Nov 12, 2025 Zero Waste Advisory Commission

[00:00:03]

THREE ON THE DAES

[CALL TO ORDER]

IS THAT MELISSA? HIDING BEHIND THE CAMERA? , UH, LET'S SEE.

THERE YOU GO.

THANK YOU.

SO WE DO HAVE A QUORUM COMMISSIONERS AND, UH, HAVING THAT WE DO HAVE A QUORUM.

I'D LIKE TO GET THIS MEETING.

UH, CALL TO ORDER.

UH, LET'S SEE.

THE AGENDA ITSELF.

THE AGENDA ITEMS, HOPEFULLY YOU HAD A CHANCE TO, TO, TO REVIEW THAT.

THE AGENDA.

I WAS HOPING IF IT'D BE THE WILL OF THIS COMMISSION TO MOVE ITEMS FIVE AND SIX.

JUST SWAP THOSE OUT.

MOVE ITEM SIX TO FIVE AND AND THE FIVE TO NUMBER SIX, IF THAT'D BE OKAY WITH THE COMMISSION TO DO THAT.

OKAY.

ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONERS.

LET'S SEE.

THE FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS, UH, OBVIOUSLY IS THE APPROVAL OF OUR MINUTES.

WELL, LET ME ASK YOU, IS ANY SPEAKERS OR ANYONE? NO, NO SPEAKERS.

ALRIGHT.

THE NEXT ITEM OF BUSINESS

[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

THOSE MINUTES LOOK GOOD TO ME.

SO I MOVE TO APPROVE YON MOVES APPROVAL.

DO I HEAR A SECOND? I SECOND.

OH, I'LL SECOND.

OKAY.

WE HAVE A SECOND.

A THIRD AND A FOURTH.

SO THAT'S GOOD.

THANK YOU.

ALRIGHT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE APPROVAL HERE.

RAISE YOUR HAND PLEASE.

THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONERS.

OKAY.

THAT'S JOHN AND IRIS, CORRECT? OH, THERE YOU GO.

YOU'VE GOT A LITTLE PICTURE THERE.

I'M TRYING TO .

THANK YOU GUYS.

.

ALL RIGHT.

SO WE'VE APPROVED THE MINUTES.

THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA, THE NEXT ITEM I

[2. Approve a recommendation to Council to authorize a contract for a waste and collection services digital platform for customers to viewtheir collection schedules and schedule bulk, brush, household, and hazardous waste collection for Austin Resource Recovery with Routeware TopCo, LLC dba Routeware Inc. or Routeware or Wastech Corporation or Wastech, fora term of three years in an amount not to exceed $594,000. Funding: $176,000 is available in the Operating Budget of Austin Resource Recovery.]

AND THAT'S, THANK YOU.

YES, YES, YES.

THANK YOU.

UH, LET'S SEE.

WHERE IS THAT? HERE IT IS.

JUST LEMME KNOW WHEN YOU'RE READY.

GO FOR IT.

THANK YOU.

PERFECT.

THANK YOU.

GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.

MY NAME IS CARRIE GREENWALD.

I AM THE PUBLIC INFORMATION AND MARKETING MANAGER AT AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY.

AND I AM HERE TONIGHT TO REQUEST FAVORABLE, FAVORABLE AND RECOMMENDATION FOR CONTRACT NUMBER MA 15 0 0 NNC 2 5 0 0 0 0 0 7 8 FOR RECOLLEC PLATFORM AND WASTE COLLECTION SERVICES WITH ROUTE INCORPORATED WITH A TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $594,000 OVER THREE YEARS.

THE CONTRACT PROVIDES AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERIES CUSTOMER FACING AUSTIN RECYCLES MOBILE APPLICATION AND WEBSITE WIDGET ON AUSTIN RECYCLES.COM.

SEVERAL TOOLS ARE BUNDLED WITHIN THE APP AND THE WIDGET ON AUSTIN RESOURCE RECCO, AND THEY HELP AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY EDUCATE AND INFORM CUSTOMERS.

THESE INCLUDE A CUSTOMER COLLECTION CALENDAR WHERE CUSTOMERS CAN LOOK UP AND VIEW UPCOMING RECYCLING, COMPOSTING TRASH, AND ON DEMAND APPOINTMENTS THAT THEY HAVE SCHEDULED.

SERVICE ALERT MESSAGING, WHICH ENABLES THE DEPARTMENT TO SEND CUSTOMERS UPDATES OR INTERRUPTIONS THEIR SERVICES COLLECTION REMINDERS THAT REMIND CUSTOMERS OF THEIR UPCOMING COLLECTIONS CAMPAIGN MESSAGING, WHICH MAKES IT POSSIBLE TO EDUCATE CUSTOMERS THROUGH A MESSAGE SENT ALONGSIDE THEIR REMINDER.

THE, WHAT DO I DO WITH TOOL THAT ENABLES CUSTOMERS TO SEARCH FOR ZERO WASTE OPTIONS ON HOW TO DISPOSE ITEMS. THEY NO LONGER HAVE A USE FOR A WASTE SORTING GAME, WHICH IS A GREAT EDUCATIONAL TOOL THAT ALLOWS CUSTOMERS TO TEST THEIR KNOWLEDGE ON, UM, WASTE SORTING.

AND KIDS ALSO LOVE IT TOO.

AND A RECYCLE AND REUSE DROP OFF CENTER APPOINTMENT SCHEDULING TOOL SO PEOPLE CAN VISIT THE CENTER, UM, WITH AN APPOINTMENT AND A SPECIAL COLLECTION SCHEDULING TOOL FOR OUR ON-DEMAND SERVICES.

SO THAT INCLUDES BULK BRUSH AND HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE.

UH, THE PROGRAM THAT WE LAUNCHED BACK IN JANUARY, IF APPROVED THIS CONTRACT WOULD GO INTO EFFECT ON DECEMBER 1ST, 2025.

AND AS IT IS NOW, THE CURRENT CONTRACT EXPIRES ON DECEMBER 3RD, 2025.

MM-HMM .

THE CONTRACT WILL AFFORD AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY, THE ABILITY TO CONTINUE OFFERING THESE SERVICES TO ITS CURBSIDE CUSTOMERS.

AND AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY DOES NOT CURRENTLY HAVE THE PROGRAMMING CAPABILITIES NECESSARY TO PERFORM THESE SERVICES ON ITS OWN.

IF A CONTRACT IS NOT SECURE, THESE SERVICES COULD NOT BE OFFERED TO ALL AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY CUSTOMERS.

AND SOME SERVICES LIKE ON-DEMAND BULK BRUSH AND HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE COLLECTIONS AND APPOINTMENT SCHEDULING AT THE RECYCLING RADIO DROPOFF CENTER WOULD BE DISRUPTED.

MM.

THANK YOU CARRIE.

IS THAT, IS THAT IT? ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, ANY

[00:05:01]

UM, MELISSA.

MELISSA? YEP.

THANK YOU.

I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE APP ACTUALLY.

UM, WHAT ARE OUR USER NUMBERS LOOKING LIKE? UM, DO WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION? WHAT PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE THAT ARE SCHEDULING THE BULK SERVICES ARE USING THE APP VERSUS JUST CALLING IN? SO THE MAJORITY OF, I CAN GET THE EXACT NUMBERS FOR YOU ON THAT, BUT THE, THE MAJORITY OF CUSTOMERS DO USE THE APP TO SCHEDULE VERSUS CALLING 3 1 1.

AND WHEN 3 1 1 TAKES THE APPOINTMENT, THEY ACTUALLY SCHEDULE IT THROUGH THE APP.

SO THE APP IS THE ONLY WAY TO SCHEDULE, I MEAN, CUSTOMERS CAN CALL IN AND WE'LL ASSIST THEM, BUT EVERY APPOINTMENT GETS SCHEDULED THROUGH THE APP.

UM, I SEE.

BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT AROUND 130,760 REMINDERS ARE CURRENTLY SET UP ON BETWEEN THE APP AND, UM, DIFFERENT KINDS OF REMINDERS SO PEOPLE CAN SIGN UP FOR A REMINDER THROUGH THE APP.

WOW.

THEY CAN SIGN UP FOR A PHONE CALL, THEY CAN SIGN UP FOR A TEXT MESSAGE AND EMAIL.

THERE'S DIFFERENT WAYS THEY CAN GET REMINDED, BUT WE HAVE OVER 130,000 REMINDERS SET UP.

UM, THE APP ITSELF, WE LAUNCHED THAT IN APRIL OF 2020, AND WE HAVE HAD 76,000 APP INSTALL SINCE THE LAUNCH, WHICH IS LIKE ABOVE THE BENCHMARK FOR A CITY OUR SIZE.

UM, AND THEN WE HAVE MORE THAN 11 MILLION CALENDAR REVIEWS SINCE WE LAUNCHED THE TOOL IN 2017.

UM, I HAVE ALL KINDS OF NUMBERS I CAN GIVE YOU IF YOU WANT MORE .

NO, THAT'S GOOD DATA.

.

THANK YOU.

UM, AND THEN I GUESS ANOTHER QUESTION THAT I HAVE, I WAS LOOKING AT THE APP AND WHENEVER YOU OPEN IT, IT ASKS YOU TO PUT IN AN ADDRESS AND THAT'S HOW IT'S GONNA GIVE YOU NOTIFICATIONS OR TELL YOU YOUR, YOUR PERSONALIZED INFORMATION.

UM, I WAS JUST CURIOUS, IF YOU PUT IN AN ADDRESS LIKE ANY ADDRESS, WILL IT TELL YOU WHETHER OR NOT BULK SERVICES HAVE BEEN SCHEDULED FOR THAT ADDRESS? SO IF YOU PUT IN YOUR ADDRESS OR ANY ADDRESS, IT WILL TELL, IT WILL TELL YOU, UM, WHAT'S ON THE CALENDAR.

HMM.

UM, SO IF THERE IS A BULK SERVICE SCHEDULED FOR THAT ADDRESS, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE IT ON THE CALENDAR? YEAH.

OKAY.

BECAUSE I HAD THIS QUESTION ABOUT, UH, WHETHER OR NOT THERE IS SOME WAY, YOU KNOW, 3 1 1 OR USING THE APP, YOU CAN SEE WHETHER OR NOT YOUR NEIGHBORS HAVE ACTUALLY SCHEDULED THEIR BILL PICKUP OR IF, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST SITTING OUT THERE AND THEY STILL DON'T REALIZE THAT THEY NEED TO ACTUALLY SCHEDULE THAT.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, IF I CAN LOOK IN THE APP AND PUT IN THEIR ADDRESS AND SEE THAT YES, THEY HAVE SCHEDULED IT, IT JUST HASN'T BEEN PICKED UP YET.

LIKE THAT'S VERY USEFUL.

YEAH.

SO THE ONLY CAVEAT TO THAT IS IF THEY SCHEDULE THE APPOINTMENT THROUGH THE MOBILE APP, IT MAY NOT SHOW UP ON THE WEB WIDGET VERSION.

SO IF YOU'RE LOOKING IT UP ON THE WEBSITE AND THEY SCHEDULE IT ON THE APP, IT MAY NOT SHOW UP ON THAT WEB WIDGET.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT RECOLLECT IS WORKING TO FIX NOW, SO THAT IT'LL BE MORE STREAMLINED BETWEEN THE TWO DEVICES.

OKAY.

BUT IF I USE THE APP, I SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE IT? YES.

OKAY, GREAT.

YEAH, THAT'S GREAT.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU MELISSA.

YEAH, SO I'M CALCULATING HERE, IT LOOKS LIKE ABOUT A FIVE TO SIX YEAR WITH A ONE YEAR HOLDOVER.

SO SIX YEARS AROUND $320,000 WAS SPENT, WHICH IS IN THIS 60,000 A YEAR RANGE.

I DUNNO HOW I DID THAT PATH, BUT IN ANY CASE, THAT'S, WE'RE LOOKING AT ACTUALLY TRIPLING THAT AMOUNT HERE IN A SINGLE YEAR FOR, TO GO TO 1 98 K.

IS THAT WHAT I'M SEEING? YES, THAT IS CORRECT.

UM, AND THAT IS BECAUSE THE COST OF THE SERVICES HAVE GONE UP.

WE, WE FIRST LAUNCHED THIS PROGRAM IN 2017 MM-HMM .

SO IT IS BEEN, YOU KNOW, SIGNIFICANT TECHNOLOGY INCREASES SINCE THEN.

BUT WE'VE ALSO ADDED SEVERAL TOOLS SINCE WE LAUNCHED THAT FIRST CONTRACT.

MM-HMM.

SO WE ADDED, UM, THE APPOINTMENT SCHEDULER FOR THE RECYCLING REUSE DROP OFF CENTER, WHICH WAS NOT A TOOL THAT WE HAD AT THE TIME.

WHEN WE LAUNCHED IT, WE ADDED THE APP ITSELF, WHICH LAUNCHED IN 2020.

SO THAT WAS KIND OF HALFWAY THROUGH THE CONTRACT.

AND THEN, UM, WE ALSO ADDED THE WASTE SORTING GAME LATER AND THE, UM, THE, THE SPECIAL COLLECTION SCHEDULING TOOL.

SO THE TOOL THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO SCHEDULE THE ON-DEMAND SERVICES OF BULK BRUSH AND HHW MM-HMM .

MM-HMM .

SO WE'RE GETTING A LOT MORE, BUT THE TECHNOLOGY HAS GONE UP AS WELL.

YEAH.

IT DOES SEEM LIKE WE'RE SIGNIFICANT.

YEAH, THAT'S A PRETTY BIG BUMP IT SEEMS, ESPECIALLY FOR THINGS.

I MEAN, DEPENDING THE MAINTENANCE COST, SINCE MANY OF THESE THINGS ARE ALREADY IN PLACE, IT SEEMS LIKE THE MAINTENANCE COST SHOULD ACTUALLY BE LESS.

MAYBE THE SERVICES ARE INCREASING IN COST, BUT I'M NOT SURE WHAT, WHAT WOULD CAUSE THAT TO GO UP.

I MEAN, CLOUD SERVICE PRICING GENERALLY HAS BEEN GOING DOWN.

I'M, I'M NOT SURE I FULLY FOLLOW WHY THESE PRICES ARE GOING UP AS MUCH AS I'M SEEING HERE.

WE CAN PROBABLY GET A MORE DEFINITIVE ANSWER FROM THE FINANCE TEAM.

BUT, UM, ALL I KNOW RIGHT NOW IS IT'S THE TECHNOLOGY AND IT'S THE, UM, THE SERVICES THAT WE ADDED ON OVER TIME.

BECAUSE WHEN WE STARTED, THEY WERE SET UP STARTUP COMPANY AND THEY HAVE BEEN PURCHASED BY A LARGER COMPANY.

AND SO ALL OF THE RATES DID GO UP AND THERE'S NO OTHER COMPANY THAT CAN PROVIDE THIS SERVICE ALL IN ONE PACKAGE.

SO.

OKAY.

OKAY.

UM,

[00:10:01]

UM, YEAH, I MEAN IT'S A FAIRLY SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT $10 A PERSON OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

YEAH.

WE ALSO USE COOPERATIVE PRICING THROUGH SOURCE WELL, WHICH HELPS MM-HMM .

UM, MUNICIPALITIES GET FAIR PRICING AND SO IT IS THROUGH SOURCE WELL, AND SO IT IS COMPARABLE TO WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE PAYING.

SO WE WERE, HONESTLY, WE WERE GROSSLY UNDERPAYING BEFORE, SO THAT'S PART OF THE THING TOO DONE.

OKAY.

OKAY.

