Loading...
2015-07-30 CC Minutes1 FARMERS BRANCH City of Farmers Branch Meeting Minutes - City Council Thursday, July 30, 2015 6:30 PM Town Hall Meeting A. CALL MEETING TO ORDER Farmers Branch City Hall 13000 Wm Dodson Pkwy Farmers Branch, Texas 75234 Council Chambers Mayor Phelps called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm and introduced the City Council members and Recycling Committee representative Robert ter Kuile. Present: 6 - Mayor Pro Tem Kirk Connally, Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Harold Froehlich, Council Member Ana Reyes, Mayor Bob Phelps, Council Member John Norwood and Council Member Mike Bomgardner Staff: 16 - Gary D. Greer City Manager, Charles Cox Managing Director - Administration, John Land Managing Director - Operations, Tom Bryson Communications Director, Allison Cook Economic Development Manager, Sidney Fuller Police Chief, Andy Gillies Director of Community Services, Jeff Harting Parks & Recreation Director, Mitzi Davis Special Projects Manager, Rachael Johnson Assistant to the City Manager, Kevin Muenchow Fleet & Facilities Director, Steve Parker Fire Chief, Randy Walhood Public Works Director, Shane Davis Env Services and Solid Waste Manager, LaJeana Thomas Executive Assistant and Angela Kelly City Secretary B. REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS B.1 Presentation and discussion of a Curbside Recycling Program. Robert provided background on why the Committee was formed and reported the Committee is proposing the use of totes for both garbage and curbside recycling. He presented a short video highlighting recycling. The following people spoke: John Wells (13521 Heartside) - Stated most of his neighbors seem to object to the carts, by using paper bags they are gone when picked up, why not use bags for garbage and carts for recycling Derrick (2960 Maydelle) - Stated the bin styles tend to harbor less variety where the current drop off sites allow for all kinds of recycling, reported there is currently no event the City hosts that has recycling bins available Robert stated the challenge with bags is they reduce the process for recyclers and add to the cost. Most companies that collect wont even bid on a recycling program if bags are used and cities with smaller bins are changing to the larger carts. Dee Summons (Pebble Beach) - Stated the carts are great way to go and that recycling reduces what is put in the landfill City of Farmers Branch Page 1 City Council Meeting Minutes -Omit- July 30, 2015 Bill Glancy (3808 Wooded Creek) - Stated he was in the packaging business over 40 years & only did recycling if it made sense, it is a "feel good" item with no practical results and that Waste Management has to pay someone to take it, if we change from paper bags to plastic bags you can see its content, is opposed to putting a fee on the City to do this, he likes that bags are gone once they picked up Robert reported there are many companies out there looking to find recycling. He also stated it might be an option of having a program to provide assistance to those needing help moving their containers to and from the pick up area. He reported the City could adopt an ordinance addressing carts that are left out too long. Todd Betanzos (3501 Woodhaven Drive) - Disagrees with Mr. Glancy and that the City already has a recycling program that residents embrace, although the City did have recycling previously it was not met enthusiastically but times have changed Kathy Burns (Charlie Bird Parkway) - Commend efforts to recycle Karen Carter (Dorado Beach) - Asked if there would be wheels on the carts? Robert reported they would have wheels. Judy Byrd (Eric Lane) - She favors recycling but likes it the way it is now and asked about plans to pay for curbside recycling. Shane Davis, Environmental Services & Solid Waste Manger reported the City collects funds from the gas that is generated at the landfill. He also reported if carts are used there is no need for the bags, which is costly. The use of carts instead of bags will offset the cost. Judy voiced concern about keeping the bins cleaned out and how that would be enforced. Robert reported about $250,000- 300,000 per year is spent on bags and that doing away with them will allow that savings to go toward recycling costs. Kathy Weaver - Stated she likes the way recycling is currently done in the City Mike Del Valle (3161 Whitemarsh Circle) - Stated he agrees with the video but has concems with the bins getting dirty, trash trucks sometimes miss getting them back in place, where are the carts going to be stored when not in use, he is opposed to curbside recycling with bins Stacy - Stated a recycling program that uses an automated system is better and that using bags is more labor intensive, suggested including a cleaning service for the bins Heather (2946 Valwood) - She is happy about curbside recycling because getting to current sites is sometimes a challenge, stated the bags seem ridiculous because you put one bag into another bag; when she goes to the current recycling site at the Recreation Center it is overflowing and is a hazard Stacy Griggs (Glad Acres Drive) - Serves on the Recycling Committee and voiced the importance of educating the community Dee (Golden Oak Court) - Concemed about townhomes with no place to store the bins or homes with no garage or side yard, gates may or may not be wide enough to get carts through Robert stated townhomes are part of the current services and would be included, but the committee will look at suggestions Pat Thompson - She is a recycling advocate, reported her daughter lives in Addison City of Farmers Branch Page 2 1 1 1 City Council Meeting Minutes - 'Draft. July 30, 2015 • and she has a small container that might be a good solution to the storage problem Billy Roberts (Valley View Lane) - She has a disabled son and stated he is unable to take out a bin but can take out the current garbage sacks Clay Russell - Reported there are over 1,000 homes in the City that pay less than $100 a year in taxes because they are over 65, if $3.50 is the rate for recycling you just raised taxes for those people, asked how long can the City pay for this before the fee has to be passed on to residents, he stated he is an advocate of recycling but likes the current program Robert reported there is no fee being proposed, but that over the life of the program, or as with any of the costs associated with any City service, it may go up periodically Rita Bevy - stated Farmers Branch is one of the few cities that doesn't have curbside recycling Paula Cooper (Shoredale Lane) - She reported she house sits for her son in Carrollton who has the bins and they are heavy when full and hard to maneuver, wants to leave the bins at the edge of the alleys Laura Oliver - Stated she currently has lots of bags she doesn't use, said her time is more valuable than to spend it going to the drop off sites, she also reported the City of Carrollton uses bins for both trash & recycling and they had a rewards program where carts were scanned when emptied Kathleen Matsumurah - Stated she favors the bins because they keep animals out and are weather safe Mil Freeoff - Fond of the bags because of their functionality, has front pickup for trash but carts on the grass may not be functional Carol Dingman (13223 Glad Acres) - Stated there are many residents like her that have wanted curbside recycling, it has been talked about for over 3 years and there has even been a committee formed regarding recycling, its time to start a curbside recycling program Mark Heck - He has been in the City for about 4 years, stated adding to our landfill is not good for the City, recycling is part of what we need but doesn't think the bins will work for everyone Pamela Campbell - Stated she had curbside recycling in Plano before coming to Farmers Branch, paper bags are a problem because of animals, recycling is a very responsible thing to do and thinks once citizens get use to the idea we just need to make a move to get there B.2 Discussion of City activities, plans and operations that affect the City regarding the following topics: Public safety, police and fire, economic development, park and recreational activities, recent and use and zoning actions of the City Council, revitalization of neighborhoods, capital projects and public infrastructure improvements. No items were discussed. City of Farmers Branch Page 3 City Council . C. ADJOURNMENT Meeting Minutes -•sra t. July 30, 2015 The meeting ended at 8:59 pm. Bob Phelps, May �l./ Mayor ATTEST: c f , , �pn, Angela Kelly, Citij Secretary City of Farmers Branch Page 4 1 1