Board of Supervisors Meeting Minutes- 10/10/24- DRAFT

| Board of Supervisor's Meeting Notices, Agendas & Minutes

Windham Solid Waste Management District (WSWMD)

Brattleboro, Vermont

Board of Supervisors Meeting

Via Zoom and In-person

Draft Minutes of October 10, 2024

 

Members Present: (In-person & Zoom)

Chair: Michelle Cherrier, Dummerston; Vice Chair: Patrick Moreland, Brattleboro; Dan Towler, Brookline; Lewis Sumner, Halifax; Stephan Chait, Halifax (alternate); Kate Ullman, Jamaica; Doris Knechtel, Newfane; Dan Toomey, Putney; Jim Damato, Readsboro (alternate); Irvin Stowell, Townshend; Sandra Rulewich, Vernon; Jim Pinkerton, Vermon (alternate); Lou Bordeaux, Westminster

Members Absent: Hannah Tustin, Guilford; Ellen Dudley, Marlboro; Rickey Harrington, Somerset; Kent Young, Stratton; Liz Spector, Wardsboro; Merrill Mundell, Wilmington

WSWMD Staff Present: Robert Spencer, Executive Director; Peter Gaskill, Programs Coordinator; Anita Grant, Office Manager & Operations Liaison/District Clerk

Other Guests: None

 

As a quorum was present, Michelle called the meeting to order at 6:00 PM

  1. Roll Call of Members: Anita performed a roll call of members present.

 

  1. Changes or Additions to the Agenda: None

 

  1. Approval of Minutes- September 2024:

 

Jim made the motion to accept the minutes as written from September 2024, seconded by Irv, and the motion carried with one abstention.

 

  1. Approval of Check Registers- September 2024:

Michelle asked about check #30629 to Evans Construction for off-spec compost. Bob explained that it was an inferior compost sold to be mixed with soil and used as a fill on specific construction sites.

Michelle also inquired about check #30641 to Zaluzny Excavating Corporation, asking what the total cost of their portion of the CFE (Compost Facility Expansion) was. Bob explained that their total was approximately $196,700, and the project was just starting.

 

Jim made the motion to approve the Check Register for September 2024, seconded by Doris, and the motion carried unanimously.

 

  1. Approval of Financial Statements- September 2024:

With Vicki on vacation, Bob reported that September ended with a surplus of $9,318.65, and revenues were 6% above budget. In September, 206 access stickers were sold, and 101 violations were caught in Skip’s “Sticker Sting,” where everyone must show their permit at the scale instead of bypassing the scale to recycle and compost. Day pass sales remained strong, with 84 sold, and there were $4,500 in compost sales. Additionally, $24,000 in solar RECs were received but were mistakenly posted to the wrong account on the financial statement.

Bob also pointed out that the expenses were also running over budget by 5%, primarily due to $38,000 in unforeseen disposal fees for the compost tailings that needed to be moved off the field before the CFE project could start. Hauling costs have been zero since the new driver started. About $2,600 was spent on truck repairs, and $4,200 was spent on baler repairs.

 

Jim made the motion to approve the Financial Statement for August 2024, seconded by Doris, and the motion carried unanimously.

 

  1. Compost Facility Expansion Construction Update:

Bob informed the board that the Act 250 permit amendment was received on Monday, October 7th, and that he had a kick-off meeting with the engineers and the project manager, Steve Horton, on Wednesday. He explained that over $150,000 was spent just on permitting the facility but that the fabric building would arrive in two weeks and the project’s first phase would be completed by December. The board was pleased to hear the news; Patrick suggested a ribbon-cutting event to kick off the spring compost sales. Michelle requested that the progress of the facility expansion be highlighted through pictures of the construction timeline.

 

  1. Programs Coordinator’s Report:
  • Peter reminded the board that there were only three weeks left until the HHW Depot closes on 10/29/24 for the season and that the number of customers was up 25% over last year. Heritage Environmental will be out the week of November 4th for the final cleanout. He was asked about the contract with Heritage and explained that it was expiring and that if another extension was not pursued, the contract would have to go out to bid.
  • Event bins: Peter reported that 20 events were scheduled in 2024 vs. 21 in 2023 for the same period and reminded board members that the bins were available for public and private events. Bob explained that some of the bigger events, such as the Guilford Fair and the Brattleboro ski jump, had difficulty policing the bins to avoid contamination, but he would like to see the bins at all area events.
  • Peter reported that he was awaiting some information from the town of Brookline that had prevented him from finishing the spreadsheet summarizing the town’s contract costs for trash and recycling with contract haulers. Once he receives the information, he will complete the spreadsheet and disseminate it to the towns.

 

  1. Executive Director’s Report:
  • Vernon ceased their curbside pickup of trash and recycling on 10/1/24. Bob shared a postcard he mailed to 972 residents outlining WSWMD’s rates and services. The postcard was well received by the board, and they thanked Bob for all his efforts.
  • Bob reported a request from the VT DEC (Department of Environmental Conservation) regarding the testing for PFAS and microplastics in the compost facility’s feedstocks. He reported that he would have the feedstocks tested but requested that DEC draft a confidentiality agreement. He asked the District attorney, David Mears, to review a draft confidentiality clause so that negative results would not impact WSWMD. He reiterated that DEC focuses on identifying the sources of these potential contaminants and not penalizing compost facilities for processing the materials.
  • Bob informed the board that he had requested a one-year extension on the USDA Grant awarded last year due to staffing issues. The grant funds the compost and recycling initiatives Alex Lacy is preparing to present to the area towns’ realtors and town halls regarding rental properties, second homes, and Airbnb.
  • Bob has applied for the Municipal Energy Resilience Program (MERP) grant to outfit the District office building with a new HVAC system, windows, doors, insulation, and other energy-efficient features. An audit paid for by the state estimated the cost of upgrading the building to be more than $300,000. The grant is 100% funded but highly competitive.
  • He also reported that Brett Comeau, the new driver, saved the District thousands of dollars in hauling costs and is a great addition to the yard staff.
          1. 9. Executive Session (if needed): None
  1. Other Business: Anita reminded Michelle that the Finance Committee Meeting discussed meeting at 5:30 PM, so Michelle announced that the next BOS meeting would start at 6:30 PM rather than 7 PM. It was also discussed that the Finance Committee could meet on a different day and change the meeting time for the BOS meetings moving forward. The issue will be on the Finance Committee agenda next week, and Michelle will report back to the board.        Michelle invited any interested board members to attend the Finance Committee Meeting on 10/17/24 to participate in the budgeting process, as the FY 26 budget will be on the agenda.  Bob expressed his gratitude to Jim Damato for his efforts to find out how Dunkin’ Donuts in Wilmington, VT, is composting its food waste. Alex Lacy, the outreach coordinator,  also attempted to contact them after Jim’s visit.
  1. Next Meeting: Thursday, November 14, 2024 @ 6:30 PM
  2. Adjournment: Jim motioned to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Doris, and the meeting adjourned at 6:59 PM.

Minutes prepared by,

 

Anita Grant

Office Manager & Operations Liaison/District Clerk