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Gallia, Jackson, Meigs & Vinton Solid Waste Management District

Policy Committee

Phone Conference Meeting

Minutes

5/14/20

 

The Policy Committee of the Gallia, Jackson, Meigs & Vinton Solid Waste Management District met Thursday, May,14, 2020 on a Webinar/Phone Conference at 2:00 p.m.

Call to Order

Chairman, Harold Montgomery, called the meeting to order @ 2:04 p.m.  

Roll Call was taken with the following members attending:  Gallia County: Harold Montgomery, Tony Gallagher, John McKean, Terri Walters, Randy Halley, Brett Boothe; Jackson County: Paul Haller, Sam Brady, Greg Ervin, David Ramby proxy for Kevin Aston, Roy Hatten proxy for Tom Woltz; Meigs County: Jon Jacobs, Steve Swatzel; Vinton County: Tim Eberts, Lori Simonton proxy for Janelle McManis, LJ Stewart (was here for Roll Call but had to leave meeting),Vicki Maxwell.  Nick Rupert of Rumpke, Jamie Zawila (RRS plan consultant) and Cindy Saltsman were also in attendance.  With there not being enough for a quorum at Roll Call we waited a few minutes and Brett Boothe and David Ramby called in and we had 16 for a quorum.

 

Old Business

 

Minutes of 4/16/20 were reviewed. Tony Gallagher made a motion to accept 4/16/20 minutes Jon Jacobs seconded the motion. All were in favor, motion approved.

 

New Business

 

