASING.

UH, BUT I KNOW THAT THE, UH, ONE OF THE FIRST BIDS WAS PROBLEMATIC.

UH, I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT THE ISSUES WERE.

THEY DID PROVIDE IT, UH, TO US.

UH, THE INFORMATION CAME AS TED DS BEING THE NEXT QUALIFIED VENDOR, AND THAT'S WHAT WE WENT WITH.

OH, THIS WAS THROUGH PROCUREMENT? YES, SIR.

IS THAT CORRECT? OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

ALRIGHT.

THANK YOU, MICHAEL.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS,

[00:10:01]

I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE IT THEN.

JAN MU APPROVAL.

DO I HEAR HER SECOND? I'LL SECOND IT.

MICHAEL MOVES TO SECOND THIS.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR HAND, PLEASE.

UNANIMOUS.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS.

THANK YOU, RON.

THE NEXT ITEM HERE

[5. Staff briefing regarding the Transfer Facility, by Amy Slagle, Assistant Director of Austin Resource Recovery]

AND AMY, I THINK THAT'S YOUR ITEM HERE.

GOOD EVENING.

GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.

AMY SLAGEL, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, UH, FOR AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY.

UM, HERE TONIGHT TO GIVE AN UPDATE ON THE, UH, UH, TRANSFER STATION.

UH, THIS IS, UH, THE SAME PRESENTATION WE GAVE TO THE, UH, UH, CLIMATE, OR THE DIRECTOR GAVE TO THE CLIMATE, WATER, AND ENVIRONMENT AND PARKS COMMITTEE, UH, BACK IN AUGUST.

SO I'M HERE TONIGHT FILLING IN, UH, FOR HIM.

UM, WE WORKED WITH A CONSULTANT TO, UH, TO ON THE STUDY TO SEE IF IT'S CHEAPER TO DIRECT HAUL, UH, MATERIAL FROM THE ROUTES TO THE FINAL DISPOSAL SITE, LIKE A LANDFILL OR THE COMPOST FACILITY, OR IS IT MORE ECONOMICAL TO, UH, TO, UH, ESTABLISH A TRANSFER STATION? AND, AND WHAT GENERAL LOCATION WOULD THAT, UH, UH, FACILITY BE BEST AND MOST OPTIMAL FOR, UH, FOR THIS PURPOSE? SO, UH, SO WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT HERE IS, UH, A PICTURE OF THE, UM, PINE TREE CORNERS TRANSFER STATION IN DELAWARE.

UH, IT'S A LARGE PROPERTY, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S, UH, GOT THE WORKING AREA ON THE RIGHT, KIND OF THAT BARN LOOKING STRUCTURE.

THAT'S WHERE, UH, A LOT OF YOUR HAULING, THAT'S WHERE THE, UH, OFFLOADING MATERIALS GOES ON.

THE HAUL TRUCKS COME IN AND, AND, AND HAUL THAT TO THE DISPOSAL SITE.

IF YOU LOOK EITHER IN THE NEAR GROUND ON THE LEFT, UH, KIND OF AT THE BOTTOM, KIND OF A SEE A CITIZEN DROP OFF AREA.

THEN, UH, ALSO ON THE LEFT, YOU'LL SEE A, UH, KIND OF INBOUND AND OUTBOUND SCALES, UH, FOR, FOR THE VEHICLES COMING IN AND OUT TO GET WEIGHED.

SO IT'S KIND OF A, A GOOD LAYOUT OF WHAT, WHAT YOU'LL TYPICALLY SEE AT A TRANSFER STATION AND, AND THINGS THAT WE'LL, WE'LL WANT TO, TO HAVE AT, AT OUR FACILITY AS WELL.

SO, UH, AGAIN, WHAT IS THE TRANSFER STATION? IT'S A FACILITY WHERE, UH, SOLID WASTE IS TEMPORARY, COLLECTED, SORTED, AND CONSOLIDATED BEFORE BEING TRANSFERRED TO A LARGER VEHICLE, UH, FOR TRANSPORTATION TO A FINAL DISPOSAL SITE.

SO, UH, THAT COULD BE YOUR LANDFILL RECYCLING FACILITY OR A COMPOST FACILITY.

UH, THE PICTURE HERE, UH, ON THE RIGHT SIDE, UM, OF THE SCREEN IS, UH, OF THE CITY OF DALLAS'S TRANSFER STATION.

IT'S A FULLY ENCLOSED FACILITY, SO THE BEING FULLY ENCLOSED, UH, HAS A LOT OF BENEFITS.

IT, UH, IT HELPS, UH, ADDRESS ODORS OR ADDRESS CONCERNS LIKE LITTER, UH, AS WELL AS ODORS.

UH, IT HELPS, UH, HELPS WITH VERMIN AND, UH, IT HELPS, UH, IT ALSO, THEY REMOVE THAT MATERIAL DAILY THAT CAN HELP, UH, REDUCE THE POTENTIAL FOR FIRE.

SO, UH, YOU, UH, YOU KNOW, HAVING AN ENCLOSED FACILITY IS ALSO A GOOD, A GOOD NEIGHBOR SITUATION WITH, UH, HELPING KEEP IN SOME OF THE, UH, LITTER CONCERNS AND ODOR CONCERNS, UH, INSIDE THE FACILITY.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF BENEFITS, UH, OR QUITE A FEW BENEFITS TO THE TRANSFER STATION.

UM, I MEAN, ONE OF THE BIG ONES IS, UH, GET GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS.

UH, YOU REDUCE YOUR MILEAGE.

UH, BASICALLY YOU'D BE REDUCING, UH, OFF ROUTE MILES, AND THAT IS TIME SPENT, UH, UH, DRIVING FROM THE ROUTE BY THE OPERATOR TO, TO THE DISPOSAL SITE.

UH, AND THOSE MILEAGE REDUCTIONS CAN HELP THE CITY, UH, WITH THE, OUR ELECTRIFICATION PLANS.

THAT'S OUTLAID, UH, IN THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN.

SO, UH, WE, YOU KNOW, CURRENT, UH, BATTERY CHARGES ON ELECTRIC VEHICLES AREN'T, UH, SUITABLE OR DON'T LAST LONG ENOUGH FOR OUR CURRENT OPERATIONS DUE TO THE DRIVE TIMES AND THE DRIVE DISTANCES.

SO THIS FACILITY WOULD HELP THE DEPARTMENT BE ABLE TO ADD MORE ELECTRIC VEHICLES, UH, TO OUR FLEET.

