Travis County Commissioners Court
May 13, 2008
Item 22
>> 22 shouldn't be long.
>> that's what I had in mind.
>> 22 is to consider and take appropriate action on a letter from the Travis County Commissioners court to the city of Austin offering support and assistance with the implementation of their zero waste plan.
>> judge, melissa martinez is here from the city of Austin as well as our staff.
melinda melia and john white who have attended some of the meetings with the consultants that the city of Austin hired to help them through the zero waste approach.
and I was able to also attend some of those meetings to get an understanding from the consultants what they are -- what their goals were.
and so I kind of walked away with a feeling that it's an educational process, and I think they had some really good plans.
they were talking to a lot of people in the community to get their input on whether this was do annual and what they were able to do.
and like I said, I walk away from those meetings feeling that just like we were able to come to a good understanding about the smoking that was going on in Austin and how to deal with the ramifications of that and how to approach ordinances, etcetera, and as well the drinking and driving campaign.
this was in that league of each one of us reaching an understanding of where our responsibility lay as individuals.
to learn about how to divert garbage from the landfill by reviewing using, by recycling, and there was another one, Commissioner eckhardt.
what the other r?
restoring --
>> I heard on (indiscernible) today that it's actually -- I heard a hilarious wonderful piece on latina today about recycling having always been part of the culture, particular for those who couldn't afford the liberal use of win deks and saran wrap and individually packaged items. And that in some communities it's actually redo, regift and refry, which I thought was absolutely fabulous.
so this is not a new idea.
recycling is not a new idea.
it's actually going back to a much more sustainable view of what we're using.
>> and probably as well getting away from the convenience of everything and reusing and washing things instead of just unwrapping and throwing away.
so we have come up with this -- do you want to say something?
I'm sorry.
melissa or john?
>> yeah.
let me just introduce, I'm john white, natural resource and environmental resource subdivision, we've got melinda here as well.
our purpose here is really to provide the introduction for melissa martinez from the city of Austin's solid waste services group.
and we're delighted to have her with us today to help you talk about this issue.
>> welcome.
judge Biscoe and Commissioners.
thank you.
since I've already been swrowsed, on behalf of the city I want to really thank you for your letter of support.
we look forward to partnering with your staff own defers that will ultimately reduce the amount of material going to the landfill.
it is a behavior shift talking about sustainable issues and trying to reach zero waste, and I feel sure that we'll be able to partner on programs and long-term initiatives that will help us reach that goal, and recycling is always in the forefront, but I think the focus becomes reducing and reusing and then recycling.
there will be some round table discussions that will have to take place because this is a regional initiative.
and I thank you again for your letter of support.
>> I'm sorry.
Commissioner, were you done?
>> I was just going to say Commissioner eckhardt wanted to -- I know attended some meetings.
>> and I applaud you, Commissioners, for putting this item on the agenda.
I fully support it.
however, I would like to make sure that the city of Austin and looking at this zero waste plan, include the community that has really been under siege I think as far as dealing with waste, solid waste.
and the city's track record has not, I guess, been really great when it comes to putting unwanted things in eastern Travis County.
it really has a terrible track record, in fact.
and this has been brought to my attention as I continue to represent the best I possibly can to is residents which reside in precinct 1, which do include within the boundaries of the city limits.
let me give you an example of what I'm talking about.
bfi, for example.
I think it was bfi that ran it.
I may be wrong.
if I'm incorrect, then the city of Austin correct me.
it's actually in precinct 4.
where they actually did recycling efforts, and there were numerous fires, rodents and a whole bunch of other things that ran rampant and really it was unacceptable operation in east Austin.
now, they, the city, with the input from the community, wanted to make sure this didn't happen again, a repeat performance, an unwanted thing in a community that wasn't operated right, and those are some of the problems that we had dealing with the city of Austin in locating a lot of things.
if I'm correct -- was I correct as far as the operator.
was it bfi?
it was bfi?
>> it was (indiscernible).
>> so a clear example of what goes on east of i-35.
what I would like to make sure happens, and there has been concerns brought to my attention to make sure that the elected officials that represent my precinct, precinct 1, since it appears to be a targeted area for things that aren't wanted anywhere else -- I'm just calling it like it is -- have the representation that's adequate, because we're talking about a whole bunch of significant things here.
when you speak about composting and organic material, we were composting operations in precinct 1 currently.
notification is another big deal that's not even mentioned here in any type of solid waste, zero waste planning.
the reason why I say notification is because of the fact that tceq who I think will probably be involved in permitting a lot of things as far as permits within this program itself.
there is some tceq requirements, aren't there?
or are there not?
>> I think for some of these specific categories, tceq would have to be involved.
