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WELCOME TO OUR CITY COUNCIL MEETING B SESSION OF DECEMBER 4TH, 2019.
COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN.
COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE PRESENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY HERE AND ME BERG HERE WE HAVE A QUORUM.
WELCOME TO OUR CITY COUNCIL B SESSION AGENDA EVERYONE.
TIME IS 2:17 PM THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
[1. 19-8533 Briefing regarding the 2021 Organics Materials Processing Contract Request For Proposal. [Roderick J. Sanchez, Assistant City Manager; David W. McCary, Director, Solid Waste Management]]
UH, WE HAVE ONE ITEM ON THE AGENDA TODAY, AND I'M GOING TO INSTITUTE A $5 FINE FOR EVERY PERSON WHO MAKES A, UH, PUN RELATED TO THE MATERIALS THAT WE'RE GONNA BE PRESENTED TODAY.WITH THAT, I WILL CALL ON ROD SANCHEZ
SO, SO AS YOU SAID, WE HAVE ONE ITEM TODAY.
UH, WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THE SOLID WASTE, UH, DEPARTMENT'S ORGANICS MATERIAL PROCESSING CONTRACT.
UH, YOU'LL RECALL IN SEPTEMBER, UH, THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, UH, PRESENTED AND MADE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE AUDIT AND ACCOUNTABILITY COMMITTEE THAT CERTAIN, UH, PROCUREMENT ITEMS, UH, WOULD RAISE TO THE LEVEL OF RECEIVING A B SESSION PRESENTATION.
UH, AND THESE ARE THINGS LIKE CONTRACTS THAT VALUE OVER $25 MILLION CONTRACTS OVER 10 YEARS, UH, CONTRACTS WITH SIGNIFICANT POLICY AND PUBLIC SAFETY IMPLICATIONS, AND OF COURSE, PROFESSIONAL JUDGMENT.
UH, THIS, THIS PARTICULAR CONTRACT ACTUALLY DID NOT MEET ANY OF THOSE CRITERIA, BUT THERE WAS A REQUEST FROM A COUNCIL MEMBER FOR IT.
UH, SO WITH THAT, UH, DAVID MCCAREY, OUR MAR SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT'S GONNA PRESENT THIS, UH, CONTRACT AND R F P PROCESS TO YOU, AND WE'RE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AFTERWARDS.
UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
SO I'VE GOT THE HONOR OF GIVING YOU A BRIEFING ON OUR PRES SOLICITATION TODAY.
I WANNA SHARE WITH YOU THAT WE WILL, UH, BE TALKING ABOUT ISSUING OUR SECOND FOR THE SECOND TIME IN R F P FOR THE PROCESSING OF OUR CITY'S ORGANIC MATERIALS, UH, PROCESSING.
I'LL EXPLAIN A LITTLE MORE AS TO HOW WE GOT TO THE SECOND PART OF THIS, UH, THE SECOND, UH, R F I OR R F P PART OF IT.
I'M GONNA TRY TO REMEMBER HOW TO ADVANCE THIS.
ORGANIC MATERIALS ARE ACTUALLY COLLECTED IN THE GREEN CART AND THEIR PROCESS THROUGH ONE OF OUR, OUR CURRENT COMPANY CALLED NEW EARTH PROCESS AND ORGANICS ACTUALLY ALLOWS US TO GIVE BACK TO NATURE, BUT IN THE FORM OF COMPOST.
EARLIER IN THE YEAR, NEW EARTH INDICATED TO US TO EXPECT A PRICE INCREASE FOR THEIR UPCOMING FIFTH AND FINAL AGREEMENT YEAR.
AS INDICATED IN OUR LAST AUDIT COMMITTEE MEETING, WHEN WE DID ATTEND THE AUDIT COMMITTEE MEETING, WE WANTED TO TEST THE MARKET INSTEAD OF TAKING THAT AT FACE VALUE.
SO THIS PAST SUMMER, WE ACTUALLY ISSUED AN R F P FOR THEIR ORGANIC MATERIALS PROCESSING.
UNFORTUNATELY, ONLY ONE RESPONSE WAS RECEIVED AND IT'S MUCH HIGHER THAN EXPECTED.
AS A RESULT, WE DID CANCEL THE R F P.
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NOW BECAUSE IT DOES TAKE TIME TO ACTUALLY START UP AN ORGANICS PROCESSING COMPANY AND GETTING THAT GOING SITE IN THE LAND AND ALL OF THOSE PARTICULARS, IT WOULD BE UNREALISTIC FOR US TO EXPECT A COMPANY TO COME RIGHT IN AND START RIGHT AWAY.SO ONE OF THE THINGS I WANNA DO IS I WANNA SHIFT SLIDES TO YOU FOR A SECOND.
THIS PARTICULAR SLIDE YOU'LL SEE, UH, THIS IS FOR TOMORROW.
TOMORROW WE HAVE AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA TO RENEW OUR CONTRACT WITH NEW EARTH FOR ONE YEAR.
WE HAVE ASKED THEM TO WORK WITH US ON AN EXTENSION.
THIS ONE YEAR AGREEMENT ALLOWS US TIME TO COMPLETE AND FOLLOW THE REQUEST FOR INFORMATION, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE'RE DOING DIFFERENTLY.
IT ALSO PUTS A US IN A BETTER POSITION TO WRITE A BETTER R F P FOR THIS SECOND TIME AROUND.
SO WE WERE ABLE TO NEGOTIATE A FAVORABLE RATE AT $24 PER TON WITH NEW EARTH, WHICH IS LESS THAN THE COST OF LANDFILLING AT $25 AND 50 CENTS PER TON.
A PART OF THIS STRATEGY INCLUDES BUYING BACK COMPOST AT ABOUT A THIRD OF THE MARKET RATE COST AT $14 PER CUBIC YARDS.
THAT CAN ACTUALLY BE USED BY PARKS AND REC, UH, FOR THEIR 252 PARKS, AS WELL AS BY T C I FOR SOME OF THEIR SELECTED PROJECTS.
OUR ORGANIC MATERIALS PROCESS AND CONTRACT ACTUALLY ALIGNS WITH OUR RECYCLING AND RESOURCE RECOVERY PLAN THAT WAS ADOPTED BY CITY COUNCIL IN 2010 TO DIVERT MATERIALS FROM THE LANDFILL AND EVENTUALLY GET US TO A 60% RECYCLING RATE.
SO LET ME SHIFT BACK TO THE R F P PROCESS.
WHAT WE HAVE IS WE DIVIDED THIS INTO TWO STRATEGIC STEPS, THE FIRST ONE I JUST DESCRIBED, WHICH IS TO RENEW NEW EARTH'S CONTRACT FOR ONE YEAR.
AND THAT PUTS US IN A BETTER POSITION TO ENGAGE WITH THE FOLLOWING VENDORS.
THE SECOND PART OF THE STRATEGY PLAN ALLOWS US TO ACTUALLY PRESENT AND CREATE A NEW R F P.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE ALREADY BEGUN BY GETTING POSITIVE FEEDBACK WITH THE REQUEST FOR INFORMATION THAT WAS SENT OUT BACK IN NOVEMBER THE EIGHTH, AND IT JUST CLOSED YESTERDAY, DECEMBER THE THIRD.
IT ALLOWED US TO CAST A WIDER NET AND WE ARE PROVIDING MORE TIME TO ATTRACT MORE POTENTIAL RESPONDENTS.
SO HERE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAT WE CONSIDERED.
WE CONSIDERED HAVING MULTIPLE CONTRACTS AND LEVERAGING EFFICIENCIES.
ONE ADVANTAGE THAT WE DIDN'T THINK ABOUT THE FIRST TIME WAS THAT WE CAN UTILIZE OUR NELSON GARDEN SITE, UH, FOR A NEW COMING VENDOR, POSSIBLY THAT WE CURRENTLY USE IT FOR MULCH PROCESSING TODAY.
SO THE SITE IS LARGE ENOUGH TO DO BOTH.
SO WE ARE CONSIDERING ALSO THE OPERATION OF CITY FORCES AS WELL.
SO A PART OF THE SOLICITATION OVERVIEW PROCESS ALLOWS US TO REALLY THINK THIS THROUGH.
SO THE FIRST PART IS THIS IS A SECOND R F P.
WE ALREADY RELEASED THE R F I AS I JUST MENTIONED FOR THE INFORMATION, AND THAT WAS FROM NOVEMBER THE EIGHTH THROUGH THE 3RD OF DECEMBER.
ALSO, AT THE SAME TIME, WE LOOK FOR THE SOLICITATION OF THIS NEW MORE PRODUCTIVE, UH, RESPONSE AT THE SAME TIME.
FOR THE R F P, THE ESTIMATED VALUE IS FOR 10 YEARS AT 16.3 MILLION.
AND WE WILL ALSO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SET RENEWAL OPTIONS AS WELL.
THAT ONE YEAR EXTENSION THAT I HAD MENTIONED EARLIER WILL TAKE US THROUGH THE ENTIRE 2020 YEAR, UH, IN TIME FOR US TO SET THIS SECOND ONE, UH, R F P UP IN RESPONSE.
AND I'LL GIVE YOU SOME MORE TIMELINES ON THAT AS WELL.
ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT THE PROJECT IS THE AMOUNT OF MATERIALS THAT'S ACTUALLY GENERATED IS ABOUT 68,000 TONS.
AND THIS IS WHAT ACTUALLY GETS PROCESSED AND GIVEN BACK TO NATURE.
THERE IS A MANUAL SORTING REQUIREMENT HERE SO THAT THE PROCESSOR HAS TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT IT'S FREE OF CONTAMINANTS AND THOSE NON COMPOSTABLE MATERIALS ARE ACTUALLY EXTRACTED FROM IT.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE SOME OF OUR OUTREACH TECHNIQUES THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO.
UH, PART OF IT DOES A, A THOUGHT TO TAP INTO PUBLICATIONS, TRADE MAGAZINES, OTHER COMPANIES THAT MIGHT READ THOSE INDUSTRY LABELS TO GET BACK WITH THIS.
SO THERE ARE MANY VENDORS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN IT THAT WE'VE ALREADY RECEIVED NOTICES OUTSIDE OF TEXAS.