COMMISSIONERS, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? HEARING NO OTHER QUESTIONS? THIS IS AN ACTION ITEM AND I WILL, UH, ENTERTAIN A MOTION.

HEAR A MOTION.

I KNOW, I'M, I'M HESITANT 'CAUSE IT'S EXPENSIVE TO ME.

UM, BUT I MEAN, I USE THIS APP EVERY WEEK MM-HMM .

SO I LIKE THERE.

YOU DO.

I DO.

YEAH.

GOOD APP.

THANK YOU.

RIGHT.

I MEAN, WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT THE COMPETITIVE PRICING MAKES ME FEEL SOMEWHAT BETTER.

UM, YEAH, WE ARE LOOKING, SO IT IS A THREE YEAR CONTRACT AS OPPOSED TO A FIVE YEAR THAT WE DID PREVIOUSLY MM-HMM .

AND WE ARE GONNA BE LOOKING AT OTHER OPTIONS AS TIME GOES ON TO SEE IF THERE ARE OTHER COMPETITORS THAT COME INTO THE SPACE THAT CAN PROVIDE COMPARABLE SERVICES ALL IN ONE PACKAGE.

SO, YEAH.

CAN YOU TELL US A TOUCH? I MEAN, SO WE'RE PLANNING TO, SO ROUTE WEAR INC IS THE COMPANY WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH AND WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE.

YES.

AND THEY'RE ALSO THE COMPANY THAT PROVIDES OUR ROUTE WEAR WITHIN THE TRUCKS.

SO EVENTUALLY THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE BRIDGING THAT GAP BETWEEN THE CUSTOMER COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ROUTING ITSELF.

SO THERE SHOULD BE OTHER TOOLS THAT ARE INCLUDED LATER ONCE THEY BUILD THEM OUT.

SO CURRENTLY THIS DOESN'T LIKE AUTOMATICALLY SYNC TO THE ROUTES IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? SO OUR ROUTES GET POPULATED INTO THIS SOFTWARE BY PEOPLE ON OUR TEAM.

UM, BUT THE, I CAN'T SPEAK TO TOO MUCH HOW THE ROUTING WORKS, THAT PART OF IT, BUT THEY WILL TALK MORE TO EACH OTHER IN THE FUTURE FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND.

SO LATER DOWN THE ROAD, IF SOMEONE DOESN'T SET OUT THEIR CART, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO GET A MESSAGE WHEN WE GET THERE WITH OUR TRUCK AND THE CART'S NOT SET OUT, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO BE NOTIFIED YOUR CART WASN'T OUT SO WE COULDN'T COLLECT IT.

SOMETHING LIKE THAT THROUGH THE APP.

THANK YOU.

OKAY.

AND WE'RE NOT PLANNING TO DO ANYTHING.

I SAY A QUESTION.

SORRY.

THERE'S ANOTHER QUESTION.

NO, I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION.

I WAS GONNA MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE IRIS MOVES APPROVAL.

DO I HEAR A SECOND? I SECOND THE MOTION.

I'M ALI.

THANK YOU.

I DIDN'T SEE YOU THERE.

THERE YOU ARE.

ALRIGHT, ALI, IRIS MOVES ALI SECONDS.

DO I HEAR ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE ITEM? HEARING NONE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND.

OH, ALI, I CAN'T SEE YOUR HAND THERE.

I KNOW IT'S UP SOMEWHERE.

.

THERE YOU GO.

THERE YOU GO.

YEAH.

IRIS, THANK YOU GUYS.

UNANIMOUS.

CARRIE, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

ALRIGHT, UH,

[3. Approve a recommendation to Council to approve an ordinance amending the FiscalYear 2025-2026 Austin Resource Recovery Operating Budget Special Revenue Fund (Ordinance No. 20250813- 008) to accept and appropriate $35,000 in grant funds from Keep Austin Beautiful (KAB), a nonprofit 501 (c)(3) organization,forthe purchase and installation of public litter and recycling containers.]

THE NEXT ITEM HERE IS THE ACTUAL, UH, WHAT IS THAT ITEM NUMBER THREE? UH, LET'S SEE.

IT'S THE, UH, APPROVE A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL TO, TO, UH, I GUESS AMEND THE FISCAL YEAR 25 26, UH, BUDGET IN ORDER TO ACCEPT THE $35,000 GRANT FROM KEEP AUSTIN.

BEAUTIFUL.

IS THAT, KIND OF SUMMARIZE THAT REAL QUICK, BUT, UH, ANYWAY, CHAIRMAN, GOOD EVENING CHAIRMAN OYA AND COMMISSIONERS.

THANK YOU.

I'M SAMUEL GILBERT WITH AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY'S LITERAL ABATEMENT.

I'M THE DIVISION MANAGER WITHIN THAT DIVISION.

AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY IS SEEKING FAVORABLE RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE FISCAL YEAR 20 25, 20 26 AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY OPERATING BUDGET TO ACCEPT AN APPROPRIATE $35,000 IN GRANT FUNDS, UH, FROM THE KEEP AUSTIN BEAUTIFUL, WHICH IS A NONPROFIT 5 0 1 C3 ORGANIZATION FOR THE PURCHASE AND INSTALLATION OF PUBLIC LITTER AND RECYCLING CONTAINERS.

AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY WILL SUPPORT THE PROCUREMENT PLACEMENT INSTALLATION AND ONGOING MAINTENANCE OF THE LITTER AND RECYCLING CONTAINERS IN LOCATIONS CONSISTENT WITH CITY OPERATIONAL PRIORITIES.

A RR AND KEEP AUSTIN BEAUTIFUL WILL COLLABORATE ON CONTAINER BRANDING WITH BOTH ORGANIZATIONS, LOGOS DISPLAYED TO RECORD, RECOGNIZE THE PARTNERSHIP AND GRANT SUPPORT.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

YES, SIR.

COMMISSIONERS, ANY THOUGHTS OR

[00:15:01]

THANK YOU.

YES.

KEY WORD THERE, GRANT.

THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONERS.

ANY THOUGHTS, QUESTIONS, CONCERNS THEN WHERE WE DON'T KNOW, THIS IS JUST A GENERAL, UM, IT WOULD BE GENERAL PLACEMENT OF OF TRASH AND RECYCLING CONTAINERS.

IS IT LIKE IN PARKS OR ON SIDEWALKS? OR THE CONTAINERS WILL BE PLACED OUT IN THE RIGHTS OF WAY.

AND SO BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, WITH THE FUNDS AVAILABLE, IT, IT ALLOTS US APPROXIMATELY A A TOTAL OF 20 CONTAINERS.

SO 10 UH, LITER, 10, UH, RECYCLE CONTAINERS.

AND WHAT WE'VE DONE INTERNALLY IS LOOK AT LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

UH, WE'VE LOOKED AT LOCATIONS THAT TRYING TO AVOID LOCATIONS THAT ARE NEAR BUS STOPS, THAT ALREADY HAVE CONTAINERS, UH, UNDERSERVED AREAS WE'VE LOOKED AT.

UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT AUSTIN AS A WHOLE, UH, INTERNALLY TO DOWNTOWN, THERE'S A LOT OF LITTER CONTAINERS ALL THE WAY OUT TO WEST CAMPUS.

BUT AS YOU GET FURTHER OUT THAT KEEP OFF SOME BEAUTIFUL BRANCH KIND OF THINS OUT.

AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO PUT CONTAINERS ON THE, ON THE, THE OUTER LINE BOUNDARIES.

UH, AND THEY'LL BE BASICALLY EACH, UH, COUNCIL DISTRICT WILL GET ONE RECYCLE AND ONE LITTER CONTAINER FOR THE TOTAL OF 20.

THANK YOU.

SOUNDS GOOD.

SO THERE WOULD BE SOME ADDITIONAL PICKUPS THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED BY IT, UH, BY OUR TEAM HERE? YES.

UH, THE, THE, THE MM-HMM .

