Item 12 Staff Report Approve AB939 Related ActivitiesDATE:
TO:
FROM:
SUBJECT:
MEETING DATE: 9/15/97
ITEM NO. / d
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
September 12, 1997
MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCI
TOWN MANAGER
APPROVE AB939 RELATED ACTIVITIES:
A. Approve incorporation of several new projects into the Town's Solid Waste Management
Program.
B. Approve hiring an intern to work part-time to organize the programs.
C. Authorize budget adjustments in the Solid Waste Management Program.
RECOMMENDATION:
1. Approve incorporation of several new projects into the Town's Solid Waste Management Program: forming
business waste audits, sponsoring a Town -Wide Community Garage Sale, participating in Second Chance
Week, and encouraging commercial donation of food wastes.
2. Approve hiring an intern to work part-time to organize the programs.
3. Re -allocate dollars within the Solid Waste Management Fund.
BACKGROUND:
The California Waste Management Act of 1989 (AB 939) requires that each jurisdiction in California reduce its
disposable solid waste 50% by January 1, 2000. The 1996 AB 939 Annual Report indicates that Los Gatos diverted 41%
of its waste from disposal, largely because of the residential recycling programs. To meet the last 9% of the AB 939
requirement, the Town must enact new programs, targeting the commercial and industrial sector and encouraging
residential reuse and recycling beyond the use of existing curbside recycling services. According to the 1996 Annual
Report, existing programs for businesses only diverted 392 tons of the total reported 10,829 tons which were diverted,
yet the commercial and industrial sector accounts for 38% of Los Gatos' waste stream.
The Town's diversion plan (the Source Reduction and Recycling Element- SRRE), was approved by the State in 1992.
The programs recommended here are already largely provided for in the SRRE. Developing the proposed commercial
recycling programs is consistent with the Town's plan to encourage voluntary corporate recycling. Specifically, the
SRRE calls for the initiation of a program to assist Town businesses in conducting waste evaluations and identifying
and implementing reduction techniques. The SRRE also includes plans to develop a program to provide technical
assistance and public education to residents and businesses through workshops, seminars, and public forums on
reduction techniques and activities.
The Community Services Commission, at its August 21 meeting, approved these programs for the Council's
consideration.
SUBMITTED BY:
Regina A. Falkner
Community Services Director
Reviewed by: et.._ Att rn - F .. nce Revised: 9/12/97 12:12 pm
Reformatted: 10/23/95
CSD38A:\CNCLRPTS\RECYCTCR. W P
PAGE 2
• MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL
SUBJECT: APPROVE AB939 RELATED ACTIVITIES
September 12, 1997
DISCUSSION:
The proposed projects support the goal of AB 939 to reduce waste. These programs would fulfill and/or supplement
existing plans in the SRRE. They would encourage both residential and commercial sector waste reduction, recycling,
and reuse. These programs target areas of waste diversion which the Town has not focused on in the past. They
primarily address residential reuse of materials and all types of commercial diversion.
To organize these new programs, present staff is not sufficient. An intern working part-time would be able to implement
these programs. There are also several opportunities for volunteers to work with the intern.
1.) Business Waste Assessments
Ecology Action of Santa Cruz has developed the WasteNot Assessment and Recommendation System to encourage and
facilitate business waste reduction. The organization has been successfully implementing the program locally, and it
is now making the WasteNot Software available for purchase.
The software assists businesses in waste reduction efforts by generating a comprehensive Waste Assessment and
Recommendation Report for a business based on information provided by the business about its waste composition and
collection and removal. The report includes recommended measures and analysis of their economic impact. It details
the ways in which the business could reduce, reuse, or recycle different materials and the monetary expenses and savings
that would result from these changes. Savings would offer businesses additional incentive to reduce their contribution
to the landfill. The report also shows the reduction of waste that the recommended measures would effect.
In the pilot phase of Ecology Action's program, the 66 businesses with which it worked divert an estimate 2,235 tons
of waste from landfills annually. The recommended measures actually implemented by the businesses at the time of
the first follow-up were estimated to provide about 50% of total recommended reductions.
The intern would apply the program with businesses to work for commercial waste reduction. After advertising the
service to local businesses through mailings, newspaper ads, ads in the Green Valley Disposal Company Newsletter,
etc., the intern would meet with interested businesses, collect all necessary information about the firm's waste
composition and removal, generate a report using the WasteNot Software, and make recommendations to the business.
The intern would also follow up on recommendation implementation and study the success of the service in actually
diverting waste from the landfill. Staff may be able to work with private vendors to broker some of the recyclables.
Before purchasing the software, staff would recruit a minimum of thirty business and non-profit agencies to participate.
There are private vendors providing similar services; they are compensated with a percentage of waste savings.
However, the Town project has some advantages; for example, we can target our program to smaller waste producers
which are less profitable to the private sector. Other advantages to a Town -run program are potentially greater
participation levels because businesses can realize all of their savings; the Town can increase awareness by recruiting
and using volunteers; and, the Town will increase it's expertise and resources for other solid waste management efforts.
