WINDHAM SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT (WSWMD)
BRATTLEBORO, VERMONT
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING
MINUTES OF APRIL 12, 2018
BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Jan Ameen, Vice Chair, Westminster; Lester Dunklee, Dummerston; Lewis Sumner, Halifax; Tony Gordon and Stillman Vonderhorst, Marlboro; Shannon Meckle, Newfane; Dan Toomey, Putney; James Damato and Robert Matte, Readsboro; Nancy Meinhard, Wardsboro; Gig Zboray, Whitingham; and Merrill Mundell, Wilmington
BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT: Michelle Cherrier, Chair, Dummerston; John Allen and Brandie Starr, Brattleboro; David Jones, Brookline; Daniel Baliotti and Kevin Stine, Dover; Cheryl Franklin and Sheila Morse, Guilford; Cara Cheyette, Halifax; Judy Flower and Andy Coyne, Jamaica; Mike Fitzpatrick, Newfane; Kent Young, Stratton; Irvin Stowell, Townshend; Tim Franklin and Emily Vergobbe, Vernon; and Tom Consolino, Wilmington
WSWMD STAFF PRESENT: Robert Spencer, Executive Director
OTHERS PRESENT: None
Ms. Ameen called the Meeting to order at 7:06 p.m.
1) Changes to the Agenda: The Board agreed to add the following agenda item:
- Consider Comments on Amendments to Act 148 (new Agenda item #6)
2) Annual Reorganization:
a) Introduction of New Supervisor(s): Mr. Spencer introduced Bob Matte, new Readsboro Alternate Supervisor.
b) Election of Officers:
Chair: Motion made, seconded, and carried to elect Michelle Cherrier as Chair.
Vice Chair: Motion made, seconded, and carried to elect Jan Ameen as Vice Chair.
Treasurer: There were no volunteers or nominations for Treasurer.
District Clerk: Motion made, seconded, and carried to elect Kristen Benoit as District Clerk.
c) Designation of Meeting, Place, Date, and Time: Motion made, seconded, and carried to conduct meetings 10 months out of the year (January, March, April, May, June, August, September, October, November, and December), on the second Thursday of the month, at 7:00 p.m., at the District headquarters on Old Ferry Road in Brattleboro.
d) Official Newspaper: Motion made, seconded, and carried that The Commons and the Deerfield Valley News will be the official newspapers of the District.
3) Approval of Minutes – March 15, 2018: Motion made, seconded, and carried to approve the Minutes of March 15, 2018.
4) Approval of Check Register – March 2018: The Board discussed various expenditures on the Check Register. It was noted that costs associated with the collection and processing of recyclable materials now exceeds the cost of trash disposal.
Motion made, seconded, and carried to approve the March Check Register.
5) Financial Report Review – March 2018: The Board of Supervisors reviewed and discussed the Financial Report.
Motion made, seconded, and carried to accept the March Financial Report.
6) Consider Comments on Act 148 Amendments: Mr. Spencer informed the Board that he testified last week and submitted a memo to David L. Deen, Chair, of Vermont House Committee on Natural Resources, Fish, and Wildlife on amendments to Act 148 last week. Mr. Spencer read the memo into record and explained it supports the use of unclaimed money from nickel deposit bottles and cans for solid waste management entities. The Board discussed the memo.
Motion made, seconded, and carried to approve and support the Memo read into record. There was 1 nay.
7) Program Coordinator’s Report: Mr. Spencer reported on WSWMD’s spring HHW collections, request for proposals for scrap tire recycling, radio ads promoting WSWMD transfer station and sale of BrattleGrow Compost, and the Vermont Organics Recycling Summit held in Randolph, VT last week.
8) Executive Director’s Report:Mr. Spencer reported the heater for the conference room failed due to a roof leak, has been replaced, and an insurance claim will be filled for the expense. Next, Mr. Spencer informed the Board WSWMD signed a 2-year extension with Triple T Trucking to provide municipal solid waste and construction & demolition debris hauling and disposal services. Mr. Spencer noted the new contract was revised to include a termination clause, the collection and recycling of single stream recyclable materials, increases in the tonnage of food scraps and cardboard brought to WSWMD, and the option for WSWMD to self-haul materials to Brattleboro Salvage. In terms of the composting operations, Mr. Spencer stated WSWMD has started accepting paper sludge from FiberMark and wood chips from a new manufacturing plant in Keene, NH, which is a good additive for the compost and addresses the need for a carbon source. WSWMD began screening the compost for the spring market last week. Mr. Spencer stated WSWMD will begin advertising for a new part-time Scalehouse Attendant, a position that was funded and approved in the FY 2019 budget. Mr. Spencer informed the Board the VT Agency of Natural Resources has hired DSM Environmental to conduct a Waste Composition Study. The last study was conducted in 2012. The contractors were on site at Triple T Trucking last week, and there were 70 different containers to sort materials from 200-pound samples of household and commercial trash. Lastly, Mr. Spencer explained a grant, from the state, was utilized to construct the MRF and language in the original grant agreement states money may be owed back to Vermont if the MRF is sold or closes prior to the expiration of its “useful life.” Mr. Spencer informed the Board he received an email from the State saying there is no obligation to repay grant. Mr. Spencer requested the information be documented in an official letter.
8) Discuss Possible Repayment of 1994 MRF Grant: Discussed under Agenda item #7, Executive Director’s Report.
9) Consider Winhall Withdrawal Costs: Ms. Ameen stated the Executive Board met with the Town of Winhall Selectboard on April 4th to discuss their outstanding balance for withdrawal costs in the amount of $7,024.60. Ms. Ameen stated the Selectboard, in Executive Session, voted to pay the full amount owed, but requested they pay the withdrawal costs in FY 2020 so they could budget the funds. Ms. Ameen noted the Town of Winhall had a surplus of over $700,000 in FY 2018. Ms. Zboray suggested an agreement drawn up by legal counsel reflecting the payment terms, at the Town of Winhall’s expense. The Board discussed Winhall’s withdrawal payment.
Motion made, seconded, and carried to accept the Town of Winhall’s offer to pay the full withdrawal amount of $7,024.60 as soon as possible (preferably by June 30, 2018), and if not, the District would have a legal agreement, prepared at the Town of Winhall’s expense, to detail the payment terms.
10) Committee Reports (if any): Mr. Toomey reported the Policy/Personnel Committee is meeting next Thursday, April 19th at 7:00 pm.
11) Executive Session (if needed): None
12) Other Business as Legally Allowed: None
13) Adjournment:
Motion made, seconded and carried to adjourn the meeting:
The meeting was adjourned at 8:12 p.m.
Kristen Benoit
Program Coordinator/District Clerk