UH, COLLECTION OF THOSE CONTAINERS WILL GET FOLDED INTO THE, TO THE, UH, WEEKLY AND DAILY, UH, KAB ROUTE THAT THE, THAT THE CREWS COLLECT.

OKAY, GREAT.

GREAT.

YEAH, THAT SOUNDS GREAT.

ALRIGHT.

ALL RIGHT.

I'LL, UH, ENTERTAIN A MOTION.

IT'S AN ACTION ITEM.

YEAH.

I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE.

YEAH.

MOVE'S APPROVAL.

DO I HEAR A SECOND? I SECOND THIS MOTION.

JOHN.

JOHN.

SECONDS HERE.

ANY MORE DISCUSSION ON THIS? HEARING? NONE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR RAISE YOUR HAND.

ALRIGHT, UNANIMOUS.

THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU.

YOU HAVE A GOOD EVENING.

THANK YOU.

OH, LET'S SEE.

[4. Approve the appointment of one new memberto the Construction and Demolition Ordinance Reform Committee to fill a vacancy for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2025-2026. ]

AND I THINK WE MAY HAVE, I'M READY TO, UH, SUBMIT SOMEONE'S NAME FOR THERE WE GO.

WHETHER, WHETHER HE WANTS IT OR NOT, , WHO WOULD NOT WANT IT.

UM, SO I'D LIKE TO NOMINATE SETH WHALEN TO TAKE THAT ADDITIONAL SPOT, THAT EMPTY SPOT.

AND I WILL SECOND THAT, THAT, UH, NOMINATION.

OKAY.

COMMISSIONERS, WE HAVE A NOMINATION.

YEAH, YOU CAN'T, YOU CAN'T LEAVE.

YOU CAN DECLINE THE NOMINATION IF YOU REALLY WANT TO.

YOU BETTER NOT .

I KNOW WHAT YOUR BIKE LOOKS LIKE.

WOW.

ALRIGHT GUYS, I'M SORRY.

BUT, UH, NONETHELESS, WE DO HAVE A, UH, WE HAVE A MOTION TO, TO APPOINT SETH TO THE, UH, C AND D SUBCOMMITTEE.

WE HAVE A SECOND.

DO I HEAR ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT? HEARING? NONE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR HAND.

NO, THANK YOU.

OH, YOU BETTER RUN.

ALRIGHT, .

THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS.

ALRIGHT.

OKAY.

[6. Staff briefing regarding Circular Economy. Presentation by Madelyn Morgan, Program Manager, Austin Resource Recovery. ]

AND I THINK, UH, MADELINE IS GOING TO BE PRESENTING THAT.

IS THAT CORRECT? GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS.

MY NAME'S MADDIE MORGAN.

I'M THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY PROGRAM MANAGER AT AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY.

AND I'M HERE TONIGHT, UH, TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRAM THAT I OVERSEE.

SO I THINK THIS IS, UH, HOPEFULLY EVERYONE ON THE COMMISSION KNOWS WHY WE DO THIS WORK.

UM, BUT WE HAVE A ZERO WASTE GOAL REACH, UH, REDUCE WASTE BY 90% WITH THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN.

AND THEN ALSO, IN PARTICULAR FOR MY TEAM, UM, IS COMING UP WITH WAYS TO COMPLY WITH THE NEW PLASTICS ECONOMY, GLOBAL COMMITMENT, UM, WHICH THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS A SIGNATORY ON TO REDUCE AND ELIMINATE PROBLEMATIC PLASTICS.

WE ALL KNOW ABOUT ZERO WASTE, BUT CIRCULAR ECONOMY IS, IS A STEP FURTHER.

SO IT'S NOT JUST HOW DO WE KEEP THINGS OUT OF THE LANDFILL, BUT IT'S HOW DO WE DESIGN THINGS TO PREVENT THEM FROM BECOMING WASTE IN THE FIRST PLACE.

AND SO, UM, THE IMPORTANT THING HERE IS, UM, HOW DO WE KEEP MATERIALS AT THEIR HIGHEST AND BEST USE FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE?

[00:20:01]

, UH, WE WANNA, WE DO THAT BY, WE GET TOWARDS THAT SHIFT BY HOW WE DO BUSINESS.

AND SO, AS I MENTIONED, LOOKING UPSTREAM, UM, KIND OF THIS TIES INTO THE THREE PILLARS, UM, THAT MY PROGRAM, UH, IMPLEMENTS.

BUT IT'S LOOKING AT HOW WE BUILD BUSINESSES IN THE COMMUNITY, HOW WE DO BUSINESS AS AN ORGANIZATION, AND HOW WE ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TO ENGAGE WITH THESE BUSINESSES, UM, TO HELP US SHIFT TOWARDS A CIRCULAR ECONOMY.

AND SO THOSE ARE OUR THREE PILLARS SUPPORTING CIRCULAR BUSINESSES.

WE WANNA SEE THEM BE SUCCESSFUL AND THRIVE HERE IN AUSTIN, ENCOURAGING BEHAVIOR CHANGE AMONG RESIDENTS AND LEADING BY EXAMPLE IN HOW WE'RE, UM, IMPLEMENTING CIRCULAR PRACTICES.

AND ONE UNIQUE PART OF OUR PROGRAM IS THAT WE HAVE AN MOUA MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT THAT HAS IN BEEN IN PLACE FOR MANY YEARS.

UM, AND THAT, UH, MOU OUTLINES WAYS TO MOVE TOWARDS A CIRCULAR ECONOMY, UM, THROUGH, UH, WORKING WITH THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.

AND SO I'M GONNA DETAIL SEVERAL OF THE, REALLY ALL OF THE PROGRAMS THAT MY TEAM OVERSEES.

WE ARE A TEAM OF FIVE FULL-TIME STAFF, PLUS MYSELF FOR A TOTAL OF SIX.

AND THIS FIRST PILLAR SUPPORTING CIRCULAR BUSINESSES AND ENTREPRENEURS.

WE PROVIDE ONE-ON-ONE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE WITH BUSINESSES.

UH, WE HAVE A SORT OF, UM, STRATIFICATION, UM, AND, UM, SYSTEM WHERE WE CATEGORIZE BUSINESSES AND REACH OUT TO THEM, BUT WE ALSO TAKE INCOMING INQUIRIES AS WELL.

WE MEET ONE-ON-ONE TO UNDERSTAND CHALLENGES, GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES, AND PROVIDE RESOURCES TO THOSE, UM, BUSINESSES.

I LIKE TO SAY THAT WE ACT AS SUPER CONNECTORS CONNECTING BUSINESSES WITH ONE ANOTHER AND THEN ALSO ECOSYSTEM PARTNERS THAT, UM, WE THINK CAN HELP SUPPORT THEM ON THEIR MISSION.

AND IT DOESN'T JUST INCLUDE FOR-PROFIT BUSINESSES.

WE WORK WITH, UM, NON-PROFITS AS WELL, SMALL TO MEDIUM SIZED ENTERPRISES, AND ALSO ENTREPRENEURS, EVEN FOLKS WHO ARE JUST LOOKING TO GET INTO THE INDUSTRY BECAUSE THEY HAVE AN IDEA.

THANKS.

WE ALSO HOST ROUND TABLES AND NETWORKING EVENTS EACH YEAR.

THESE CHANGE, UM, ANNUALLY BASED ON WHAT WE'RE SEEING, TRENDS, WHAT WE'RE SEEING AS FAR AS TRENDS FROM OUR BUSINESSES THROUGH OUR ONE-ON-ONE MEETINGS WITH THEM.

ONE THING WE DO DO EACH YEAR THOUGH, IS A CIRCULAR CONNECT AND SHARE, WHICH IS AN ANNUAL, UH, NETWORKING EVENT WHERE WE BRING ALL CIRCULAR BUSINESSES TOGETHER.

UM, AND WE CAN ALSO BRING IN A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TRAINING FOR BUSINESS OWNERS, UM, AND TRY AND, LIKE I SAID, KIND OF CLOSE SOME OF THOSE GAPS THAT WE'RE SEEING IN THE FIELD WHEN WE'RE MEETING WITH THEM.

