Greenfield Recycling Committee (GRECOM)
Meeting Minutes
May 31, 2012 - 7:30pm
Greenfield Town Office Building
Attending:
Candi Fowler, Neal Brown, Mike Steere, Carol Burgess, Diane Boilard, John Eber
Absent:
Jon Matthias, Dan Wolaver, and Patt LaPree
The meeting was called to order at 7:30 PM
Minutes of the 5.2.12 meeting were approved after minor corrections.
The remainder of the meeting was spent discussing the latest draft (#2) of the
“new” Ordinance for Compulsory Recycling created by Diane and Carol
Several general questions were raised regarding the ultimate fate of the revised ordinance following its adoption by the BOS. These included the following:
Is there an RSA that describes a specific process?
Would adoption of the ordinance require only a public hearing or
would it require approval at the next Town Meeting?
There followed a wide-ranging, point-by-point discussion of the entire draft document.
- Various minor additions, deletions, and corrections were made throughout.
- Waste fees and penalties were debated.
- Mike Steere moved to have the ordinance read as follows:
All household trash must be in clear plastic bags.
- Neal seconded Mike’s motion
- The discussion of the motion included the following comments:
Carol: The time isn’t “right” for mandating the use of clear bags, because it could easily be misconstrued by the public as “payback” for their rejection of the PAYT initiative at Town Meeting. If the rate of recycling doesn’t increase in the coming year, there would be a much more defensible case for a clear bag mandate.
Candi and Mike: Both agreed with Carol’s position
Jon Eber: Jon felt that both clear and plastic should be removed from the language of the ordinance and substituted with “bags that close”.
Diane moved the vote on Mike Steere’s motion
Vote: 5 against; 0 for. The mandate for clear plastic bags was defeated.
Candi Fowler, acting in response to Jon Eber’s earlier comment regarding closed bags, made the following motion:
Dumping of open containers is prohibited. All household trash must be in closed bags. .
Mike seconded the motion, and with no further discussion Diane moved the vote.
Vote: Candi’s motion prohibiting open containers and mandating the use of closed bags was defeated – 5 to 0. Therefore, current policy permitting delivery of trash in open bags or containers remains unchanged..
Vehicle sticker permits: The working (2nd) draft of the ordinance specified the following:
(1) The requirement that an “official” sticker permit be attached to the lower right windshield area of any vehicle used to convey material to the Recycling Center.
(2) Purchase of the sticker at Town hall for a fee of $2.00 each
(3) Annual renewal of the sticker for a fee of $ 2.00 each.
DISCUSSION OF DETAILS OF STICKER PERMITS AND STICKER PERMIT FEE:
a) How should sticker renewal be scheduled? Should it occur once per year at a specified period (i.e., each January) or should it “float” throughout the year, occurring during the registration month of a given vehicle? The consensus supported a plan calling for annual renewal of all stickers during a single period– for example, January.
b) Sticker fees? Is $ 2.00/vehicle/year a reasonable and justifiable fee? A lively and prolonged discussion of pros and cons ensued, and led to the following motion by Mike Steere.
The first sticker permit for each vehicle of a given residence will be free and subsequent stickers will be purchased at a cost of $10 per request. Upon registration of a new vehicle, the resident will receive a sticker at no charge.
Jon Eber seconded the motion.
The vote was moved: The motion failed (2 for, 3 against), and therefore, the language of the draft proposal ($2/permit/vehicle with annual renewal in January) will apply as written.
OTHER BUSINESS
WHITHER RECYCLING REVENUES? The fate of revenues accruing from the annual registration fee and from the recycling center was discussed. Currently, all revenue
Is assigned to the General Fund. Diane suggested that these revenues be re-directed into a BOS-monitored revolving account for the specific benefit of the recycling program. There was a brief discussion of Diane’s suggestion, and it was agreed to discuss this topic when the GRECOM meets again in September 2012.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED AT THE RC: Given Wayne’s recent defection, Carol needs volunteers to help out on Saturdays until she can hire Wayne’s replacement. Diane and Neal have already been volunteering. Is anyone else willing to serve? If so, please contact Carol at 547-8617.
Respectfully Submitted by Candi Fowler and Neal Brown
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