The intern would also develop and distribute to food providers materials to educate them about food waste and diversion
issues in general, and to offer more specific information about donating food wastes, including a directory of local
redistribution agencies, such as Second Harvest Food Bank. Food is a significant portion of the waste stream that must
be diverted to help meet the goals of AB 939. Restaurants and grocery stores throw away large amounts of food which
could easily be donated instead. Increasing the donations of food would not only serve the primary goal of diverting
waste, but it would also serve the purpose of feeding the hungry. Participating businesses would also benefit from
donating their food wastes with tax deductions. The role of the Town and intern would be limited to promoting existing
resources and services and facilitating their use by businesses.
PAGE 3
• MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL
SUBJECT: APPROVE AB939 RELATED ACTIVITIES
September 12, 1997
2.) Town -Wide Community Garage Sale
A Town -sponsored garage sale event would serve several important functions. The primary purpose is to divert waste
from the landfill by making still -usable items available for reuse. The event can raise awareness more generally about
waste reduction issues. The event is also a community activity which allows residents the opportunity to get to know
each other.
The Garage Sale would be held in conjunction with Spring Clean-up, taking place the Saturday before Spring Clean-up.
Participants would organize their own sales on their own property or in cooperation with neighbors and register them
with the Town. The Town would provide the advertising.
Several other Santa Clara County municipalities have held city-wide garage sales very successfully. Cupertino, for
example, determined that their sale in September 1996 diverted nearly 150 tons of waste from the landfill. Sunnyvale
has held such events annually since 1992, with 300 registered sales diverting an estimated 70 tons of waste in the first
year and diverting up to 200 tons of waste annually in subsequent years. Cities have received very positive feedback
from their communities about the events and their unintended outcomes: people got to meet neighbors and appreciated
the cities organizing community events.
The intern would organize the event and study the success of the event, based on the surveys returned by participants,
in diverting waste from the landfill and in serving as a community event. Volunteers would also be requested to help
the intern with data entry, putting together mailings, etc.
3.) Second Chance Week
The Local Government Commission (LGC) has created California's first annual Second Chance Week for October 18-
26, 1997. The Community Services Commission, along with other local governments, reuse businesses, nonprofits,
schools and other groups will be encouraging people to reuse, resell, or repair materials that might otherwise be
discarded. The Commission is promoting the week by advertising existing reuse programs such as the Friends of the
Library's Book Sale Table. The goals are to raise awareness of waste reduction issues and to provide actual
opportunities for people to reduce their waste through the reuse of materials.
CONCLUSION:
Incorporating supplemental programs into the Solid Waste Management Program is necessary for Los Gatos to meet
the requirement of AB 939 to divert 50% of its waste stream by the year 2000. Programs calling for the generation of
business waste assessments, the sponsorship of a Town -Wide Community Garage Sale, the participation in Second
Chance Week, the purchase of trash and recycling enclosure, and the encouragement and facilitation of food donations,
would target weak areas of reduction and recycling performance.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTS:
The recommended action is not a project defined under CEQA, and no further action is required.
,PAGE 4
MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL
SUBJECT: APPROVE AB939 RELATED ACTIVITIES
September 12, 1997
FISCAL IMPACT:
The 1997-98 budget has estimated that the commercial recycling efforts would be primarily accomplished with contract
services. Staff recommends the following adjustments to the Solid Waste Management budget to accomplish the goals
without the assistance of a contractor, and reflect the three new projects.
800 Intern hours are included at top step (classification 9933, $13.66/hour).
A transfer from fund balance (210-36000) of $2,500 is recommended to fund a window -based personnel computer and
the increase in Business Services Charges.