AND I DIDN'T STATE THIS EARLIER, BUT CIRCULAR ENTERPRISES INCLUDES THINGS LIKE REPAIR RENTALS, UM, BUSINESSES THAT ARE INVENTING NEW TYPES OF MATERIAL THAT ARE LESS TOXIC.

UM, THE REUSE INDUSTRY PROCESSORS, UH, PRETTY MUCH ANYTHING THAT TOUCHES, UM, RECYCLING, REUSE, UPCYCLING, ET CETERA.

CIRCULAR SHOWCASE IS ONE OF OUR FLAGSHIP PROGRAMS. IT'S BEEN AROUND FOR FIVE YEARS.

IT'S A PITCH COMPETITION.

UH, RIGHT NOW THAT THE CASH, IT'S A 10, THERE'S A $10,000 CASH PRIZE.

UH, TRADITIONALLY THERE'S FOUR BUSINESS FIVE BUSINESSES THAT PITCH IN FRONT OF A PANEL OF JUDGES.

UM, OUR APPLICATION PERIOD FOR THIS IS OPEN THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT.

IF YOU KNOW OF ANY ENTERPRISES, PLEASE ENCOURAGE THEM TO APPLY.

UM, THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS ARE LISTED THERE ON THE SCREEN.

UM, BUT THIS ONE IS REALLY GEARED TOWARDS, UM, SMALL BUSINESSES THAT HAVE BEEN IN OPERATION FOR AT LEAST 12 MONTHS.

WE ALSO, THIS IS OUR NEWEST PROGRAM OF THIS PILLAR IS THE CIRCULAR ACCELERATOR.

UH, WE'RE GOING INTO OUR THIRD YEAR.

UM, IT'S A THREE MONTH CURRICULUM WHERE WE BRING IN, UM, BUSINESS, UH, OR EXPERTISE TO TEACH DIFFERENT WORKSHOPS TO HELP BUSINESSES, SORRY, TO HELP ENTREPRENEURS REFINE BUSINESS CONCEPTS RELATED TO CIRCULARITY.

UM, AND SO THE CURRICULUM CULMINATES IN A SOFT PITCH, UH, AND THE TOP THREE EARN IN A SPOT TO PRESENT AND OR PITCH AND SHOWCASE FOR A $2,000 CASH PRIZE.

AND THOSE APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN AS WELL.

SECOND PILLAR IS ENCOURAGING CIRCULAR BEHAVIORS.

WE HAVE THE AUSTIN RE REUSE DIRECTORY, WHICH IS AN ONLINE RESOURCE FOR AUSTINITES TO FIND WHERE TO DONATE BY USED RENT, REFILL, AND FIX ITEMS. WE HAVE OVER 500 LISTINGS CURRENTLY IN THE DIRECTORY.

WE DO AN ANNUAL MARKETING CAMPAIGN TO DIRECT RESIDENTS TO THE WEBSITE.

UM, WE RECENT EACH YEAR WE KIND OF ADD SOME NEW FEATURES TO IT, DO SOME TWEAKS.

UM, WE RECENTLY ADDED THE ABILITY TO TRACK WHAT SEARCH COMBINATIONS PEOPLE ARE USING, AND WE ALSO ADDED A COMMUNITY EVENT CALENDAR, UH, SO THAT ENTERPRISES OR ORGANIZATIONS CAN, UH, REQUEST FOR THEIR

[00:25:01]

SO IT'S, UH, KIND OF A HUB FOR ALL THINGS REUSE.

AND, UM, WE'LL JUST CLICK HERE, UH, THROUGH WHAT THE WEBSITE LOOKS LIKE.

IF YOU'VE NEVER VISITED, UM, YOU SELECT YOUR ACTION, YOU SELECT THE TYPE OF ITEMS, AND THEN, UM, IT POPS UP THE, UH, LISTINGS.

AND YOU CAN CLICK ON THE LEFT SIDE AND IT'LL POP UP A, A CARD THAT HAS MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE BUSINESS AND IF YOU'RE, FOR EXAMPLE, DONATING SPECIFICALLY IF THEY HAVE ANY RES CONSTRAINTS AROUND TYPES OF ITEMS THAT THEY ACCEPT.

AND THIS IS WHAT THE COMMUNITY EVENTS CALENDAR LOOKS LIKE.

NEXT SLIDE.

WE ALSO HAVE THE MOVE OUT A TX PROGRAM, WHICH HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE 2018.

IT'S OUR END OF JULY PROGRAM TO REHOME, UH, USABLE ITEMS DURING WEST CAMPUS MOVE OUT.

OUR STAFF PUTS TOGETHER TEMPORARY DONATION STATIONS, WHICH WE BRING TO THE WEST CAMPUS AREA.

AND WE PARTNER WITH ANYWHERE BETWEEN SIX TO 10 REUSE ORGANIZATIONS TO COLLECT PRETTY MUCH ANY TYPE OF GENTLY USED ITEM.

AND AS OF 2022, WE ALSO FACILITATE THE FREE FURNITURE MARKET, WHICH MOVES ANYWHERE BETWEEN FOUR AND 700 PIECES OF FURNITURE IN A FOUR TO SIX DAY PERIOD.

AND, UH, THAT WAS, UH, AS SOME OF YOU MAY KNOW, IS THE IMPETUS BEHIND THE, UH, THE FURNITURE WE USE WAREHOUSE.

AND SO OUR DIVERSION AND, UM, STATISTICS, UH, ARE THERE ON THE SLIDE.

I THINK NOTABLY SINCE THE PROGRAM'S INCEPTION, WE ESTIMATE AN ECONOMIC VALUE OF OVER $600,000 TO THE COMMUNITY FIX IN AUSTIN IS OUR LONGEST, UH, STANDING PROGRAM OR YEAH, INITIATIVE WITHIN THE PROGRAM PROGRAM.

IT'S BEEN AROUND SINCE 2015.

THIS IS, UH, OUR REPAIR EDUCATION PROGRAM.

TRADITIONALLY, UH, I GUESS HISTORICALLY IT'S REALLY JUST CONSISTED OF FIX-IT CLINICS, WHICH ARE EVENTS WHERE, UM, WE RECRUIT VOLUNTEERS WITH, UM, REPAIR SAVVY, SO THOSE THAT MAYBE KNOW HOW TO FIX JEWELRY SEWING, UH, ELECTRONICS, WE BRING THEM IN AND THEY SIT ALONGSIDE RESIDENTS WHO BRING IN, UH, BROKEN ITEMS THAT WORK TOGETHER TO REPAIR THOSE ITEMS. HOPEFULLY .

THERE'S ALSO A PARTNER PROGRAM THAT'S PART OF THIS.

SO IF THERE'S AN OUTSIDE ORGANIZATION WANTING TO HOST THEIR OWN FIXIT CLINIC, WE HAVE A PATHWAY FOR THEM TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT AND TO LET THEM BORROW OUR TOOLS.

LAST SUMMER, WE STARTED HOSTING MONTHLY TOPICAL WORKSHOPS AROUND THE CITY.

SO THINK, UM, WE HAVE ONE COMING UP IN DECEMBER ON HOW TO DARN SO YOUR SWEATERS AND SOCKS.

BUT WE'RE SUPER EXCITED BECAUSE, UM, AS OF LAST WEEK WE HAVE A, A NEW MOU SIGN WITH THE PUBLIC LIBRARY, AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE TAKING OWNERSHIP OVER THE WORKSHOPS.

WE WILL STILL BE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THEM, BUT THE HOPE IS THAT THEY'LL, UM, BE ABLE TO DO HOST MORE CONTENT THAN WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO WITH OUR STAFF, AND THAT THEY'LL BE MORE SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND ON A REGULAR BASIS.

SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED FOR THAT.

IT'S BEEN, UH, KIND OF A COUPLE OF YEARS IN THE MAKING.

