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Name for the sign up sheet and right before we get started about 4:30 if you could just collect the sign in sheet and I'll. 00:00:00
That way I'll have it for. 00:00:06
When we progress to the. 00:00:08
Hey, how are you doing? 00:00:10
Yeah, in front of you. 00:00:16
Yeah, there's first here in here in a minute before we get started, if you. 00:00:19
You want me to call you about something and I'm not going to call you. 00:00:24
I think it's easier for me. 00:00:28
OK, yeah, we'll have that tonight. 00:00:30
OK. 00:00:35
Yeah. 00:00:38
Yeah. 00:00:39
You know, I'm glad that. 00:00:47
What do you want when people know how you first do? 00:00:55
It's our next one. 00:01:09
He's not here so far as to say I'm missing. 00:01:15
That's not nice. 00:01:19
I'm starting to have fun at Frank's expense more often. 00:01:23
Yes, you're good. 00:01:28
I'm just surprised he's not here. 00:01:29
All right, I'm going to call to order this June meeting at Floyd County Solid Waste Management District Board of Directors. If you 00:01:34
would please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance. 00:01:38
Pledge pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and. 00:01:43
To the Republic, for which the stage 1 nation under God indivisible. 00:01:47
Liberty and justice for all. 00:01:53
Thank you everybody for being here today. 00:02:01
Looks like. 00:02:05
All members are present with the exception of Mayor Gay Hand. 00:02:09
Approval of the April 15th minutes. 00:02:15
Motion to approve as submitted. 00:02:18
I got a motion by Al, second by Dale. 00:02:20
Any further discussion? 00:02:24
OK, all in favor signify by saying aye. 00:02:27
Any opposed? 00:02:29
Carries. 00:02:31
Approval of May provisional claims. 00:02:33
Completely approved, so long as they were also. 00:02:37
Looked at a second time. 00:02:41
President and or Vice President? Yes, yes, we both. 00:02:44
Second got a motion by out a second by Adam. 00:02:48
Any further discussion? 00:02:52
All in favor signify by saying aye aye. Any opposed? 00:02:54
Carries. 00:02:57
Approval of May special claim. 00:03:00
So move. 00:03:06
I have to admit I didn't see that one. 00:03:09
And yeah. 00:03:11
Make sure that came in. That's Verizon. Verizon. Yes, it was the Verizon. 00:03:12
Issue. Thank you. 00:03:17
I'll second it's a. 00:03:19
Standard. 00:03:20
Certainly. So I got a motion by Al and a second by. 00:03:21
Any further discussion? 00:03:26
All in favor signify by saying aye. 00:03:28
Any post? 00:03:31
Carries. 00:03:32
Approval of June claims. 00:03:34
Make a motion. 00:03:37
Second, I got a motion by Brandon, a second by Adam. Any further discussion? 00:03:39
All in favor signify by saying aye aye. 00:03:44
Any opposed? 00:03:46
No scarce. 00:03:47
Approval Resolution 2025-05, the amendment to Exhibit A the vendor lists. 00:03:50
Motion to approve. 00:03:58
Second, I got a motion by on a second by Dale. Any further discussion? 00:04:00
All in favor signify by saying aye. 00:04:05
Aye, opposed. 00:04:07
Motion carries. 00:04:09
Just just so the public knows what we did there, we just added. 00:04:12
Vendors. 00:04:16
To. 00:04:18
Lists so that those can be paid in between. 00:04:19
Sessions. 00:04:23
Thank you for clarifying that that's correct. 00:04:24
OK. Next up on the general is the general discussion regarding the future of the solid waste district. So. 00:04:29
I can tell you I'll go ahead just. 00:04:37
You want the you think? 00:04:40
OK. 00:04:43
That's fine. Yeah. No, I think it's that would be acceptable. We'll go ahead and start with public comment. I have 123456789 00:04:47
people who have signed up. 00:04:52
To speak. 00:04:58
I'd say 2 minutes would be. 00:05:00
Should should we technically change the order of the agenda with a motion? 00:05:03
Because the agenda was public input at the end. 00:05:10
I'll probably have public input at the end as well. 00:05:13
Other than this but. 00:05:18
I'll make a motion to amend to allow public input on that. 00:05:23
Agenda item. 00:05:28
I got a motion and 2nd motion by. 00:05:29
Adam and second by Dale. 00:05:32
Any further discussion? 00:05:34
All in favor signal I was saying aye. 00:05:36
Aye, any post. 00:05:38
That carries. 00:05:39
So we'll start off with public comment. 00:05:41
And first up is. 00:05:44
Mr. Moore. 00:05:46
And this is already taken up. Is there any way? 00:05:53
As long as we have have time. Yes ma'am, I'll give you time to. 00:05:58
Yes, ma'am. 00:06:02
Thank you, gentlemen. Good afternoon. 00:06:05
First of all, doc, I don't know if you're. 00:06:07
Michael Bell and Johnny couldn't hear you. 00:06:09
Can you hear me now? 00:06:12
If you can start with your name and address though please. 00:06:14
Joseph Ward, 1344 Galena in Georgetown Township. 00:06:17
Here for the recycling program. 00:06:22
I was involved in this years ago, at least a dozen years ago was pretty active. 00:06:25
The poor health and other reasons that curtailed my. 00:06:30
Activities. 00:06:33
Still keep on it from a distance, but I'm. 00:06:34
I don't understand why. I understand, but I don't agree with the proposed to shut down the program. 00:06:37
Has been gaining. 00:06:43
More and more success, more participation. 00:06:44
The staff is wonderful, I mean. 00:06:48
Plus, Dave and his staff have these neat shirts. You know I don't want to get rid of those. 00:06:50
But yeah, it's. 00:06:54
Way easier for me and other people who are a bit limited. 00:06:57
And doing the recycling when I get up there, I've got somebody to help me empty the hair. 00:07:01
Continues. 00:07:05
It's all my years doing this. 00:07:07
It seems like solid waste is always the. 00:07:10
Low hanging fruit, the lowest priority in kindness and tight budget. 00:07:13
Recycling gets cut. 00:07:18
So right now I I just got a. 00:07:21
Say be shutting down recycling. 00:07:23
Besides. 00:07:26
Upsetting a lot of conservation minded people. 00:07:29
Is going to add many more tons to our landfill. 00:07:32
That's just going to fill up faster. 00:07:35
And you gentlemen haven't been. 00:07:37
Behind the wheel. 00:07:39
For very long, but every few years it seems to be a crisis with landfill space and getting permits to build higher. 00:07:40
And I'm wondering if you ever considered? 00:07:48
Before doing this, cutting some of the fat elsewhere. 00:07:50
For instance, there is at least 100 county employees have taken cars. 00:07:54
And. 00:07:58
It's eaten many of them. 00:07:59
The taxpayers are paying for insurance, maintenance and personal usage of these cars. 00:08:02
That's not fair. The vast majority of them. 00:08:07