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IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT FOR US TO THINK ABOUT THE SOCIAL, ENVIRONMENTAL AND FINANCIAL BENEFITS OF THE PROGRAM.THESE ARE THE GOALS AND BENEFITS THAT WE BELIEVE EXIST IN THIS R F P THAT WE'RE PUTTING FORWARD.
IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH COMPOST, IT IS A GREAT, UH, NATURAL FERTILIZER.
IT DOES GOOD FOR YOUR GRASS AND CONSERVES NATURAL RESOURCES, BUT ALSO FROM A SOCIAL PERSPECTIVE, IT'LL HELP THE COMMUNITY.
THE PARKS CAN BE USED PART OF T C I PROJECTS.
IT'S IMPORTANT THERE, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, AS A PART OF THE THREESOME, PEOPLE CALL IT THE TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE, BUT THE ECONOMICS, THE FINANCIALS FOR IT TO BE LESS THAN IT COSTS TO THROW IT AWAY.
SO IT IS CHEAPER THAN LANDFILL IN IT.
SO WE WANTED Y'ALL TO BE AWARE OF THAT AS WELL.
HERE ARE PART OF THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS THAT WE WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU, YOU KNOW, ALL THESE FAMILIAR NAMES.
ALSO WE HAVE THE EVALUATION CRITERIA THAT WILL STILL BE IN EFFECT AS WE MOVE FORWARD, UH, WITH THE POINTS AS ASSESSED.
AND WE ALSO HAVE THE ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS THAT WE HAVE HONORED PROJECTED TIMELINES.
I THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO GIVE YOU SOME TIMELINES HERE.
UH, WE WILL RELEASE THE R F P THIS MONTH WITH THAT R F UH, R F P BEING RELEASED.
WE WILL RETURN TO YOU FOR THE POST SOLICITATION BRIEFING WITH OUR RESULTS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
THIS IS ALSO FOR A CONTRACT TO BEGIN JANUARY 1ST, 2021, AND THAT'S WITH THE ONE YEAR EXTENSION THAT YOU'LL BE GIVING US.
UH, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, THAT DOES COMPLETE MY PRESENTATION FOR OUR R F P PROCESS.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, DAVID.
UH, WE DO HAVE SEVERAL, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO HAVE QUESTIONS.
WE'LL START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY.
THANKS FOR THAT, UH, PRESENTATION THERE.
UH, DO HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS HERE ON SLIDE.
SO WE NEGOTIATED THAT YOU SAY FAVORABLE RATE.
UM, WHAT WERE WE GETTING UNDER THE INITIAL CONTRACT? THE INITIAL CONTRACT WAS AT $16 AND 50 CENTS PER TON.
UH, AND THIS ONE IS AT $24 PER TON.
BOTH ARE UNDER THE $25 50 CENTS AVERAGE TO LANDFILL IT.
AND SO HOW MUCH ARE WE SAVING BY COMPOSTING VERSUS SENDING IT TO THE LANDFILL? SO AT FIRST WE WERE SAVING ABOUT EIGHT BUCKS.
NOW WE'LL BE SAVING ABOUT A DOLLAR 50 TOTAL.
SO WE'LL SAVE LESS, BUT TOTAL, BUT IT'D STILL BE FAVORABLE.
THE TOTAL SAVINGS VERSUS THE LANDFILL? YEAH.
WHAT, WHAT'S THE SAVINGS? TOTAL DOLLARS? UH, ABOUT, YEAH.
NO, WE'RE HE SAID TOTAL, YOU MEAN ANNUALLY? TOTAL? YEAH.
ANNUAL UNDER THE 16 FIVE, 500,000.
AND HOW MUCH WILL WE BE SAVING WITH THIS? THE 24 PER TON? 24 PER TON.
LET ME MAKE SURE THAT'S ARE YOU'RE SAYING OUR LANDFILL COST IS 25 50? YES, SIR.
IT, IT, IT'S ONLY ABOUT A DOLLAR 50 DIFFERENCE.
AND WE'RE, WE'RE CALCULATING AT THAT AT 68,000 TONS.
SO IT'S A LITTLE OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND TONS.
THE, THE NEW AGREEMENT WOULD BE A SAVINGS OF ABOUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND TONS ANNUALLY.
UM, SO HOW, HOW DID THE CONTRACTOR JUST SAY, OKAY, I'M GONNA GO UP IN PRICE.
IT, WAS HE THAT FLEXIBILITY IN THE CONTRACT? NO.
WHAT, WHAT IT IS, IS THAT OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, THEY'VE ACTUALLY DONE GREAT AT HONORING THEIR AGREEMENT.
AT 1650 THEY HAD BEEN EXPERIENCING SOME CONTAMINATION.
THEY'RE HAVING TO CLEAN IT UP TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT IT IS, UH, AN ACTIVE PRODUCT AT THE END OF THE JOURNEY.
SO THERE ARE MATERIALS THAT JUST LIKE IN THE RECYCLING THAT COME THROUGH THAT PROCESS THAT NEED TO BE CLEANED UP.
SO THEY HAD TO SPEND, UH, CLEANING IT UP.
OH, MR. NEWMAN WAS SHARING WITH ME, THIS IS THE FIFTH YEAR.
SO THE CONTRACT'S ENDING AND THAT'S WHY
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THE, THE RENEWAL PART, THEY WANTED TO GO UP IN PRICE.SO YOU'RE TALKING DID, WAS THERE OPTION YEARS LEFT ON THIS CONTRACT? YES.
AND THEY HAD THE FLEXIBILITY TO SAY, HEY, WE'RE GONNA GO UP IN PRICE FOR ANOTHER OPTION YEAR, IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? THEY HAD THE, THEY COULD MAKE THE REQUEST TO GO UP.
AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS WHY THEY NOTIFIED US EARLIER IN THE YEAR THAT THEY WERE EXPECTING TO HAVE AN INCREASE.
THE INCREASE THAT WE ORIGINALLY THOUGHT WOULD BE, WOULD BE ABOUT $24.
BUT WHEN THE ONE BID CAME IN, BECAUSE WE WERE TESTING THE MARKET, WE SAW THAT THAT PRICE WAS DOUBLED, UH, AUTOMATICALLY THE ONE THAT DID COME IN.
SO YOU'RE ASSUMING THAT WE'RE GONNA GO OUT FOR AN R F P AND THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT OF PEOPLE BIDDING ON THIS AND WE'LL GET BACK, WELL, LET, LET TELL YOU LESS THAN 25 50.
LET ME TELL YOU WHERE OUR ASSUMPTION IS COMING FROM.
AUSTIN JUST RECENTLY WENT THROUGH THIS SAME PROCESS AND THEY KIND OF FOLLOWED OUR LEAD.
THE VENDOR THAT'S PROCESSING AUSTIN'S TODAY IS DOING IT AT $16 AND 50 CENTS.
SO WHEN WE CHECKED WITH THOSE PARTICULAR VENDORS JUST TO SEE WHY WE'RE IN THE, UH, R F I POSITION, WHERE WE COULD ASK QUESTIONS AND SUBMIT, UH, RESPONSES.
'CAUSE WE WERE KIND OF CURIOUS AS TO WHY THEY DIDN'T RESPOND.
WE WERE REALLY INTERESTED IN THAT AND THEY JUST SAID THEY HAD TOO MUCH GOING ON.
AND WHEN THEY WERE ACTIVATED WITH AUSTIN, THEY WERE HONEST AND SAID THEY JUST DIDN'T HAVE THE BANDWIDTH TO SUBMIT FOR BOTH CITIES.
SO THEY FOCUSED ON AUSTIN SINCE THEY'RE LOCATED THERE.
AND THE FACT THAT IT IS 1650 IN OUR NEIGHBORING CITIES SHOWS US THAT IT SHOULD GET LESS THAN THAT.
BUT AT ANY CASE, WE SHOULD STILL BE LOOKING LESS THAN THROWING IT AWAY.
SO WHAT HAPPENS IF WE DON'T GET LESS THAN 25 50? SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID COUNCILMAN, IS WE RAN OUR OWN MODEL.
WE WENT BACK TO SEE WHAT WOULD IT TAKE FOR US TO BRING IT IN-HOUSE.
AND WE RAN OUR NUMBERS, WE RAN ALL THE SCENARIOS.
BUYING THE EQUIPMENT STILL TAKES A STARTUP COST, STARTUP RESPONSIBILITY PROCESSING, EITHER WE DO WIND ROLLS AND OTHER TECHNIQUES THAT TURN IT INTO COMPOST.
OUR COST WAS ABOUT $24 AND LIKE 20 CENTS FOR US TO DO IT.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE STILL IN A POSITIVE, UH, POSITION THEN TO THROW IT AWAY.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE NOT LOOKING TO DO THAT AT ALL.
UM, BACK TO SLIDE THREE AGAIN.
YOU SAID THAT THE GOAL WAS TO GET AT TO 60% PERCENT RECYCLING RATE.
BY WHAT DATE IS THAT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN? THAT'S STILL BY THE YEAR 2025.
AND THAT INCLUDES ORGANIC AS WELL AS GREEN AND BLUE CART AND THINGS THAT WE CHIP UP FROM OUR MULCH AND OKAY.
AND WHERE ARE WE AT TODAY? WE'RE AT 36%.
AND HOW MANY YEARS HAVE WE INSTITUTED THIS PROGRAM? UH, THIS WAS, UH, ADOPTED THE ORGANICS, THE PROGRAM ITSELF FOR THE 25 YEARS WAS IN 2010.
THE ORIGINAL GOAL WAS FOR 2020.
IT WAS AMENDED TO 2025 AND 2013.
AND YOU STILL THINK WE'RE GONNA GET THERE IN 2025? 2025? YES, SIR.
I'VE REMEMBER ONE TIME WE WERE TALKING ABOUT LIKE A, B AND C PLAN.
I GOT A A, B AND A C PLAN TO HELP US GET THERE.
WELL, LET'S HOPE WE DON'T HAVE TO GET THERE.
