SPECIAL MEETING OF COUNCIL
February 20, 2001
February 20, 2001
A Special Meeting of the Barrington Municipal Council was held in the Conference Room, in the Administrative Centre, in Barrington, N.S., on Tuesday, February 20, 2001.
The meeting was called to order by the Warden at 7:00 p.m. with the following members present:
- Warden Sterling Belliveau
- Deputy Warden Eddie Nickerson
- Councillor Angus Atkinson
- Councillor Fred Bower
- Councillor Louise Halliday
- Councillor Dwayne Hunt
- Councillor Wayne Smith
- Brian Holland, Municipal Clerk
PURPOSE OF MEETING
The main purpose of this Special Meeting of Council was to interview Mr. Rick Ramsay, Interim Manager of the South Western Region Solid Waste Resource Management Authority, and to discuss issues and concerns surrounding the operation of this Authority and the Municipality's membership in it.
INTERVIEW WITH INTERIM MANAGER
The Interim Manager appeared before the meeting to discuss the concerns expressed by Barrington Municipal Council in regards to the Solid Waste Management Authority.
Barrington Municipal Council had previously forwarded, to the Authority, five (5) concerns which it believes should be addressed by the Authority in order for the Municipality to maintain its membership in the Authority.
Mr. Ramsay reviewed his report and recommendations to the Authority in regards to these five (5) conditions. Mr. Ramsay's report to the Authority can be summarized as follows:
1. Revision of the Mandate of Waste Check.
Mr. Ramsay has recommended that the present agreement not be amended regarding the coordinating/management issue. He is recommending that the Authority maintain its present management responsibilities and powers.
2. Ownership of all Assets
Mr. Ramsay is recommending to Waste Check that this condition is already being met and there is no change required.
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3. Waste Check will maintain no surpluses or funds.
Mr. Ramsay is recommending Waste Check maintain a reasonable level of working capital and that it comply with the spirit of the inter-municipal agreement.
4. Diversion Credits paid to Region be paid proportionally to the members.
Mr. Ramsay is in agreement with this recommendation and is recommending to the Authority that diversion credits be allocated based on some measure of diversion.
5. Revise the Municipal Agreement so that withdrawal can be done more quickly andwithout penalty.
Mr. Ramsay is recommending to the Authority that the agreement not be revised.
Mr. Ramsay has suggested to the Authority that even though the basic philosophical disagreements between Barrington and Waste Check may not be resolved, it would be possible for the Municipality of Barrington to continue its membership if the following conditions were met:
1. Waste Check should commit to resolve the surplus working capital issue.
2. Waste Check should consider a revised diversion credit policy.
3. The asset issue relative to the green carts is resolved.
4. Barrington must commit to the original philosophy of the mandate of Waste Check.
5. Barrington taxpayers will leave approximately $65,000.00 in accumulated surplus with Waste Check upon withdrawal.
Having reviewed his recommendations with Council, Mr. Ramsay then discussed the various aspects of membership and operation of a regional body with the members of Council.
Councillors expressed their various concerns regarding the operation of Waste Check and its relationship to Barrington Municipal Council.
At one point during the discussion the Deputy Warden assumed the Chair so that the Warden could address the issues with Mr. Ramsay.
Mr. Ramsay offered three (3) advantages of membership in Waste Check:
1. The benefit of the educator who is hired by Waste Check to provide education throughout the Region.
2. Waste Check will deal with solid waste issues so the Councillors will not have to.
3. Waste Check will administer the I, C and I sector.
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It was clearly indicated by several members that they felt "that the ball is now in Waste Check's court". In other words members believe that maintaining membership in Waste Check will be at the initiative of the Waste Check Board to show why membership would be beneficial to our municipal unit.
Having completed his discussions with Council, Mr. Ramsay retired from the meeting at 8:35 p.m.
GREEN CART PAYMENT
The Clerk informed members that an invoice has been received from Waste Check for the payment of green carts. $50,000.00 had been set aside, in the Special Reserve Fund Operating, in order to pay for green carts to be purchased during the year. This payment will require an additional $6,307.48, over and above that $50,000.00.
Moved by E. Nickerson and seconded by F. Bower that the Municipality pay the outstanding balance owing on green carts purchased during the year out of the current operating budget.
Motion carried.
WASTE DISCREPANCY REPORT
The Clerk circulated a Discrepancy Report received from the Yarmouth Town Landfill. This report indicates that a load of waste delivered to the site on February 2, 2001 contained redeemable beverage containers, recyclable food containers and compostable organics, including leaf and yard waste.
This is a warning received from the Town of Yarmouth Solid Waste Disposal Facility. This report was reviewed and discussed by members for their information.
Members were asked to consider additional means of reducing the number of materials collected in the Municipal collection that may not be acceptable at the Town of Yarmouth Solid Waste Disposal Facility. Some of the suggested alternative means of doing this were:
1. Increasing the collection on some private roads.
2. Requiring civic numbers to be put on green bags.
3. Using clear bags.
This matter will be further considered at a later date.
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REVIEW OF WASTE DIVERSION INFORMATION
The Clerk provided a variety of information to members for their review. This information included the Residential Waste Diversion for the previous ten (10) months of the current fiscal year. It also included an estimate of the cost of staying in Waste Check and exiting Waste Check. These comparable costs included the cost of processing recyclables, processing organics, disposing of residual waste and the administration and diversion credits resulting from these programs.
A copy of the Proposed Operating Budget was also circulated to members for their information. This budget will be discussed by the Clerk-Treasurers and CAO's of the region at a meeting to be held at the Waste Check office on Wednesday morning, February 21, 2001.
ADJOURNMENT
Moved by F. Bower and seconded by W. Smith that the meeting adjourn at 9:45 p.m.
Motion carried.
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