Or even getting free. 00:08:10
From the taxpayers for personal commuting and personal errands, about 15 seconds. 00:08:11
Yes, Sir. 00:08:18
One day to consider. 00:08:19
Using unmanned sites. 00:08:22
Other counties do it successfully. 00:08:24
Maybe even charging a fee. 00:08:26
With subscription and that's what possibly use a private hauler where customers pay a yearly thing. 00:08:28
Those those recycle, we gladly do that and see the program act. 00:08:35
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Swan. 00:08:39
Sarah Johnson. 00:08:43
Can you please start off with your address please? 00:08:46
513 Hoffman Dr. New Albany, IN. 00:08:49
OK. My name is Sarah Johnson and I want to first say thank you all for everyone. 00:08:52
Who like took the time today? 00:08:58
Everyone because it is vital. 00:09:01
And what is happening in our community? 00:09:03
Through history I. 00:09:06
We're the home of the dream. 00:09:08
Where people came because they believed in a dream, in a dream of freedom. 00:09:09
We this is starting point. 00:09:14
We have the most trees. 00:09:16
Like umm. 00:09:18
Either in the country or in the world. 00:09:19
But our rivers are doing good. 00:09:21
Our planet, she's. 00:09:24
She's happy. 00:09:25
It's a place. 00:09:27
I call home. It's a place that my kids grow up. 00:09:28
Our kids. So we want to preserve it. 00:09:32
For future generations and I know that. 00:09:35
The recycling thing. 00:09:38
I I don't, I didn't do the studies. 00:09:40
Passionate about our planet. 00:09:43
Because. 00:09:45
Fill them up, give them back when we go and you look over and you have that bag and you know that you feel that love in return, 00:09:46
that you know you did your part. 00:09:51
Like no matter how big, how small, we did our part. 00:09:56
And you all are doing your part by making sure that we keep this program because it is a vital program. 00:09:59
And not everyone really can't afford. 00:10:04
Recycling and if we could, it wouldn't fit in a little thing. 00:10:06
Like because I do love so much. 00:10:09
But I do want to say that. 00:10:11
I'm proud. 00:10:14
Of everyone, I really am very proud. 00:10:15
And it is an honor to live here. 00:10:18
And to raise my kids here and my grand animals and stuff and. 00:10:20
It makes that stuff like this is the reason that I get to say that I'm proud. 00:10:26
So I'm very grateful and appreciative for it. 00:10:31
And I just wanted to let you know. 00:10:34
Thank you. Thank you, Miss Johnson. 00:10:36
Paige Adams. 00:10:41
Other can you start with giving your address please? 00:10:46
3107 Brazil Lake Parkway in Georgetown, IN. 00:10:49
First of all, I want to appreciate all of you that are present. 00:10:56
Both the board and all those who have gotten here. 00:11:00
But let me tell you this. 00:11:04
Why are you even thinking about cutting recycling? 00:11:06
It's only going to hurt people. 00:11:10
My family has been recycling ever since we moved here over 20 years ago. 00:11:13
And to this day, we still recycle. 00:11:19
Almost every single Wednesday I go to the location at Galena. 00:11:22
Behind the small little white building that's a little library. 00:11:27
And recycle tons of material. 00:11:31
Week after week. 00:11:34
Month after month. 00:11:35
Year after year. 00:11:36
And if this program is cut? 00:11:40
It's only going to hurt Hoosiers who are trying to do good for the environment. 00:11:43
Because to the best of my knowledge, the nearest recycling facilities. 00:11:48
Would be all the way in Harrison County. 00:11:53
That's like 20 to 30 minutes away depending on what city you go to. 00:11:57
It'll cost Hoosiers more gas. 00:12:02
It'll cost us the environment. 00:12:05
It'll mean more landfills that will have to be used in order to. 00:12:08
Get trash. 00:12:12
Not pollute the environment. 00:12:14
And where is this money going to come from? 00:12:17
It's going to come from the taxpayers. 00:12:20
And let me guys ask you this. 00:12:23
If you do decide to cut this program. 00:12:26
The money that you would save by trying to cut it. 00:12:29
Where exactly would it go? 00:12:33
Would it actually help Hoosiers? 00:12:35
Spread them better lives. 00:12:38
Or would it only be going to politicians? 00:12:40
Who have done nothing. 00:12:43
To deserve it. 00:12:45
About 10 seconds left. 00:12:52
I believe I have said my piece. 00:12:55
Have a good day. Thank you, man. Thank you. 00:12:57
David Abersole. 00:13:03
1202 Ebersole Dr. New Albany. 00:13:11
I just heard about this while back and we started recycling our cardboard out of the business. 00:13:15
Dollar below you've been having a 1215 years or so. 00:13:21
We have a lot of stuff. 00:13:25
Cardboard to recycle every. 00:13:27
Tuesday or Wednesday or Thursday, when they come by Tuesday. 00:13:30
By the day. 00:13:33
I guess. 00:13:37
Curious about? 00:13:38
Where in the world is all this cardboard going to go next? 00:13:39
We have a ton of it. 00:13:43
Out of there, I mean, they got one of. 00:13:44
Movable racks. 00:13:47
You guys let us have a whatever. 00:13:48
And it's full every time, if not more. 00:13:51
Just cardboard from a small business on Silver Street. 00:13:54
What are we going to do with this stuff? 00:13:57
We got a dumpster there. Echo tech can do it. I guess we can throw it all in there if you want. It's going to not be recycled 00:13:59
again. 00:14:02
Recycling is one of the major things that. 00:14:06
I think America is down in the last 50 years or whatever. 00:14:08
It's a good idea. 00:14:12
It's a great idea. 00:14:13
And I'd like for you all to somehow or other. 00:14:15
See if you can continue. 00:14:18
Recycling for Floyd County. 00:14:21
There's a lot of people going to be. 00:14:23
Probably doing a lot of stupid stuff. 00:14:26
And you need to think about that. 00:14:30
Run a business for about 60 some more years. 00:14:32
You need to think about OK, go back and take another look at the book. 00:14:35
Budget. Say what you can do. 00:14:38
See if somewhere, somehow Subway. 00:14:40
You can make this project continue even if it has. 00:14:43
Cost us a little bit more. 00:14:47
Businesses can do it. 00:14:49
You know, we'll make it up somehow or other. 00:14:51
Expenses that we have every day. 00:14:54
I don't know about the people in general. 00:14:56
But they'll probably go along with it too if they have to pay a little bit more. 00:14:58
To keep this program going, it's a good one. 00:15:02
And I hope you can. 00:15:05
That's good. 00:15:06
Thank you. Thank you, Sir. 00:15:07
Dave is. 00:15:12
I'm trying to get used to have other people except me in the public. 00:15:20