AND THEN WE ALSO, UM, PUT TOGETHER, UM, MANY MINTING KITS THROUGH A LOCAL CIRCULAR ENTERPRISE, AND WE DISTRIBUTE THOSE THROUGH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS FOR, UM, THOSE WHO MAYBE NEED TO REPAIR VARIOUS TYPES OF TEXTILES, UH, ON THE GO.

AND OUR LAST PILLAR IS LEADING BY EXAMPLE.

SO LOOKING AT HOW AS THE CITY OF AUSTIN, WE CAN LEAD BY, UH, WALK THE WALK.

LAST SUMMER, THE ZERO WASTE CITY FACILITIES PROCEDURE WAS PASSED.

THIS POLICY SETS MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR CONTAINERS AND EMPLOYEE FACING WORK AREAS REQUIRES ALL FACILITIES TO HAVE RECYCLING.

IT ENCOURAGES COMPOSTING COLLECTION REQUIRES STAFF TO AVOID SINGLE USE PLASTIC PURCHASES EXCEPT IN EMERGENCIES.

IT REQUIRES AN ANNUAL ZERO WASTE TRAINING, WHICH IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED, UH, IN APRIL.

AND THAT'LL BE REQUIRED FOR EACH CITY STAFF TO, UH, PARTICIPATE IN EVERY YEAR.

IT DESIGNATES DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS TO APPOINT A ZERO WASTE LEAD TO SORT OF BE THE EYES ON THE GROUND FOR THEIR DEPARTMENT IN TERMS OF IMPLEMENTING DIFFERENT ZERO WASTE INITIATIVES AND ENCOURAGES DEPARTMENTS TO SUPPORT THE CREATION OF GREEN TEAMS WITHIN THEIR DEPARTMENT.

AS FAR AS THE MINIMUM STANDARDS, UM, THE FACILITY MANAGEMENT AND DEPARTMENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR COMPLIANCE WITH THIS POLICY.

THERE ARE ABOUT 200 CITY FACILITIES THAT FALL UNDER THESE MINIMUM STANDARDS, AND OUR TEAM HAS CREATED A CATEGORY SYSTEM TO ASSIST WITH IMPLEMENTATION.

WE HAVE TIMELINES CREATED WITH FACILITIES MANAGEMENT, FORMERLY BUILDING SERVICES, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, AND THE LIBRARY.

AND WE'VE CONDUCTED 39 SITE AS ASSESSMENTS TO DATE TO DETERMINE ALIGNMENT WITH STANDARDS.

AND I THINK WE'RE AT ABOUT, UH, ACROSS THE 200 FACILITIES, ABOUT A 35% COMPLIANCE RATE AND, UH, WORKING THROUGH IT AS WE ONLY HAVE TWO STEP FOR ALL, ALL 200 FACILITIES.

SO, UM, BUT ONE THING I THINK THAT'S BEEN REALLY NEAT FROM THIS PROGRAM IS SEEING SOME OF THE WAVES THAT THE ZERO WASTE LEADS

[00:30:01]

SO WE, THEY'RE REQUIRED TO ATTEND TWO ANNUAL TRAININGS OR MEETINGS EACH YEAR WHERE WE DISSEMINATE RESOURCES AND UPDATES AND WE, UM, UH, ALLOW THEM TO SORT OF HAVE SPACE TO COLLABORATE WITH EACH OTHER.

UM, THIS FISCAL YEAR, THEY, THOSE, UH, ZERO WASTE LEADS CREATED EIGHT NEW GREEN TEAMS. SO NOW A TOTAL OF NINE DEPARTMENTS HAVE GREEN TEAMS ACROSS THE CITY, WHERE AS THIS TIME LAST YEAR WE WERE ONLY AWARE OF OURS, SO WE'RE SUPER EXCITED FOR THAT.

WE GAVE 14 PRESENTATIONS ABOUT ZERO WASTE TO CITY STAFF REACHING OVER 300 PEOPLE.

AND WE, UM, ONE OF OUR OUTREACH METHODS IS TABLING AT DIFFERENT, UH, EMPLOYEE FACING EVENTS AND WE'VE EDUCATED 500 STAFF THROUGH THOSE EFFORTS.

AND THEN WE ALSO MANAGE A, UM, COMMUNICATIONS CHANNEL ON MICROSOFT TEAMS CALLED GREEN CHAMPIONS.

THERE'S ABOUT 600 USERS ON THERE, AND IT'S JUST A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN ASK QUESTIONS, UH, ASK ABOUT SWAPPING RESOURCES, AND WE SAW A 25% INCREASED MEMBERSHIP.

AND I, THAT PLATFORM CONTINUES TO BE MORE, UM, USED AS TIME GOES ON, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT WE WANNA SEE.

UM, ON THE AVOIDING SINGLE USE PLASTICS FRONT, THIS ONE IS CHALLENGING BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A TOOL TO EASILY TRACK WHAT'S ACTUALLY BEING PURCHASED.

UM, SO WORKING FROM THE GROUND UP IS REALLY OUR, OUR STRONGEST, UM, TOOL FOR THIS INITIATIVE.

BUT WE'VE GOTTEN, UH, THROUGH OUR ZERO WASTE LEADS, THEY'VE GONE, THEY'RE GOING BACK IN THEIR DEPARTMENTS AND STARTING TO IMPLEMENT THINGS WITH, UH, INITIATIVES WITHIN THEIR DEPARTMENTS.

AND THESE ARE JUST A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES.

SO THE MUNICIPAL COURT INSTALLED A WATER LINE TO REPLACE SINGLE USE WATER BOTTLES FOR PATRONS WATERSHEDS, USING COMPOSTABLE OPTIONS FOR THEIR AWARDS AND RECOGNITION COMMITTEE EVENTS.

OUR DEPARTMENT HAS A REUSABLE DISH KIT AVAILABLE THAT TEAMS CAN CHECK OUT TO USE AT EVENTS.

AND 14 OFFICE AREAS ACROSS THE CITY HAVE REPLACED SINGLE USE COFFEE PODS WITH A REUSABLE OPTION.

SO YOU GOTTA START SOMEWHERE.

UH, SO WE'RE MAKING, UH, SMALL RIPPLES, UH, IN THIS AREA.

AND THEN THE PROCEDURE ALSO ENCOURAGES DIVERSION AND ALIGNMENT WITH THE CITY ZERO WASTE GOAL.

WE HAVE A FILM FOAM WAREHOUSE PILOT, UM, WHERE WE COLLECT AS EXACTLY WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE, AND WE'VE COLLECTED OVER 1600 POUNDS OF MATERIAL THROUGH THAT.

WE ALSO HAVE A BREAK ROOM COMPOST PROGRAM WHERE STAFF CAN, UH, VOLUNTEER TO TAKE THIS COMPOST TO THEIR HOME SETUP.

AND SO WE HAVE 49 PARTICIPANTS IN EIGHT DEPARTMENTS AND ESTIMATE ABOUT A THOUSAND EMPLOYEES HAVE ACCESS TO THAT.

AND THEN ALWAYS AS STAFF, UH, BANDWIDTH, UH, PERMITS AND AS THINGS COME UP, WE'RE ALWAYS EXPLORING OTHER OPPORTUNITIES.

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, UM, WE HAVE A PLATFORM CALLED RELEY, WHICH IS ALSO VERY EXCITING AND HAS MADE A REALLY BIG IMPACT THIS PAST FISCAL YEAR.

THIS IS A NEW INTERNAL PLATFORM TO REHOME CITY EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES WITHIN CITY OPERATIONS.

WE JUST COMPLETED A ONE YEAR PILOT WITH THIS VENDOR, UM, AND IT WAS VERY WELL RECEIVED, VERY WELL USED.

AND SO THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL YEAR OF, UH, SERVICE THAT'S BEING ADDED ON WHILE WE WORK TO DEVELOP A LONG TERM, UH, RFP.

