WINDHAM SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT (WSWMD)
BRATTLEBORO, VERMONT
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING
MINUTES OF APRIL 13, 2017
BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Louis A. Bruso, Jr., Chair, Jamaica; Jan Ameen, Vice Chair, Westminster; Brandi Starr, Brattleboro; David Jones, Brookline; Michelle Cherrier and Lester Dunklee, Dummerston; Cheryl Franklin, Guilford; Lewis Sumner, Halifax; Andy Coyne, Jamaica; Tony Gordon and Stillman Vonderhorst, Marlboro; Dan Toomey, Putney; James Damato, Readsboro; Gig Zboray, Readsboro and Whitingham; Irvin Stowell, Townshend; Tim Franklin, Vernon; Nancy Meinhard, Wardsboro; and Clyde Twitchell, Whitingham; and Merrill Mundell, Wilmington.
BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT: John Allen, Brattleboro; Thomas Baltrus, Dover; Sheila Morse, Guilford; Bradley Rufus, Halifax; Johanna Gardner, Newfane; Albert Dupell, Stratton; Dale West, Townshend; Tom Consolino, Wilmington and Scott Bushee, Winhall.
WSWMD STAFF PRESENT: Robert Spencer, Executive Director; Kristen Benoit, Program Coordinator/District Clerk, Vicki Hayes, Admin. Assistant/Bookkeeper; and Dale Bessette, MRF Sorter/Substitute Scalehouse Attendant/Truck Driver.
OTHERS PRESENT: Billy Ernest, ECO-Americorps Service Member; Peter Elwell, Brattleboro Town Manager; Rob Adams, current owner Putney Road Redemption; Chris Parro, former owner Putney Road Redemption; and Chris Mayes, Brattleboro Reformer.
Mr. Bruso called the Meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
1) Changes to the Agenda: The Board agreed to add the following Agenda items:
a) WSWMD Committee Members
b) Consider New Authorized Check Signer
2) Annual Reorganization:
a) Introduction of New Supervisors: New Supervisors, Brandi Starr, Brattleboro and Andy Coyne, Jamaica, were introduced.
b) Election of Officers:
Chair: There were several nominations for Board Chair. All nominated declined the position. Ms. Ameen offered to serve as acting Chair until a new Chair is selected.
Vice Chair: Motion made, seconded, and carried to elect Jan Ameen as Vice Chair.
Treasurer: It was noted Michelle Cherrier currently serves as Treasurer and is not present. This agenda item was tabled and will be discussed at the next Meeting.
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 12 months out of the year, 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.
- e) WSWMD Committee Members:
Finance Committee: The following Board members volunteered to serve on the Finance Committee:
• Merrill Mundell, Town of Wilmington
• Cheryl Franklin, Town of Guilford
• Tony Gordon, Town of Marlboro
• James Damato, Town of Readsboro
• Tim Franklin, Town of Vernon
• Jan Ameen, Town of Westminster
Policy/Personnel Committee: The following Board members volunteered to serve on the Policy/Personnel Committee:
• David Jones, Town of Brookline
• Nancy Meinhard, Town of Wardsboro
• Jan Ameen, Town of Westminster
Executive Board: The Executive Board is comprised the Chair and Vice Chair of the Board of Supervisor’s and Chairs of the Finance Committee and Policy/Personnel Committee:
• TBD, Chair, Board of Supervisors
• Jan Ameen, Vice-chair, Board of Supervisors
• Merrill Mundell, Chair, Finance Committee
• Michelle Cherrier, Chair, Policy/Personnel Committee
f) Consider New Authorized Check Signer: Motion made, seconded, and carried to nominate Jim Damato as authorized check signer.
3) Rob Adams, New Owner Putney Road Redemption, Redeemable Container Collection: Mr. Adams was introduced as the new owner of Putney Road Redemption. Mr. Adams informed the Board he would like to continue to work with each town to collect redeemable bottles & cans. Mr. Spencer acknowledged the great working relation between WSWMD and Putney Road Redemption’s previous owner, Chris Parro.
4) Minutes – March 9, 2017 – Motion made, seconded, and carried to approve the minutes as amended.
5) Minutes – March 23, 2017 – Motion made, seconded, and carried to approve the minutes as presented.
6) Check Register: Motion made, seconded, and carried to approve the March Check Register.
7) Financial Report Review – March 2016: The Board of Supervisors reviewed and discussed the Financial Report.
Motion made, seconded, and carried to approve the Financial Report.
8) Program Coordinator’s Report: Ms. Benoit reported on various programs she is working on including the spring household hazardous waste collection, compost bin supply grant, composting workshops to be held in 9 communities, annual SWIP reporting, and food scrap generator business outreach.
9) Executive Director’s Report: Mr. Spencer reported on new fees at WSWMD Scalehouse, and updates on the proposed solar array including the Certificate of Public Good and net metering agreements.
10) Consider Proposal for Organics Hauling from Transfer Station: Mr. Spencer reviewed the Triple T Trucking organics hauling and disposal proposal. Since not all of the towns agreed to participate at the reduced hauling rate, the proposal will not be accepted. The Board discussed organic collection proposals from TAM Waste Management and Casella. Towns asked for more time to discuss organic collection options.
11) Loaning Roll-off Containers to Member Towns: Mr. Spencer reviewed WSWMD Roll-off Box Inventory Spreadsheet. The Board discussed loaning roll-off containers to member towns that request them.
Motion made, seconded, and carried the District loan roll-off boxes to the member towns to be used for recycling purposes and a plan be developed by Mr. Spencer and WSWMD staff to facilitate the loan plan with a deadline request date from member towns by Friday, May 5th.
12) Consider Proposal from Cincinnati Industrial Auctioneers for MRF Assets, which would require reconsideration of Previous Vote (to not sell MRF equipment for 12 months after MRF closure): Motion made, seconded, and carried to “pass over” agenda item #12.
13) Consider Transferring Recyclables to Springfield, MA MRF: The Board discussed transferring recyclable materials from WSWMD member communities to the Springfield, MA MRF. It was agreed this recycling collection option was cost prohibitive, and there was no consensus from member towns to participate.
14) Consider Application to ANR for Hauler Exemption for Offering Residential Food Scrap Collection: Mr. Spencer reviewed ANR Hauler Exemption Guidelines for Offering Residential Food Scraps including population density. It was noted haulers could charge the expense of the collection to its customers. The Board agreed not to pursue the Hauler Exemption for Offering Residential Food Scrap Collection.
15) Consider Full-time Staff Positions for Convenience Center, Compost Facility Operations, and Potential Cardboard Baling: Mr. Mundell stated the Finance Committee is recommending three full-time employees for WSWMD Convenience Center and Compost Facility Operations following closure of the MRF, which would allow the District to continue baling cardboard and increase revenue. The Board discussed the potential cardboard baling operation.
Motion made, seconded, and carried to take the Finance Committee recommendations to hire 3 full time employees. There was 1 nay and 2 abstentions.
16) Executive Session (if needed): None
17) Other Business as Legally Allowed: None
18) Adjournment: Motion made, seconded and carried to adjourn the meeting.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:00 p.m.
Kristen Benoit, District Clerk