Understand. Can you start with your address please, Sir? 00:15:24
David Isaacs, 106 Old Cordon Rd. New Albany, IN. Thank you. 00:15:26
I've been coming to these meetings since 2014. 00:15:31
I've been trying to find ways to make recycling better. 00:15:35
For all of us. 00:15:39
I I don't know a lot about the. 00:15:42
The overall financial situation in the county, but it's hard for me to believe. 00:15:44
There's not some other places that we can. 00:15:48
Couldn't cut it, wouldn't have. 00:15:50
Quite the impact in the long range. 00:15:52
We might be able to cut. 00:15:54
We might be able to save some short range. 00:15:56
We need to be able to. 00:15:59
To save the. 00:16:00
The country, the city and everybody. 00:16:02
In the long range, and I believe that's what recycling helps to do. 00:16:05
I would say. 00:16:11
My favorite idea would be if all else fails. 00:16:12
We could cut it back a little bit. 00:16:15
And then hopefully come back up in the future. 00:16:17
I think if we cut the program, it's awfully hard to get started again. 00:16:19
So I prefer to. 00:16:24
See maybe cutting it back? 00:16:26
Some, but not all. 00:16:28
Not getting away with it. 00:16:30
Thank you. 00:16:32
Thank you, Sir. 00:16:33
Holly Tash. 00:16:39
Good evening, Holly Tash, 811 West St. New Albany, IN. 00:16:44
Umm, so I've been a resident of Floyd County for about almost coming up on 20 years now. 00:16:49
And I've been recycling since I moved here. It's something I've been very proud of since I moved here to New Albany and Salt 00:16:53
County. 00:16:56
So obviously I was very upset to hear that they're wanting to get rid of this program. You know, it's a great program and. 00:17:00
The websites great. 00:17:06
The program is gaining traction. It's trying to become a community hub. You know, like I just saw on the website today, like 00:17:08
they're trying to do like a canned food drive. 00:17:12
For the. 00:17:16
Hope program, you know, which I think that's great. Also Mr. Apperson being here shows that it's also good for businesses to be 00:17:18
here as well, which in turn brings in more revenue. 00:17:22
So, umm. 00:17:26
The most thing I'm worried about that really brought me here tonight is the hazardous waste. 00:17:28
That is not going to have anywhere to go. 00:17:32
If this program. 00:17:34
Goes away. I understand that that is a service that is paid for, for people to bring materials to be disposed of. 00:17:35
And I don't think any neighboring program is going to allow that. Most of those say right on their websites, Nope. You have to be 00:17:42
a resident of this county. 00:17:45
For the state, in order to bring those hazardous materials, where are they going to go? You know, they're going to get dumped off 00:17:49
the ground, they're going dumped in the toilets. They're going to get, you know, and that's going to ripple out. 00:17:53
To all different types of things that are just That's not great for the environment, not great for the city, not great for the 00:17:58
county. 00:18:00
So. 00:18:03
So, I mean, this is, this is a government service. It's not supposed to make money. That's the point of government is to provide 00:18:04
these services. 00:18:08
You know, umm. 00:18:13
Overall, it's not, you know, it shouldn't be just kind of a. 00:18:14
Quick fix to shore up a budget. You know, that's not really, that's not fair to the environment. Why should the environment have 00:18:16
to suffer for that? 00:18:19
And I also agreed with Mr. Moore's comment about, you know, yeah, there is a lot of. 00:18:23
I have noticed an uptick in take home vehicles just like I noticed the municipal plates all over the place. You know, it's like I 00:18:27
understand sometimes those are needed for essential functions, but. 00:18:32
I, you know, I know that some are are not used in that way. So, so that's all I have. Thank you. 00:18:37
Thank you. 00:18:43
Andrew, I believe it's Rick. 00:18:48
It is Raker. Sorry about my terrible handwriting. Don't blame that on New Albany, Floyd County Schools. That happened. 00:18:54
Before I enroll here, 3813 Dogwood Rd. in Floyd's Knobs. 00:18:59
You know, I'm also a long time Floyd County resident. I've seen how the recycling program grew from. 00:19:05
A trailer at Saint Mary's of the Knobs one day of the week to the larger facility at Galena Lamb Park. 00:19:12
And now most Wednesdays I'm at. 00:19:17
The Galena library. 00:19:21
Using services there, it's great to see that investment. I would really hate to see. 00:19:22
The work that Floyd County residents have done and invested in that go to waste. 00:19:28
Also certainly want to commend the employees of the district. 00:19:34
Certainly. 00:19:38
Lookout for their future, I know. 00:19:39
How about the recycling unit? But when I got a flat tire on 265 a couple of months ago, one of the recycling employees said, hey, 00:19:42
did you have car trouble? I wanted to stop, but I didn't have enough time to do that. 00:19:47
And I can't think of many other. 00:19:53
Public servants, that. 00:19:55
Just know me from passing through once a week and would want to help out folks. 00:19:57
I'm also a volunteer at the food pantry at Hope Southern Indiana, and we're certainly grateful for the Solid Waste District and 00:20:04
their partnership with collecting. 00:20:07
Up camp goods from donations from Floyd County residents. 00:20:11
But we go through a lot of cardboard, as you might imagine, just like the florist and. 00:20:16
Our mission to serve the neediest residents of Floyd County and of southern Indiana would be severely Hanford if. 00:20:23
We have to figure out another way to dispose of this, not just the environmental costs of course of. 00:20:30
Having to find another way, having to take money out of our tight budget. But. 00:20:36
It's hard to operate a food pantry when there's a bunch of cardboard piling up, and that's an important. 00:20:41
Public service. 00:20:48
The recycling is so important as it is. 00:20:50
But it also helps other public services happen in our great county. So that is why I'm here in support of it. Thank you. 00:20:53
Thank you. 00:21:00
All right, I hope I get this one right as well. Susan. Is it Enos Ennis? 00:21:04
EMS OK. 00:21:08
EMS. You think I get that one right? 00:21:10
I have three questions, two of them really are not directly. 00:21:16
With recycling 1 is. 00:21:20
Why can't these meetings be scheduled? 00:21:22
When people are not. 00:21:24
Involved in their work. 00:21:26
You know, later in the evenings. 00:21:29
That's a question for you guys. 00:21:31
And. 00:21:32
Another question I had with regard to this meeting is. 00:21:33