IT ALSO PROVIDES A PUBLIC DISPOSAL, UH, OPPORTUNITY, AND IT CAN HELP REDUCE BLIGHT.

UH, PEOPLE CAN BRING A MATERIAL TO THE FACILITY AND, AND DROP IT OFF.

YOU KNOW, MAYBE THEY HAD, UH, COULD HAVE OTHERWISE BEEN ILLEGALLY DUMPED.

SO WE THINK THAT THIS, UH, WILL HELP THE, UH, ILLEGAL DUMPING SITUATION.

DOESN'T MEAN IT'LL CLEAR IT UP, BUT IT DOES GIVE, UH, PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISPOSE, UH, OF, UH, OF, UH, MATERIAL.

IT ALSO, UH, ALLOWS FOR DIVERSION AND DISPOSAL OPPORTUNITIES.

UM, YOU KNOW, WE CAN, UH, FOCUS ON REMOVING ADDITIONAL MATERIALS FROM THE STREAM, UH, METALS, UH, FOR RESALE, BUT ALSO ARE HARDER TO RECYCLE ITEMS LIKE MATTRESSES.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE WORKING TO DIVERT NOW FROM THE LANDFILL.

SO THAT GIVES US A, ANOTHER OPTION TO, UH, TO, UH, TO HAVE A, UM, IT GIVES US SOME MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO DIVERT MATERIALS.

UH, AND IT ALSO COULD, UH, GIVE US A POTENTIAL TO ADD A KIND

[00:15:01]

SO THAT'S, UH, SOMETHING WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE, UH, WITH THIS FACILITY.

UH, STORM READINESS AND OPERATIONS RESILIENCY.

IT, IT HELPS THE DEPARTMENT, UH, WITH, IN THAT AVENUE.

UH, CURRENTLY WHEN WE ARE IN STORM RECOVERY MODE, WE, UH, ARE TYPICALLY HAVING TO SITE STAGING, UH, AREAS AND, AND PARKS, WHICH HAS A COMMUNITY IMPACT.

UH, SO WE, WE, UH, WE, THIS WOULD GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO JUST HOSE THE MATERIAL QUICKER, GET BACK TO THE ROUTE, AND HELP, UH, SPEED UP THE RECOVERY EFFORTS WITHOUT THAT, THAT BIG COMMUNITY IMPACT THAT, UH, THOSE DEBRIS SITES TEND TO HAVE.

IT ALSO REDUCES OPERATING EXPENSES, UH, UH, NOT JUST FOR THE DEPARTMENT, FOR THE CITY OVERALL.

I MEAN, IT'S, UH, DRIVE TIME REDUCTIONS, UH, HELP LOWER OPERATING COSTS LIKE FUEL COSTS, UH, AS WELL AS, UH, TOLL ROAD EXPENSES AND, AND OVER TIME.

AND THEN IT ALSO SUPPORTS THE CITY'S CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN AND THE DEPARTMENT'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.

UH, THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN TALKS ABOUT, UH, FLEET OF FLEET ELECTRIFICATION.

AND THEN, UH, WITHIN OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, WE'VE OUTLINED, OBVIOUSLY, UH, FLEET ELECTRIFICATION, BUT ALSO, UH, THE FACILITY, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS FOR THE DEPARTMENT.

SO THE CONSULTANT LOOKED AT, UH, SEVERAL METRICS AND MEASUREMENTS, UH, TO GAUGE SAVINGS.

UH, THEY IDENTIFIED, UH, FIVE SITES ACROSS THE CITY, UH, USING ONLINE REAL ESTATE LISTINGS, UH, THAT MET THE NEEDS FOR, FOR THE FACILITY.

UH, NOW THESE, UH, THESE LOCATIONS WERE, EXCUSE ME, JUST TO USE AS PLACEHOLDERS, AND THEY WERE LARGELY FOCUSED IN NORTH AUSTIN, UH, BUT ALSO INCLUDED THE DEPARTMENT'S FACILITY ON, UH, TODD LANE.

SO, UH, WHAT THEY LOOKED AT FOR THE ANALYSIS WAS A NUMBER OF ROUTES ELIMINATED, UH, REDUCTION IN STAFFING OR, OR OVERTIME.

SO, UH, YOU KNOW, WITH REDUCTION IN ROUTES, YOU WOULD NEED FEWER, UH, VEHICLES YOU WOULD, THAT WOULD LEAD, UH, FEWER EMPLOYEES.

SO, BUT WE DO REALIZE THAT WE'LL HAVE A AN FTE OR, OR AN EMPLOYEE NEED WITH THIS FACILITY, UH, AS WELL.

UH, YOU'LL HAVE VEHICLE SAVINGS ON, UH, TRUCKS, FUEL AND TOLLS, UH, BUT IT'S NOT JUST TRUCK MAINTENANCE COSTS.

IT'S ALSO THE CAPITAL COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH PURCHASING THOSE VEHICLES.

UH, CAPITAL COSTS, UH, FOR CONSTRUCTION TO DEVELOP THE, UH, FACILITY, INCLUDING THE FIXED EQUIPMENT COSTS, AND THEN THE OPERATING COSTS, WHICH IS TO, UH, OPERATE THE FACILITY, INCLUDING ALL PERSONNEL COSTS.

SO, THE, EXCUSE ME, THE CONSULTANT WORKED, UH, WITH THE CITY, UH, STAFF TO COME UP WITH SOME SITE EVALUATION FACTORS, UM, WHICH WERE, THEY WERE RANKED AND, AND GIVEN A WEIGHTED SCORE.

UH, THIS IS ESSENTIALLY AS THE METHODOLOGY THAT CAN BE USED TO, UH, TO, UH, IDENTIFY A SITE.

AND WE WANNA BE TRANSPARENT ABOUT, UH, UH, ABOUT OUR FACTORS HERE AND MAKE SURE THEY'RE IN LINE WITH THE COMMUNITY PRIORITIES.

SO, SITE CONDITIONS, UH, THINK, YOU KNOW, TOTAL WIDTH AND SPACE OF AN AREA, UH, THAT HAS IMPACTS TO, UH, OPERATING COSTS, BUT, BUT ALSO CONSTRUCTION COSTS OR TO DESIGN A CONSTRUCTION COSTS.

UH, DOES THIS SITE HAVE ANY POTENTIAL FOR, UH, PERMITTING CONCERNS, UH, THAT COULD, UH, PREVENT IT FROM RECEIVING A PERMIT? SO, UH, SUCH AS A HISTORICAL SITE OR A WETLAND, BUT ALSO PROXIMITY TO, UH, UH, TO NEIGHBORHOODS OR, OR RELIGIOUS, UH, INSTITUTIONS.