Chairman, Harold Montgomery said at our last meeting we accepted scenario # 2 which was increasing the In District and Out of State Fees to $1.25.  Since that time, Nick Rupert of Rumpke made contact with the district and he would like to address the Policy Committee with a different scenario of adding a generation fee.  Nick thanked the Committee for allowing him to speak and be on the agenda.  Rumpke knows that the district needs money and they would like for the district to not raise the tier fees but to add a generation fee of 35 cents instead.  A raise of 25 cents would make Rumpke vulnerable to win business.  We win and lose bids by a nickel.  17,000 tons of out of state trash came in the landfill in 2019.  Rumpke cannot guarantee that tonnage going in there if the tier fees are raised.  The district will not only lose that quarter but will also lose that $1.00.  Rumpke is asking for a generation fee to be added. Nick also stated that the district is not collecting money on the tonnage that goes out of the Meigs Transfer Station which is about 7000 tons a year.  Not only that but there are other trash haulers that are taking in district trash out of the district that the district does not get money on either.  Granted it is 10 cents more, but you would receive more money with the generation fee that is being lost now.  Cindy explained what Rumpke is wanting the district to change.  Rumpke wants the district to not raise the tier fees but to keep them at $1/$2/$1 which is what we have currently and to add a 35-cent generation fee.  Cindy said we would have around a thousand dollars more at the end of the 15-year Plan with the adding of the generation fee.  Cindy said the only thing that would change on the scenario that you voted for last meeting would be adding the 35-cent generation fee and not raising the tier fees. The Health Department & Sheriff Department contracts would remain the same (continuing for three years and then they would stop).  Jamie Zawila said that is correct.  Harold Montgomery said this scenario would raise ten cents for in district residents and the balance would be about the same with a thousand-dollar difference.  There is some merit to what Nick is talking about.  We have a lot of tonnage going out of our district that we receive nothing for.  Harold shared that some smaller haulers in Gallia County were taking their tonnage to the Meigs Transfer Station.  Jamie Zawila said that the total waste for all four counties is roughly 65,000 tons and of that 8,000 tons goes to the Meigs Transfer Station with a few that take it elsewhere for about 9,700 tons. Steve Swatzel asked how the fee would be collected if it goes out of state.  Nick said there was also a contract fee that you have with the landfill and whatever goes into that landfill from our district they would have to pay the district. A generation fee that is taken out of state is not necessarily sent back to the district.  Jamie Zawila said with a contract fee there are more implementations you have to do with the Plan, and it is a little more complicated that just adding a generation fee. You have to have rules and measures in order for the district to receive money.  There is not a lot of tonnages going out of state. There are two in Kentucky and two in West Virginia landfills that are receiving roughly 70 tons.  Steve Swatzel asked if there is a generation fee, they are required by law to send money on it.  Jamie said that is correct.  Cindy said if we leave in place the raised tier fees that was voted on in last meeting, Rumpke will not guarantee that 17,000 tonnage coming back in the landfill. That is why Rumpke is requesting a 35-cent generation fee instead. Nick said a lot of that tonnage is temporary work that Rumpke wins. Harold Montgomery asked Paul Haller what he thought.  Paul said in the last meeting, the argument was would we be able to curtail the service to the Health & Sheriff Departments and what would those services look like.  They would be gone in a couple of years. The second argument being adding a generation fee that several were in support of.  Paul asked what this new scenario would look like for the Health & Sheriff Departments.  Cindy said they would remain the same as to what the Policy Committee voted on the last time, continuing for three more years and then stopping, the tier fees would remain as they are currently at $1/$2/$1 and there would be a 35-cent generation fee added. Harold Montgomery said the revenue stream at the end of 2036 with the generation fee would have a balance of $35,634 and raising the fees to $1.25 would have an ending balance of $34,485. A difference of around $1,500. Changing to a generation fee would not change the scenario that has already been approved as far as the Health & Sheriff Departments. Paul Haller said Rumpke makes a good point.  Harold asked Vinton County what they thought, and Tim Eberts said he was in favor of what was already voted upon. He was not in favor of a generation fee.  Harold said that it would only be a 10-cent difference.  Harold asked what Meigs County thought.  Steve Swatzel said he thought that one of the scenario’s added a larger generation fee and that would continue the Health and Sheriff contracts. Cindy said that is correct but that is not what Rumpke is trying to change here. That scenario was adding a $2.50 generation fee and continuing those contracts but that is not what you voted for.  Harold said there were scenario’s that had larger amounts for the generation fee at $2.50 and escalating from there. Harold asked Jamie what they were.  Jamie said that was correct.  There was a higher generation fee that continued the contracts, but it was decided to not have such a high generation fee. If you are wanting to continue the contracts further, then we would have to go back and visit the options and we are on a time restraint. We have two options now, what has already been approved or adding the 35-cent generation fee and keeping the tier fees the same @ $1/$2/$1.  After we get the non-binding comments back from EPA there is a possibility of changing the fee later.  Brett Boothe said we basically have two proposals, raising the tier fees for in district and out of state to $1.25 or leaving the tier fees as they currently are and adding a 35-cent generation fee.  He said he knows it is only ten cents but that is adding it to our residents only and was not in favor of that.  We knew this was going to happen when we voted for the increase the last time.  Brett Boothe asked about our recycling contract and the fuel prices.  Nick said the recycling is down and the fuel is down as well.  Nick said we follow the Department of Energy table on the fuel surcharge.  Nick said Rumpke was at 9% flat rate when he started 14 years ago and then the fuel prices went thought the roof in 2008.

Harold Montgomery said we need to vote on an amendment to the vote of $1.25/$2/$1.25.  Jamie Zawila said before you do that you have to vote for the new budget to be accepted.  Jon Jacobs made a motion to accept the new budget of adding a generation fee of 35 cents and the tier fees being $1/$2/$1, Greg Ervin seconded the motion.  Vote was done by Roll Call: Harold Montgomery, yes; Tony Gallagher, yes; John McKean, no; Terri Walters, no; Randy Halley, no: Brett Boothe, no; Paul Haller, yes; Sam Brady, yes; Greg Ervin, yes; Steve Swatzel, yes;  Jon Jacobs, yes; Tim Eberts, no; Vicki Maxwell, no; Roy Hatten for Tom Woltz, no; Lori Simonton for Janelle McManis, no; David Ramby for Kevin Aston, no.  There were 7 ‘yes’ votes and 9 ‘no’ votes.  Motion failed.