We we get to tribute. 00:21:38
Is everybody in here? 00:21:40
Is that how you find out about these meetings? 00:21:41
Is there a better way to get some of these words out? 00:21:45
OK, now directly to recycling is. 00:21:48
What does it say about our community? 00:21:51
We don't recycle. 00:21:54
It does doesn't sound good. 00:21:55
What does it say about our community that we cannot manage to recycle? 00:21:58
Amen. Thank. 00:22:04
Denise Conkel. 00:22:09
Denise Conkle, 88. 00:22:21
Ford County. 00:22:24
I'm on the County Council. 00:22:28
I read about this in the paper. 00:22:30
On Saturday morning. 00:22:33
I did nothing about this before then. 00:22:35
I don't know why we're doing away. 00:22:39
The recycling program. 00:22:43
I don't know is it, is it financial related because? 00:22:46
I'm a member of the fiduciary body. 00:22:50
And knew nothing about it. 00:22:53
So how do you know if we have money? 00:22:55
To support this program. 00:22:57
Or not. 00:22:59
We do have money. 00:23:02
To support the program. 00:23:03
I've done a spreadsheet as normal. 00:23:05
And I can show you where we can support this problem. 00:23:08
Program and we could do it really. 00:23:11
Without using taxpayer dollars if we want to do that. 00:23:14
We have riverboat money sitting. 00:23:18
Out here right now of 780. 00:23:21
$1000. 00:23:23
That is not appropriate. 00:23:25
For this year. 00:23:27
And up to $1,000,000 next year. 00:23:28
So I don't know if we're doing this because of budgetary. 00:23:32
Restraints. 00:23:36
I got the feeling that that's what other people. 00:23:38
Why other people thought we were doing this, I don't know. 00:23:41
Is there an answer why we're doing this? 00:23:44
No answer. 00:23:48
So is there a plan if we do away with this program? Is there another plan in place? 00:23:51
Poor people of Floyd County to recycle. 00:23:57
No answer. 00:24:02
And this is not your first time in a public meeting. You, you understand this is, this is your opportunity to speak. This isn't 00:24:03
question answer, but everybody here would be happy to speak to anyone after the conclusion of the meeting. So I haven't and the 00:24:08
first time I heard about this and I'm a, I'm a leader in the community. 00:24:14
And we have joint meetings every month. 00:24:20
And this could have brought been brought up and this could have been discussed as whether. 00:24:23
It was financially feasible to continue this program. 00:24:28
It is. I will. I will leave. I will leave you with the numbers. 00:24:31
We have the money to do this with. 00:24:36
I think this. 00:24:40
Definitely. 00:24:42
Sends the wrong message to our county. 00:24:43
To our kids. 00:24:46
To our my grandkids. 00:24:47
I have a four year old. 00:24:50
That asked me if the background for recycling grandma. 00:24:51
And we want to do away with this program. 00:24:57
I I don't I don't understand any of these answers. 00:25:00
Is it financially? 00:25:04
Is it finances? Is there a different reason? 00:25:06
Is there another plan? 00:25:08
Of 15 seconds, I don't know. 00:25:10
One you're over about 15 seconds, OK, I will leave you with these numbers. 00:25:13
Thank you. 00:25:18
Understand that money. 00:25:20
Thank you. 00:25:21
All right. 00:25:25
I have. 00:25:28
I had the. 00:25:29
Like yes ma'am. 00:25:30
Asked to have an opportunity to speak. 00:25:32
Thank you, I appreciate it. I wrapped up work early today so I could be here. Yes ma'am. My name is Lily Legends. My address is 00:25:36
4303 Emerald Way, New Albany, IN 47150. 00:25:41
It was my understanding. 00:25:48
That the consideration for ending the recycling program is as a result. 00:25:50
Reduction in. 00:25:56
Income, or I should say assets. 00:25:57
That local government will have as a. 00:25:59
As a consequence of changes that have been made to taxation by that General Assembly, specifically the reduction of property 00:26:02
taxes. 00:26:05
That may be correct, may not be correct. The first thing I want to say is that if that is true, it angers me. 00:26:09
That the General Assembly has done this to local governments. 00:26:14
There's not a whole lot that I can do about that now. I was against the reduction of property taxes because a lot of these 00:26:18
reduction in taxes. 00:26:22
It's a three card Monte. 00:26:26
They cut it, we're happy with them, and then you all get cut and we end up angry with you. And that's, that's not the way that it 00:26:28
should be. 00:26:31
I do want to say that my husband and I moved here from Louisville 21 years ago. 00:26:36
We've been using the recycling program. 00:26:42
Think ever since we came here if it's that old. 00:26:44
And we've been really impressed with Floyd County in general. And one of the reasons why is the recycling program. 00:26:48
I am a former environmental attorney. I do believe in doing what we can to protect the environment so we can continue to live our 00:26:55
modern life without. 00:26:59
A lot of household hazardous waste in Silver Creek, or what have you. 00:27:04
But the other thing is that recycling has been beneficial to us financially because it reduces our solid waste produced by our 00:27:09
house by about half probably. 00:27:14
Which means that we, because we are in the county, we pay for our own. 00:27:18
Solid waste service. So that basically means that we've got less than one can instead of 2, so we're paying less. 00:27:23
So the cost of ending the recycling program? 00:27:32
Is going to simply shift to other areas. People are going to have to pay more. 00:27:35
Because they're going to have more waste. 00:27:39
Municipalities that pay for disposal of waste are going to have to pay more. 00:27:41
Sure, landfills will fill up. 00:27:46
The utilization will increase. We will need more, which means fine. 00:27:48
Land buying land, preparing it for landfills. We will see the costs elsewhere. So thank you for your time. Thank you. Real quick, 00:27:53
before you leave, can I get your name just one more time? I didn't get a chance to write it down and I'm here. 00:27:59
That would be great. Thank you so much. 00:28:07
Yes, ma'am. 00:28:12
We have enough time. 00:28:13
Can I get your name as well? 00:28:17
My name is Debbie Hackman. My address is 3323 E County Road 400 S, Brownstown, on the Solid Waste District director of Jackson 00:28:19
County. I've met some of you before. I'm also the Indiana State Solid Waste. 00:28:25
I'm specialist for the Rural Community Development Program and I serve on a recycled market Development Board for the state of 00:28:31
Indiana. 00:28:34
We were surprised and saddened to hear that you would. 00:28:38
