Tuesday – October 23, 2006 – 7 pm
Members Present: Neal Brown (Chairman). Roger Lessard, Bob Jennings, Dan Wolaver, Kent Vincent.
Members Absent (with prior notice to TRC): Candi Fowler, Pat Foy, Miriam Lochart
Chairman Brown called the meeting to order at 7:05pm
Member Kent Vincent taking minutes
Agenda:
This ad hoc meeting is called to review the 2007 Recycling Budget and a possible Warrant Article to be presented to the BOS by Frank Pelkey on Thursday, October 26th at 5:45PM.
1. The proposed budget was reviewed, with special attention to increasing the Supervisor’s hours to full time, and an additional 10 hours per week in Part-time labor.
a) TRC unanimously endorses increasing the Supervisor’s hours to full time at the GRC. TRC believes such change will allow for increased revenues through better management of expenses (increased cooperation with other neighboring towns and local institutions), and higher net prices for goods sold (competing buyers, better timing, etc.). Such change will also better provide for necessary yard maintenance and enhancements for improved service to residents.
TRC members all volunteer at the GRC and have first-hand knowledge of how Frank’s time is spent and where additional time is needed to better fulfill the GRC mandate.
i. GRC Hours open to residents total 16 hours/week; TRC fully supports the Supervisor’s presence in the “front of the house” during these hours.
ii. Current levels of recycling require 20-25 hours for “back of the house” duties (sorting, baling and organizing of material).
iii. The current level of 30 hours/week falls well short, necessitating falling behind, postponing required duties, and/or neglecting “front-of-the –house duties.
b) TRC unanimously endorses adding 10 hours/week of part-time labor.
i. Such labor will partially meet a need to more safely operate equipment at the GRC with two employees on –site.
ii. Additional hours will better meet the overall need for enough hours to meet the GRC mandate of service to residents and effective management.
iii. Adding a second part-time position may allow for identifying a potential future replacement for Frank and allow time for proper training to fulfill a Supervisor’s position.
2. 2007 GRC Budget Analysis:
a) Proposed 2007 Budget is $115,926.
b) As prepared, the gross increase is $23,498, or 25.4% (over 2006 budget of $92,430). However, this increase includes charges for SS and other payroll taxes that are listed elsewhere in the actual Total Town Budget.
c) Taking out the payroll taxes, the increase is $20,168 or 21.8%
d) Increased Supervisor wages (to full time) = 41.2% of adj. increase. 100% allocation of the Supervisor’s wages to the GRC is NOT in itself an increase to residents. Replacement of those hours previously utilized by DPW is a separate question of need and the final cost (if replaced) might perhaps be at a lower hourly rate, reducing the bottom-line increase, if any, to taxpayers.
e) Additional 10 hours/week Part-time wages = 27.1% of adj. increase.
f) Hazardous Waste & Electronic Recycling = 20.3% of adj. increase.
g) All other increased items (inc. Port-a-Potty) = 2.5% of adj. increase.
3. Warrant Article Preparation:
TRC believes it vital to follow through on implementing improvements to the GRC as determined by the TRC (along with the BOS, various town employees and residents) and further developed by Myron Steere. The obvious improvements to the ease of use by residents, improved safety, easier maintenance, improved efficiencies are in the town’s best interest.
Following through on said improvements will entail certain capital costs (some of which have been previously approved by Town Residents at Town Meeting).
a) The GRC should install a proper loading dock. The estimated cost is $8,000. This item was originally approved in 2005. However the work was not completed and the allocated funds reverted to the General Fund.
b) With the loading dock, GRC could best use 2 tractor-trailer boxes for storage of recycled materials to be sold. Each box is estimated to cost $1,500 or a total cost of $3,000. Using the boxes will allow for improved revenues by better protecting recycled materials from the weather and by being better able to control market timing.
c) Being able to efficiently use the loading dock requires different equipment than presently held. Specifically, a skid steer loader.
An appropriately sized unit, with attachments, retails for approximately $25,000 or less.
d) Offsetting revenue to reduce the final cost to the Town:
i. New Hampshire the Beautiful and/or NRRA has said Greenfield could receive a 50% grant for each item, totaling $18,000;
ii. Sale of the existing fork lift should generate $2,000
iii. NET cost to the town should therefore be $16,000 or less.
The TRC fully supports the above-described Warrant Article and supports its presentation to the BOS and at Town Meeting contingent upon verification of grant monies being available. Vice Chairman Lessard and Frank will both, individually, contact NRRA representatives for written assurances. The TRC further wishes to determine the best type of equipment for the GRC. Bob Jennings, Duffy and Frank will conduct further investigation.
4. By unanimous vote, the members decided to meet with Frank prior to his presentation to the BOS on October 26th.
The meeting adjourned at 8:25PM to reconvene Thursday, October 26th at 5P
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