>> exactly.
so we have had a lot of problems with proper notification of those governmental entities that we don't have any control over, such as the tceq, such as the city of Austin.
notification has been a big deal here.
the city has not adequately notified the persons according to what we have been talking about here over many things.
that is going to have to be eradicated and eliminated.
especially in the areas that have been bombarded by things that's not wanted anywhere else in the county, and it appears to appear on the door steps of residents within precinct 1.
elected officials I think are very critical in this process.
an example, when we looked at this issue before, looking at the webberville tract of property that the city owns near the village of webberville, some of that main complaints of a lot of folks out there that have not been included in the process.
dealing with that 28-acre tract which the city intended to use for several reasons as far as the resolution was concerned that the city had brought forth to -- on the agenda, and of course that resolution was pulled I think March 12th, if I can recall, of this year.
and that resolution was pulled because of a lot of -- of lack of communication as far as people really knowing what's going on.
it was a big agenda item down here I think on March 18th.
but the bottom line is that this has been a lot of leaving out of the process type -- I don't know if it's attitude, but leaving out as far as the process that we're referring to right now.
and my question is how can that be avoided?
how can we hold accountability to the city of Austin, who is probably going to head this up.
capcog is mentioned.
I don't know what degree capcog or what role capcog would play.
but there are several roles that many jurisdictions must play.
I had a chance to discuss this item with state representative dawnna dukes, for example.
she had no idea that this was even going on, no idea that it's on the agenda.
and she left me a voice mail suggesting that she could support the concept; however, not in my backyard type scenario because of the bombardment of unwanted things in her precinct also, which is part of my precinct.
I talked with hector gonzalez, who is the mayor of webberville.
he had no idea that this was going on.
no idea.
had not had any input from anybody.
again, another elect official, not knowing what's going on.
so we even have a letter that one of my staff persons will read that all the court members got, but from a neighborhood association who would submit this to the clerk as a matter of record, who also support the concept.
but again, made sure that a lot of unwanted things do not creep in and be in the precinct 1 area.
so the concept I think is adequate.
I think we all need to look at zero waste.
I think that the table should be full of persons that have a voice and that the city allow things to happen with proper notification or proper input.
that has really been a significant deficiency, it appears, that the city has gotten a reputation for as far as not including folks east of i-35 in the process of what's been going on, and the continued illustrations and examples that I'm giving you suggest just that.
and so how do we alleviate that.
how do we we leave that?
I think that's a challenge that the city of Austin, tceq will have to come forth with and bite the bullet and allow persons to be a part of the process where decisions can be made adequately and that this county and the city share whatever comes out of this, share the opportunity of locating these facilities wherever it may be throughout all of Travis County and still to burden it all in one sector of the county.
that is really a big thing and a big challenge, and maybe a big request.
but these are big time issues, and I don't think that anyone should take them with a small frame of mind and ram things through without proper protocol, without proper due process that I think should be examined and should be adhered to.
so with saying all of those things, at some point I would like to mr. (indiscernible) to read something into the record because I think this is a clear indication of what the community is saying, and I think state representative dukes will supply her comments in writing along with hector gonzalez, who is the mayor of webberville, some of the key persons that have had a chance to be a part of what's been going on here for a long period of time.
so I applaud what we're doing here today.
and my last question is of course location is a big deal.
but not only location, but the new city council that's coming in, I guess in June probably, will anything come up before the city council prior to the new persons -- the newly elected persons that will be on the city council after June?
do we know of this?
>> not that I'm aware of.
at this point the city hired a consultant, gary luse and associates.
they're out of california.
currently they're drafting the zero waste plan.
and we don't anticipate even any action until maybe the fall, this October.
>> that's good news to hear because one of the things that we did hear was a quick moving forward process where community input would not have been available because of the expediency of the -- of this particular plan.
and so before we conclude, to echo some of the concerns what we do have in writing at this point, he will read something into the record from one of the neighborhood associations that represent a lot of people in Travis County.
and of course those other folks will supply things as they come along.
they want to be included in this.
and of course not being included, everybody is a little nervous.
>> I clearly understand and I think one of the reasons we're here and thank you for the letter of support is we're reach outing to our partners, trying to have the dialogue early after the last four months.
we've held some public meetings to try to educate people on the concept of zero waste.
and I think with this particular effort, we -- my goal is to be very transparent about our actions because for it to be sustainable over time, we really need everyone's involvement and cooperation.
so thank you for your comments and feedback.
>> thank you.
>> is he ready to read the letter?