I'm thinking about eliminating and when I say lemon, I want to make sure I get my boarding straight. Are you talking about just? 00:28:41
Eliminating the solid waste district. 00:28:48
Completely. 00:28:51
Is that is that? 00:28:53
So don't know yet. This is not a question and answer session. 00:28:56
That was if you eliminate the solid waste district. 00:29:03
You still by state such you have to provide the same programs that they are providing now. So you still have to find funding for 00:29:06
this and I know that you get funded out of edit funds. 00:29:10
And I know because it may be because of Senate Bill one that you're going to have to maybe move some some tax dollars around to 00:29:15
meet all your obligations. 00:29:19
But I think that. 00:29:23
That no one from this board has. 00:29:24
Has approached the Indiana Association of Solid Waste Districts who could help you with your budgeting. Can help you look at your 00:29:28
budget if you find some more sources of revenue maybe and find some things that you could count or do as a cheaper price. 00:29:34
Nobody's called. 00:29:41
The Indiana World Community Assistance Program that I work for and ask for help. 00:29:43
In helping your budget and maybe looking at this and how can we keep these people happy? 00:29:48
It's now how they're recycling in their homes that are hazardous waste programs. 00:29:52
And maybe we can find money. 00:29:57
Without eliminating it completely. 00:29:59
OK. I think you guys got a great thing going here. 00:30:02
Another thing is 2 years ago you received a grant from the Recycling Indiana Recycle Market Development Board. 00:30:05
You purchase assets with those. 00:30:10
One thing I would like for you to think about is what's going to happen to those assets and have you asked them if those can be 00:30:13
sold? 00:30:16
Because they worked, they were given to you in good faith that they were going to be used for recycling program. 00:30:19
So that's one thing that if you. 00:30:24
If you advance with this, this idea of eliminating program. 00:30:26
That's something you need to check into because that could be a, you know, the Indian state government's going to be concerned 00:30:30
about that. 00:30:32
Thank you. 00:30:36
All right. That concludes that portion of our public comment. 00:30:38
I'll go ahead and open up the floor to the other board members. 00:30:43
If they have any. 00:30:47
Further comments they would like to make. 00:30:48
Regarding this matter. 00:30:50
I'll be happy to start. 00:30:55
But umm. 00:30:57
Unless you. 00:30:58
Lighting doc. 00:30:58
Well, you know, I'm. 00:31:03
I've been pretty outspoken over the last. 00:31:05
Several months. 00:31:07
About. 00:31:09
Some of the legislation that has been passed that's going to have. 00:31:10
Real impacts to everyone of our communities to the point where. 00:31:14
I can't imagine that there's any community out. 00:31:18
Right now, that's not. 00:31:20
Examining the services they provide and how they're going to provide those services. 00:31:22
You know, we have not just the county government, but we got. 00:31:27
Schools we have fire departments, we have libraries, we have municipalities that are all getting ready to. 00:31:31
Take a significant decrease in the amount of funding that they have to. 00:31:36
Provide services and. 00:31:41
I've been very clear. 00:31:44
Over the last couple months that. 00:31:45
You know my job is to make sure that the services that we are statutorily. 00:31:47
Responsible for providing a strong and solvent and that is going to be. 00:31:52
Our number one priority and what happens after that? 00:31:56
We'll just kind of have to see, but. 00:31:59
I know there's been a lot of. 00:32:01
Data that's been thrown at us and even our fiscal advisors aren't exactly, exactly confident what. 00:32:04
That totally looks like they don't believe that. 00:32:09
We're going to have. 00:32:12
Very good projections, accurate models built until sometime. 00:32:14
Mid-july Umm. 00:32:18
Maybe even in August so. 00:32:19
You know, we're kind of. 00:32:21
Fly by the seat of our pants here a little bit and. 00:32:22
You know, I've heard everything from when this originally started from. 00:32:25
Decreases. 00:32:29
Anywhere from $300,000 to over $1,000,000. 00:32:31
You know. 00:32:35
That's what I got to say as far as services go. I mean, we got to focus on the services that. 00:32:37
We're responsible for providing to make sure those are strong and solvent first. 00:32:43
And First off, no one doubts the passion of the people who recycle. 00:32:49
Nor the ability. 00:32:54
And hard work with people that. 00:32:56
Have worked with this department. 00:32:57
For numerous years. 00:32:59
I don't recall. 00:33:01
Year of the State mandated the program again. 00:33:03
But it's my understanding that that was reversed by state statute in 2020, in 2017. 00:33:07
That's correct. 00:33:13
And the way that our lawyers have counseled us with regards to that statute is that. 00:33:14
We don't have to have. 00:33:20
Any services available after that? 00:33:21
That's their legal interpretation. I have two attorneys who looked into that for us. 00:33:24
So the legality that has been looked into have also looked. 00:33:32
Reality of the grants that are out there as well. 00:33:35
That's my understanding that as long as we go beyond a certain number of months with those, then. 00:33:37
We're not under any. 00:33:43
Scrutiny or we're not violation of any. 00:33:44
Received those grants, nor do we have to repay them. 00:33:47
It's certainly if we found out that we were. 00:33:50
Sideways with that then that would he would either go back. 00:33:53
Or the money would go back to the grantee if it was turned out, if it turns out that that was the legal necessity on that. 00:33:57
We discussed this publicly, this board. 00:34:05
More than once, I mean, we had a discussion about a moratorium and during those discussions, if I'm not incorrect, we talked about 00:34:09
we weren't exactly sure what pathway we're going to have to go down. 00:34:13
Whether we were going to have to look at outsourcing, whether going to have to look at discontinuation of this, but this is not 00:34:18
the first. 00:34:21
Time This has been on the radar. 00:34:24
With regards to the paper, I know that the circulation. 00:34:27
Glendale's we still advertising that? 00:34:31
We are on Facebook and the Commissioners page. 00:34:34
And then I know there's a very active. 00:34:37
Communication that goes on within. 00:34:39
The recycling community as well. 00:34:42
So unfortunately, it seems like the more ways we had to communicate with one another, the less effective. 00:34:44