YOU WANT GOOD, UH, OR NEARBY UTILITY ACCESS THAT REALLY HAS AN IMPACT ON THE COST, UH, ENERGY, UH, WATER AND WASTEWATER LINES.

UM, WE ALSO, UH, TOOK THE VALUES OF THE LAND AND USED THE, FROM THE TCAT, OR I'M SORRY, FROM THE TRAVIS COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT, UH, SITE.

AND THEN THAT WAS USED IN THE, UH, FINANCIAL ANALYSIS, UH, ACCESSIBILITY.

THIS, IT WOULD BE IDEAL IF THIS WAS LOCATED IN YOUR MAJOR HIGHWAYS AND NOT BURIED DEEP IN A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT HELPS, UH, NOT JUST OUR, OUR, UM, COLLECTION EQUIPMENT OR COLLECTION VEHICLES, BUT ALSO THE HAUL TRAILERS, UH, HEADED TO THE, TO THE DISPOSAL SITE.

OPERATIONAL COST EFFICIENCY IS LOOKING AT DRIVE TIME AND DISTANCE FROM THE LOCATION, UH, UH, TO THE, I'M SORRY, FROM THAT, FROM THAT TRANSFER SITE TO THE FINAL DISPOSAL SITE.

AND THAT'S FOR THE HAUL TRAILERS THAT ARE COMING OUT OF THE, OUT OF THE OPERATION.

A COUPLE OF OUR MOST OR MOST IMPORTANT FACTORS HERE, THE, UH, IMPACT ON SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.

UH, EXCUSE ME, WANT TO UNDERSTAND, UH, WHAT COMMUNITY IMPACTS WOULD BE ENCOUNTERED.

AND, AND THEN WHAT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE CONCERNS ARE, ARE THERE.

UM, WHEN CITING THE FACILITY, YOU TRY NOT TO LOCATE NEAR THE SCHOOLS, UH, RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS OR NEIGHBORHOODS.

AND, UH, WHEN THIS, UH, WHEN THE CONSULTANT WAS WORKING ON THIS, THEY USED THE EPAS ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE TOOL, UH, FOR THIS, UH, FOR THE ANALYSIS.

UM, THAT SITE HAS BEEN TAKEN DOWN, AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT OTHER TOOLS TO, TO BE ABLE TO USE FOR THIS FACTOR.

[00:20:02]

UH, ESSENTIALLY THEY, THEY WOULD TAKE ALL THE INFORMATION ON THE PROJECT AND DETERMINE IS IT IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE REGIONAL SOLID WASTE PLAN.

AND, UH, THEY WOULD, UH, THEIR BIGGEST CONCERN IS, IS, UH, YOU KNOW, THE IMPACT TO THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY FROM, UH, WHERE THAT FACILITY WOULD BE.

AND THEN FINALLY, THE, UH, COLLECTION ROUTE EFFICIENCY, WHICH IS, UH, THE MINI, YOU WANNA MINIMIZE YOUR TIME SPENT OFF ROUTE FOR YOUR COLLECTION VEHICLES.

BUT, UH, TIME TO THE, UH, TAKING, UH, TIME TO DRIVE TO THE DISPOSAL, UH, FINAL DISPOSAL SITE.

I CAN'T TAKE CREDIT FOR THIS MAP.

THIS IS, UH, THE DIRECTOR'S MAP, BUT, UH, I GET TO WALK Y'ALL THROUGH THAT.

UH, IT'S, UH, UM, YOU SEE THE I 35 THERE IN THE CENTER OF THE, OF THE SCREEN, UH, AND THEN THAT KIND OF PURPLE, UH, PINK PURPLE BLOB AT THE TOP.

THAT STRETCHES FROM NORTHWEST AUSTIN TO, UH, NORTHEAST AUSTIN.

THAT IS THE GENERAL AREA WHERE THESE, UH, LOCATIONS OR THESE, UM, PROPERTIES WERE LOCATED.

UM, WE, UH, THERE AGAIN, THERE WERE FOUR FOUR IN THIS GENERAL AREA.

AND THEN THE, THE SOUTHEAST, UH, THE TODD LANE FACILITY.

SO AT THE BOTTOM OF THAT PINK BLOB IS THE, UH, UM, THE RECYCLING SYMBOL THAT IS A CIRCULAR SERVICES, UH, RECYCLING FACILITY.

UH, RIGHT NEXT TO THAT, THE RED TRUCK IS ARRS NEW NORTHEAST SERVICE CENTER THAT WE JUST BROKE GROUND ON A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.

IF YOU LOOK TO THE FAR EAST THERE, YOU'LL SEE, UH, THE APPLE CORE.

THAT IS THE ORGANICS BY GOOSH SITE, WHERE WE TAKE OUR COMPOST.

UH, UH, A GOOD PERCENTAGE OF OUR COMPOST GOES TO THIS FACILITY, AND IT'S A, IT IS A BIT OF A DISTANCE FOR OUR DRIVERS.

UM, HEADED BACK WEST, YOU'LL SEE A TREE THAT IS OUR HORNSBY BEND FACILITY.

THAT'S WHERE ALL OF OUR BRUSHES IS TAKEN AND, UH, GROUND UP FOR, UH, DILLOW DIRT.

UH, THEN YOU'LL ALSO, UM, MOVE A LITTLE BIT FURTHER WEST.

AGAIN, YOU'LL SEE ANOTHER RED TRUCK THAT IS THE, UH, A RR SERVICE CENTER OFF OF TODD LANE.

AND THEN FINALLY INTO THE SOUTH, YOU'LL SEE TDS, UH, THAT IS THEIR, WHERE THEIR LANDFILL, UH, THEIR COMPOST AND THEIR, UH, RECYCLING CENTER ARE, ARE, UH, ARE LOCATED.

UH, AND SO BASICALLY THE, USING ALL THE INFORMATION, THE CONSULTANT DETERMINED THAT, UH, CLOSER TO THE NORTHEAST SERVICE CENTER DELIVERED THE GREATEST FINANCIAL RETURN.

SO, UH, THAT, UH, IS, YOU KNOW, PURELY FROM A FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVE, AND IT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE POLITICAL LANDSCAPE THAT WE'LL HAVE TO NAVIGATE ONCE WE FIND, UH, ONCE WE FIND A PROPERTY.

