TOWN OF MOUNT DESERT
SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING COMMITTEE
MEETING
December 1, 2005 - Somesville Fire Station
1. Call to Order. The meeting was called to order by Chairman Tony Smith at 4:35 p.m. In attendance were Mel Everly, Mildred Johnson, Phil Lichtenstein, Joelle Nolan, and Lee Patterson.
Minutes from the October 27, 2005 meeting were approved.
2. Solid Waste and Recycling Committee Status: Update on membership drive. Tony welcomed Mel Everly and commended Chris Breedlove for her recruiting efforts.
Millie suggested changing the name of the committee to include the word “environmental” and have environmental studies a committee issue. A brief discussion followed and it was agreed to leave the name and purpose as is.
3. Regular Business
D. If available: Results of attorneys research into our policy to allow only year-round residents to be voting members of committees (Joelle Nolan). Bill Ferm, local attorney, citizen, Charter Committee member, and Chair of the Warrant Committee, responded to Joelle’s question regarding voting members of committees. Bill did a thorough review of the Town Charter and several relevant Maine laws. He concluded, and Town Manager Michael MacDonald agrees, that residency is not a requirement to be a voting member of this committee. Chris Breedlove is now a voting member!
B. Portable recycle trailer discussion (Tony Smith). Tony shared copies of specs, from Pro-Tainer located in Minnesota, on several tag-a-long recycle trailers. Costs range from approximately $12,000 to $23,000 each, depending on the style. Phil noted he and Ken Poors did similar research a few years ago with Maine Equipment in Bangor. Discussion of the pros and cons of these containers led to the next discussion:
A. Discuss year round, once-a-week garbage pick-up with intent of making a recommendation to the Selectmen, or not. In a recent email to Joelle, Chris Breedlove wondered if a defense for the recommendation to switch to once-a-week garbage collection would be to use the second collection per week to collect recyclables. After a comprehensive discussion of curbside pick-up of recyclables and portable recycle containers (hauled by Town’s one ton truck), the group agreed that the better idea would be to replace the second weekly pick-up of trash with a rotating schedule (around town) of the portable recycle container. Tony will note this suggestion in his monthly report to the Board of Selectmen and follow-up with them.
E. ADD research into a Trenton-based transfer station and recycling center (Tony Smith). Property (owned by Brian Shaw and Paul Paradis) behind the Strong Gallery consisting of approximately 240 acres might be available, and Carroll Leland has 150 acres behind Trenton Industrial Park that also might be available. Tony said 10 acres are needed for a transfer station. ADD has asked CES, Inc. for an RFP to assist with evaluation the two sites.
C. Status of ADD relative to solid waste issues in the member towns (Tony Smith). ADD thought it had the right to negotiate and act for the towns but it does not. EMR, Inc. has asked for a fuel cost increase. ADD attorneys (Eaton Peabody) suggests that ADD ask the towns for permission to act on their behalf on this item, show that it can do a good job, then ask for carte blanche on future similar items.
F. Assignment per Committee member. We will continue with membership recruitment.
G. Any other business as may be legally conducted. Joelle asked if we want to pursue asking the Board of Selectmen for a “charge”; we agreed we do not. She also asked if we (the committee) want to be on the Board of Selectmen’s agenda and if so, how often. We decided quarterly would be sufficient, and that at least one committee member should join Tony in attendance of the meeting.
H. Input from attending public. None present.
4. Next meeting: Discuss relative to the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. (Our regular schedule of the 4th Thursday of the month would put us meeting on January 26, 2006.) We decided to meet January 26, 2006.
5. Adjournment. Meeting adjourned at 5:45 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Joelle D. Nolan
Recording Secretary
| 