One means. 00:34:49
Anymore, Umm. 00:34:51
Also. 00:34:53
Doing public service for 10 years and I will tell you there's no great time to have a meeting. 00:34:54
People work at all hours. We had a 10 AM this morning for. 00:34:59
Development that had a few attendees will have a six PM tonight, so there's not. 00:35:02
Any 9:00 to 5:00 work. 00:35:06
Force anymore out there Monday through Friday, everybody's working all hours, so I know that that's inconvenient for some. 00:35:09
With regards to where this money may be going, I'm always. 00:35:19
A little flummoxed when people think that if if this is cut out, that we're really going to be lying in our pockets with it. 00:35:23
Just doesn't happen that way. 00:35:29
Right now I will tell you that we're projecting. 00:35:31
Probably need to replace. 00:35:34
10 snowplows over the next 5 to 8 years within the. 00:35:37
County. 00:35:41
The vast majority of that fleet was purchased in 2016 and 2017 when the hospital revenue was received. 00:35:43
And other than two trucks purchased a couple of years ago, there have been no wide scale replacements. 00:35:49
Each one of those. 00:35:55
Large tandem trucks runs about $250,000 apiece. 00:35:57
And we're looking at. 00:36:02
As a county of trying to replace that equipment, trying to do it. 00:36:03
With offsets from a budget rather than having to raise taxes or revenue somewhere else to do that. 00:36:07
That work? Really. 00:36:13
Should have begun a few years ago. 00:36:15
It's going to begin this year. 00:36:17
But I can tell you one tandem truck is $256,000. That was quote from two years ago, so I imagine it's only gone up. 00:36:20
So more than likely that's where. 00:36:27
A good portion of this money is going to go. 00:36:29
I believe that we probably could use riverboat money for a year or two. 00:36:34
Think it's a model to use long term with regards to this. 00:36:38
And I don't think anybody in this room can tell us what's going to happen. 00:36:42
With the projected cuts in revenue from the property taxes. 00:36:45
Even the Department of Local Government Finance tells us that we can't. 00:36:49
Count on anything until quote UN quote it happens. 00:36:53
And that's no way to do business. 00:36:57
One final thought. 00:37:00
You know, essential government services consist of providing for the public safety, in my opinion, providing for infrastructure, 00:37:04
for education, providing for some healthcare measures. 00:37:09
I think that you could. 00:37:16
Discuss recycling programs and education is providing for the common good, but it certainly falls below the other four of my. 00:37:17
Estimation. 00:37:25
And we're going to have to make a lot of priorities as. 00:37:27
Commissioner Sharp. 00:37:30
Indicated. 00:37:32
My recommendation would be that. 00:37:33
If it's determined that. 00:37:36
Recycling is an essential government service. 00:37:38
My fall back argument to that would be that. 00:37:41
Outsourcing would be a much. 00:37:44
More economical way of providing for that. 00:37:46
Estimates that we've gotten indicate that that might happen for as much as 50% reduction. 00:37:49
And so. 00:37:55
If we decide to become more efficient as a government agency, we're looking for outsourcing. 00:37:57
Then at a bare minimum. 00:38:03
I would recommend that we continue to offer. 00:38:05
Either monthly. 00:38:07
Quarterly, however we look at it. 00:38:09
Some sort of way of getting rid of the hazardous household? 00:38:11
Materials. I can't remember which speaker brought that up, but that was very, very close to. 00:38:15
My estimation on that to the electronics. 00:38:19
The lithium batteries. 00:38:22
Paint. 00:38:24
All of those types of things. 00:38:25
I think we have to do that. 00:38:27
At a minimum. 00:38:29
With regards to. 00:38:31
Businesses recycling. 00:38:33
Dale and I both live within the city and we pay separate recycling fees for the recycling that we do. 00:38:35
As does our business. 00:38:41
And. 00:38:42
As Mr. Aber said. 00:38:43
Paper sold said. You know, that is a cost of business and sometimes that gets passed on at the consumer. 00:38:45
But. 00:38:51
Those are my thoughts. They're not all of my thoughts and. 00:38:53
Probably best that I don't give everybody all my thoughts at anyone time ever, because. 00:38:56
Might be a little bit of a dangerous place at times, you know, but. 00:39:00
That's what is. 00:39:04
Front of mind right now with regards to this. 00:39:05
So. 00:39:08
Those are my comments at the moment on this. Might have some more sits a lot. 00:39:10
Thank you, Sir. 00:39:13
Any other comments? 00:39:16
I'd like to say that. 00:39:19
I concur with Mr. Sharp, Mr. 00:39:21
Enabled it. 00:39:23
As we need to figure out what's in my mind, what's very important is public safety and infrastructure. 00:39:26
I guess I could put. 00:39:34
This into my bucket of public safety, especially with Azure S materials. 00:39:36
We all know that's a problem. I mean in the old days when you change your old old. 00:39:41
Called shade tree mechanics. You just dump it out on the ground and. 00:39:46
Walk away. Well, we don't do that anymore. 00:39:49
Paints. 00:39:52
We had an incident the other day. 00:39:54
Make the paper some latex paint. Well, what shouldn't have been. 00:39:55
That was on the contractor. He should have. 00:40:00
More properly I would assume. 00:40:02
But then again, just looking back. 00:40:04
You know, I'll date myself, but. 00:40:07
I know. 00:40:10
It hadn't been that long ago that there was guys that rode around pickup trucks. 00:40:11
Looking for cardboard? 00:40:15
I mean, they would. 00:40:17
And they take it down at Riverside Recycling and they make. 00:40:18
And that might supplement or Social Security or whatever, I don't know. 00:40:21
But. 00:40:25
Furthermore, just anything that we could that we're doing that. 00:40:26
We can get private enterprise to do it. 00:40:30
I think it's better for everybody concerning as Mr. 00:40:33
Can able pointed out in the city? 00:40:36
We pay a separate fee for recycling. I just wonder. 00:40:40
If companies that provide. 00:40:43
Waste disposal in a county would be amicable to. 00:40:47
Having a separate truck out like in New Albany Echo Tech. 00:40:51
They come down my alley with a garbage truck. 00:40:55
Down my alley with a recycling truck. 00:40:57
I just wonder if private enterprise would be amicable. 00:40:59
To doing that. 00:41:02
4 feet. 00:41:03
That's just my thoughts. 00:41:05
Thank you, Bill. 00:41:07
So. 00:41:10
I want to begin my. 00:41:12
Thoughts by making. 00:41:14
Observation. 00:41:16
As the lone representative of the city. 00:41:17