BUT YOU CAN SEE IN THE STATISTICS THERE, OVER A THOUSAND ITEMS HAVE BEEN REUSED THROUGH THIS PLATFORM.

UM, AND IT'S ESTIMATED OVER $400,000 IN COST AVOIDED.

SO WE CONTINUE TO PUSH THIS RESOURCE TO CITY STAFF, UM, AND YEAH, EXCHANGE THINGS WITHIN THE CITY.

AND WITH THAT, I WILL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

MADDY, THANK YOU FOR THE WONDERFUL PRESENTATION.

COMMISSIONERS.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR MADDY OR THE OR STAFF? NO, THIS STUFF LOOKS GREAT.

UM, IT DOES, YOU MENTIONED THE, UM, THE REUSE DIRECTORY.

THAT SEEMS LIKE THAT'S A GOOD CANDIDATE ALSO TO TRY AND FOLD INTO THE APP THAT WE FUNDED EARLIER, , UM, THE MORE WE CAN YEAH, UNIFY OUR FACE CUSTOMER FACING SIDE OF THINGS, THAT'D BE GREAT.

SO SOMETHING TO CONSIDER, BUT YEAH.

WONDERFUL.

THANK YOU, YAN.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR THOUGHTS FOR MADDIE? UM, IS THERE A LIST OF THE BUSINESSES THAT PARTICIPATE IN THE KIND OF CIRCULAR, UM, IN THE, IN THE PROGRAM THAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE? I'M NOT SURE I QUITE UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION.

IN WHICH PROGRAM ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? JUST CIRCULAR SHOWCASE.

UM, AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PRESENTATION YOU'D SHOWN, UM, LIKE, UH, THERE ARE BUSINESSES SMALL THAT PARTICIPATED IN, UH, THIS COMPETITIONS, UH, AS WELL AS WORKSHOPS, SORT A LIST OF THOSE.

UM, I GUESS WHAT I'M, WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS THAT IF THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THE CITY WHO WANT TO SUPPORT MORE BUSINESSES THAT PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM, IS THERE AN EASY WAY TO SEE WHO, WHO DOES AND DOESN'T? UM,

[00:35:01]

I MEAN, WE HAVE LIKE A SORT OF QUASI CRM THAT WE MAINTAIN TO KEEP TRACK OF OUR BUSINESSES, BUT IT'S NOT PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE.

WE DO HAVE, I DIDN'T OUTLINE IT IN OUR, MY SLIDES, BUT WE DO HAVE A, WHAT WE CALL A CIRCULAR STORY MAP ONLINE.

UM, THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE SORT OF THE, WHERE WE FEATURE CIRCULAR BUSINESSES ON IT AND SHOW HOW THEY CONNECT WITH ONE ANOTHER.

THAT MAY BE SORT OF THE CLOSEST THING WE HAVE TO THAT.

UM, AND THAT AT WEBSITE THAT IS AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE.

I WILL SAY IT'S PROBABLY NOT THE MOST UPDATED.

SEEMS TO BE SOMETHING THAT KIND OF SLIDES TO OUR BACK BURNER WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, AS STAFF TURNS OVER AND THINGS.

BUT IT IS A PLACE TO START.

UM, HAS MAYBE 40 OR SO BUSINESSES LISTED, UM, AND EXACTLY HOW THEY, UM, I DON'T WANNA SAY COMPLY, HOW EXACTLY THEY, UH, USE CIRCULAR PRINCIPLES WITHIN THEIR BUSINESS.

COULD YOU, COULD YOU SHARE THAT WITH, UH, SURE.

MM-HMM .

THANKS.

THANK YOU, HOLLY.

ANY OF THE QUESTIONS? HEARING ON MATTIE? AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL PRESENTATION.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

ALL RIGHT, COMMISSIONERS,

[5. Discussion of Future Use Options for the City of Austin Owned FM 812 Landfill.]

UH, YOU KNOW, THIS IS PROBABLY A GOOD SEGUE INTO THE NEXT ITEM.

AND THE NEXT ITEM IS LITERALLY A DISCUSSION OF FUTURE USES FOR THE, UH, FM EIGHT 12 LANDFILL THAT IS CLOSED, BY THE WAY.

IT'S A CLOSED LANDFILL.

AND, UH, IT WAS THE, UH, THE CITY'S LANDFILL BACK IN THE, I GUESS LATE SIXTIES, SEVENTIES, EIGHTIES, ALL THE WAY UP UNTIL 2000 WHEN THE AIRPORT WENT IN OVER AT, UH, BERGSTROM.

WE WERE, UH, FORCED TO SHUT THE, UH, LANDFILL.

IT WAS A, UH, TYPE ONE FACILITY, WHICH WAS MUNI, MUNICIPAL WASTE, RIZAL WASTE.

SO IT WAS, IT WAS CLOSED.

HAVING SAID THAT, IT'S, IT'S GONE THROUGH CLOSURE.

UH, AND PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M, IF I'M WRONG, STAFF HERE, IT'S GONE THROUGH CLOSURE.

IT'S, UH, IT IS A CLOSED FACILITY OF THE, UH, 391 ACRES THAT ARE THERE.

I THINK THERE'S STILL A HUNDRED, 105 ACRES THAT ARE STILL AVAILABLE THAT COULD BE USED FOR OPPORTUNITIES.

AND WHEN I SAY OPPORTUNITIES, I, I, I'M KIND OF LOOKING AT THE SITUATION, THE ECONOMIC CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE FACING HERE AS A COMMUNITY.

THE, UH, DEPARTMENT ITSELF IS IN, IN ALWAYS IN NEED OF FUNDING.

WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES HERE WITH THE, UH, WITH THE ASSETS THAT THE CITY, THE DEPARTMENT OWNS, I SHOULD SAY.

AND CURRENTLY THEY'RE NON-PERFORMING ASSETS.

MY GOAL WOULD BE TO TAKE THOSE NON-PERFORMING ASSETS AND TURN THEM INTO PERFORMING ASSETS, WHICH BRING IN REVENUE TO THE CITY, WHICH IN TURN CAN HELP PAY FOR THE NEEDED, UH, EQUIPMENT, THE NEEDED LABOR, THE THE NEEDS OF THIS DEPARTMENT.

HAVING SAID THAT, BACK IN 20 AGAIN, PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG HERE, 2014 OR 2015, WE DISCUSSED A ECO INDUSTRIAL PARK OUT THERE.

AND THIS ECO INDUSTRIAL PARK WAS GOING TO BE PUT ON THIS, I GUESS, VACANT, UH, A HUNDRED ACRES.

THE PRIVATE SECTOR AT THAT POINT WAS GOING TO BE LEASING THIS PROPERTY FROM THE DEPARTMENT AND THE DEPARTMENT, I MEAN, LEASING THIS PROPERTY AT, UH, MARKET RATES.

IN TURN, THEY WERE GOING TO BE ASKED TO BUILD THEIR OWN FACILITIES.

THEY BASICALLY ARE, ARE LEASING A PIECE OF PROPERTY, THEY'RE BUILDING ON THIS PROPERTY, AND THEY'RE DEVELOPING RECYCLING OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE COMMUNITY.

IT WAS A, AGAIN, A REUSE REMANUFACTURING GOAL THAT WE HAD OUT THERE.

THAT WAS ONE ITEM THAT DIDN'T GO THROUGH FOR, FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER.

FAST FORWARD, HERE WE ARE TODAY.

THE NEIGHBOR NEXT TO US AT THIS CLOSED LANDFILL IS CURRENTLY IN OPERATION.

THEY ARE IN OPERATION AS A C AND D FACILITY, A TYPE A, TYPE FOUR.

THEY ARE ABLE TO TAKE CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION MATERIAL AND, UH, DIVERT THAT AS WELL AS BURY IT.

THEY CAN, THEY CAN STILL BURY THEIR MATERIAL THERE.

WE, ON THE OTHER HAND, JUST ACROSS THE FENCE, HAVE NO OPPORTUNITY.