SO, UH, THIS IS A PICTURE OF A SEATTLE NORTH TRANSFER STATION, UM, THAT, UH, IT WAS BUILT, UH, IN, IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA.

THERE'S A, A RIVER RIGHT BEHIND, UH, THIS FACILITY, UH, WHEN THEY, WHEN THEY BUILT THE, WHEN THEY BUILT THIS CON CONSTRUCTED THIS FACILITY, THEY, THEY BROUGHT IN, UH, ADDITIONAL AMENITIES TO THE, TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

THERE'S A PARK, UH, ON THE OTHER SIDE OF WHERE THIS PICTURE WAS TAKEN.

UH, YOU ALSO HAVE THE BASKETBALL COURT THERE IN THE NEAR GROUND.

AND SOMETHING, UH, INSIDE THE FACILITY IS THAT AN EDUCATION AND VIEWING CENTER THAT GIVES A KIND OF A VIEW INTO HOW THE OPERATIONS ARE WORKING.

SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE DEFINITELY WANT TO, UH, HAVE IN OUR, UH, IN OUR FACILITY.

YOU KNOW, IT GIVES A, GIVES US ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON THE IMPORTANCE OF LANDFILL DIVERSION AND, AND HOW, UH, A SOLID WASTE, UH, BUT ALSO HOW A SOLID WASTE FACILITY OPERATES.

UH, THIS FACILITY ALSO USES AIR FILTERS, UH, AND THEY USE THAT TO, YEAH, FOR, UH, TO FILTER THE AIR INSIDE THE BUILDING, BUT ALSO FOR AIR, UH, EXITING THE BUILDING.

AND, UH, THEY'RE ABLE TO SYN THAT, UH, THAT, UH, AIR THAT'S EXITING THE FACILITY.

THEY ALSO, UH, USE QUICK CLOSE DOORS.

UH, THIS MINIMIZES ANY ODOR AND DUST THAT'S LEAVING THE FACILITY.

UH, AND THEY ALSO HAVE A, A VERY ROBUST LITTER PROGRAM, UH, AROUND THIS, UH, AROUND THIS FACILITY.

UH, THEY CATALOG EACH PIECE OF LITTER THAT THEY FIND, UH, WHERE THEY FOUND AT THE TIME OF DAY AND WHAT IT IS.

AND THEN THEY, UH, THEY USE THAT TO HELP DETERMINE HOW LITTER IS COMING INTO THE COMMUNITY.

AND THEY SHARE THAT, THAT IS, THAT'S A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT.

THEY SHARE THAT, UH, INFORMATION WITH THE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND, AND THE, UH, CLOSE TO THE FACILITY.

SO THE FINANCIAL ANALYSIS DETERMINED THE CITY WOULD NEED TO ENTER INTO A, A CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENT, LIKE A PUBLIC, PRIVATE, PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP, OR WITH ANOTHER POLITICAL JURISDICTION TO BREAK EVEN, OR, OR MAKE MONEY LOCATIONS CLOSER TO THE NEW, UH, NORTHEAST SERVICE CENTER, ALMOST BREAK EVEN.

AS YOU MOVE FURTHER AWAY, THE COSTS DO INCREASE, UH, AS IT INCREASES THE OVERALL COST OF THE OPERATION.

THE CONSULTANT ALSO LOOKED AT AN ALTERNATIVE OPTION, WHICH WAS, UH, TO BUILD A SMALLER FAC FACILITY, UH, INITIALLY, AND THAT COULD BE JUST FOR A RR VEHICLES, UH, ONLY, UH, HOWEVER YOU, WITH THE RIGHT-SIZED PROPERTY, WE COULD EXPAND THAT PROPERTY LATER ON, AND THEN ADD, UH, UH, UH, OPEN IT UP TO PRIVATE HAULERS TO, TO COME IN.

SO WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS? UH, WE HOPE TO BRING A, UH, PROPERTY BACK TO COUNCIL LATER THIS FALL FOR ACQUISITION.

AND THEN WITH THE GOAL OF HAVING THIS FACILITY ONLINE AND OPERATING BY 2030,

[00:25:01]

THE REASON IS, UH, WE HAVE, UH, THREE MAJOR CONTRACTS COMING, UH, ENDING AT THAT TIME.

OUR, OUR, UH, LANDFILL CONTRACT, UH, RECYCLING CONTRACT AND COMPOST CONTRACT ALL END IN 2030.

SO, UH, THAT IS THE TARGET YEAR TO HAVE THIS UP AND RUNNING.

UH, AND WITH THAT, I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS? NO, THANK YOU, AMY.

COMMISSIONERS.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR AMY LEGAL? JOHN, UH, JUST REAL QUICK, SO YOU MENTIONED, UM, ACCEPTING PRIVATE HAULER WASTE.

IS, UH, HAVE WE GOTTEN ANY FEEDBACK AS TO WHETHER THAT'S SOMETHING THEY'RE SPECIFICALLY INTERESTED IN? DOES IT MATTER WHERE THE FACILITY IS? I MEAN, PRESUMING THAT WE HAVE SPACE, I I THINK THAT WHERE THE FACILITY IS WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO THE PRIVATE HAULERS, AND I WOULD IMAGINE THAT THEY WOULD ALSO BE INTERESTED IN, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S GIVES THEM A, A CLOSER DISPOSAL SITE.

YEAH, I WOULD IMAGINE.

HAVE WE BEEN IN DISCUSSION WITH THEM SPECIFICALLY ALREADY? UH, I CAN'T SPEAK TO THAT.

UH, IT'S SO THAT, I'LL HAVE TO, WE'LL HAVE TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU ON THAT.

YEAH, THAT'D BE HELPFUL TO JUST KIND OF SEE IF THAT'S YEAH.

GONNA MAKE THINGS EASIER FOR THEM.

IF, IF, IS THERE A FINANCIAL INCENTIVE AS WELL THERE WHERE THEY CAN DROP OFF MORE, THAT'LL HELP US BREAK EVEN, RIGHT? YES, SIR.

YEP.

UH, AND THIS IS, WOULD BE ACCEPTING, UM, TRASH RECYCLING AND COMPOST AT THE FACILITY, OR WHAT? I GUESS I DON'T, I'M NOT CLEAR ON THAT.

SURE.

UH, THIS WAS A, THE STUDY WAS DONE JUST FOR TRASH AND COMPOSTING, BUT ALSO OUR BULK WAYS, SO IT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE TO INCLUDE RECYCLING, UH, RIGHT AWAY, BECAUSE WE HAVE, UM, WE HAVE THE, UH, RECYCLING CENTERS NORTH AS WELL AS SOUTH.