 

Jamie Zawila said the Committee needs to authorize the Board of Directors the ability to designate facility designations in the 2021 Plan.  Just because you authorize this does not mean you have to take any action to designate a facility.  With budgeting the way it is, this is just a good idea to have the ability to designate. Steve Swatzel made the motion to authorize the Board of Directors the ability to designate a facility for the 2021 Plan, Jon Jacobs seconded the motion.  Vote was done by Roll Call: Harold Montgomery, yes; Tony Gallagher, yes; John McKean, yes; Terri Walters, yes; Randy Halley, yes: Brett Boothe, yes; Paul Haller, yes; Sam Brady, yes; Greg Ervin, yes; Steve Swatzel, yes;  Jon Jacobs, yes; Tim Eberts, yes; Vicki Maxwell, yes; Roy Hatten for Tom Woltz, yes; Lori Simonton for Janelle McManis, yes; David Ramby for Kevin Aston, yes. Motion was approved.

 

Jamie Zawila then said the Policy Committee needs to have a certification statement to submit the 2021 Draft Plan to Ohio EPA.  If we were meeting in person, everyone would have to sign off on this but since we are not you will have to just vote on it now but the certification will have to be sent in before the final Plan is approved. Paul Haller made the following motion: We as representatives of the Gallia, Jackson, Meigs, Vinton Solid Waste Management District Policy Committee, do hereby certify that to the best of our knowledge and belief, the statements, demonstrations, and all accompanying materials that comprise the District Solid Waste Management Plan, and the availability of and access to sufficient solid waste management facility capacity to meet the solid waste management needs of the district for the fifteen year period covered by the Plan are accurate and are in compliance with the requirements in the District Solid Waste Management Plan Format, version 4.0. Greg Ervin seconded the motion:  Vote was done by Roll Call: Harold Montgomery, yes; Tony Gallagher, yes; John McKean, yes; Terri Walters, yes; Randy Halley, yes: Brett Boothe, yes; Paul Haller, yes; Sam Brady, yes; Greg Ervin, yes; Steve Swatzel, yes;  Jon Jacobs, yes; Tim Eberts, yes; Vicki Maxwell, yes; Roy Hatten for Tom Woltz, yes; Lori Simonton for Janelle McManis, yes; David Ramby for Kevin Aston, yes. Motion was approved.

 

Jamie Zawila said the next thing they had to do was to vote to send the draft Plan in early to EPA, instead of June 24. Jamie said the reason for submitting it early was in case there are issues with the ratification process we would have time to possibly re-submit for another ratification.  If the Plan is not approved, then the Ohio EPA will write the Plan for us. Tony Gallagher made a motion to approve sending the draft Plan to Ohio EPA on May 25, Jon Jacobs seconded the motion. John McKean said the 25th was a holiday. Tony Gallagher amended the motion to approve sending the draft Plan Ohio EPA on May 26, Jon Jacobs seconded the motion. Vote was done by Roll Call: Harold Montgomery, yes; Tony Gallagher, yes; John McKean, yes; Terri Walters, yes; Randy Halley, yes: Brett Boothe, yes; Paul Haller, yes; Sam Brady, yes; Greg Ervin, yes; Steve Swatzel, yes;  Jon Jacobs, yes; Tim Eberts, yes; Vicki Maxwell, yes; Roy Hatten for Tom Woltz, yes; Lori Simonton for Janelle McManis, yes; David Ramby for Kevin Aston, yes. Motion was approved.

 

Cindy thanked everyone for attending these last few zoom meetings so we could get the draft Plan submitted.  She said EPA will have the draft for 45 days and give their comments on it. We can make any adjustments that need to be made and then we will send it out for ratification. Cindy asked Jamie Zawila when the next meeting would be, and she said possibly August or September. Harold Montgomery also thanked the Policy Committee.

 

With a motion by Jon Jacobs and a second by Greg Ervin, the Policy Committee adjourned at 3:05 p.m.