BUT, UH, MY, MY CONCERN AGAIN IS, UH, KEEPING IT UNDER WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY PUTTING IN THE LA LANDFILL AS FAR AS TOTAL CO TOTAL COST, NOT COST, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THIS REALLY COSTING US IN OUR TOTAL BUDGET? UM, SO I'D LIKE TO REALLY KEEP IT IN THOSE, THOSE TERMS. WHAT, WHAT THE TOTAL COST WILL BE, UH, FOR, FOR THAT.
NO, AND I APPRECIATE HEARING THAT BECAUSE THAT WAS ONE OF THE REASONS FOR ME ADDING THIS PARTICULAR SLIDE WAS THE SOCIAL, ENVIRONMENTAL AND FINANCIAL BENEFITS.
'CAUSE I KNOW THAT'S IMPORTANT, UH, TO THIS COUNCIL AS WELL.
UM, LOOKING AT THAT, AND YOU, YOU TALKED ABOUT AUSTIN, BUT HAVE WE GOTTEN ANY OTHER, HAVE WE DONE ANY OTHER BENCHMARKING WITH OTHER CITIES OTHER THAN AUSTIN? WELL, ACTUALLY AUSTIN'S FOLLOWING OUR LEAD, NO OTHER CITIES IN TEXAS ARE DOING THIS, UH, WITH THE EXTENT THAT WE ARE WITH OUR THREE CARD SYSTEM.
BUT WE DO HAVE BENCHMARKS FROM OTHER CITIES.
UH, WHEN YOU LOOK AT PHOENIX, ARIZONA IS, IS ONE OF OUR BENCHMARKS.
WE ALSO, UH, COMPARE THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS AND DIFFERENT RATES, BUT WE DO
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HAVE DIFFERENT BENCHMARKINGS.UH, IN TERMS OF THE PROCESSING.
WE'RE, AUSTIN WILL BE LIKE THE SECOND CITY, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
BUT IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY ARE THE SECOND CITY THAT HAS THIS, UH, THREE CART PROGRAM SYSTEM.
UM, ON WHEN YOU WERE ON SLIDE FIVE, YOU TALKED ABOUT USING CITY FORCES.
YOU MENTIONED USING CITY FORCES.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN BY USING CITY FORCES? SO WHAT, WHAT WE DID IN OUR RESEARCH IS WE LOOKED AT ALL OF OUR ASSETS AND RESOURCES.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WORKS IN OUR FAVOR IS THE FACT THAT WE HAVE LAND AVAILABLE AT NELSON GARDENS, UH, WHICH IS WHERE WE MULCH AND DO OUR PROCESS THERE.
WE HAVE BIDDERS AND WE HAVE NELSON GARDENS.
IT JUST SO HAPPENED THAT NELSON GARDENS HAS ABOUT A HUNDRED ACRES OF LAND THAT CAN BE UTILIZED AS A PART OF THE STRATEGY.
SO WITH US ALREADY, UH, LOOKING AT PROCESSING OUR MULCH THERE, UM, IT TAKES A TIME FOR US TO GEAR UP, TO LEARN, TO TRAIN, TO LOOK AT DIFFERENT RESOURCES.
AND THE INDUSTRY IS OUT THERE.
WE'RE NOT TRYING TO JUMP INTO THE BUSINESS.
I MENTIONED CITY RESOURCES BECAUSE I WANTED Y'ALL TO KNOW IN THIS COUNCIL TO KNOW THAT WE'RE PREPARED AT ALL COSTS TO MAKE THIS GO FORWARD IN A POSITIVE LIGHT.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO CREATE THAT SUSTAINABILITY SO THAT NO ONE TAKES US AWAY FROM ACHIEVING OUR GOALS.
WELL, I WOULD, I WOULD REALLY CAUTION, CAUTION US TO GO IN-HOUSE WITH THIS.
THIS IS NOT A, THIS IS NOT A CORE FUNCTION OF THE CITY.
AND THIS, I MEAN, THE COLLECTION IS A CORE FUNCTION.
THE COLLECTION PROCESSING HAS NOT BEEN, THAT'S, SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE GOING THIS EXTRA STEP WITH THIS SECOND R F P.
I, I, THAT'S WHY WE'RE PUTTING SO MUCH ENERGY INTO IT.
I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE DO KEEP THIS AT A CONTRACT LEVEL.
AND I KNOW THERE'S A COST ASSOCIATED WITH DOING IT IN-HOUSE, BUT LIKE MOST GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND SAN ANTONIO IS NOT EXEMPT FROM THAT.
WHEN YOU BRING SOMETHING IN HOUSE, IT TENDS TO GROW IN COST OVER YEARS, EXPONENTIALLY MORE THAN WHAT A CONTRACT WOULD GROW.
SO THAT'S WHAT I'M CAUTIONING ABOUT.
AND REALLY HOPE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO PULL THIS OFF BY CONTRACT.
OTHERWISE, IF IT GOES OVER THAT 25 50 PER PER TON, UH, I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT IT.
WE, WE WILL ACTUALLY COME BACK TO YOU WITH THE POST SOLICITATION.
SO REGARDLESS OF WHAT THAT NUMBER IS, WE'RE BEING TRANSPARENT.
WE'RE COMING BACK TO SEE THIS BODY.
UH, DAVID, JUST A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
THE FIRST QUESTION IS, DO YOU THINK COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY'S NECKLACE IS RECYCLABLE RIGHT NOW?
NO, ACTUALLY WE HAVE A COMMERCIAL THAT SAYS TO THROW IT IN THE BROWN CARD.
SO, UM, IS THAT A $5 CARD? YOU CAN, YOU CAN HELP WITH OUR MANUAL STUFF THAT WAY.
COUNCIL MEMBER, ON SLIDE NUMBER, ON SLIDE NUMBER SIX, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE MANUAL SORTING PROCESS TO REMOVE NON COMPOSTABLE MATERIAL.
SO THAT'S INDIVIDUALS, THAT'S PEOPLE CORRECT.
DOING MANUAL SORTING? YES, THAT IS CORRECT.
SO, UM, HOW MUCH DO THEY GET PAID? I DON'T KNOW THEIR EXACT SALARIES FOR THE PRIVATE COMPANY.
THEY PROBABLY RANGE ANYWHERE FROM 10 TO $15 AN HOUR.
I DON'T KNOW, PERSONALLY, I THINK I WOULD JUST BE CURIOUS ABOUT THAT.
'CAUSE THAT'S PRETTY INTENSE WORK RIGHT THERE.
SO, UM, AND IF, IF YOU COULD GET THAT FOR ME, I'D APPRECIATE IT.
THAT'S ALL THE QUESTIONS I HAVE.
AND I THINK IT WAS MY FAULT THAT YOU'RE PRESENTING TODAY 'CAUSE I REQUESTED SOME INFORMATION ON THIS.
THAT IS, WE'RE HAPPY TO PRESENT ALL ALWAYS.
UM, BUT I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU CAME OUT AND MET WITH ME A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO AND YOU ANSWERED ALL OF MY QUESTIONS.
THEN THREE OF MY QUESTIONS TODAY WERE ASKED BY COUNCILMAN PERRY ALREADY.
I WAS TRYING TO BUZZ IN BEFORE HIM.
UM, BUT THANK YOU AGAIN FOR, FOR BEING SO PREPARED ALL THE TIME ON, UM, AND, AND ONE OF MY QUESTIONS AND DID THIS, DEFINITELY IMPORTANT, IMPORTANT.
AND SO, UM, MANUEL SORTING PROCESS, I, I DON'T THINK THAT A LOT OF FOLKS REALIZE WHAT GOES INTO IT OR HOW MUCH, UM, I GUESS LABOR INTEN HOW LABOR INTENSIVE IT IS.
CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN FOR THE BENEFIT OF ANYBODY WATCHING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE MANUAL SORTING PROCESS? SO WHAT, WHAT TYPICALLY HAPPENS AT THE SITE IS ONCE THE LOAD IS TIPPED OR
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OFFLOADED, THEN THEY ACTUALLY TRY TO SEE WHICH AREA OF THAT LOAD HAS CONTAMINANTS IN IT.WHEN YOU SEE THE CARDBOARD BOXES, YOU SEE SHREDDED PAPER, ALL THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE THERE.
BUT IF ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU SEE GLASS OR YOU SEE PLASTICS OF SOME TYPE, THEN THAT HAS TO BE MANUALLY SORTED.
SO THEY GO IN AND THEY MANUALLY PICK IT OUT OF THE PILE, AND THEN THEY MOVE THE PILE A LITTLE BIT, UH, WITH THE EQUIPMENT AND THEN THEY SORT IT AGAIN.
THEY WANT TO GET IT IN A GOOD POSITION SO WHEN THEY SEND IT THROUGH THE SYSTEM, IT CAN HELP CLEAN IT UP EVEN MORE.
BUT THE IDEAL IS IT'S VERY, IT'S MANUALLY INTENSE ON THE FRONT END AND WE HAVE ABOUT A 22% CONTAMINATION RATE OUT OF OUR RESIDENTS TODAY.
AND HOW LONG DO YOU, DOES A TYPICAL DAY LAST FOR THESE, UM, WORKERS? WHAT, WHAT ARE THEIR HOURS OF OPERATION? I GUESS? THEY, THEY, THEY HAVE PROBABLY 10 HOUR SHIFTS, UH, AT THAT LOCATION.
SINCE THEY DON'T WORK FOR US, WE DO HAVE STAFF THAT IS OUT THERE THAT'S ACTUALLY TRACKING INFORMATION.
SO THEY'RE LOOKING AT ANYWHERE FROM A 10 TO 12 HOUR DAY SHIFT.
SO I JUST, AGAIN, I DON'T THINK THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE REALIZE HOW, HOW INTRICATE IT IS.
AND BY THE WAY, IF I COULD GET A TOUR OF, UM, THAT FACILITY ANY TIME I WOULD, I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THAT.
AND I'M SURE SINCE COUNCILMAN PERION, I THANK SO MUCH ALIKE, MAYBE WHO'D LIKE TO JOIN ME, UM, BECAUSE IT, IT IS OUT THERE.
UM, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING CONSIDERATE AND, AND THINKING ABOUT YOUR TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE, UM, STRATEGY THAT IS DEFINITELY IMPORTANT.