Government. 00:41:22
The first thing that I'll acknowledge is. 00:41:24
What you all have said that we as a city do have a recycling program. 00:41:27
And that will continue. 00:41:32
Regardless of. 00:41:34
Any changes necessitated? 00:41:36
Here or with the solid waste program. 00:41:40
So the government has viewed that as a priority. 00:41:45
We have a fee for that and we'll continue to provide that. 00:41:48
Or city residents typically receive. 00:41:52
A value from solid waste. 00:41:56
Is with those hazardous? 00:41:59
Materials. 00:42:02
It's with the electronics. 00:42:04
Because there isn't a similar. 00:42:07
Component to our recycling program. 00:42:11
And that is something that I think all of our residents countrywide. 00:42:14
Can benefit from. 00:42:19
I appreciate. 00:42:25
And join with all of you in the frustration that. 00:42:29
I think that. 00:42:33
Our state legislators have missed the mark. 00:42:35
I think they failed to appropriately address. 00:42:38
The key problem? 00:42:42
And in. 00:42:44
Rushing to. 00:42:45
Arrive at a solution. 00:42:47
They have created. 00:42:49
A series of local problems at schools. 00:42:52
With local government. 00:42:57
And. 00:43:00
I do expect. 00:43:01
That. 00:43:03
Most entities at those levels will have to make decisions about. 00:43:04
How to? 00:43:08
Incorporate those cuts, whether it be a reduction in services, whether it be an implementing of a new tax that they. 00:43:10
Particularly also wrote into the legislation. 00:43:17
So they made some provision for. 00:43:21
But but those will be things that that will have to be dealt with. 00:43:23
What I think I would prefer. 00:43:29
Before we. 00:43:32
Jump to. 00:43:34
Conversation about outright eliminating something. 00:43:36
Is to develop a plan. 00:43:40
For what that would look like. 00:43:43
If the county, for example, wants to have conversations. 00:43:46
And employ an eco tech or a similar waste management system to do. 00:43:50
Residential recycling pickup. 00:43:56
I would like to have those conversations so that we know what we're transitioning to and the public can be aware of that and we 00:43:59
can all know the cost of that and have a plan. 00:44:04
If the plan is to. 00:44:08
Not have any recycling services. 00:44:11
I think that we should at least have a conversation about how we're. 00:44:14
Going to provide for some of these hazardous. 00:44:18
Conditions. 00:44:21
And I also have. 00:44:23
A concern. 00:44:26
For our our team. 00:44:31
Our team has done an excellent job of building this program over. 00:44:36
A number of years. 00:44:41
They provide education they provide. 00:44:43
The waste management services. 00:44:47
In many ways, I would argue that having this service also helps reduce some of the. 00:44:51
Trash and debris in ways that might otherwise end up along to the side of the road or. 00:44:58
Hillsides or wherever. 00:45:04
To Dales point. 00:45:08
Yeah, that that was how a lot of people dealt with oil. That was how a lot of people dealt with paint, with tires. 00:45:09
Al and I could probably go March around Silver Hills and to this day probably find somewhere where someone is thrown out tires. 00:45:18
In a otherwise. 00:45:25
You know. 00:45:28
Vacant section. 00:45:31
Of property. 00:45:33
And I think that. 00:45:36
I think those are the things that would be right to be explored. 00:45:38
I will defer to my county colleagues. 00:45:44
About some of their financial constraints, I can't address and answer that for them. 00:45:48
Nor should they. 00:45:56
Inform me as a city. 00:45:59
Budgeter. 00:46:01
Of how we should always do that. 00:46:02
But I do think that maybe there would be some some wise. 00:46:07
Thought to. 00:46:13
Actually moving forward when we did the moratorium. 00:46:15
I thought that what we would do is is go through a process, and I voted for the moratorium because I thought that was a prudent 00:46:19
first step to make sure that our costs were. 00:46:25
Reigned in that we appreciated the severity of the situation and were able to make adjustments. 00:46:31
I I think. 00:46:40
You know, to the point. 00:46:41
Almighty, I think you're right. Perhaps we don't want to use riverboat money that the county receives or that come in from other 00:46:43
places. 00:46:47
As a continuing source. 00:46:52
But perhaps that would give us a period of time. 00:46:55
Over the next. 00:46:59
Year. 00:47:01
To decide. 00:47:03
What direction is the best and what options we have and and come up with that plan. 00:47:05
You know, I think we've we've got models and have done that in other ways, whether it be regarding our, our assets or facilities, 00:47:12
other sorts of things. 00:47:16
And so I guess that's the the point that I would make is. 00:47:21
You know, I understand the need to. 00:47:26
Face a reality. 00:47:29
I guess I'm just wondering if we're. 00:47:32
It feels like we're moving to a final decision. 00:47:34
Before we've had a chance to, really. 00:47:38
Do some evaluation and look at some options collectively as a board. 00:47:41
Any other comments? 00:47:54
Yeah, I've got a couple. 00:47:55
I've just been here since January. This topic has been on the agenda every. 00:47:56
Meeting that I've been. 00:48:02
So this is my 12th meeting. 00:48:04
And we've been talking about it. 00:48:08
And if you want to serve the public, maybe we should get the city and the county together and we should solve these problems 00:48:09
together. 00:48:13
So that we serve. 00:48:16
All of the public instead of whether you live in the city or the county. 00:48:18
Everett, Ma'am. 00:48:26
Any other comment? 00:48:31
All right, so given the fact that. 00:48:33
We want to make sure the public had. 00:48:37
Ample time to speak today. 00:48:39
About some of this. 00:48:42
Issues revolving around the South Waste District. 00:48:44
I I'd like to recommend that we accept the Directors report as presented. 00:48:48
Umm, yeah, I think that. 00:48:52
Yeah. 00:48:57
OK. 00:49:01
So I move to accept the director report as written and presented. 00:49:05
This evening. 00:49:09
I'll second. 00:49:11
OK, got a motion by Al. 00:49:12
And a second by Frank to accept the directors report as submitted. 00:49:14
Is there any further discussion? 00:49:19
All in favor signify by saying aye. 00:49:25
Aye aye. Any opposed? 00:49:27
Motion carries. 00:49:29
I'll go ahead and open up public comment. 00:49:32
For any general recommendation from this body to go forward with commissioners. 00:49:35
Again, legal counsel correctly if I'm. 00:49:41
Incorrect but. 00:49:43
No formal. 00:49:45
Recommendations. 00:49:46
