[00:00:03]
[CALL TO ORDER ]
TO ORDER.AND IT REALLY IS A SHORT, SHORT AGENDA.
AND THANK YOU GUYS FOR THE PATIENCE AND, UH, FOR, FOR BEING A PART OF THIS.
WE CAN GO STRAIGHT DOWN THE AGENDA LIST.
I MEAN, THERE IS NOBODY WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, IS THAT CORRECT, GUSTAVO? AS WE HAVE NO SPEAKERS THAT HAVE SIGNED UP.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES ]
BUSINESS IS THE APPROVAL OF THE AUG, UH, APRIL 8TH MINUTES.AND HOPEFULLY YOU HAD A CHANCE TO, TO REVIEW THAT OR PARTICIPATE IN THAT.
ANY QUESTIONS, THOUGHTS, CONCERNS? HEARING NONE? I'LL, UH, I WILL WAIT FOR A MOTION ON, UH, ON APPROVAL, OR I WILL MOVE TO APPROVE THOSE MINUTES, YOUR HONOR.
DO I HEAR A SECOND ON THIS? JOHN? YOUR JOHN SECONDS.
JOHN, I THINK YOUR MIC, I SECOND THE MOTION.
ALL RIGHT, SO WE'VE GOT, UH, WE HAVE A MOTION, A SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION, FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? HEARING NONE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND, PLEASE.
[2. Discuss whether the City-owned FM 812 Landfill should be reopened as a Construction and Demolition Recycling Diversion Facility, along with historical landfill volume and revenue data leading up to its closure. ]
NEXT ITEM IS LITERALLY JUST, UH, A QUICK DISCUSSION ON, ON WHETHER OR NOT THE, UH, CITY OWNED A 12 LANDFILL SHOULD BE REOPENED AS A CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION RECYCLING DIVERSION FACILITY.AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IN THE PAST, BUT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT WE'VE ACTUALLY PUT THIS ON THE, ON AN AGENDA AS A DISCUSSION ACTION ITEM TO BEGIN THIS CONVERSATION.
AND I WILL ACCEPT ANY QUESTIONS.
I MEAN, IF STAFF, I MEAN, CAN COME UP AND PROVIDE, RON, YOU'RE PROBABLY THE MOST, UH, KNOWLEDGEABLE ON THE LANDFILL, CURRENT LANDFILL.
BUT JUST TO GIVE YOU A BRIEF HISTORY, THE A 12, UH, FACILITY, THE LANDFILL ON FMMA 12 WAS THE CITY'S CITY OWNED LANDFILL FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, DECADES.
AND THAT'S WHERE ALL OF OUR GARBAGE, UH, WENT TO.
BACK IN THE OLD DAYS WHEN THE, UH, STROM AIRPORT OPENED, OBVIOUSLY WE HAD TO SHUT DOWN THE, THE, UH, THE LANDFILL, SHUT IT DOWN TO RISIBLE WASTE, WHICH IS FOOD TYPE WASTE BECAUSE OF THE AIRPORT SAFETY, UH, ISSUES.
WE SHUT IT DOWN BACK THEN, OUR NEIGHBOR NEXT DOOR, WHICH IS, UH, ONE OF THE, UH, LARGE, UH, FORTUNE 100, UH, COMPANIES, OWNS A, A OPERATING CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION RECYCLING FACILITY.
THEY, TOO HAD A TYPE ONE AND TYPE FOUR RECYCLING, I MEAN, LANDFILL AND RECYCLING FACILITY BACK IN THE, UH, SEVENTIES, EIGHTIES, NINETIES UNTIL IT, IT TOO HAD TO CLOSE DOWN AS A TYPE ONE FACILITY.
THEY, IN TURN TURNED AROUND AND TRANSFERRED THAT TYPE ONE, GOT RID OF THE TYPE ONE AND HAVE BEEN USING THAT AS A TYPE FOUR C AND D RECYCLING FACILITY.
IT'S STILL OPERATING TODAY, AND IT'S GOT A FEW YEARS OF LIFE LEFT IN IT.
AND I WOULD, UH, LOVE TO, YOU KNOW, ASK RON, I THINK YOU ACTUALLY WERE OUT THERE BACK IN THE NINETIES, IS THAT CORRECT, OR? I WAS NOT.
THAT WAS, UH, UH, RICHARD MCHALE THAT STARTED HIS CAREER OUT THERE.
BUT, UH, GOOD EVENING, UH, COMMISSIONERS.
UH, I AM RON ROMERO WITH, UH, AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY, ONE OF THE ASSISTANT DIRECTORS.
UM, I AM NOT THE MOST KNOWLEDGEABLE PERSON ABOUT, UH, THE, UH, THE LANDFILL IN THE CLOSED LANDFILL.
WE DO HAVE DONALD HARDY AND AMY SLAGEL HERE.
DONALD HARDY HAS BEEN MANAGING THAT FACILITY, UH, FOR THE LAST 10 PLUS YEARS.
UM, BUT, UH, THE, UH, A RR WILL DEFINITELY, UH, LISTEN TO YOUR RECOMMENDATION, TAKE IT BACK TO THE TEAM, AND, UH, AND DETERMINE WHAT IS FEE FEASIBLE AND WHAT'S NOT FEASIBLE.