UM, ON THE S BETA REQUIREMENT, WHY WAS IT WAIVED? SO WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS THERE'S ONLY BEEN TWO VENDORS INSIDE OF, UH, SAN ANTONIO'S CITY LIMITS.
AND HISTORICALLY WE'VE ALWAYS WAIVED THEM.
AND WE'VE ACTUALLY ASKED FOR THE VEDA STAFF.
I, I'LL LET HER ANSWER, BUT THANK YOU.
WE ONLY HAD ONE RESPONSE THIS LAST TIME, SO IT'S PROBABLY A GOOD REASON.
THAT'S ACTUALLY THE ONLY REASON, IS THAT YEAH.
AND THEN ALSO, SO REMIND ME, THE RECYCLING GOAL, THE CITY'S RECYCLING GOAL IS 60% 60% BY THE YEAR 2025.
AND THEN I ALSO, UM, I, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE MAYBE WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING.
UH, AND I KNOW YOU MENTIONED AUSTIN, BUT I'D LOVE TO SEE OTHER CITIES AS WELL.
I DO WANT TO COMPLIMENT YOUR, UM, YOUR WINTER COMMERCIAL, UM, ON RECYCLING.
YOU SAW IT? YEAH, I WAS WATCHING IT AT MY PARENTS' HOUSE.
I VISIT THEM AND THEY SPEAK SPANISH, SO THEY WATCH EVERYTHING IN SPANISH.
AND YOU GUYS DID AN EXCELLENT JOB WITH THE TRANSLATION OF THAT.
SO IT WAS A BEAUTIFULLY WELL PUT.
I TRIED, NEWMAN WAS TRYING TO TRANSLATE FOR US, BUT WE THOUGHT WE LET A PROFESSIONAL HANDLE IT.
AND THANK YOU MR. NEWMAN ALSO FOR COMING UP.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN.
YOU ALWAYS DO SUCH A GREAT JOB AT BREAKING DOWN HOW WE DO, UH, SOLID WASTE AND, AND THE RECYCLING OF OUR SYSTEM HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
UM, UH, SOME OF THE QUESTIONS ARE KIND OF THE SAME AS MY, MY COLLEAGUES, AND SO I WON'T ASK YOU THE SAME QUESTIONS.
UM, THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING WHAT IT WOULD COST US AS A CITY TO TAKE THIS ON IN-HOUSE.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAD.
AND THEN, UM, TRYING TO SEE IF THERE IS A, A WAY THAT AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OR A LABOR FORCE COULD TRULY BE CREATED OUT OF THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM WITHIN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT CAN KIND OF HELP WITH GETTING US TO OUR GOAL THAT WE ARE REACHING FOR, TO KIND OF HELP AID IN THE MANPOWER THAT IS NEEDED TO DO THE BREAKDOWN OF, OF THE MATERIALS.
YOU KNOW, ONE OF, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DECIDED TO DO, AND YOU HEARD ME MENTION IT BRIEFLY, WAS TO KIND OF OFFER UP THAT WE'VE NEVER DONE BEFORE NELSON GARDENS, EVEN TO A PRIVATE COMPANY.
SO I WOULDN'T DOUBT IF SOMEONE WITH ENTREPRENEUR TECHNIQUES OR THE INTENT TO TRY TO SEE WHAT THEY CAN DO TO EVEN CREATE OR GIVE THAT, UH, CAPACITY WHERE IT COULD BE CREATED FOR SOMEONE TO DO A, A STARTUP.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WILL ADD IN OUR R F P IS TO TELL 'EM WHAT IF WE GAVE YOU, WHAT IF YOU HAD THE LAND TO USE, WOULD THAT CHANGE THE DYNAMICS AT THAT POINT? WOULD THAT PUT YOU IN A BETTER POSITION? AND IT KIND OF GOES BACK TO WHAT COUNCILMAN PERRY WAS LOOKING AT, UH, DOING FOR THE PRIVATE SECTOR, UH, SIDE OF IT.
BUT YEAH, AND WE'VE GOT A LOT OF, UH, DEEP THINKING WE HAVE TO DO AND STRATEGIES THAT WE NEED TO IMPLEMENT.
SO I'M ALWAYS OPEN BECAUSE THERE'RE ALWAYS COULD LIE THAT ANSWER THAT
[00:30:01]
WE'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR, THAT WE NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT BEFORE.AND THEN AS FAR, I KNOW, I KNOW YOU WERE SAYING THAT THE CONTAMINANTS THAT ARE OUT THERE, DO WE KNOW LIKE WHAT CONTAMINANTS ARE, ARE, ARE THEY SOIL RELATED? CAN THEY BE PASSED INTO THE WATER? LIKE, WHAT IS IT THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY COMING IN CONTACT WITH WHEN THEY'RE DOING THE SORTING? WELL, THE, IT'S, IT'S, IN OTHER WORDS, OUR RESIDENTS HAVE PLACED THE ITEMS IN THE WRONG BUCKET.
IT'S NOT A CONTAMINANT THAT'S FOR THE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE HANDLING IT.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO PUT ON WHITE SUITS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
BUT THE CHOICE WASN'T DONE RIGHT.
YOU COULD HAVE HAD A RELATIVE THAT WAS VISITING, DECIDED TO PUT THE PLASTIC IN THE GREEN CART.
'CAUSE AT HOME THEIR GARBAGE CART IS GREEN, YOU KNOW? SO SOMETIMES IT'S THAT SIMPLE MISTAKE.
SOMETIMES IT'S THE HUSBAND THAT NEVER TAKES IT OUT, THE KIDS DO.
AND THE HUSBAND FINALLY TOOK THE TRASH OUT AND HE MADE THE MISTAKE.
ANYTHING'S POSSIBLE, BUT IT'S THE WRONG ITEMS. THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO PULL OUT.
IT'S NOTHING THAT CONTAMINATED AGAINST THEM.
IT CAN BE REJECTED FROM OUR PROGRAM.
AND THEN THE LAST QUESTION THAT I HAVE FOR YOU, WHAT'S ON, UM, SLIDE THREE, NUMBER FOUR, UH, BUYBACK COMPOST AT A THIRD OF MARKET RATE.
UM, IS THAT WHAT WE ARE PURCHASING AS A CITY? OR WHAT IS THAT AC WHERE IS THAT ACTUALLY GOING AND HOW MUCH IS THAT? YEAH, SO TYPICALLY IT CHARGES, TYPICALLY IT'S ABOUT 36 TO $42 TO, TO PURCHASE IF YOU PURCHASED IT STRAIGHT OUT, UH, OPENLY.
SO THIS PAST, UH, YEAR, I THINK IT WAS, WHAT WAS THE NAME OF THAT THAT WE WORKED WITH? PARK? YEAH.
UH, THERE WAS SOME COMPOSTING THAT WE WORKED WITH PARKS AND REC TO, TO GIVE, AND IT GAVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPRUCE IT UP AND THEY LIKED IT A LOT.
SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH HOMER AND THEIR GROUP TO LOOK AT EXPANDING THAT.
'CAUSE YOU HAVE 252 PARKS THAT ARE OUT THERE.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
AND HOW MUCH HAVE WE TOTAL? UH, IT'S BEEN PERIODIC AND THAT'S WHY WE WANT TO AT LEAST GET SOME TYPE OF READING AS TO HOW MUCH THEY REALLY NEED OR CAN USE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
SO IT'S BEEN PROJECTS HERE AND THERE AS PILOTS, UH, THAT NEED TO BE EXPANDED.
SO I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE THE ACTUAL NUMBER FOR IT.
SO IF I, I CAN, I CAN FIND OUT FOR YOU SPECIFICALLY.
NICK, I REMEMBER IT WAS ABOUT THREE OR FOUR LOCATED ABOUT, HOW WAS IT, 4,000? YEAH, IT WAS ABOUT 4,000 CUBIC YARDS.
COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND, AND SORT OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THIS AGAIN.
UM, I'VE, I'VE CHANGED MY THINKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT RECYCLING OVER THE YEARS.
UM, BECAUSE I THINK YOU ALL OPERATED IT AS A DEDICATED FUND, RIGHT? A SEPARATE, UM, YEAH.
AND WHEN WAS THE DECISION MADE TO RUN AS AN ENTERPRISE FUND? WE'VE BEEN AN ENTERPRISE FUND FOR DECADES AND, AND I DON'T KNOW WHY.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I'VE ASKED, I'VE BEEN HERE 12 YEARS, BUT I'VE ASKED THIS QUESTION, YOU KNOW, SORT OF OVER THE YEARS ABOUT WHY THINGS END UP BEING DEDICATED FUNDS OR ENTERPRISE FUNDS.
I'VE NOT GOTTEN A RESPONSE AS TO WHY WE HAVE SOLID WASTE AS A WELL, WELL, I WILL TELL YOU THAT ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES IN HAVING AN ENTERPRISE FUND, IT TARGETS THE ACTUAL USERS.
SO FOR A GATED COMMUNITY, THEY WOULDN'T PAY FOR SOLID WASTE SERVICES IF THEY'RE NOT GETTING IT.
AND YOU WOULDN'T WANT TO PUT IT ON THEIR TAX BILL BECAUSE YOU COULDN'T THEN SEPARATE IT FROM THOSE THAT WERE ACTUALLY SERVICING.
UM, TROY, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU WANNA MAKE A COMMENT? YEAH, I'M JUST GONNA PROVIDE A LITTLE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO DEFINING AN ENTERPRISE FUND, IT REALLY BECOMES A FUNCTION OF GENERAL ACCOUNTING STANDARDS.
UM, AN ENTERPRISE FUND IS REALLY, IF IT'S A RATE DRIVEN FUND WITH A PRICING POLICY GAP, REALLY DEMANDS THAT WE ACCOUNT FOR IT SEPARATELY AND RUN IT AS A BUSINESS.
SO IT REALLY IS AN ACCOUNTING FUNCTION THAT DEFINES IT AS AN ENTERPRISE FUND.
UM, SO I GUESS THE REASON WHY I ASK THE QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S AN ENTERPRISE FUND IS BECAUSE IT DOES SEEM LIKE YOU ALL ARE IN A SILO WORKING BY YOURSELF, UH, DOING THIS WORK.
