Agenda - Council Work Session - 03/26/2024

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2. 2. CC Work Session Meeting Date: 03/26/2024 PrimaryStrategic Plan Initiative: Identify and implement operational efficiencies,cost savings and additional g funding sources. Information Title: Update on Recycling Program Purpose/Background: The purpose of this case is to provide an update to City Council on the City's curbside recycling program and SCORE (Select Committee On Recycling and the Environment) funding,based on comments made at the September 26, 2023, City Council meeting. As the City Council knows,the City is in the midst of a five (5)year contract with ACE Solid Waste for curbside recycling. The current contract runs through December 31, 2025. The contract does include a termination clause based on breach of contract,which has not occurred. Per the current contract, the City is charged$3.98 per household for the curbside recycling service. However, this is a 'pass-through' charge, as the City ultimately bills each household$3.98 per month, or$11.94 quarterly,through the City's utility billing. Recycling is collected on an every other week schedule(Mondays), alternating between the east and west sides of the city. If there is a missed pickup, the City's curbside recycling contract specifies that as long as the resident contacts the city prior to 12pm the day after the scheduled pickup,the hauler is obligated to return and service that address (this does happen from time to time, and ACE has always been very good about responding and sending a truck back out to an address, sometimes even when a resident waits multiple days before contacting the city). The City's recycling contract also requires ACE Solid Waste to provide staff and equipment for collection of certain materials (curbside recyclables and scrap metal) at the City's spring and fall recycling events. These two recycling events provide residents with an opportunity to properly dispose of a number of different materials that are generally not accepted through the curbside recycling program. Materials collected at the traditional recycling events include appliances, electronics, mattresses,box springs,batteries, fluorescent bulbs,used oil, oil filters, antifreeze,bicycles, tires, scrap metal, standard curbside recyclables (e.g. cardboard,newspaper, cans, food and beverage glass containers, etc.),tires, and document destruction(paper shredding). At any given recycling event, attendance has ranged from about 200 to 500 vehicles. In an attempt to provide more opportunities for residents to recycle, in 2023, the City offered a curbside recycling event. The concept is similar to the traditional recycling events, except that,rather than having residents haul their materials to a central location,they can place them at the curb for pickup, for a fee. There were ninety-five (95)households that took advantage of this opportunity last year. The vendor handled all phone calls and payments and then invoiced the city for the trip charge to each house ($25). This was a successful'event' and Staff plans to offer this opportunity again this summer. Funding for Ramsey's recycling program is provided via Anoka County,which distributes SCORE funding to each municipality. Base funding is $10,000,plus an additional $5 per household. There are also additional funding categories, such as funding for the operation of a permanent recycling center(up to $15,000), general program enhancements (up to $9,925), and organics recycling(up to $9,925). In 2024, Ramsey's total base funding allocation was $59,625.00 (based on 9,925 households). There is also an opportunity for up to an additional $20,000 in supplemental funding,through a competitive grant application process. In 2024,Ramsey had the opportunity to request up to $94,475 of SCORE funding (excluding the supplemental funding of up to $20,000). But, Ramsey has never pursued the full allotment of potential SCORE funding, as only about ten percent of the Senior Planner's time is spent on recycling.