DONALD, WOULD, WOULD YOU LIKE TO JOIN US? THANK YOU, BUDDY.
DONALD HARDY AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY.
NOW, I, AGAIN, MY CONCERNS ARE HERE WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES.
OUR NEIGHBOR IS OPERATING A, A SIMILAR FACILITY THAT IS A REVENUE GENERATING MACHINE,
[00:05:01]
WHICH AGAIN, DONALD, I MEAN, PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, CONSIDERABLE AMOUNTS OF REVENUE COME IN AND OUTTA THAT, UH, FACILITY.I, I LOOK AT, UH, OUR OPPORTUNITIES AND, UH, ALTHOUGH WE'VE, WE'VE, UH, WE'RE WOULD HAVE TO REOPEN THAT RESUBMIT, UH, A, A PERMIT TO DO THIS.
WE SHOULD AT LEAST BEGIN THE CONVERSATION AND PERHAPS DO SOME, YOU KNOW, EXTRAPOLATE SOME NUMBERS HERE, WHAT, UH, REVENUE WAS GENERATED BACK WHEN IT WAS OPERATING AS A TYPE ONE, TYPE FOUR FACILITY BACK IN THE NINETIES, EIGHTIES, SEVENTIES.
IF WE COULD AT LEAST LOOK AT THOSE VOLUMES.
AGAIN, BOTH THOSE FACILITIES WERE OPEN AND THEY WERE BASICALLY COMPETING AGAINST EACH OTHER BACK IN THOSE DAYS.
I THINK THE CITY WOULD LITERALLY, I MEAN, WITH THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT IT WOULD PRESENT TO THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY TO AT LEAST COUNT ON THE CITY TO PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL SPOT FOR THE DELIVERY OF CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION DIVERSION, DIVERTED MATERIAL WOULD BE A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL GIFT.
AND IT, UH, I, FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE, THE COMMUNITY PROBABLY WOULD HAVE A GREAT, UH, CONFIDENCE LEVEL IN THE CITY DOING THIS.
I MEAN, WE'RE THE ONES WHO HAVE PASSED THE ORDINANCES THAT, UH, REQUIRE CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION RECYCLING, BUT YET THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THAT IS STILL LACKING.
I KNOW WE, ON THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT TONIGHT, WE DO HAVE TDS, IT WAS, UH, CONGRATULATIONS TO THEM.
THEY RECEIVED THEIR, THEIR PERMIT AND THEIR, UH, CERTIFICATION.
WELL, WHY CAN'T, UH, WE DO THE SAME THING.
WHY SHOULDN'T WE DO THE SAME THING? IS MY, MY QUESTION.
AND GUYS, THANK YOU FOR, FOR LISTENING TO ME RAN RA HERE, BUT, UH, COMMISSIONERS, I'D, UH, YOU KNOW, ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE FOR, FOR STAFF? HELLO, MIKE? YEAH, MIKE, GO AHEAD.
YEAH, I HAVE A, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE CHAIRMAN AND FOR ALL INVOLVED.
SO JUST TO SUMMARIZE, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY THAT ISN'T BEING CAPITALIZED ON RIGHT NOW FOR US TO GENERATE TAX REVENUE OR JUST REVENUE IN GENERAL.
REVENUE IN GENERAL, FROM A SITE THAT IS CURRENTLY OUT OF USE, THAT'S NOT, UH, BUT THERE'S A, UH, A PRIVATE SITE NEARBY THAT'S, UH, GENERATING REVENUE THAT WE COULD BE TAPPING INTO.
UM, IS THAT KIND OF AN ACCURATE SUMMARIZATION? E EXACTLY.
THERE'S A FENCE THAT, UH, DIVIDES BOTH PROPERTIES.
ONE IS TO, AND WHO WOULD BE IN CHARGE OF, UH, OR WOULD A RR BE IN CHARGE OF GETTING IT, GETTING THE SITE RESTORED AND, UH, REACTIVATED? THEY WOULD PRO, THEY WOULD PROCESS THE PERMIT REQUEST.
I THINK A RR WOULD GO THROUGH THAT WITH THEIR LEGAL FOLKS THAT WOULD, UH, BEGIN THE PROCESS.
AND AGAIN, THIS, WHAT ARE THE, WHAT ARE THE OBJECTIONS TO GETTING THE SITE RESTORED? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
UH, AND AGAIN, I DON'T HAVE THAT ANSWER.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, STAFF IS PROBABLY BETTER SUITED TO ANSWER THAT ONE.
UM, THAT THERE'S, YOU KNOW, QUITE A BIT OF CONVERSATION THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN, NOT ONLY WITH OUR LEGAL TEAM, YOU KNOW, WITH, UH, WITH OTHER ENTITIES, UH, THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
UH, THERE'S, THERE'S SOME RESEARCH AND, AND COST ANALYSIS THAT THE DEPARTMENT WOULD NEED TO DO, BUT, UH, UH, THAT WOULD NEED TO COME FROM A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE COMMISSION.
BUT, UH, UH, WE, WE COULD DO THE, UH, UH, THE LEGWORK ON SEEING IF THAT'S FEASIBLE OR NOT.