AND, UM, YOU'VE HEARD ME NOW, WELL, YOU PROBABLY HAVEN'T HEARD ME, BUT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE HEARD ME AND, AND I KNOW ERIC HAS HEARD ME OVER THE YEARS NOW, TALK ABOUT TOO MUCH OF OUR CITY BEING DONE IN SILOS.
AND I ALSO FELT LIKE WHEN WE WORKED THROUGH THE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN, I NEVER HEARD FROM SOLID WASTE.
[00:35:01]
DID YOU ALL PARTICIPATE AT ALL IN THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN? OH, ABSOLUTELY.SO WHAT, IN FACT, OH, GO AHEAD.
WHAT I WAS GONNA SAY, IN FACT, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A PRESENTATION WE JUST RECENTLY PRESENTED TO THE SIERRA CLUB DISTRICT TWO.
UH, THERE'S BEEN OTHERS THAT HAVE ASKED FOR US TO TELL US HOW DID SOLID WASTE TIE INTO THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN.
SO WE'LL BE HAPPY TO COME AND MAKE A PRESENTATION FOR YOU.
AND WAS IT JUST, I MEAN, I GUESS THAT IT DIDN'T COME UP THAT WE DIDN'T HEAR ABOUT IT.
NOBODY ASKED, UM, ABOUT YOUR ROLE IN THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN.
YEAH, YOU, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN SHADOWING THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN SINCE DAY ONE AND BEEN A PART OF IT.
ROD HAS SOME INFORMATION RELATED TO COUNCILMAN NOW.
COUNCILMAN, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
UH, I COULD TELL YOU THAT, THAT SOLID WASTE WAS, WAS ONE OF THE, THE THREE PILLARS OF, OF THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE WERE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT IS THE, UH, GREENHOUSE GASES THAT ARE PRODUCED BY, BY THE METHANE IN THE LANDFILLS.
SO THERE'S SPECIFIC GOALS IN THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN THAT CALL FOR REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF MATERIAL THAT GOES TO THE LANDFILL.
SO THIS IS RIGHT UP THE ALLEY OF IMPLEMENTING THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN.
'CAUSE THE IDEA HERE IS TO RECYCLE MORE, KEEP THAT MATERIAL AWAY FROM THE LANDFILL, KEEP THAT MATERIAL FROM PRODUCING GREENHOUSE GASES.
SO THIS IS VERY CONSISTENT WITH, WITH THE PLAN THAT WE JUST ADOPTED.
UM, THANK YOU, UH, FOR THAT BECAUSE I, I, I FEEL LIKE THAT WOULD'VE BEEN REALLY IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND I THOUGHT, DID I MISS IT? OR HOW WAS THAT NOT EVER PRESENTED? IT WAS NEVER PRESENTED TO US RIGHT AT THE COUNCIL.
DID I MISS IT OR DID IT GO THROUGH A COMMITTEE AND I DIDN'T HEAR IT? IT IT, IT WENT THROUGH COMMUNITY HEALTH AND EQUITY.
UH, SO WE DID PRESENT IT THERE.
UH, I'M NOT, WE, WE DID PRESENT THE GOALS, SO IT WAS DEFINITELY IN THE PRESENTATIONS.
SO YOU'LL KNOW THERE'S PROBABLY LIKE EIGHT GOALS, TICK MARKS, THAT WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR MEASURING AT ALL TIMES.
SO I'M, AGAIN, I'M HAPPY TO OVER RELATED TO CLIMATE, TO THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN AND HOW WE'RE MEASURING IT FROM SOLID WASTE AND THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING, UH, TO GET BETTER AT IT.
SO HAVE YOU CONSIDERED, UM, OR DO YOU HAVE EXAMPLES OF, UH, PILOTING SORT OF TARGETED AREAS OF RECYCLING AND, UH, IN PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOODS? SO LET ME GIVE YOU ONE THAT'S A GOOD COMPARISON.
WHEN WE LOOK AT, LIKE, ALL ELECTRIC TRUCKS OR HYBRID TRUCKS FOR US, OUR DOWNTOWN, FOR SOME OF THE SMALLER TRUCKS, YOU SEE THE DOWNTOWN AREA, WE HAVE SIX HYBRID TRUCKS.
THEY'RE A COMBINATION OF THE DIESEL AND THE ELECTRIC.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN, IDEALLY ONE DAY I HOPE THERE'S A BATTERY BIG ENOUGH THAT CAN RUN MY RECYCLE TRUCK ALL DAY FOR TWO LOADS AND PICK UP OVER 10 TONS AND GO TO LANDFILL OR THE RECYCLE SITE AND COME BACK.
SO WE'VE STARTED OFF WITH SMALL, UH, BUT WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING AT IT.
THE CHALLENGE IS WHEN WE LOOKED AT A GARBAGE TRUCK THAT WAS PURCHASED OUTTA CHICAGO A FEW YEARS BACK, IT WAS AN ALL ELECTRIC TRUCK.
THAT TRUCK STILL HAS YET TO MAKE A DAY.
THEY END UP HAVING TO SUE THE MANUFACTURER.
SO WE'RE BEING WISE AS WE MOVE FORWARD, BUT WE'RE WE'RE REMINDED OF GREENHOUSE GASES WE'RE REMINDED OF, AS ROD HAD POINTED OUT, NOT GOING AND HAVING THOSE, UH, ITEMS TAKEN TO THE LANDFILL.
SO OVER THE LAST DECADE, WE'VE SEEN A 28% REDUCTION IN THE AMOUNT OF MATERIALS THAT'S GOING TO THE LANDFILL.
SO THAT ALSO SUPPORTS, UH, HOW WE'RE DOING WITH THE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS, AGAIN, RECYCLING THAT ALSO, THE MORE WE RECYCLE, THE MORE WE GET TO 60%, THAT'S FEWER ITEMS GOING INTO THE LANDFILL.
AND THAT'S WHY RESIDENTS ARE DOING A GREAT JOB.
SO, I, I, UM, I, I'M FAMILIAR WITH NEW EARTH.
THEY ARE A SMALL BUSINESS IN DISTRICT FIVE.
UH, THEY'VE BEEN THERE A LONG TIME.
THEIR COMPANY HAS BEEN THERE A LONG TIME.
SO, UM, I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF SMALL BUSINESSES AND, AND, AND THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE A CONTRACT, UH, OR THAT WE, UM, SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES.
I KNOW THAT, THAT DIDN'T HAVE A SWIM BEE, UH, CRITERIA.
UH, BUT I, I DO THINK THIS ISSUE IS SO IMPORTANT THAT WE SHOULD GET IT RIGHT.
AND IF TAKING IT INHOUSE MEANS THAT WE HAVE AN OVERALL IMPROVEMENT IN GREENHOUSE GASES BECAUSE WE'RE DOING MORE RECYCLING OR DOING MORE COMPOSTING OR, SURE.
UM, THEN I THINK WE SHOULD CONSIDER THAT AS PART OF THE, UM, ENTIRETY OF THE SUCCESS OF THE GOTCHA, UH, OF THE MODEL.
[00:40:01]
WHATEVER MODEL YOU CHOOSE TO USE OR IS PRESENTED TO US.CAN YOU PUT THAT IN THE QUALIFICATIONS? CAN THAT BE A, A, A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE SUCCESS OF THE PROGRAM? NOT JUST THE COST, BUT, UM, DO WE THE CERTAIN LANGUAGE THAT IN THE R F P, IN THE R F P THAT SAYS THAT, I MEAN, I, I, YEAH, WE CAN SHARE WHAT THE INTENT IS.
IT IS ABSOLUTELY OUR INTENT TO EVALUATE ALL THE PROPOSALS THAT WE GET, UH, AND TO SEE IF THEY MAKE SENSE.
UH, AND OF COURSE, FROM, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE DOING FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, BUT ALSO FROM A COST SAKE.
UH, AND IN THE BACK OF OUR MINDS, THE BACK, YOU KNOW, LIKE MCCAREY PRESENTED EARLIER, WE ARE LOOKING IN-HOUSE.
THAT IS DEFINITELY, UH, AN OPTION THAT THAT IS ON THE TABLE.
IF WE DON'T GET GOOD PROPOSALS THAT WE'RE SATISFIED WITH, CERTAINLY TAKING THE THIS IN-HOUSE IS, IS DEFINITE OPTION THAT WE WANT TO LOOK AT.
SO, UH, BUT CAN YOU IN THE R F P MAKE A REQUEST THAT, UM, THAT, THAT WE DON'T JUST TAKE COST IN CONSIDERATION, I GUESS, IS WHAT I'M TRYING TO, TO GET AT? I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MARKER LOOKS LIKE.
UM, PERHAPS SOMEBODY HERE KNOWS BETTER THAN I LIKE WHAT, UM, I MEAN, SO I, I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.
IF IT'S A MARKETING, IF I CAN BRING UP THE SLIDE.
I WANNA SHOW YOU SOME, LET ME GET A, I THINK IT'S, UH, OH, WRONG WAY RIGHT HERE ON THE REQUIREMENTS.
WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE EXPERIENCE HISTORICALLY, WHAT THEY HAVE AT 35 POINTS, THEIR PROPOSED PLAN COULD HAVE WHAT THEY'RE EXPECTED TO DO THAT CAN SUPPORT, UH, GREENHOUSE GASES.
IT REALLY DEPENDS ON HOW WE WRITE, UH, THE R F P TO, TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THERE ARE SOME QUALIFICATIONS THAT MAY OCCUR.
I DON'T KNOW THE DETAILS AND, AND TALKING OUT LOUD RIGHT NOW, BUT THAT'S WHERE IT WOULD, WOULD GO.
WELL, AND, AND TO ADD TO THAT, WE, WE HAVE ADOPTED THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN, AND, AND THIS WAS AN, A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THAT PLAN.
SO EVERYTHING THAT WE DO, WE CONSIDER THAT PLAN.
SO I CAN TELL YOU, YES, UH, RECYCLING IS, IS, IS VERY IMPORTANT TO IMPLEMENTING THAT PLAN.
AND IT'S DEFINITELY AT, AT THE CORE OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT HERE.