SO, BUT THE, YOU KNOW, LATER ON THAT MIGHT BE AN OPTION.

SO, BUT THE INITIAL STUDY JUST FOCUSED ON TRASH, UH, COMPOST IN BULK WASTE.

OKAY.

UM, THERE WAS JUST SOMETHING ABOUT REMOVING RECYCLING.

NOW I CAN'T FIND IT, BUT, UM, AND WILL EVERYTHING BE REQUIRED TO GO THERE? LIKE IF THERE'S A ROUTE THAT'S CLOSER TO THE, A DIFFERENT, LIKE WILL EVERYTHING HAVE TO GO TO THE TRANSFER SITE BEFORE IT GOES TO ITS FINAL DESTINATION? IS THAT JUST DETERMINED BY, WHAT IS THAT DETERMINED BY? SO THIS, IDEALLY WE WOULD HAVE THIS FACILITY IN THE NORTH OF AUSTIN.

SO WE WOULD SEND, UH, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE LANDFILL ROUTES FOR, IN THE NORTHERN AREA THERE, AS WELL AS PROBABLY MOST OF THE COMPOST ROUTES.

SO THE RECYCLING ROUTES SINCE WAS CONTINUE TO GO TO, TO, UH, TO THE, UH, CIRCULAR SERVICES.

SO, BUT IT, IT IS, UH, PROBABLY MOST OF THOSE ROUTES WILL END UP AT THAT FACILITY.

OKAY.

AND WHAT, WHAT KIND OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WILL BE HAPPENING AS FAR AS LIKE THE, THE CONTRAST BETWEEN THE SEATTLE FACILITY AND THE DELAWARE FACILITY, OR THE ONES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WOODS AND THE ONE IS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CITY? LIKE, IS THERE, ARE WE TRYING TO HIDE IT? ARE WE TRYING TO INTEGRATE IT, OR, IT DEPENDS WHAT'S AVAILABLE.

NO, IT, IT, WE WOULD WANNA INTEGRATE IT.

SO, AND THERE WOULD BE COMMUNITY OUTREACH THAT DEFINITELY ONCE THE SITE IS ESTABLISHED, SO THERE, THERE WOULD BE ROBUST OUTREACH.

IN FACT, UH, THAT'S SOMETHING WE'VE DONE, UH, WITHIN COLONY PARK WHERE WE JUST BROKE DOWN OUR NEW NORTHEAST SERVICE CENTER.

WE'VE DONE A LOT OF COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN THAT AREA TO PREPARE FOR THE NORTHEAST SERVICE CENTER.

SO WE WOULD FOLLOW, UH, THE SAME GUIDELINES FOR MM-HMM .

FOR TRANSFER STATION.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONERS? OKAY.

YOU DID SUGGEST THAT THIS COULD BE A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP, IS THAT RIGHT? YES.

AMY, I MEAN, JUST AS, HAVE WE, UH, LOOKED INTO THAT FURTHER OR IS THAT JUST A THOUGHT AT THIS POINT? IT'S JUST WHAT THE ANALYSIS, UH, OKAY.

PROVIDED, SO THERE HAD TO BE MORE WORK DONE.

ALL RIGHT.

BECAUSE I, AGAIN, THAT WOULD BE SO OPPORTUNISTIC.

I MEAN, WE COULD SPLIT THE COST WITH SOMEONE ELSE WOULD BE WONDERFUL AND, UH, STILL REAP THE BENEFITS.

BUT ANYWAY.

AND AGAIN, THE, THE, YOU MENTIONED THAT, UH, THIRD PARTY WASTE WOULD BE ACCEPTED, ALSO COULD BE ACCEPTED ALSO FOR A FEE, CORRECT? YEAH.

AND, AND IT, IT DEPENDS ON THE SIZE OF THE FACILITY.

AGAIN, IF WE TAKE THIS KIND OF SCALED DOWN APPROACH, UH, WHICH IS JUST A RRR ONLY, BUT THEN ADD ON LATER, THEN THAT'S WHERE WE OPEN THE DOOR TO PRIVATE, UH, HAULERS TO BE ABLE TO COME IN.

AND THEN THE MORE CHALLENGING QUESTION IS, I GUESS THE LOCATION, IDENTIFYING THAT.

AND, AND AS WE ALL KNOW, WHO'VE BEEN HERE FOR A WHILE, THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN A THORNY TOPIC.

I MEAN, TRYING TO, TRYING TO IDENTIFY A FACILITY SUCH AS THIS IN CERTAIN PARTS OF TOWN HAVE, HAVE, HAVE PROVEN PROBLEMATIC IN THE PAST.

AND I'M CURIOUS IF, AGAIN, THAT'S BEING CONSIDERED.

I THINK ORIGINALLY WE HAD LOOKED AT, UH, HELP ME HERE, HARRIS BRANCH AREA.

WE LOOKED AT THAT,

[00:30:01]

IN THE PAST CHALLENGES, WE ALREADY HAD TWO LANDFILLS, OR NOW ONE LANDFILL THAT WAS OPERATING CALLED THE WASTE MANAGEMENT FACILITY.

SO ANYTHING AROUND THAT WAS CONSIDERED BACK IN THE OLD DAYS PILING ON.

AND I'M CURIOUS IF, AGAIN, IN OUR SEARCH, IF WE'RE GOING TO BE, I MEAN, CONSIDERING THAT, UH, WE, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UH, AGAIN, THE CITY IS THE BEST NEIGHBOR POSSIBLE, SO, RIGHT.

WE, WE, WE WANNA BE GOOD NEIGHBORS.

AND SO, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE NOT FOCUSING ON SPECIFIC PROPERTIES AT THIS TIME.

WE'RE JUST, BUT WE'VE GOT OUR OPTIONS OPEN TO CITY OWNED OR, OR PRIVATE, UH, PRIVATE LAND.

THANK YOU.

AMY.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONERS? MELISSA, GO AHEAD.

I'M SORRY, MELISSA.

YEP, GO AHEAD.

UM, IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE WE HAD A REALLY END DEPTH PRESENTATION ON THIS.

I'M EXCITED TO SEE THAT MOVING FORWARD.

UH, I DON'T REMEMBER THE SIZE OF THE PROPERTY YOU GUYS WERE TRYING TO OBTAIN.

HOW MANY ACRES THAT IS.

I THINK THE MINIMUM SIZE WE WERE LOOKING AT WAS FIVE ACRES.