I MEAN, I DON'T SEE THAT'S A, IT'S A GREAT SUGGESTION, SO I DON'T SEE WHY NOT, UNLESS THERE ARE SOME OBJECTIONS THAT, OR, UH, POTENTIAL RESEARCH THAT SHOWS WHY ANY FLAWS IN THAT, IN THAT CONCEPT, YOU KNOW? OF COURSE.
BUT YEAH, IT SOUNDS GREAT ON ITS, UH, UH, ON ITS HEAD.
MICHAEL, ANY OTHER THOUGHTS, QUESTIONS? CAITLIN? I'M SORRY.
IS THAT, AND THEN JOHN, I'M SORRY, JOHN AND THEN CAITLIN.
JOHN, I THINK YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP FIRST.
MY ONLY, MY ONLY QUESTION IS HOW, IS THERE ANY ESTIMATE OF HOW LONG THIS WOULD LAST? IS THIS, BECAUSE IT'S BEEN USED BEFORE, IS, AND KNOWING THAT IT'S ONLY GONNA BE A TYPE FOUR AND THERE'S ONLY GONNA BE CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL.
IS THERE ANY ESTIMATE OF HOW LONG THIS WOULD LAST? UH, IS IT WORTH THE, THE EFFORT? IT SOUNDS LIKE IT IS, BUT I JUST WANNA KNOW IF THERE'S ANY IDEA THERE.
OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, AND PLEASE CORRECT ME, DONALD, YOU'RE, HOW MANY ACRES ARE ACTUALLY, UH, LEFT? I THINK IT'S OVER A HUNDRED.
UH, UH, IT, ARE YOU TALKING VIRGIN,
[00:10:01]
NOT LAND? YES, CORRECT.YEAH, THERE'S, UH, JUST A LITTLE OVER A HUNDRED ACRES CORRECT THERE.
BUT THERE ARE SOME PIPELINES THAT RUN THROUGH PART OF THAT AS WELL, CORRECT? CORRECT.
SO, AND AS FAR AS HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE TO PERMIT SOMETHING LIKE THIS, THAT, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
I MEAN, THE TCEQ WOULD, UH, WOULD BE THE, UH, GOVERNING BODY ON THAT AND WHO, WHO KNOWS HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE FOR THEM TO, TO PROCESS THIS, BUT TO BEGIN THE PROCESS IS WHAT WE NEED TO AT LEAST CONSIDER.
SO ANY OTHER THOUGHTS, QUESTIONS, CAITLIN? I'M SORRY.
I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
UM, IT HAD BEEN A WHILE SINCE I WAS JUMPING THROUGH THE, THE CITY ZERO WASTE PLAN, AND I SAW FM EIGHT 12 LANDFILL IN CHAPTER EIGHT.
UM, IT SAYS THAT A RR ET ALL HAS BEEN RESEARCHING DEVELOPMENT OPTIONS, INCLUDING RECREATIONAL USES.
I'M REALLY GLAD WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT TURNING IT INTO A GOLF COURSE.
UM, UH, I THINK TURNING IT INTO A, UH, CONSTRUCTION RECYCLING FACILITY COULD BE REALLY INTERESTING, JUST BASED ON HOW MUCH GREENHOUSE GASES IS CREATED FROM CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS.
I'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE THAT RECYCLED.
IT DOES SAY, UH, YOU GUYS ARE ALSO INVESTIGATING THE SITE FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY GENERATION, AND I DID A LITTLE INTERNET SEARCH, AND I SAW THAT YOU GUYS PUT OUT A BID FOR, UH, RENEWABLE ENERGY GENERATION TOWARDS THE END OF LAST YEAR.
I WAS WONDERING IF ANYTHING HAD COME UP FOR THAT.
UH, YEAH, WE, UH, WE DID GO OUT FOR BID AND THERE, UH, THERE WAS, UH, FOLKS THAT BID TO DO A SOLAR ARRAY OUT THERE.
UH, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT CAN KIND OF CONCURRENTLY HAPPEN WITH A, UH, CONSTRUCTION RECYCLING? YEAH.
UM, UH, THE, THE AREA THAT IS, UH, UH, BEING CONSIDERED TO BE USED COULD FIT IN WITH, WITH SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING, YES.
UM, AND THEN ANOTHER QUESTION, JUST TO DOUBLE UNDERLINE WHAT, UH, MIKE WAS TALKING ABOUT EARLIER, IS THE NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR TO THIS SITE, PERHAPS THE ONLY COMPETITION OR THE ONLY INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE CITY FOR CONSTRUCTION RECYCLING? I, NO.
OR THERE, THERE ARE MULTIPLE SITES, UH, OTHER, OTHER FOLKS AROUND THE CITY.
THIS IS JUST AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO BENEFIT AND, UH, GET THOSE TAX DOLLARS.
NO, THERE ACTUALLY, TEXAS DISPOSAL SYSTEMS IS THE, IS THE OTHER PROCESSOR OVER ON, UH, FM 1327, WHICH IS A LITTLE FURTHER SOUTH.
AND, UH, WASTE CONNECTIONS IS THE NEIGHBOR NEXT DOOR TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN, AND THEY ARE OPERATING AS A TYPE FOUR.
