February 18, 2012: Special Board Meeting

APPROVED

MINUTES OF THE TOWN OF BARNES

SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING

Saturday, February 18th, 2012

At the Town of Barnes Transfer Site

Special Meeting Agenda

1.      The Board will convene at the Transfer Site for a working session with Town staff to review the current Town Recycling Ordinance, the current process and practices at the site for garbage and recycling drop-off; and to review possible ‘best-practice’ options for the site. 

2.      This session is in preparation for the planned agenda item for next Tuesday’s monthly meeting at 6:30pm to review possible changes to the Town’s current Recycling Ordinance and the Transfer Site process. 

The Board convened at the Barnes Transfer Site in the small office located in the corner of the Transfer Site building.  Chairperson Lu Peet called the Special Board Meeting to order at 9:05am.  Roll call was taken:  Chris Webb, Mitch McGee, Jack Meinke and Peet were present, so a quorum was established.  Clerk/Treasurer Baldwin reported that Donna Porter had called and would not be present as she was out-of-state on family business.  Also in attendance at the meeting were Bob Lang, Barnes Property & Roads Foreman and Gene Ratzel, Town Transfer Site Attendant.  Peet verified with Clerk/Treasurer Baldwin that the meeting notice and agenda had been posted as prescribed by state law.

Bob Lang distributed copies of the current Barnes Recycling Ordinance for Board review.  As he had volunteered to do so at the January Board meeting, Lang had reviewed the original Ordinance and highlighted the words or sentences that he had either revised or believed should be updated.  The most significant change was to section 4.15, Preparation and Collection of Recyclable Materials; it listed all the items that could be recycled and originally stated that all items on the list had to be sorted and recycled separately, which for cans, plastic and glass had not been true for a long time.  Now, with the new change by Waste Management of allowing cardboard&paper to be co-mingled with the other recyclables, the only items we need to continue to require separation arebatteries and tires.Clerk/Treasurer Baldwin stated that the only recyclable that generates any return revenue to the Town is aluminum cans; Chicago Iron currently pays 52 cents/lb.  Lang said the current smaller dumpster for aluminum cans cost $168./pull and suggested we consider getting a larger dumpster that would cost $225./pull and require separating aluminum cans to fill it.  After reviewing the Recycling Ordinance update, the Board discussed the overall issue of continuing to mandate recycling given that Governor Walker had cancelled last year all state recycling mandates for municipalities.  McGee observed that the lowest cost option for the Town would simply be to throw all items into the garbage dumpster for compacting.  Those present expressed interest that the town continue to mandate and encourage recycling and the “Green” approach rather than a possible return to the littered roadways and dumping in the woods as had occurred in the past.  The group acknowledged that if the Town of Barnes disposed of all items via the garbage-compactor only, then we would be contributing to the long-term expensive option of fast-filling the county landfills and the need to purchase additional landfill land. 

There was an extended discussion regarding the need for options for townspeople to properly disposeof the items we currently don’t take, like TV’s & computer monitors, and fluorescent light bulbs, including the new CF’s.  Lang stated that Waste Management has a box approach for fluorescent bulb recycling and he would research other possible options.   We need to identify if the Hayward hardware stores still take them, or the new fleet farm, and what their current cost is?  Meinke stated that Solon Springs Mercantile takes TV’s for a fee.  We currently take Batteries but by law cannot accept or store hazardous waste materials such as paint and antifreeze.  The Board concluded that we need to research and identify companies and recycling centers that could either assist the Town’s recycling efforts or provide drop-off places for town residents, and what the costs for either the Town or residents would be.   Peet stated that we should take and recycle things we can and provide information and referral sources to town residents on what/where to recycle any items that we are not able to manage.All agreed that the important need was for communication; we need good signage at the Transfer Site and to get information out to all residents on this.  The Blog, Posters, our Barnes Web site, Flyers and Newsletters could be used tohelp educate people on what to do. 

The Board reviewed the ongoing current issues at the site.  Ratzel reported that some residents are still not recycling as the sounds of braking glass occur everytime the compactor is run on the garbage.  He stated that we also really need input from our long-time attendant Tom Pieters regarding the unique issues for the summer when the site is the busiest.  The Board then did a walking tour of the Transfer Site.  The epoxy on the site building floor was not effective in reducing the icy slippery surface of the floor.  The site attendant cannot be inside the building to monitor garbage drop-off and simultaneously monitor the site yard.  Out in the site yard, Lang and McGee reviewed with the Board options for changing the trafficroute.  A safer option would be to eliminate the current and singular Co. Rd. N entrance/exit gate and create new entrance and exit gates to the site from the adjacent Town road.  A “U” shaped drive pattern thru the yard could be created with 2 lanes for exterior garbage drop-off to the compactors and re-arranged access to the recycle dumpsters.  The site building could be utilized for holding various recycled items such as fluorescents and tires, which by law are supposed to be under cover and not exposed to rainwater.  The small storage garage was inspected and also discussed for possible uses.  It was noted that 2 TV’s and 2 computer monitors had been tossed in the snow behind the current computer recycling area.

There was general agreement that the site as it currently is used has multiple issues and safety concerns and we need to make significant changes prior to the busy summer season and resulting heavy usage that it brings.  We need additional information on options and the associated costs.

Adjourn:  Motion (Webb/Meinke) to adjourn the Special Town Board Meeting;  All present responded yes. Motion Carried.   Meeting adjourned at 10:35am.

Respectfully Submitted,

Stephen C. Baldwin, Town of Barnes Clerk-Treasurer 

Dated this 29^thday of February, 2012