>> judge and Commissioners, this letter comes from park springs neighborhood association.
and it reads: may 13th, 2008.
to the Travis County Commissioners court, dear judge Biscoe and members of Travis County Commissioners court.
park springs neighborhood association supports a zero waste policy for Travis County and the entire region.
we also support Travis County's involvement in working with the city of Austin and capcog on policies and programs to reduce the waste going to landfills.
therefore based on our understanding of the intent of item 22 on today's agenda, we believe we can support this adoption.
however, our association trusts that the county Commissioners court will remember that the court, not the city of Austin, or capcog, has statutory authority under Texas state law to regulate the siting of landfills within Travis County as long as you act before an application is made to tceq.
we encourage you to exercise this authority in order to protect environmentally sensitive and historically important tracts of land throughout Travis County, including within our neighborhood.
sincerely, john williams and johanne gunlock, president and secretary of park springs neighborhood association.
>> okay.
>> and I think do the court have a copy of that?
each court member have a copy of that?
>> we do.
>> if we could submit that over to the clerk for a matter of record, I would appreciate that.
>> that sounds good.
>> and let the record show also that when you look at tceq application for these things that require tceq permit, precinct 1 and precinct 4 has the most of these permits that's been awarded.
and that is very significant.
I think the public need to understand that, that precinct 1 and 4 bear the brunt of those type of permits for recycling efforts, landfills and everything else, composting of dead animals, all those categories that we are discussing today.
we need to start shifting things around.
I think the folks have echoed that.
I'm here to speak to them.
>> an judge, I totally agree with everything that Commissioner Davis has said.
and that's kind of why I really thought that zero waste was also a way to respond to the landfills.
we can keep them from growing if we take the zero waste approach by diverting garbage from landfills.
and we reuse, we recycle and we -- whatever.
>> reduce.
>> yeah, reduce.
and so -- but it will be an educational process that's going to involve each and every one of us.
Commissioner eckhardt?
>> just very briefly.
I'm sorry to extend this beyond people's interest.
I hope it's not beyond people's interest because this shib of interest to all of us.
the capcog region currently produces about six -- let me get my stats here.
about 6.8 million tons of municipal solid waste.
the capcog region includes travis, Williamson, hays, lee, caldwell, fayette, burnet counties.
this is our waste, this 6.8 million tons of municipal solid waste.
consider that -- we are having a difficult time currently finding a place for that 6.8 million tons.
by 2025 we are projected in this same capcog region, our region, to produce 66.8 million tons of municipal waste.
60 million more tons of municipal waste.
this zero waste initiative is absolutely imperative for us, for us and our garbage.
only about 10% of that total is expected to come from outside the capcog region.
this is our trash.
we must find a way to produce less of it.
if we cannot find a home for 6.8 million tons of waste in our region, how the heck are we going to find a home for 66.8 million tons.
much has been said about our legacy of environmental and classist -- the environmental racism and environmental classism in this region.
we cannot ignore that legacy.
it is real and it is true.
we also can't ignore that it is the lower income folks in our region to produce less waste than those of us who are in the higher incomes.
when you cannot afford the individual juice boxes and the rapid trips to get a coffee and a coke in an individual container, you do reduce, reuse and recycle in your own home.
we cannot allow those who are of a lower economic station to bear the brunt of our wasteful habits.
we must as a community embrace a zero waste program, not just for Travis County, not just for the city of Austin, but for the entire capcog region.
>> and the world.
>> even john mccain has recognized that global warming exists and that we should do something about it.
>> he said that?
>> yesterday apparently.
so this is an imperative that all of us can work on, every single person in the community can work on.
stop using your stay row foam cups or use them over and over again.
start carrying a cup with you in your purse.
think about what you're using and what you're throwing away.
how can it be reused?
in your home, around your home, keep it from ever going to the landfill if you can.
there are ways we can skin this cat, but only if we do it together.
>> thank you, ms. Moarnz, to give us an opportunity for this issue.
>> I move approval, but I think there's still room for y'all to add whatever you all need to add and then we can finalize it.
>> and the letter just --
>> that is fine.
>> and the letter goes to expanding tire recycling programs, expanding composting and organic waste diversion programs, expanding green building initiatives, recycling of demolition debris.
development of a green district and resource discovery part and programs and -- that would be the fourth r.
return.
reuse -- what is it --
>> recycle, reuse --
>> reduce and return.
>> I see policies, programs, initiatives, etcetera.
this letter is but a letter.
we look forward to the initiatives, policies and programs?
>> move approval.
>> motion to approve by Commissioner Gomez, seconded by Commissioner eckhardt.
any more discussion or delay?
>> yes, judge, no delay, but just -- can you keep my office in the loop on this, city of Austin?
>> I will.
>> because we need to have folks at the table, especially on the educational aspect of this.
and whenever it comes to -- I guess you said sometime in the fall when you're going to start actually dealing with this?
>> I think we'll get something back from the consultant, and at that point we need to assess --
>> well, whenever that happens, as a matter of record today, it's imperative that you make sure that I know about it.
>> all in favor?
that passes by unanimous vote.
thank you very much.
>> thank y'all.
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Last Modified:
Wednesday, May 14, 2008 8:51 PM