UM, AND THEN LAST QUESTION, UH, I KNOW THAT THERE'S CURRENTLY METHANE CAPTURE ON THE, UH, ON THE, UH, OLD LANDFILL.
IS THAT CURRENTLY ACTIVE? AND IF, IF IT IS ACTIVE, WOULD IT STAY ACTIVE IF THERE WAS, UH, NEW FACILITIES PUT ON SITE? YEAH.
YOU WANNA, WHAT? CAN YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION? UM, THE SITE USED TO BE USED AS A LANDFILL.
AND SO MY QUESTION IS, ON SOME LANDFILLS, THERE ARE METHANE CAPTURE SYSTEMS. I WAS WONDERING IF THIS IS ONE OF THOSE SITES THAT YES.
PERHAPS HAS A METHANE CAPTURE SYSTEM, AND IF SO, IS IT STILL ACTIVE AND WOULD IT REMAIN ACTIVE? YES, ABSOLUTELY.
WE, WE HAVE ONE AND IT WILL REMAIN, YES.
ALL YES, WE HAVE ONE AND IT WILL REMAIN.
ANY OTHER THOUGHTS? QUESTIONS, MELISSA? YES.
HELLO? UM, I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
UH, SO IF, FOR INSTANCE, WE SAID TOMORROW, YES, WE WANNA GO FOR THIS, WE WANNA APPLY FOR THE PERMIT AND MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
DO WE HAVE ANY ROUGH ESTIMATE OF HOW LONG IT WOULD ACTUALLY TAKE TO GET THIS GOING? WE DO NOT.
WE'D HAVE TO GET BACK TO THE COMMISSION ON THAT.
WE DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THE, THAT PROCESS WOULD TAKE.
DOES ANYBODY KNOW HOW LONG IT TOOK THE NEIGHBORING FACILITY TO GET THEIR PERMIT? I'M SORRY, THE WHICH FACILITY? THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THE NEIGHBORING, THEY NEVER, UH, FACILITY TO GET THEIR, THEY ALWAYS HAD A, WELL, THEY'VE HAD THEIR PERMIT FOR DECADES.
AND THEN, UH, THE ONLY OTHER THING IS IF WE COULD GET SOME SORT OF VISUAL DIAGRAM OF WHAT THE LAND LOOKS LIKE.
UM, I KNOW YOU GUYS PRESENTED LAST TIME AND TOLD US ABOUT THE SOLAR THAT'S GONNA GO IN.
I MEAN, IT WOULD JUST HELP FOR ME TO SEE, YOU KNOW, KNOW WHAT'S CURRENTLY THERE, WHAT WOULD ACTUALLY BE FEASIBLE TO PUT ON ALL OF THIS LAND.
WE CAN GET THAT FOR THE COMMISSION.
[00:15:01]
YES, MA'AM.ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, JOHN? WELL, I WAS JUST WONDERING, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE PUTTING A PROPOSAL TOGETHER HERE, AND THE PROPOSAL WOULD BE THAT WE'RE ASKING STAFF TO INVESTIGATE FURTHER THE POSSIBILITY OF THIS.
WE PROBABLY, LIKE A, THE INITIAL INVESTIGATION NOT GOING AND SPENDING SIX MONTHS ON THIS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
I DON'T KNOW HOW WE CAN PROPERLY BOX THAT, IF THERE'S A NAME FOR THAT, LIKE AN INITIAL EARLY STAGE INVESTIGATION OF FEASIBILITY, EXPLORATORY, UH, EXPLORATORY.
UM, BUT THAT SOUNDS REASONABLE FOR US TO MM-HMM
AS A MATTER OF FACT, IT SOUNDS UNREASONABLE FOR US NOT TO ASK IT, AT LEAST LOOK AT IT.
UH, AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU NEED FURTHER DEFINITION OF THAT, BUT THAT WOULD BE OUR ASK.
I THINK THAT I'M PROPOSING I WOULD RAISE A MOTION FOR YEAH.
MOVES TO, TO GET HERE ON TIME.
I'D LOVE TO MAKE COMMENT IF YOU, I WOULD SECOND A MOTION, UH, TO START THAT RESEARCH.
SO WE HAVE, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THAT.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
I, YOU KNOW, ADAM, PLEASE FEEL FREE.
UM, BUT I WANTED TO COME HERE AND, UM, AND TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS IDEA.
UM, I'M WITH TEXAS DISPOSAL SYSTEMS AND, UM, JERRY DID MENTION THAT WE HAVE A FACILITY.
UM, WE'VE BEEN IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION RECYCLING BUSINESS SINCE 2007, AND RECENTLY, JUST OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, UM, WE INVESTED OVER $11 MILLION IN AN AUTOMATED CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION WASTE RECYCLING FACILITY.
UM, WE ARE NOW THE ONLY QUALIFIED PROCESSOR IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN UNDER THE C AND D ORDINANCE.
UM, JUST LAST NIGHT WE WERE AWARDED BY THE TCEQ, THE TEXAS ENVIRONMENTAL EXCELLENCE AWARD, UM, UNDER TECHNOLOGY FOR THE CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION PLANT, SOMETHING WE'RE VERY PROUD OF.
UM, IT'S A VERY TOUGH BUSINESS.