I'D HAVE TO DOUBLE CHECK THAT.

KN WE CAN FOLLOW UP WITH YOU 20.

OH, THANK YOU.

AND, UM, ANOTHER QUESTION I GUESS I HAVE IS ABOUT HOW WE'RE GONNA PAY FOR IT.

UM, I HAVE BEEN HEARING THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE PART OF THE BOND ELECTION THAT'S COMING UP.

THAT'S CORRECT.

TICKETS, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT IN THE BOND.

UH, BUT IT WOULD BE COVERED THROUGH, UH, RATES AND THEN, UH, THROUGH OUR RATES AS WELL AS FEES AT THE ACTUAL TRANSFER STATION.

OKAY.

OKAY.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? AMY? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT, COMMISSIONERS.

THE

[6. Staff briefing on the status of Austin Resource Recovery Operational and Administrative projects by Amy Slagle, Assistant Director of Austin Resource Recovery.]

THANK, AMY, THAT'S YOUR SHOW AGAIN.

SO SIT DOWN.

YEAH.

SHORT COMMUTE FOR THIS.

YEAH.

UM, AMY SLAGEL, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, OFFICER, RESOURCE RECOVERY.

SO, UH, DIRECTOR'S REPORT FOR THIS MONTH, UH, HAS QUITE A FEW UPDATES.

UM, THAT FIRST ONE THERE, UH, FOCUSES ON THE MICROBURST THAT HAPPENED BACK IN MAY.

UH, WE WORK WITH, UH, OUR, UH, DEBRIS HAULER, UH, I'M SORRY, DISASTER DEBRIS HAULER TO HELP, UH, UH, HELP THE CITY GET BACK ON ITS FEET.

AFTER THAT EVENT, WE ENDED UP TAKING CLOSE TO ALMOST 6,000 TONS JUST FROM THE CURBSIDE, AND THEN RECEIVED ABOUT ANOTHER, UH, 2,800 TONS AT THE CITY'S HORNSBY BEND FACILITY.

UH, THOSE WERE THROUGH DROP OFFS MM-HMM .

AND SO, UH, WE ENDED UP WITH QUITE A BIT, UH, ABOUT, WHAT WAS IT, ALMOST 8,000, UH, OVER 8,000 TONS OF DEBRIS FROM THIS EVENT, WHICH ENDED UP BEING THE THIRD LARGEST IN CITY.

HIS HISTORY BEHIND WINTER STORM MARA IN 2023.

AND THEN WINTER STORM YEAR IN 2021.

UH, URO, UH, IS MENTIONED, TALKED ABOUT ASKING, UH, LETTING PROPERTY OWNERS KNOW TO SUBMIT THEIR, UH, ANNUAL DIVERSION REPORTS BY, BY FEBRUARY 1ST.

AND IT WENT OUT TO OVER 15,000, UH, UM, UH, PROPERTIES, UH, THE CIRCULAR SHOWCASE, CIRCULAR, I'M SORRY, CIRCULAR ACCELERATED AND SHOWCASE APPLICATIONS, UH, THOSE ARE OPEN NOW, ARE OPEN NEXT WEEK, AND THEN RUN THROUGH, UH, UH, THROUGH MID-NOVEMBER.

UH, YOU ALSO HAVE A C AND D MEETING TOMORROW FOR WACK AND, AND A RR STAFF.

AND THEN, UH, I WANNA HIGHLIGHT, UH, AUSTIN CITY LIMITS MUSIC FESTIVAL AND ALL THE GREAT WORK THAT OUR LITTER TEAMS ARE DOING AROUND THAT FOOTPRINT RIGHT NOW.

YOU KNOW, 75,000 PEOPLE, UH, COME THROUGH THERE EVERY DAY.

AND SO THEY BRING IN A LOT OF, UH, WATER BOTTLES AND, AND OTHER LITTER.

SO WE HAVE, UH, EXTRA LIT TRASH AND, UH, RECYCLING CONTAINERS RIGHT OUTSIDE THAT FOOTPRINT, HELPING KEEP, UH, OUR COMMUNITY CLEAN.

WE'RE, UH, HANDLING THAT BOTH WEEKENDS, DOING SOME ADDITIONAL SWEEPING, SO THEY'RE DOING A GREAT JOB.

UH, AND THEN THE RECYCLING AND COMPOSTING EDUCATION AUDIT, UH, I KNOW THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO COVER HERE A LITTLE BIT LATER ON IN THE MEETING.

AND, UH, WE'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU, AMY.

ANY QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONERS? NOW, THIS

[3. Discussion and Action pursuant to Austin Resource Recovery City Council Audit and Finance Committee Report.]

AND, UH, GINA, IS THAT, YEAH.

THANK YOU.

GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.

I'M GINA MCKINLEY, UH, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR AT AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY.

I, I WAS JUST COMING TO THE MIC AND SO THAT I COULD BE RESPONSIVE TO WHATEVER QUESTIONS YOU ALL HAD, .

THANK YOU.

YOU KNOW, I, AGAIN, IT'S, AS I EXPLAINED TO SOME OF THE, UH, SOME OF THE COMMISSIONERS, THIS TOPIC HAS COME UP IN THE PAST.

IT WAS, UH, WE ADDRESSED IT IN 2016 WHEN WE HAD A, UH, SLIGHT STALL IN THE DIVERSION NUMBERS.

AND, UH, WE MADE SOME, SOME ADJUSTMENTS BACK THEN.

IT LOOKS LIKE

[00:35:01]

AND I GUESS IN A WAY, IT'S, IT'S DIFFICULT FOR THE COMMISSION TO HEAR OF THIS VIA PRESS CLIPPINGS.

AND I WOULD LOVE FOR, UH, IN THE FUTURE FOR STAFF TO PLEASE, PLEASE REACH OUT TO US.

FEEL FREE.

I MEAN, WE'RE A TEAM, IF THAT MAKES ANY SENSE.

I MEAN, YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A HECK OF A JOB.

YOUR PLATE IS FULL.

THERE'S SOME, UH, PRETTY TALENTED FOLKS UP HERE THAT WOULD LOVE TO BE A PART OF THAT TEAM.

AND, AND TO, TO HELP.

AND AGAIN, THIS IS NOT NEW SCIENCE.

THIS IS SOMETHING WE HAVE BEEN FIGHTING FOR THE LAST, UH, I MEAN, PROBABLY WHAT, UH, ALMOST 15 YEARS.