UH, SO THAT, THAT IS THE FOREMOST THING WE WANNA DO IS, IS RECYCLE, KEEP THAT MATERIAL FROM GETTING TO THE LANDFILL, CREATING THOSE GREENHOUSE GASES.
AND, AND THAT'S DEFINITELY WHAT WE'RE CONSIDERING FIRST.
BUT COST IS ALSO SOMETHING WE'RE LOOKING AT.
BUT WE DEFINITELY KNOW IF IT'S NOT IN THE R F P, IT'S NOT GONNA GET RESPONDED TO.
SO IF YOU CAN FIND A WAY TO DO THAT.
I MEAN, AGAIN, I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE A RECOMMENDATION ON THAT LANGUAGE.
I JUST, IF YOU FIND A WAY TO PUT IT IN THERE, I THINK IT WOULD BE REALLY IMPORTANT.
UM, THAT THERE IS MORE TO CONSIDER THAN SIMPLY COST.
UM, AND, AND I, I THINK THAT THAT'S REALLY, UH, ALL THE QUESTIONS, UM, THAT I HAVE, UH, REGARDING THE, UM, THE, WHAT WE HAVE.
I MEAN, I HAVE SOME OTHER ISSUES ABOUT JUST GENERAL, THE RECYCLING, BECAUSE AREN'T, AREN'T THESE ALSO IT JUST RESIDENTIAL, RIGHT? WE'RE STILL NOT TALKING COMMERCIAL.
SO WE'RE STILL NOT ADDRESSING ANYTHING RELATED TO COMMERCIAL USES OR LIKE RESTAURANTS OR HOTELS, FOOD.
AND SO WHAT, WHAT WE HAVE NOW IS WE HAVE WHAT WE CALL OUR REWORKS ESSAY THAT IS ACTUALLY TARGETING, UH, THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY TO TRY TO GET THEM ON BOARD WITH CERTIFICATIONS.
UH, THERE ARE MARKETING ADVANTAGES WITH THIS PARTICULAR CERTIFICATION.
IT COULD BE BRONZE, SILVER, OR GOLD, BUT IT ALSO IDENTIFIES, WE ACTUALLY DO KIND OF, UH, DUMPSTER DIVING WITH COMPANIES AND WE SEE WHAT DO THEY HAVE INSIDE THEIR WASTE STREAM? WHAT ARE THEY GENERATING, HOW MUCH ARE THEY SAVING? THERE'S A LIST THAT WE GO BY AND THE CHECKOFF LIST GIVES YOU CERTAIN POINTS.
UH, WE HAVE SOME MAJOR COMPANIES THAT ARE TODAY PROBABLY CLOSE TO 110 TO 114 COMPANIES THAT ARE NOW CERTIFIED.
SO WE'RE TRYING THE CARROT APPROACH VERSUS MANDATES.
'CAUSE YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN TEXAS, SO YOU JUST CAN'T SAY, YEAH, I WANT YOU TO DO THIS.
SO YOU GOTTA MAKE CERTAIN THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHY YOU'RE ASKING THEM TO DO CERTAIN THINGS.
AND, UH, SO PERHAPS THAT COULD BE FOR A FUTURE DISCUSSION, BUT I MEAN, THERE IS A COST ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
AND THAT'S, I THINK WHERE, UM, WE HAVE TO CONSIDER THAT AS WELL.
YOU KNOW, I WAS VERY OPPOSED TO, UH, WHAT YOU RECOMMENDED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WITH CHARGING PEOPLE WHO WERE PUTTING DIAPERS, UH, IN THE CART.
AND, YOU KNOW, AT THE TIME I HAD THREE CHILDREN IN DIAPERS.
I DON'T HAVE THREE CHILDREN IN DIAPERS RIGHT NOW.
SO I CAN THINK A LITTLE MORE CLEARLY.
UM, THERE, IT WAS THAT EFFORT THAT ACT, UH, WAS ACTUALLY COSTING OUR TAXPAYERS, UH, A LOT OF MONEY, UH, BECAUSE WE WERE CONTAMINATING
[00:45:01]
SUIT AND CARDS.AND SO AT THE TIME, I THOUGHT IT WAS CRUEL TO JUST GIVEN I WAS A MOTHER WITH A LOT OF BABIES AND DIAPERS.
UH, BUT, UM, YEAH, I, I I, IF THERE'S A, A COST ASSOCIATED WITH IT AND THAT LARGE COMPANIES OR HOTELS OR I, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHO'S NOT PARTICIPATING.
BUT IF THEY'RE NOT PARTICIPATING, THERE'S A COST.
THERE HAS TO BE A WAY TO THEN REQUIRE, IF NOTHING ELSE, WE CHARGE A FEE.
IF YOU DON'T REQUIRE THEM TO PARTICIPATE, THEN YOU NEED TO PAY ACCORDINGLY FOR WHAT IT'S COSTING US TO REMOVE.
WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO NOTE IS THERE ARE SOME HOTELS THAT HAVE THAT CERTIFICATION.
UH, SOME OF OUR, UH, RESTAURANT INDUSTRY THAT ARE, SOME OF THE RESTAURANTS IN THE PEARL, THEY'RE ACTUALLY CATCHING AND COMPOSTING SOME OF THE, UH, DISCARDED, UH, FOOD WASTE AND THAT SORT OF THING FOR THAT WHOLE SYSTEM.
SO THERE ARE A LOT OF INNOVATIVE IDEAL THAT ARE GOING FORWARD, AND WE ARE TRYING TO SHARE THEM WITH EACH OTHER.
UH, THE OTHER DAY WE HAD AMERICA'S RECYCLES DAY AND WE INVITED THOSE SAME COMPANIES TO COME BACK AT HARDBERGER PARK JUST TO TALK AND SHARE SOME OF THEIR IDEALS AND MORE SIGNING UP BECAUSE THEY SEE THAT IT CAN BE THE TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE, EVEN FOR THEIR COMPANIES.
IT, IT COULD BE A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE AS WELL.
WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND, UH, FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO, I THINK YOU HAVE A GREAT TEAM INHOUSE, ESPECIALLY WITH ALL THE MARKETING THAT YOU DO.
AND, UM, THANK, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ, COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL.
UM, THANK YOU, UH, MR. MCCAREY FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM, UH, DO FOR, FOR OUR CITY AND OUR RESIDENTS.
ANYWAY,
I THINK, UM, JUST TO, TO PUT THIS OUT THERE FOR DISCUSSION.
SO RIGHT NOW OUR COST BENEFIT IS A DOLLAR 50 A TON COMPARED TO THE LANDFILL.
UM, BUT REALLY, I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE ONLY COMPARISON BECAUSE IN THE WORLD OF GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION, A DOLLAR 50 A TON TO REDUCE, UH, ONE TON OF GREENHOUSE GASES.
IT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE CHEAPEST WAYS TO THAT THAT IS CORRECT.
TO ELIMINATE A GREENHOUSE, UH, GAS.
I MEAN, WE COULD TALK ABOUT ELECTRIFYING ALL THE VEHICLES, WE COULD TALK ABOUT ENERGY UPGRADES, BUT THE TRUTH IS, THIS IS THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE WAY TO, TO MEET OUR GREENHOUSE GAS GOALS.
SO I WOULD SAY EVEN IF IT GETS TO THE POINT WHERE THIS COSTS A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN GOING TO THE LANDFILL, IT'S STILL, UH, IT'S STILL WORTH IT AS LONG AS THE COUNCIL CONTINUES TO VALUE, UH, PROTECTING THE, THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE CLIMATE, AND GIVING BACK TO NATURE WITH OUR, WITH OUR COMPOST.
UM, IN ADDITION, WE KNOW THAT COMPOST FOR GARDENS, UH, IS MUCH SAFER THAN CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS.
UM, IN FACT, I WAS, UH, TALKING TO COUNCILMAN, UH, ELIAS HERE, IF YOU RECALL, HE BROUGHT UP SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE AQUIFER PURCHASE PROGRAM A WHILE BACK AND, AND WHETHER OR NOT, UH, CERTAIN FERTILIZERS WERE, WERE ALLOWED.
AND, UM, I WONDER IF WE'VE EVER MADE THAT CONNECTION ABOUT THE COMPANY THAT DOES OUR PROCESSES, OUR COMPOST, AND THAT SELLS THE, THE COMPOST LATER.
WHO IS THEIR MARKET? HOW CAN WE HELP THEM DEVELOP THAT MARKET? OR EVEN IS THAT, COULD THAT BE PART OF THE R F P? TELL US HOW YOU PLAN TO EXPAND YOUR MARKET IN SAN ANTONIO.
BECAUSE AT THE, AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU KNOW, THE MORE MARKET WE CREATE SURE.
FOR THIS, MAYBE THE MORE, UH, FINANCIALLY LUCRATIVE IT BECOMES FOR THEM, AND THEN FOR BETTER FOR OUR TAXPAYERS TOO.
IS THAT A POSSIBILITY? YEAH, IT IS DEFINITELY A POSSIBILITY FOR SURE.
AND WE DO ASK THEM AND PERIODICALLY PICK THEIR BRAIN ON THEIR MARKETS.
AND, UH, SOME OF THE PRODUCTS THEY HAVE ARE SOLD AT H E B AND OTHER PLACES, SO THEY, THEY BAG 'EM.
I ALSO APPRECIATE YOU ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE, UH, TO CHEMICALS AND THOSE KIND OF THINGS.
IT'S A NATURAL FERTILIZER AS WELL AS, UH, PREVENTIVE, UH MM-HMM.
AND IT'S, UM, I MEAN, THE CHEMICALS DON'T JUST LAND IN YOUR, ON YOUR GRASS, IN YOUR FOOD THAT YOU EAT, BUT YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE WHO WORK IN THOSE PLANTS ARE OF COURSE EXPOSED TO, TO THOSE CHEMICALS TOO.
SO ANYWAY, I JUST WANTED TO, TO PUT THAT OUT THERE.
I DON'T THINK IT'S AS BLACK AND WHITE.
THERE ARE SOME, SOME NUANCES, BUT I, I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN SEEING HOW WE CAN PROMOTE, AND THIS MAY BE TO A DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT, SO I'LL JUST, I'LL TELL ROD HOW WE CAN PROMOTE THE USE OF COMPOST AT THE LOCATIONS WHERE WE HAVE PURCHASED, UM, DEVELOPMENT.