UM, PROCESSING, CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION WASTE.
IT'S VERY DISSIMILAR TO SINGLE STREAM RECYCLABLES PROCESSING THAT HAS PAPER AND ALUMINUM AND A, A LOT OF MATERIALS THAT HAVE SECONDARY VALUE AFTERWARDS.
IN CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION RECYCLING, THERE ARE THINGS TO RECOVER.
THERE'S A, A SMALLER PERCENTAGE OF SCRAP METAL.
UM, THERE'S SOME CARDBOARD, THERE'S ROCK AND CONCRETE.
UM, THOSE ARE THE PRIMARY STREAMS YOU'RE ABLE TO RECOVER.
AND IT IS, WE ARE DEDICATED TO PROCESSING THEM.
WE HAVE ADDITIONAL PROCESSING THAT WE'VE INVESTED IN TO CREATE PRODUCTS OUT OF THAT MATERIAL.
UM, BUT IT'S NOT A LARGE FINANCIAL REWARD ON THE BACKEND FROM SELLING MATERIALS.
YOU CAN RELY ON A SIGNIFICANT RETURN ON THE COMMODITIES ON A TYPICAL RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL RECYCLING FACILITY.
UM, I WANTED TO MAKE CLEAR THAT A DIFFICULT BUSINESS, UM, AND WE HAVE SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT THE CITY GETTING INTO THE BUSINESS WHEN THERE ARE PRIVATE OPTIONS, WHEN THE CITY WOULD EFFECTIVELY BE SUBSIDIZING A VERY COSTLY PROCESS IN COMPETITION WITH US.
YOU'LL LEARN MORE IF WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
'CAUSE I'LL, I'LL DO MY BEST TO EDUCATE YOU ABOUT THE LONG HISTORY, UM, OF, OF TIME WITH THE CITY COMPETING IN CERTAIN INSTANCES WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
UM, WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN THROUGH A LOT OVER THE YEARS THROUGH THAT, AND I REALLY WOULD PREFER NOT TO GET BACK INTO A SITUATION LIKE THAT.
UM, SO I HOPE YOU WILL CONSIDER THE CONCERNS.
WE HAVE ALSO, SOLAR AND, UH, CONSTRUCTION.
DEMOLITION DO NOT GO TOGETHER.
DUST IS VERY, VERY BIG PART OF CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION, WASTE RECYCLING AND SOLAR PANELS DON'T LIKE DUST.
SO, AND THE COUNCIL DID VOTE TO GO FORWARD WITH THE SOLAR PROGRAM, SO VERY, VERY CONCERNED.
AND I'LL BE HERE AND A PART OF THESE DISCUSSIONS.
UH, AS ALWAYS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
[00:20:02]
ALL RIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, WE THANK YOU FOR THE, FOR THE UPDATE AND THE, UH, RESPONSES HERE.I MEAN, TO, TO ADAM'S POINT, I MEAN, IF YOU'LL NOTICE IN THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT, THEY DID RECEIVE IT, IT'S IN THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT, HAVING TDS HAVING RECEIVED THEIR, UH, THEIR CERTIFICATION AND ALL THE, UH, WONDERFUL THINGS THAT COME WITH THAT.
YOU KNOW, HAVING SAID THAT COMPETITION IS A GOOD THING.
I MEAN, COMPETITION IS, IS WHAT PROVIDES US WITH, WITH OPPORTUNITIES LOWER COST.
AND, UH, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THE CITY WOULD GO INTO THIS WITH A DESIRE TO FOCUS ON THE CLIENTELE OF ONE SPECIFIC COMPANY.
I THINK WE'RE IN THIS TO, AGAIN, PAY OUR BILLS.
THE RATE PAYERS DESERVE, DESERVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO AT LEAST RE RECEIVE A RETURN ON THAT INVESTMENT THAT THEY'VE, THAT THEY HAVE SITTING OUT THERE AND HAS BEEN SITTING THERE.
YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS THE, UH, SOLAR COMPONENT GOES, THE SOLAR COMPONENT, AND PLEASE CORRECT ME, DONALD, I MEAN, IF, IF I'M WRONG HERE, THE SOLAR COMPONENT IS ON THE CLOSED END OF THE LANDFILL ON THE HIGHER SIDE.
IS THAT CORRECT? IS WHERE AUSTIN ENERGY IS PROPOSING TO PLACE THEIR YEAH, IT'S KIND OF, IT'S KIND OF CENTRAL ON THE PROPERTY THERE.
AND AGAIN, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT A FACILITY LIKE THIS, THE GOAL IS NOT TO BURY ANYTHING.
I MEAN, THE GOAL IS LITERALLY TO DIVERT AND TO TAKE MATERIAL TO MARKETS.
NOT EVERYTHING HAS A HOME WITHOUT A DOUBT.
AND YES, THERE IS DUST THAT OCCURS WHEN YOU PROCESS THIS, BUT AGAIN, FOR US NOT TO BE RESPONSIBLE AND TO AT LEAST LOOK AT THE FEASIBILITY OF WHAT THIS RETURN COULD BE, WOULD BE, AGAIN, NOT A SMART THING FOR US, WOULDN'T BE A SMART THING FOR THE CITY.