AND IT'S NOT GONNA, IT'S NOT GONNA GO AWAY.

IT'S PROBABLY GONNA GET A LITTLE BIT MORE DIFFICULT.

WE'VE TRIED SOME APPROACHES HERE.

WE'VE, UH, USED THE OLD CARROT APPROACH.

DO WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE, UH, STICK NOW OR A COMBINATION? I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY HERE FOR IMPROVEMENT.

IT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, YOUR, YOUR NEW EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT.

I WANNA SEE THAT.

I WANNA SEE THAT SUCCEED.

MORE IMPORTANTLY, AS, AS, UH, YOU AND ALL OF US KNOW, WE ONLY CONTROL 15% OF THAT WASTE.

THE VAST MAJORITY IS CONTROLLED BY THE PRIVATE, UH, SECTOR.

HOW DO WE GET THEM ON BOARD AND GET EVERYONE ON BOARD WORKING FOR THE SAME GOAL, SEEKING THE SAME GOAL DIVERSION? AND AGAIN, IT'S NOT EASY.

IT'S CHALLENGING.

YOU'RE CHANGING BEHAVIOR WITH PEOPLE THAT IT SOMETIMES IS, IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT.

I MEAN, SOME PEOPLE JUST DON'T WANT TO DO WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO OR NEED TO DO OR SHOULD DO.

SO IT BECOMES VERY, VERY DIFFICULT AT THAT POINT.

BUT I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW STAFF THAT WE ARE A, A TEAM AND THIS COMMISSION IS THERE TO WORK WITH YOU.

AND I'M HOPING THAT, UH, WE CAN GET BEYOND THIS, COME UP WITH SOME IDEAS AND, UH, YOU KNOW, ADDRESS, ADDRESS THIS IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS WITH AN, WITH A, AN ADDITIONAL AGENDA ITEM TO SEE HOW WE'RE PROGRESSING OF THAT.

BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, HERE, TAKING YOUR TIME HERE, AND I'M SORRY, GOD, GINA.

NO, NO, THAT'S OKAY.

UM, ABSOLUTELY APPRECIATE, YES, WE ARE ONE TEAM AND WE APPRECIATE, UM, YOU ARE VOLUNTEER COMMISSIONERS TAKING YOUR TIME BECAUSE YOU CARE ABOUT THIS TOPIC.

UM, FOR THOSE THAT MIGHT NOT HAVE THE CONTEXT, THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION IN THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT ON THE AUDIT.

UM, THE OFFICE OF THE CITY AUDITOR DID, UM, AN AUDIT ON AUSTIN RESOURCE, THE EFFECTIVENESS OF AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERIES, COMPOST AND EDUCATION, COMPOST AND RECYCLING EDUCATION.

UM, SO THERE IS, THERE SHOULD BE A LINK, I THINK IN THE ELECTRONIC FORMAT OF YOUR BACKUP.

THERE SHOULD BE A LINK TO THAT REPORT.

SO YOU CAN SEE THE REPORT, KIND OF WHAT THEIR FOCUS WAS AT THE BACK OF THE REPORT.

THE AUDITOR DID HAVE SOME, A COUPLE OF FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.

SO WHAT YOU CAN SEE IS, UH, THE DEPARTMENT'S RESPONSE.

SO YOU CAN SEE HOW WE RESPONDED TO THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.

AND IN ADDITION, WHAT ACTIONS WE INTEND TO TAKE AND BY WHEN WE INTEND FOR THOSE ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN.

SO JUST WANNA DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THAT.

UM, IT'S PART OF YOUR BACKUP.

IF YOU CLICK ON THAT LINK, IT'S A LITTLE BIT BURIED AT THE END OF THE REPORT, AND THERE'S A STAFF MEMO THAT PROVIDES A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL.

UM, SO SOME ADDITIONAL READING INFORMATION FOR YOU.

BUT AGAIN, UM, HAPPY TO TALK OFFLINE WITH ANY OF YOU IF YOU WANNA GO DEEPER OR HAVE IDEAS ABOUT, UM, HOW TO IMPROVE.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE TO DO, CONSTANTLY IMPROVE AND WORK TOWARD THAT ZERO WASTE GOAL.

THANK YOU.

GINA.

COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, THOUGHTS? HEARING NONE.

THANK YOU.

APPRECIATE, UH, ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE AND LET'S, UH, I GUESS MORE IMPORTANTLY, FIX IT.

I'M SORRY, MICHAEL, DO YOU YEAH, YEAH.

NO, I'M SORRY.

I THINK I WAS MUTED.

MY APOLOGIES.

UM, SO I HAVE, I HAVE HAD ACCESS TO THE REPORT.

I I DID CHECK OUT THAT LINK.

AND I'M JUST WONDERING IF MAYBE YOU CAN SUMMARIZE HERE YOUR DISAGREEMENTS WITH THE AUDIT, UM, BECAUSE THAT SEEMS TO BE A, A POINT OF CONTENTION.

THAT'S THAT THE AUDIT IS ASSESSING ONE THING AND YOU'RE SAYING, HEY, ULTIMATELY THE AUDIT IS NOT ENTIRELY ACCURATE.

SO I WAS JUST WONDERING IF YOU COULD PROVIDE, UH, SUMMARIZATION HERE, UH, IN FRONT OF THE PANEL, UH, ABOUT WHAT YOU THINK ARE THE, THE KEY DIFFERENCES THAT THE CITY, THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE IS MISSING.

SURE.

AND I, I WOULDN'T SAY THAT WE NECESSARILY DISAGREE WITH THE AUDIT.

AND, AND IN FACT, IF YOU LOOK AT THE, THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND FINDINGS, WE DO AGREE, UM, IN TERMS OF THEIR RECOMMENDED ACTIONS GOING FORWARD, WHAT WE FELT LIKE WAS MISSING WAS SOME OF THAT CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION.

I MEAN, THE, THE

[00:40:01]

LIKE WE AGREE WITH THAT STATEMENT.

WHAT WE TRIED TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL CONTEXT ON IS THAT THE, THE DIVERSION RATE IS A REALLY CHALLENGING METRIC IN A CITY LIKE AUSTIN TO REALLY TRULY MEASURE OUR PROGRESS TOWARDS ZERO WASTE.

THERE ARE SOME INDUSTRY CHANGES THAT HAVE HAPPENED OVER TIME.

UH, IT CALLS OUT LIGHTWEIGHTING AS ONE EXAMPLE.

MATERIALS ARE MADE WITH LESS, OR COMMODITIES ARE MADE WITH LESS MATERIALS.