Program 2210 budget adjustments:
Account Description Adopted lnc/Dec Revised
61198 Commercial Recycling (contract services)
61005 Legal
60030 Commercial Recycling (special project)
51300 Temporary Salaries
52000 Fringe Benefits
77500 Personnel Computer - Windows Based
99100 Business Service Charges
$ 10,000 $(10,000) $ -
$ 50,000 $ (6,390) $ 43,610
$ - $ 4,500 $ 4,500
$ - $ 10,930 $ 10,930
$ 7,340 $ 960 $ 8,300
$ - $ 2,500 $ 2,500
$ 39,210 $ 50 $ 39,260
General Fund (1111) budget adjustment:
49210 Solid Waste Management Business Services $ 39,210 $ 50 $ 39,260
A project budget has been established for each of the three recommended projects
as follows:
210ASMT Business Waste Assessments
210GAR Community Garage Sale
2102ND Second Chance Week
PAGE 5
MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL
SUBJECT: APPROVE AB939 RELATED ACTIVITIES
September 12, 1997
Program 2210
Account # Description
51300 Temporary Salaries
52000 Fringe Benefits
60030 Comercial Recycling
60030 Comercial Recycling
60030 Comercial Recycling
60030 Comercial Recycling
60030 Comercial Recycling
60030 Comercial Recycling
60030 Comercial Recycling
77500 Personnel Computer
TOTALS
Project #'s Project
210ASMT 210GAR 2102ND Account # Description
$ 5,470 $ 4,780
$ 480 $ 420
$ 250 $ 210
$ 1,260 $ 1,090
$ 90 $
$ 640
$ 80
$ 210 $
$ 110 $
$ 2,500
$ 680 51300 Temporary Salaries
$ 60 52000 Fringe Benefits
$ 30 60010 Copier Charges
$ 150 60020 Advertising
70 $ 10 60500 Office Supplies
77560 Software
61103 Software Support
180 $ 30 60510 Postage
90 62810 Training
77500 Personnel Computer
$ 11,090 $ 6,840 $ 960
Distribution:
Phil Couchee, Green Valley Disposal Company
Bill Helms, City of Campbell
Gay Strand, City of Monte Sereno
Paula Reeves, City of Saratoga
Prepared by: Wendy Chen, Intern
Amount
$ 10,930
$ 960
$ 490
$ 2,500
$ 170
$ 640
$ 80
$ 420
$ 200
$ 2,500
$ 18,890
Town Council Minutes September 15, 1997
Los Gatos, California
.
UNDERGROUNDING UTILITIES/BLOSSOM HILL ROAD (09.28)
Motion by Mrs. Lubeck, seconded by Mr. Hutchins, that Council accept report regarding
undergrounding of utilities on Blossom Hill Road. Carried by a vote of 4 ayes. Mr. Blanton
abstained due to possible conflict of interest.
BUS DEPOT/RIDERSHIP/SCHEDULE/ALTERNATIVE LOCATIONS (10.44)
Motion by Mrs. Lubeck, seconded by Mr. Hutchins, that Council accept report on bus depot
ridership, schedule, and possible alternative locations. Carried unanimously.
BELOW MARKET PRICE HOUSING/IN-LIEU FUNDS/RE-SALE PRICES (11.19)
Motion by Mrs. Lubeck, seconded by Mr. Hutchins, that Council conceptually approve
expenditure of Below Market Price Housing In -Lieu Funds to reduce re -sale prices. Carried
unanimously.
SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM/AB939/INTERN (12.14)
Motion by Mrs. Lubeck, seconded by Mr. Hutchins, that Council approve incorporation of
several new projects into the Town's Solid Waste Management Program; approve hiring an
intern to work part-time to organize the programs; and authorize budget adjustments in the
Solid Waste Management Program. Carried unanimously.
SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT/WEST VALLEY JOINT POWERS AUTHORITY
RESOLUTION 1997-102 (13.14)
Motion by Mrs. Lubeck, seconded by Mr. Hutchins, that Council adopt Resolution 1997-102
entitled, RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN OF LOS GATOS AUTHORIZING THE TOWN
MANAGER TO EXECUTE A JOINT EXERCISE OF POWERS AGREEMENT FORMING
THE WEST VALLEY SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY. Carried unanimously.
9517 PROJECT/LOS GATOS CREEK TRAIL/BRIDGE AT LARK AVENUE
RESOLUTION 1997-103 (14.35)
Motion by Mrs. Lubeck, seconded by Mr. Hutchins, that Council adopt Resolution 1997-103
entitled, RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN OF LOS GATOS ACCEPTING WORK OF
COLLISHAW CONSTRUCTION, INC. - PROJECT 9517 - LOS GATOS CREEK TRAIL AT
LARK AVENUE AND AUTHORIZING THE TOWN MANAGER TO EXECUTE
CERTIFICATE OF ACCEPTANCE AND NOTICE OF COMPLETION FOR RECORDING BY
TOWN CLERK. Carried unanimously.
CLASSIFICATION PLAN AMENDMENTS/RESOLUTION 1997-104 (15.10)
Motion by Mrs. Lubeck, seconded by Mr. Hutchins, that Council adopt Resolution 1997-104
entitled, RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN OF LOS GATOS AMENDING THE POSITION AND
CLASSIFICATION PLAN TO CHANGE CRIME ANALYST DESIGNATION TO TOWN
EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION (TEA) FROM CONFIDENTIAL. CREATE A TEMPORARY
FACILITY ATTENDANT POSITION, CREATE TEMPORARY SKILLED AND APPRENTICE
TRADE POSITIONS, AND CHANGE SENIOR PLANNER TO ASSISTANT PLANNING
DIRECTOR. Carried unanimously.
9715 PROJECT/TREE PRUNING AND REMOVAL/RESOLUTION 1997-105 (16.35)
Motion by Mrs. Lubeck, seconded by Mr. Hutchins, that Council adopt Resolution 1997-105
entitled, RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN OF LOS GATOS APPROVING SPECIFICATIONS
FOR PROJECT 9715 - TREE PRUNING AND REMOVAL. Carried unanimously.
TC: D9: MM091597
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