[00:50:01]
RIGHT.OR IS THAT WHAT WE CALL THEM DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS OVER THE AQUIFER.
UM, OVER, OVER THE AQUIFER, EVEN IF IT'S NOT THIS COMPOST, MAYBE OTHER COMPOST.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. MCC.
UH, AS ALWAYS, YOU DO A GREAT JOB AND, UH, I, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.
YOU'RE VERY WELL PREPARED AND YOUR TEAM DOES AN EXCELLENT JOB.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS PAST WEEK DURING OUR THANKSGIVING BREAK, YOU GUYS PULLED ME OUTTA THE FIRE WITH AN ANGRY NEIGHBORHOOD, AND I JUST APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU DO.
I, UH, I DO WANT TO MENTION THAT THIS IS ACTUALLY A REALLY INNOVATIVE PROJECT.
UH, AND FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT, UM, AREN'T AWARE OF NEW EARTH, I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO TALK ABOUT SORT OF WHO THEY ARE AND WHERE THEY COME FROM.
IN 1963, UH, THE LEONARD FAMILY OPENED UP L N H PACKING, UH, WHICH I THINK IS IN DISTRICT THREE, LIKE THE NORTHERN TIP OF DISTRICT THREE, RIGHT.
UM, AND THEY HAD EMPLOYEES WORKING THERE 30, 40 YEARS.
AND THEY HIRED ME TOWARDS THE END OF, UH, TO DO SOME OF THEIR LABOR WORK.
AND, UH, I GOT TO LEARN ABOUT A LOT ABOUT THAT INDUSTRY AT OR AROUND THE TIME THAT I WAS BROUGHT ON BOARD.
WHAT I LEARNED IS THAT, UM, THIS COMPANY HAD IDENTIFIED AN OPPORTUNITY, UM, THAT MADE THIS YOUNG, THE, THE, THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEONARDS VERY HAPPY.
AND THAT OPPORTUNITY WAS EVERY SINGLE COW, 900 A DAY WAS COMING IN STUFFED WITH GRASS, RIGHT.
'CAUSE THEY'RE GRAZING ANIMALS, AND THEY USED TO JUST THROW THIS GRASS AWAY.
AND SO THEY FIGURED OUT THAT, UM, THEY COULD, UH, USE THIS GRASS AND RECYCLE IT IN ESSENCE AND RIGHT.
AND FIGURE OUT A NEW REVENUE STREAM.
SO THEY STARTED NEW EARTH, YOU KNOW, AND THEY WERE SELLING ALL THIS PROBIOTIC GRASS FOR GARDENING AND ALL THAT.
AND THEY'VE LEARNED A LOT SINCE THEN.
SADLY, L AND H PACKING IS NO LONGER THERE.
UH, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE GOT LAID OFF, BUT THIS NEW EARTH COMPANY IS THE KIND OF INNOVATION THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
UM, AND NOW THEY'RE, THEY'RE EVERYWHERE.
AND I'M, I'M QUITE OFTEN WRONG ON PREDICTIONS, BUT I, I THINK THIS ONE'S AN OKAY ONE TO MAKE.
I PREDICT THAT WHEN THIS R F P IS FINALLY RESPONDED TO NEW EARTH IS PROBABLY GONNA BE THE ONE THAT ENDS UP GETTING THIS CONTRACT JUST BECAUSE OF THE LOCAL POINTS.
AND THEY'RE PROBABLY ONE OF THE ONLY IN THE INDUSTRY THAT CAN ACTUALLY HAS THIS EXPERTISE.
UM, AND HAS, AND IS ABLE TO DELIVER AND CHECK OFF THE BOXES ON A LOT OF WHAT IT IS THAT WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING TODAY.
AND SO, UH, I'M IN FAVOR OF RENEWING THIS CONTRACT, UH, AND, UH, I LOVE IT THAT YOU GUYS ARE BRINGING THIS TO US.
THAT'S MR. MCC, THAT'S, UM, THE DIVERSITY ON THE EVALUATION COMMITTEE, UH, YOU HAVE ON THERE.
UM, BUT I JUST ENCOURAGE YOU AND, AND ROD FOR, FOR FUTURE ALSO.
UM, I REALLY THINK THAT DIVERSITY IS IMPORTANT.
AND I'M TALKING ABOUT, UH, MAYBE A FEMALE COULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN HERE.
UM, I'VE SEEN IF WHAT COULD BE MAYBE A FEMALE PERSPECTIVE.
I MEAN, I, I DON'T KNOW HOW ELSE TO SAY IT, BUT I'M JUST GONNA, JUST GONNA ASK, LIKE FOR CONSIDERATION, I SAW A RECENT PRESS CONFERENCE A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO WHERE IT WAS ALL MEN AS WELL, AND SO I JUST, IT'S A MAJORITY FEMALE COUNCIL, AND I'M SURE THERE'S STAFF MEMBERS THAT ARE FEMALES OUT THERE.
WELL, DON'T BE SORRY, COUNCIL.
OH, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A REVIEW? YES.
OH, JUST IN ANY COMMITTEE WHATSOEVER.
I JUST WANTED TO GO ON THE RECORD AS SAYING THAT BECAUSE I WAS, UM, AS WE'LL KICK SOMEBODY OFF.
I'M NOT, NOT, I'M NOT ASKING FOR THAT EITHER.
UH, BUT, BUT IT WAS A, IT WAS A, YEAH, SO I JUST, YOU KNOW, I JUST HAD TO SAY THAT.
NO, THAT'S A GREAT, I, YOU KNOW HOW YOU LOOK AT SOMETHING ALL THE TIME AND YOU JUST GLAZE OVER, BUT EXCELLENT CATCH.
EXCELLENT CATCH, EXCELLENT CATCH.
AND SO, UM, I, AND I'M SORRY TO BRING THIS UP, BUT I, I NOTICED IT.
UM, AND, AND COUNCILWOMAN VRAN WAS THE ONE THAT POINTED IT OUT.
UM, THERE WAS A, A PRESS CONFERENCE AND THERE WAS ALL, ALL, YOU KNOW, ALL, ALL THESE GENTLEMEN WERE THOUGHT, HEY, WAIT A SECOND.
YOU KNOW, UM, OTHER FOLKS COULD HAVE BEEN INVOLVED.
AND SO JUST, YOU KNOW, FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, I MEAN, I'M SEEING SOME GIRL SCOUTS TONIGHT AND THEY'RE TRYING TO, WE'RE TRYING TO EMPOWER THEM AND CHANGE THE WORLD, AND THEN THEY'RE NOT REPRESENTED
AND SO, NOT THAT I'M PICKING ON YOU, BUT I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT I GO ON THE RECORD AT SAYING THAT.
UM, BUT I DO ALSO WANNA, WANNA ASK, WAS INNOVATION, HAS INNOVATION BEEN INVOLVED OR, UM, BROUGHT IN TO SEE WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING? WE PERIODICALLY TAP INTO INNOVATION AND THEY DO THE SAME FOR US.
WE HAVE OUR OWN PLANNING AND INNOVATION TEAM.
SO WE ACTUALLY MAKE A LOT OF PHONE CALLS AND, UH, DO A LOT OF DIFFERENT BENCHMARKINGS.
WE'VE EVEN DONE SOME THAT ARE NATIONWIDE
[00:55:01]
THAT WE GIVE OUR INFORMATION FROM SAN ANTONIO AND IN RETURN WE GET WHAT'S HAPPENING AROUND THE, THE NATION.SO, AND THEN JUST TO, FOR MY KNOWLEDGE, BECAUSE I JUST MADE THIS ASSUMPTION, BUT WHEN COUNCILWOMAN GONZALEZ ASKED HER QUESTION, IT, I, I GUESS I JUST WANNA VERIFY THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY.
DOES IT REPORT TO SOLID WASTE? DOES IT GET FUNDED BY SOLID WASTE? I, I'M, IT'S, I JUST REMIND ME.
THEY'RE PART OF OUR ENTERPRISE FUND DEPARTMENT BECAUSE THEY'RE A SPINOFF OF OUR DEPARTMENT.
SO I ASSUME WE, WE WERE ONE DEPARTMENT AT ONE TIME, AND THEN THEY NEEDED TO BE INDEPENDENT IN THEIR PROCESS THINKING, BUT YEAH.
SO YEAH, SO THEY, THEIR STANDALONE DEPARTMENT, THEY ACTUALLY REPORT TO ME.
BUT, UH, THE MAJORITY OF THEIR FUNDING DOES COME FROM SOLID WASTE.
AND MAYBE THAT'S WHERE MY CONFUSION WAS.
'CAUSE I HAD JUST MADE THE ASSUMPTION THAT SOLID WASTE WAS INVOLVED THE WHOLE TIME BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT SUSTAINABILITY WAS STILL, SO, ANYWAY, SO I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT.
UM, AND THEN I JUST WANNA PUT A PLUG IN FOR YOUR HAZARDOUS WASTE FACILITY.
UM, I VISIT THEM MAYBE THREE TIMES A YEAR TO DISPOSE OF MY BATTERIES AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT NEEDS PROPER DISPOSAL.
THEY'RE ALWAYS SO FRIENDLY AND WONDERFUL.
THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I CAN TAKE, UM, WHAT I NEED TO TAKE MAYBE NEXT DOOR TO THE POLICE STATION TO DISPOSE OF.
AND SO, UH, I KNOW I CALLED YOU ABOUT THIS.
BECAUSE OVER THE HOLIDAY BREAK, I, I, I WENT AND I JUST, I RAVED ABOUT THEM TO ERIC WALSH AND HE'S NOT HERE, BUT I WANTED TO PERSONALLY AND PUBLICLY THANK YOUR GUYS FOR JUST BEING SO COURTEOUS.
EVERY TIME THAT I GO, THEY HAVE NO IDEA, YOU KNOW, THAT I'M ON CITY COUNCIL OR ANYTHING AND THEY TREAT EVERYBODY LIKE THIS.
AND I, I ALSO WANNA ADD A VOICE THAT SAYS THAT, THAT YOU SHOULD NOT APOLOGIZE FOR ASKING THAT QUESTION.