AND IT COULD BE A GOOD, A GOOD, WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR THIS CITY TO, AGAIN, START LOWERING THE COST FOR THE RATE PAYERS.
BUT ANYWAY, JUST BY 2 CENTS, COMMISSIONERS, UH, SETH, GO AHEAD.
UM, I, I APPRECIATE ALL OF THIS DISCUSSION, AND I, I LIKED HEARING FROM ADAM.
HE, UH, COMMISSIONERS, IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN OUT TO THE TDS MM FACILITY, HE TOOK A, UH, A FEW OF US OUT THERE RECENTLY, AND IT'S REALLY A GREAT OPERATION THEY HAVE OUT THERE.
UM, BUT I ALSO AGREE WITH JERRY THAT IF THE CITY CAN, CAN GENERATE SOME MONEY AND, AND, YOU KNOW, COMPETITION TO, TO KEEP PRICES DOWN, THAT SOUNDS POSITIVE.
AND JUST MY, THE REASON I'M TALKING IS BECAUSE I, THE, THE, THE, THE, UH, FINANCIAL BENEFIT WOULD BE FROM THE MONEY WE'RE CHARGING THE CONSTRUCTION COM, IT WOULD BE ON THE FRONT END OF THINGS, RIGHT? THAT WOULD BE WHERE THE REVENUE WOULD BE COMING FROM RATHER THAN THE BACK END OR, OR WHAT'S THE HOPE? I'M ASSUMING IT'S GOING TO BE THE FRONT END.
I MEAN, THERE'S A COST FOR THE EQUIPMENT, THE LABOR, THE PROCESSING.
SO YES, IT WOULD BE ON THE FRONT END, THE COST AND THEN, AND THEN, BUT THEN THE REVENUE COMING IN, UH, YEAH, CERTAINLY THAT.
BUT THEN THE REVENUE COMING IN ONCE IT WAS LIKE ASSUMING IT GOT ESTABLISHED WOULD BE WHEN THE MATERIALS COME IN RATHER THAN SELLING THE, THE RECYCLED.
YEAH, NO, IT, IT'S A, IT'S A REVENUE SOURCE ON BOTH ENDS.
NUMBER ONE, YOUR FIXED COST IS THE, IS THE MATERIAL COMING IN WHEN, WHEN THE CONTRACTOR PAYS A PER TON FEE FOR THE PROCESSING, I'M USING PER TON, WHO KNOWS WHAT THE, WHAT THE METHOD WILL BE.
AND THEN, UH, WHATEVER MATERIAL IS RECOVERED.
OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A COST ON LANDFILL, THE NON-RECYCLABLE MATERIAL, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE GONNA SELL THE, UH, THE RECYCLABLE MATERIALS LIKE METALS, CARDBOARDS, PLASTICS, I MEAN, WOOD TO SOME DEGREE.
THAT, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT, UH, WOULD GENERATE ADDITIONAL INCOME OR COULD IT COULD ADDITIONAL, COULD GENERATE ADDITIONAL INCOME.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE, AS YOU LOOK AT THIS, I THINK THE ASSUMPTION SHOULD BE THAT WHAT ADAM SAID ABOUT WHAT MR. GREGORY SAID ABOUT SUBSIDIZING, THAT'S NOT OUR INTENT.
AND IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT TAKES MONEY FROM THE CITY, THAT'S NOT OUR INTENTION HERE.
SO WE DO NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT ANY NUMBERS WE START TO RUN
[00:25:01]
ARE NET POSITIVE FOR THE CITY.SO THAT'S, BUT WE'LL, WE'LL SEE, I GUESS, RIGHT? IF THAT'S POSSIBLE.
YEAH, THE, UH, WE'RE NOT READY TO, YOU KNOW, UH, WE'LL HAVE TO RUN THAT THROUGH OUR FINANCIAL TEAM AND THAT, UH, MM-HMM
WE'LL, WE'LL START LOOKING AT THAT AND COMMISSIONERS, ANY THOUGHTS, CONCERNS? THAT'S, UH, I THINK THAT'S IT.
JAN HAS A, UH, MOTION TO, TO BEGIN THIS PROCESS OF, UH, EX THE EXPLORATORY PROCESS OF THE CITY GETTING BACK INTO THE, UH, C AND D RECYCLING PROCESSING BUSINESS.
AND, UH, DID I SEE A SECOND, UH, SETH, DID YOU OR MICHAEL? MICHAEL, YOU DID.
UH, WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A, I'M CAITLYN JUA.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION, WE HAVE A SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR HAND.
ALRIGHT, GUYS, MOVING ON, UH, AGAINST THE NEXT ITEM HERE
[3. Staff briefing on the status of Austin Resource Recovery Operational and Administrative projects by Ron Romero, Assistant Director of Austin Resource Recovery.]
IS STAFF BRIEFINGS.AND RON, IS THAT GONNA BE YOU? THANK YOU.
UH, AGAIN, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
I'M RON ROMERO, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR WITH AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY.
UM, JUST A FEW THINGS ON OUR DIRECTOR'S REPORT, UH, OF NOTE FOR YOU GUYS.
UM, FIRST UP, THE WASTE AND RECYCLING WORKERS PROCLAMATION.