I COULD SEE ANOTHER OPTION FOR THIS BEING THE DEVELOPMENT OF A C AND D RECYCLING FACILITY, WHICH WOULD BRING SOME ADDITIONAL, SOME ADDITIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE TO THE CITY'S GOAL OF,

[00:40:01]

HOW DO WE, UH, HOW DO WE GET THERE? WELL, AGAIN, THESE COMPANIES THAT ARE CURRENTLY PRO PROVIDING THIS SERVICE, THEY'RE DOING IT FOR A REASON.

THEY MAKE MONEY, IT'S REVENUE GENERATING.

AND I THINK THE CITY WITH THE, UH, WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITIES AND THE RESPONSIBLE RESPONSIBILITY THAT THE CITY HOLDS AND THEY SHOWED IN THE PAST AND ARE SHOWING TODAY THAT WE COULD IN TURN DEVELOP A, A, UH, C AND D FACILITY.

THAT'S ANOTHER THOUGHT.

IN OTHER WORDS, THERE'S JUST SO MANY THINGS THAT WE CAN POSSIBLY THINK ABOUT THAT WE CAN DO WITH A HUNDRED ACRES OUT THERE.

AND I KNOW RICHARD AND I HAVE CHATTED ABOUT THIS BEFORE, AND, AND AGAIN, I WOULD WELCOME YOUR THOUGHTS AND YOUR OPINION ON THIS, RICHARD.

SO, GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONER RICHARD MCHALE, DIRECTOR OF FROST AND RESOURCE RECOVERY.

UM, OBVIOUSLY A RR WOULD LOVE TO HAVE ALL HISS OWN FACILITIES, BUT THAT'S JUST NOT THE CASE RIGHT NOW.

UM, THE LANDFILL, IT'S BEEN OUT THERE, UH, IT'S IMPOSED CLOSURE RIGHT NOW.

UM, WE ACTUALLY OPERATE AS A TYPE ONE AND THEN, UH, UH, OPERATE IT AS A TYPE FOUR, BUT IT WAS STILL A TYPE ONE FACILITY WHEN WE DID TAKE SOME DEMOLITION, UH, OUT THERE.

UM, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT'S ON OUR IMMEDIATE, UH, TIMELINE TO LOOK AT.

UM, WE HAVE A LOT OF OTHER BIG PROJECTS AHEAD OF THIS ONE, SO I DON'T KNOW THAT, UH, THIS IS SOMETHING WE REALLY WANNA FOCUS OUR ATTENTION ON RIGHT NOW.

THERE ARE SOME OTHER PROJECTS THAT ARE ABOUT TO HOPEFULLY BEGIN OUT THERE.

UH, ONE BEING THERE'S AN RFPA RIGHT NOW FOR SOLAR OUT THERE AT FM EIGHT 12.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE HOPING TO, UH, HOPEFULLY THE NUMBERS LOOK GOOD ON THAT.

AND OUR GOAL ON THAT ONE IS IF, UH, IF EVERYTHING DOES LOOK GOOD TO ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO BREAK GROUND, UH, BEFORE JULY MM-HMM .

OF 2026 ON THAT, UH, PART OF THE PROPERTY IS ALSO IN OUR, UH, STORM DEBRIS PLAN IS A SITE FOR STORM DEBRIS TO BE, UM, LOCATED, UH, OR DUMPED, UH, UNTIL WE CAN MOVE IT TO A OTHER FACILITY.

SO A BRUSH OR, UH, NON TRESS, UH, MATERIALS, BULK MATERIALS.

MM-HMM .

THAT MAY HAVE, UM, RESULTED FROM A FLOOD OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

SO THAT'S, UH, ALSO A USED FOR THAT PROPERTY THAT WE HAVE KIND OF PENTON IN OUR STORM DEBRIS PLAN.

SO, UM, OUR FLEET DEPARTMENT, UH, IS WORKING ON, UH, UH, CONTRIBUTING TO THE BOND PROPOSALS OR WHAT COMING UP, AND THEY HAVE A SOUTHEAST SERVICE CENTER THAT THEY'RE WANTING TO BUILD.

SO THIS PROPERTY IS SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE ALSO LOOKING AT PUTTING A SOUTHEAST SERVICE CENTER FOR FLEET OPERATIONS OUT THERE AS WELL.

SO A LOT OF PROJECTS, A LOT OF, UH, INTEREST RIGHT NOW IN THAT PROPERTY.

SO I THINK WE WANNA SEE HOW THOSE THINGS PAN OUT FIRST BEFORE WE START LOOKING AT ANY OTHER TYPE OF FACILITY.

OKAY.

NOW, AGAIN, MY TOPIC IS REVENUE GENERATION.

AND YOU MENTIONED AUSTIN RE I'M, I'M SORRY, AUSTIN ENERGY, WHICH WOULD PROBABLY BE PAYING FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF PUTTING UP THE SOLAR PANELS.

I'M CURIOUS AS TO WHAT THAT, UH, RETURN ON, ON INVESTMENT WOULD BE TO THE DEPARTMENT.

YEAH, WELL, LEASING LAND AT A LANDFILL, AND YOU'RE NOT GONNA FIND TOP MARKET RATE ON THAT.

MM-HMM .

SO, UH, I DON'T, UH, I DON'T THINK WE'RE GONNA BE BUYING ANY, UH, GOLD TRUCKS OR ANYTHING ANYTIME SOON.

MM-HMM .

SO, UM, IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S MORE ABOUT THE, UH, OFFSETTING OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT AS OPPOSED TO MAKING MONEY ON THAT ISSUE.

UM, I THINK I DID LOOK BACK AT THE NUMBERS OF WHEN WE WERE OPERATING AS A, AS A TYPE FOUR, AND I, THE MOST I SAW IS WE DID ABOUT 33,000 TONS ONE YEAR, AND 33,000 TONS ISN'T GOING TO, UH, TO MAKE US A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY THAT'LL BARELY COVER OUR EXPENSES.

AND THAT WAS DUE IN STRICTLY C AND D, IS THAT RIGHT? THAT WAS, YEAH, I THINK THAT WAS 2004, WHICH WAS OUR HIGHEST TONNAGE.

I THINK AS WE STARTED OPERATING AS A TYPE FOUR, I THINK, UH, WE STARTED AT AROUND 18,000 TONS.

SO THE 30, 33, 34 WAS OUR HIGHEST TONNAGE AS WE OPERATE AS A C AND D FACILITY.

AND AGAIN, SILLY QUESTION, DO YOU RECALL THE RATES THAT WERE ASSESSED BACK THEN? UH, I DON'T HAVE THOSE NUMBERS.

YEAH.

ALRIGHT.

AND I GUESS FOR A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM, I'D LIKE TO CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION, AND I'D LIKE TO HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, GET SOME, UM, GET SOME HISTORICAL INFORMATION.

I MEAN, WHAT, WHAT DID WE DO BACK IN, UH, I MEAN, 97, 98, 99, 2000? I MEAN, WHAT KIND OF VOLUMES WERE THERE? I THINK WE STILL HAD THE NEIGHBOR NEXT DOOR, CORRECT? UH, WE DID, YEAH.

BUT ALSO 97, 98, WE WERE STILL HANDLING MSW THERE, SO EX EXACTLY.

PRECISELY.

AND THE NEIGHBOR NEXT DOOR WAS DUE, AND I THINK YOU'RE, UH, BOTH ACTUALLY, UH, WELL, THEY'VE BEEN, THEY'RE TYPE FOUR, SO HOPEFULLY IT JUST NOW ACCESSIBLE.

W THEY WERE ACCEPTABLE.

YEAH.

SO ANYWAY,

[00:45:01]

I, I THINK THIS, AGAIN, IS SOMETHING THAT, UH, TO, TO DIG INTO AND TO FIND SOLUTIONS, FIND OPPORTUNITIES, IS GOING TO HELP US IMMENSELY IN THE FUTURE.

NOTHING'S GONNA HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.