SO YOU MIGHT HAVE MORE MATERIALS THAT WEIGH THE SAME AS AN EXAMPLE, AS WELL AS ALL THE WORK THAT WE DO AROUND OUR CIRCULAR ECONOMY INITIATIVES, EMPHASIS ON REDUCED CONSUMPTION, REUSE, REPAIR.

THOSE THINGS DON'T REALLY GET COUNTED IN A PURE DIVERSION RATE METRIC WHERE OTHER METRICS, LIKE PER CAPITA, PER CAPITA DISPOSAL IS A MUCH CLEANER NUMBER AND MIGHT TELL US A DIFFERENT STORY.

THE 2020, AND I, THIS IS REFERENCED IN THE, IN THE DOCUMENT, BUT THE 2023 UPDATE TO THE ZERO WASTE PLAN DOES HAVE A HEAVY FOCUS ON NOT JUST INFRASTRUCTURE LIKE AMY TALKED ABOUT, BUT ALSO DATA AND LOOKING AT ADDITIONAL METRICS TO REALLY BETTER MEASURE OUR PROGRESS TOWARDS ZERO WASTE.

UM, BUT IN GENERAL, WE WELCOMED, WE'RE PARTNERING WITH THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE TO SEE WHERE ARE THE, WHERE ARE THE POINTS WHERE WE COULD IMPROVE AND DO BETTER.

AND I THINK WE DID FIND SOME AGREEMENT ON WAYS THAT WE CAN IMPROVE.

SO, UM, WE'LL CONTINUE TO IMPROVE, BUT WE WANTED TO PROVIDE THAT ADDITIONAL CONTEXT.

OKAY.

ALL RIGHT, JAN.

THANK YOU, MICHAEL.

YEAH, AND I KNOW THAT THIS WAS, IF I'M REMEMBERING RIGHT, THERE WAS A DISCUSSION TOPIC AS WELL ABOUT POTENTIALLY, NOT THAT WE WANNA MOVE THE GOALPOSTS HERE, BUT THAT THIS 90% GOAL MIGHT BE A LITTLE AMBITIOUS AND THAT OTHER CITIES HAD MODIFIED THEIR GOALS MM-HMM .

UM, SO I THINK THAT SEEMS REASONABLE THAT IF WE'VE DETERMINED OVER TIME THAT, THAT OUR GOAL NEEDS TO BE ADJUSTED, MAYBE WE NEED TO MAKE SOME, YOU KNOW, IS THAT A CHANGE TO THE URO? IS THAT SOMETHING WE CAN, WE CAN WORK ON? AND THAT, THAT IS A, A FAIR QUESTION.

UH, THIS PART OF THE PROCESS, ONCE THE AUDITOR DOES THE AUDIT, IT'S THEN PRESENTED AT THE AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE.

MM-HMM .

UM, WHICH IS THE MAYOR AND A HANDFUL OF COUNCIL MEMBERS.

AND SO WE HAD A PRETTY HEALTHY CONVERSATION AT THAT MEETING ABOUT THIS TOPIC.

UM, AND THAT EXACT QUESTION CAME UP, SHOULD WE CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT A 90% DIVERSION RATE IF WE'RE NOT, IF WE'RE FALLING BEHIND AND MIGHT NOT MAKE IT, UM, AT THE MEETING.

I SAID FOR NOW, THE DEPARTMENT AIMS TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THAT GOAL AS KIND OF A BIG VISION, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF GETTING, GETTING OTHER DATA SOURCES AND NOT JUST GETTING THOSE DATA SOURCES, BUT ALSO COMMUNICATING IT TO THE PUBLIC.

'CAUSE THEY MADE A GOOD POINT.

IF THE PUBLIC DOESN'T UNDERSTAND ALL THE ADDITIONAL DATA AND ALL THEY SEE IS 90% AND WE'RE NOT THERE, THEN THAT TELLS THE STORY.

IT TELLS IS THAT WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT DOING WHAT WE SAID WE COULD DO.

UM, SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE GONNA TAKE BACK.

REEVALUATE AT THIS POINT.

WE'RE NOT CHANGING THE 90% GOAL, BUT SOMETHING WE'RE CONSI, WE'RE DEFINITELY GONNA CONSIDER AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

YEAH, AND I THINK, I MEAN, COMMUNICATION IS KEY, RIGHT? THEY, THERE'S DISCUSSION HERE ABOUT EDUCATION, WHICH I THINK, FRANKLY, I THINK IS VALID JUST BASED ON EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE OF THE PEOPLE I TALK TO AND HOW MUCH THEY KNOW ABOUT WHAT THEY CAN RECYCLE AND HOW IT GETS USED AND EVERYTHING.

SO, UM, HOW, HOWEVER, THERE IS ALSO A COMPONENT THAT IS BASED ON BUDGET AND WHAT THE COUNCIL IS WILLING TO DO IN TERMS OF ENFORCEMENT.

FOR INSTANCE, IF WE WERE, I HAVE A FEELING WE WOULD BE ABLE TO MOVE THE NEEDLE IF WE WERE TO, FOR INSTANCE, START ISSUING CITATIONS.

DO WE WANT TO DO THAT? AND IS IT REALISTIC? YOU KNOW, AND AGAIN, IN ADJUSTING THIS GOAL, SHOULD WE ADJUST THE GOAL BASED ON THE FACT THAT WE'RE, WE AS A CITY ARE RELUCTANT TO DO THAT SORT OF THING? IS IT, OR DOES THAT MEAN ACTUALLY WE'RE ONLY GONNA BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE AND INSTEAD, UM, BASED ON REALISTIC TARGETS WE'VE SEEN FROM OTHER CITIES WHO, WHO FOLLOW THAT GUIDELINE? UM, I DO HAVE A QUESTION.

IRIS.

GO AHEAD.

I'M SORRY.

OH, I'M SORRY.

YEAH, IRIS, GO AHEAD.

GO AHEAD.

SO I WAS WONDERING ABOUT THE CITIES HAVING DIFFERENT RULES ON HOW TO DISPOSE CERTAIN ITEMS, AND I WAS WONDERING HOW THAT IS AFFECTING US IN COMPARISON TO THESE CDS.

AND, UM, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO ACTUALLY COMPARE APPLES TO APPLES A LITTLE BIT BETTER IN THAT AREA? BECAUSE THAT'S A BIG DIFFERENCE OF WHAT, WHAT WE CAN AND CANNOT DIVERT MM-HMM .