UM, THE WEEK OF JUNE THE 17TH IS USUALLY, UH, THE, UH, WASTE AND RECYCLING WORKERS, UH, WEEK THAT IS, UH, OBSERVED NATIONALLY.
IT HONORS THE ESSENTIAL WORK OF WASTE MANAGEMENT AND RECYCLING PROFESSIONALS WHO KEEP OUR COMMUNITIES CLEAN AND SAFE.
THEIR DAILY EFFORTS FROM COLLECTING TRASH AND RECYCLABLES TO MANAGING HH TO MANAGING HAS HAZARDOUS WASTE, EXCUSE ME, TO PROTECT THE, UH, PUBLIC HEALTH, MAINTAIN CLEAN NEIGHBORHOODS, AND SUPPORT ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY.
UH, MAYOR PRO TEM VELA, UH, CHEETO VELA WILL ISSUE A PROCLAMATION ON JUNE 15TH IN HONOR OF AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERIES, UH, DEDICATED EMPLOYEES.
SO THAT WILL BE HAPPENING ON, UH, ON MONDAY MORNING, JUNE 15TH.
UM, WE'VE MENTIONED THIS IN THE, IT'S MADE, WE'VE MADE MENTION OF THIS, BUT, UH, UM, AUSTIN RESOURCE, UH, RECOVERY HAS APPROVED THE APPLICATION OF TEXAS LANDFILL MANAGEMENT, UH, TDS TO BECOME THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S CONSTRUCT CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION QUALIFIED PROCESSOR, TDS STATUS AS A QUALIFIED PROCESSOR IS EFFECTIVE FROM APRIL 20, UH, 2026 TO APRIL, 2028.
ALSO ON THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT, WE'D LIKE TO, UH, UPDATE THE, UH, THE COMMISSION THAT, UH, THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY IN OUR LOCAL AGREEMENT.
UM, ON MAY THE 28TH, COUNCIL APPROVED THAT AGREEMENT OR THE REQUEST TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A, UH, AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY.
THE AGREEMENT INVOLVES THE RECYCLING AND REUSE DROP-OFF CENTER, WHICH IS OVER OFF OF, UH, A BUSINESS CENTER DRIVE.
NOW, THE CITY AND THE COUNTY HAVE HAD VARIOUS VERSIONS OF THIS AGREEMENT, UH, SINCE THE LATE NINETIES.
UM, BUT THAT, UH, THOSE PREVIOUS AGREEMENTS ONLY KIND OF REVOLVED AROUND, UH, THE HHW PORTION OF THE FACILITY.
UH, THE NEW AGREEMENT CAPTURES THE SERVICES OF THE RECYCLING SIDE OF THE FACILITY WHERE CUSTOMERS CAN DROP OFF ITEMS SUCH AS SINGLE STREAM ELECTRONICS, UH, PLASTIC FILM APPLIANCES, RIGID PLASTICS AND STYROFOAM.
SO, UH, THE DEPARTMENT IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS, IS EXCITED ABOUT THAT, UH, CONTINUED, UH, COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIP WITH, UH, TRAVIS COUNTY.
ALSO OF NOTE THE CIRCULAR, UH, SHOWCASE ON MAY 14TH.
UH, FOUR SMALL BUSINESSES WITH CIRCULAR BUSINESS MODELS PITCHED TO JUDGES, UH, FOR A CHANCE TO WIN SOME MONEY.
UH, AND THIS IS ALWAYS AN EXCITING TIME FOR THE DEPARTMENT AND, AND, UH, AND BUSINESSES, SMALL BUSINESSES.
BUT THE $10,000 PRIZE WINNER WAS PICKLE ENVY, WHICH CREATES FERMENTED FOODS FROM LOCAL AND SURPLUS PRODUCE, PREVENTING FOOD WASTE SPA OFFERING A NUTRITIOUS ALTERNATIVE.
SO, PICKLE ENVY, IF YOU GOT A CHANCE, GOOGLE THAT.
UH, WE WERE EXCITED TO, UH, TO AWARD THEM THAT, UH, THAT $10,000 AN INVITATION TO THE COMMISSION AND THOSE THAT ARE WATCHING THE, UH, UM, THIS, UM, THIS MEETING, UH, TOMORROW, UH, THURSDAY, UH, AT CARVER BRANCH LIBRARY, WE WILL BE HAVING THE, UH, THE FIX-IT CLOTHING, SWAP AND MENDING EVENT.
UH, THIS HAS BECOME A MORE POPULAR, THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE KIND OF RESEARCHED AND, AND STAYED IN TUNE WITH THIS, IT'S BECOME A REALLY POPULAR EVENT.
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UH, AN INVITATION IS EXTENDED TO YOU.UH, ALSO OF NOTE, UH, THE JUNETEENTH PARADE AND FESTIVAL, UH, WILL BE HAPPENING, UH, NEXT FRIDAY.
UM, SO, UH, WE DEFINITELY, THE DEPARTMENT WILL, UH, BE PARTICIPATING THE WAY WE DO EACH YEAR.
UH, DEFINITELY ASK THE COMMISSION AND THOSE WATCHING THE, UM, THE MEETING TO, UH, TO PARTICIPATE.
IF YOU CAN'T COME OUT TO THE PARADE, UH, YOU KNOW IT.