I THINK WHAT YOU'VE SEEN HERE IS THAT WE'VE DEFINED A BLIND SPOT FOR OUR CITY STAFF, AND ALL OF US UP HERE INCLUDED NEED TO BE AWARE OF IT AND, AND ADDRESS IT.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE SHOULD LAUGH ABOUT.
AND I, AND I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING IT UP.
UM, YOU DID JUST MENTION THAT.
ONE OTHER THING, UM, THOUGH, COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHE GARCIA THAT I'VE BEEN CURIOUS ABOUT, WHICH IS THE HAZARDOUS WASTE DISPOSAL.
UM, WE HAVE ONE DROP OFF POINT IN THE ENTIRE CITY.
IS THAT CORRECT? SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE ONE THAT'S OPEN FIVE DAYS A WEEK.
WE HAVE A SECOND ONE THAT'S OPEN THE SECOND, UH, SATURDAY OF EVERY MONTH.
THE ONE AT COLLIBRA IS OPEN TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.
SO WE CAN ALWAYS RECEIVE IT IN THE YEAR 2021.
WHEN WE PROPOSE OUR BUDGET, WE'RE GONNA PUT ONE THAT WILL ADD RIGHT BETWEEN DISTRICTS TWO AND THREE.
SO THAT WOULD GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THE THIRD ONE.
THEY'VE BEEN EXTREMELY PATIENT FOR THAT ONE.
WHEN WE BUILT OUR DROP OFF, WE LEFT THAT OPEN SPACE FOR H H W.
I'VE, I'VE BEEN CURIOUS, UM, BECAUSE OF ALL, ALL OF US HAVE REMOTE CONTROLS WITH BATTERIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, AND THE COMMON THING I THINK PEOPLE DON'T KNOW IS THAT THOSE ARE CONSIDERED HAZARDOUS WASTE.
YOU DON'T JUST PITCH THOSE IN THE TRASH CAN, NEITHER DO YOU PAINT OR OIL OR ANYTHING ELSE.
OR EVEN, YOU KNOW, YOUR, YOUR OLD THERMOSTAT THAT'S GOT MERCURY OR WHATEVER IN IT.
YOU'VE GOTTA TAKE IT TO HAZARDOUS WASTE.
WHAT IS THE LEVEL OF CONTAMINATION WITH THINGS THAT NEED TO BE IN HAZARDOUS WASTE THAT WE'RE GETTING IN OUR CURRENT WASTE STREAM? DO WE, DO WE KNOW THAT WE, WE ACTUALLY WILL BE COMING BACK TO YOU WITH OUR WASTE CHARACTERIZATION STUDY.
SO BE PREPARED FOR US TO COME BACK IN THE SPRING TO TELL YOU THAT, UH, DETAIL.
BUT WE CAN GIVE YOU THAT DETAIL IN THE INTERIM.
'CAUSE I, I HAVE A, A FEELING THAT, UM, WE'VE RAISED THE LEVEL OF AWARENESS OF HAZARDOUS WASTE, BUT ONE THING THAT IS PREVENTING US FROM DOING A BETTER JOB OF COMPLIANCE IS THAT IT'S NOT AS CONVENIENT AS, YOU KNOW, THROWING IT IN THE TRASH.
SO I'M WONDERING IF WE CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT, PERHAPS IN, IN THE COMING YEARS, MAYBE WITH MOBILE DROP-OFF CENTERS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, UH, TO HELP ADDITIONALLY RAISE, RAISE AWARENESS, BUT ALSO TRY TO DEAL WITH ANY KIND OF WASTE STREAM ISSUES THAT WE MIGHT HAVE.
SO, UM, THE, THE ONE ADVANTAGE OUT OF OUR FOUR DROP OFFS, AT LEAST BY 2021 WHEN WE ADD, THERE'LL BE AT LEAST THREE HWS OUT OF THE FOUR SITES IN EACH QUADRANT OF THE CITY.
SO WE'RE WORKING TOWARD THAT END, BUT YOU'RE RIGHT, WE'LL FIGURE THAT OUT TO GET MORE EDUCATION OUT THERE.
WELL, UH, I'LL JOIN MY COLLEAGUES IN SAYING, Y'ALL ARE DOING A FANTASTIC JOB.
DAVID, UH, YOUR DEPARTMENT, THANK YOU, UH, HAS ALWAYS BEEN A GOLD STANDARD FOR US.
I, I AM PARTICULARLY GRATEFUL OF ALL THE COMMENTS THAT WE RECEIVE FROM OTHER JURISDICTIONS.
WE JUST SAW IT AGAIN LAST WEEK WITH THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES WHO COME BACK AND TELL US THANK YOU TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO FOR YOUR HELP IN DISASTER RELIEF AND RECOVERY.
AND IT'S ALL, UH, WORK THAT YOUR DEPARTMENT IS DOING AND, AND THEIR CLEANUP, UH, A LOT OF TIMES.
SO I DON'T THINK WE TALK ABOUT THE WORK THAT YOU DO BEYOND SAN ANTONIO ENOUGH, BUT, UH, KNOW THAT IT'S WELL APPRECIATED.
[01:00:01]
SANDOVAL MAYOR, I JUST ALSO WANTED TO SUPPORT YOUR SUGGESTION ABOUT, UH, HAZARDOUS, UH, HAZARDOUS WASTE.UM, I BELIEVE THERE ARE SOME CITIES THAT MAY DO, UH, COLLECTION OF HAZARDOUS WASTE, LIKE ACTUAL MOBILE SITES.
I, I REALIZE IT'S NOT AS EASY, NOT AS HEL SAFE AS, UH, THE OTHER STUFF, BUT COULD YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT? YEAH.
WHAT, WHAT WE'VE SEEN OVER THE YEARS IS THAT SOME OF THE MOBILE SITES, THEY STARTED OFF IN A GRANT FORM, AND WHEN THAT GRANT CAME AROUND, IT WAS ONLY FOR SO LONG ONCE THE CITY WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR CONTINUING THE MOBILE, UH, A LOT OF 'EM STOPPED IT.
AND IT DOES COST MORE TO PICK UP, UH, AND TO MOBILIZE H H W COLLECTION THAN IT DOES TO HAVE THE DROP-OFFS.
IT, IT ACTUALLY DOES, BUT YOU'LL FIND THAT NOT MANY HAVE A MOBILE, UH, PROGRAM.
WE'LL DO SOME RESEARCH FOR YOU TO FIND OUT WHAT THE LATEST UPDATE, 'CAUSE I DON'T THINK WE'VE UPDATED THAT IN PROBABLY FIVE YEARS TO ASK THAT QUESTION, BUT THAT'S A, A GOOD QUESTION.
LAST WE CHECKED THE, THERE'S NOT MANY.
VERY, VERY, VERY FEW HAVE MOBILE.
SO WHEN IT COMES TO ORGANICS OR RECYCLING, UH, THERE'S DEFINITELY A DISINCENTIVE TO CONTAMINATE THE WASTE STREAM, RIGHT? RIGHT.
BECAUSE, UH, IT, IT AFFECTS US COST-WISE.
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO PUTTING SOMETHING IN THE GARBAGE, UH, THAT SHOULDN'T BE IN THE GARBAGE, THERE'S, THERE'S ACTUALLY NO PRICE SIGNAL.
UH, BUT WHAT IS, BUT WHO SUFFERS THE CONSEQUENCE? SO WHAT TYPICALLY HAPPENS FOR US, AND OFTENTIMES WE DON'T EVEN SEE IT, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE CAMERAS IN THE HOPPER AREA, WHEN WE EMPTY THAT BROWN CART, WE WON'T SEE SOMETHING AS SMALL AS THAT.
BUT THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE DID THE WASTE CHARACTERIZATION STUDY, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T SEE, WE DON'T SEE IT, WE DOESN'T MEAN WE SHOULDN'T MEASURE IT.
SO THIS IS ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES TO THIS STUDY.
IT'LL ALLOW US TO THINK ABOUT OUR STRATEGY TO EDUCATE, UH, HOW WE GO ABOUT IT.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE LEARNED FROM THOSE, UH, KIND OF THE DIAPERS THAT USED TO BE THROWN AWAY, UH, WE FOUND OUT THAT PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO PAY THE $50 FINE, BUT IF WE OFFER THEM A TUTORIAL, I'VE, I'VE SEEN MORE TUTORIALS AND THEY'VE LEARNED FROM IT.
SO IT, IT'S THAT OPPORTUNITY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS THE BEST APPROACH.
SO IT'S NEVER WAS ABOUT THE MONEY, IT WAS ABOUT THE COMPLIANCE.
SO MAYBE THERE'S A WAY ONCE WE CAN IDENTIFY WHAT'S MISSING OR WHAT'S STILL IN THE WASTE STREAM THAT WE NEED TO PULL OUT AND TRY TO GO FROM THERE.
THANK YOU AGAIN, DAVID, UH, TO YOUR TEAM FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UH, THAT'S ALL THE ITEMS WE HAVE ON OUR OPEN AGENDA TODAY.
[Executive Session]
WE DO HAVE AN EXEC.I'M GONNA ASK FOR A BRIEF RECESS THOUGH, IF WE CAN CONVENE AT THREE 40 IN THE C ROOM FOR COUNCIL EXECUTIVE SESSION.
THE TIME IS NOW 3:17 PM ON WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4TH, 2019.
UH, THE CITY COUNCIL, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WILL NOW MEET AN EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCU CONSULT WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.071 CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY AND TO DELIBERATE TO DISCUSS THE FOLLOWING ITEMS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.087, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, PURCHASE EXCHANGE, LEASE, OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.072 REAL PROPERTY LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.071.
CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO LITIGATION INVOLVING CITY PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.071 CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY TO DELIBERATE THE EVALUATION PROCESS FOR CITY MANAGER, CITY AUDITOR, CITY CLERK AND PRESIDING MUNICIPAL JUDGE, AND ANY RELATED LEGAL, LEGAL ISSUES PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.074 PERSONNEL MATTERS IN TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.071 CONSULTATION WITH HER ATTORNEY AND LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO A ZONING MATTER PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.071 CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY SO WE WILL RECONVENE IN THE C ROOM AT THREE 40.