UM, WHATEVER SUPPORT YOU'RE ABLE TO GIVE ON, UH, JUNETEENTH.
AND LASTLY, ON THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT, THE, UH, THIS WAX C AND D COMMITTEE WILL BE MEETING ON JUNE THE 24TH.
UH, AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY WILL BE, UH, PROVIDING SUPPORT FOR THAT, AND THAT WILL BE HAPPENING AT THE SPE UH, BRANCH LIBRARY.
WHERE'S THAT SUBPOENA FOR NOTE? UH, WE'VE GOT SOME.
SO, UH, SOLICITATION UPDATES, UH, ON THE PAGES, UH, BEHIND THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT, UM, PREPARING FOR COUNCIL, WE'VE GOT THE, UH, RECYCLING PROCESS SERVICES FOR NON CURBSIDE COLLECTIONS.
UM, WE'VE GOT THE MATERIAL, THE MULTIPLE MATERIAL RATE STUDY, UH, COMING UP IN THE FUTURE, IN THE NEXT, UH, 90 DAYS, THREE MONTHS, THE REFURBISHING OF THE TRASH AND RECYCLING RECEPTACLES AND THE CBD, UH, AND THEN OF COURSE, THE EDUCATION CLEANUP AND BEAUTIFICATION SERVICES THAT, UH, THAT SHOULD BE HAPPENING IN THE NEXT, UH, 90 DAYS.
BEHIND THAT SOLICITATION UPDATE, YOU HAVE YOUR STATISTICAL REPORTS THAT HAS YOUR TONNAGES.
UM, THAT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO LOOK AT THE TRENDS, LOOK AT THOSE NUMBERS, SEE HOW, UM, HOW MUCH, UH, A RR IS, IS, UH, IS MOVING AND, UH, COLLECTING CURBSIDE AND THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING.
THOSE STATISTICAL REPORTS ARE ALWAYS VERY HELPFUL AND, AND, UH, AND GOOD TO LOOK AT.
THAT BEING SAID, THAT IS THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE, UH, LET ME KNOW.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS FOR RON? NOPE.
THANK YOU GUYS VERY MUCH, AS USUAL.
BUT, UH, ALRIGHT, UH, LET'S SEE.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ]
HERE.THE, UH, LAST ITEM IS FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS AND I'VE GOT A COUPLE THOUGHTS HERE.
COMMISSIONERS, I, WHAT YOU WANNA SEE IN, UH, THE NEXT MONTH'S ON NEXT MONTH'S AGENDA.
I'D LOVE TO SEE A TRANSFER STATION UPDATED.
WE CAN, IF WE CAN GET THAT, WHEN SHOULD WE ANTICIPATE THE FOLLOW UP ON TODAY'S AGENDA ITEM? I WOULD HOPE THAT PERHAPS NEXT.
YEAH, THAT, THAT WAS PROBABLY SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BE ALSO ADDED TO NEXT MONTH.
UH, UH, IT, IT'S GONNA TAKE A FEW MONTHS FOR US TO PULL THAT INFORMATION TOGETHER SO WE CAN, UH, UH, COME BACK TO Y'ALL WITH A BETTER TIMELINE ONCE WE HAVE INITIAL DISCUSSIONS WITH OUR FINANCE TEAM.
ALRIGHT, SO YOU CAN GIVE US AN UPDATE NEXT MONTH, CORRECT? ON TIMELINE? YEAH.
AND THE OTHER ITEM I'D LIKE TO SEE IS, I THINK RIGHT NOW WE'RE, UH, LOOKING AT THE SINGLE STEAM, UH, WHAT IS IT, UH, RECYCLING, RESET COMPONENT.
KIND OF GET A, IF WE CAN GET AN UPDATE ON THAT, HOW THAT'S PROGRESSING.
YEAH, WHAT ELSE? YEAH, RON ROMERO, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR WITH AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY.
WE'LL TALK TO OUR FINANCE AND CONTRACTS TEAM AND SEE, UM, UH, NEGOTIATIONS OR, OR HAVE STARTED, BUT SEE WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO, UH, WHAT INFORMATION WE'LL BE ABLE TO GIVE TO THE COMMISSION.
AND THOSE ARE MY ONLY THOUGHTS.
ANY, ANY OTHER, UH, CAITLIN, GO AHEAD.
YEAH, I WOULD, UH, LOVE TO HEAR AN UPDATE ON MOVE OUT A TX.
I KNOW THAT USUALLY THE WEBSITE IS UPDATED AND MARKETING'S GOING OUT.
BUT I NOTICED THIS YEAR THE WEBSITE HASN'T BEEN UPDATED WITH EVENT DETAILS YET.
SO JUST CURIOUS ABOUT THAT ONE.
ANY OTHER THOUGHTS? GUYS? STAFF IS BORED.
SO I WAS JUST TEASING GUYS, BY THE WAY.
ANYWAY, HEARING NO OTHER ITEMS. UH, LAST THING HERE IS, UH, A MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT.
I, I'M HAPPY TO MOVE TO ADJOURN.
DO I HEAR A SECOND ON THAT? COME ON.
ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR HAND PLEASE.
HAVE A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL MONTH AND UH, BE SAFE.