Required from this body that is correct and. 00:49:47
Just the public knows any vote would have to go through the commissioners. 00:49:51
A majority vote as well as the County Council by majority vote. That is correct. Both of those bodies would entertain. 00:49:56
Ordinances to with the intent to dissolve. 00:50:03
Thereafter, there will be a public hearing set. 00:50:06
And then the commissioners would vote after that public hearing. 00:50:09
So commissioned your vote, a council vote, a public hearing which has to wait 180 days and then? 00:50:13
You guys, then the commissioners would vote on that. 00:50:20
So those are the two bodies that have to take action, not this body. Get this right, for the record, because I know. 00:50:22
This is very important so Commissioners vote could be taken. 00:50:28
As early as tonight. 00:50:31
Not necessarily. 00:50:33
County Council. 00:50:34
As early as their next meeting, but not necessarily. 00:50:36
When would a public hearing be required? 180 days later? 00:50:40
Within 180 days, no. After 180 day waiting period, so 181 days, correct and that public meeting would be? 00:50:45
Most probably it could be like we've done this previously, a joint County Council and county commissioner meeting. It could be, 00:50:54
but it's really commissioners meeting. 00:50:58
And then after that. 00:51:04
Immediately after that, 180 days plus one, plus public hearing. That vote could take place that night or another night at another 00:51:06
commissioners meeting. 00:51:10
That is correct and along with that I. 00:51:14
What you would call actual ordinance to dissolve, we would have a plan. 00:51:17
Associated with that which would include what would happen with assets and debts of the district. 00:51:21
And what plan, if any, exists for services that were provided? 00:51:27
Not to say that there has has to be any plan there, but even if that plan is for private citizens to. 00:51:33
Contract for their own services or if there's some plan for a hazardous waste type separate contract that's not under solid waste 00:51:39
district, whatever that plan may look like. Those are some different things that were floated this evening, so only reason I'm 00:51:43
throwing those out there. 00:51:47
So that final ordinance to dissolve by the commissioners would include that plan. 00:51:51
Right, and that's where I. 00:51:56
Emphasize because a lot of times it looks like these things are final actions, like today. We're voting today or voting tomorrow 00:51:58
and that's it. 00:52:01
If there's a vote tonight. 00:52:07
At a minimum you have 180 days still to have public input. 00:52:09
At each commissioners meeting, At each Council meeting. 00:52:14
Because at the end of each Commissioners meeting, we have. 00:52:16
Free mic basically for any non agenda item. 00:52:19
You can usually arrange to have coffee with one of us whenever. 00:52:24
You want to. 00:52:28
Or council folks. 00:52:30
And we're going to have multiple. 00:52:32
Joint meetings between now and then. 00:52:33
And during those 180 days? 00:52:35
The votes could be. 00:52:40
There could be changes of minds, changes of hearts. 00:52:42
Plans coming up. 00:52:44
It's just a time to gather information. 00:52:46
But so often, it looks like this is a final vote. 00:52:49
And it's not. 00:52:53
Many of these. 00:52:54
Boards and departments have built within them a time frame where it takes time to. 00:52:56
Dissolve, deconstruct them however you want to do it, and that time is baked in there purposefully. 00:53:04
So that. 00:53:09
It has come before the public multiple times. 00:53:10
So it's crap. 00:53:13
All right. So anyway, no recommendation required from this board to go before the commissioners and then that's the timetable. 00:53:15
That is correct. 00:53:21
All right, I'll. 00:53:24
Open up public comment for any non agenda items if anyone. 00:53:26
This is not agenda items. 00:53:29
For anyone who may. 00:53:31
How many things? Yes, ma'am. 00:53:33
Business days or? 00:53:36
Just calendar day is correct calendar day. 00:53:39
All right. 00:53:45
On that agenda items. Yes ma'am. 00:53:50
We didn't vote on anything. 00:53:57
There's no vote taken. 00:53:59
I just want to state that I. 00:54:07
Hope that we can have a. 00:54:10
Joint meeting and talk about. 00:54:12
All. 00:54:14
The budget issues. 00:54:16
That need to come together. It is a. 00:54:19
Huge puzzle. 00:54:22
And lots of pieces to it this year. 00:54:24
And this is only one of the many pieces that need to be talked about and put together. 00:54:27
So I'm looking forward to doing those discussions, having those discussions. 00:54:33
And making these decisions based on facts. 00:54:38
Of our financial situation. 00:54:42
Thank you very much. 00:54:44
Thank you. 00:54:46
Anyone else? 00:54:49
I'll take a motion to adjourn. 00:54:51
So who second? All right. 00:54:52
I have some paperwork. 00:54:58
Did you not add this into the record? 00:55:00
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Name for the sign up sheet and right before we get started about 4:30 if you could just collect the sign in sheet and I'll. 00:00:00
That way I'll have it for. 00:00:06
When we progress to the. 00:00:08
Hey, how are you doing? 00:00:10
Yeah, in front of you. 00:00:16
Yeah, there's first here in here in a minute before we get started, if you. 00:00:19
You want me to call you about something and I'm not going to call you. 00:00:24
I think it's easier for me. 00:00:28
OK, yeah, we'll have that tonight. 00:00:30
OK. 00:00:35
Yeah. 00:00:38
Yeah. 00:00:39
You know, I'm glad that. 00:00:47
What do you want when people know how you first do? 00:00:55
It's our next one. 00:01:09
He's not here so far as to say I'm missing. 00:01:15
That's not nice. 00:01:19
I'm starting to have fun at Frank's expense more often. 00:01:23
Yes, you're good. 00:01:28
I'm just surprised he's not here. 00:01:29
All right, I'm going to call to order this June meeting at Floyd County Solid Waste Management District Board of Directors. If you 00:01:34
would please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance. 00:01:38
Pledge pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and. 00:01:43
To the Republic, for which the stage 1 nation under God indivisible. 00:01:47
Liberty and justice for all. 00:01:53
Thank you everybody for being here today. 00:02:01
Looks like. 00:02:05
All members are present with the exception of Mayor Gay Hand. 00:02:09
Approval of the April 15th minutes. 00:02:15
Motion to approve as submitted. 00:02:18
I got a motion by Al, second by Dale. 00:02:20
Any further discussion? 00:02:24
OK, all in favor signify by saying aye. 00:02:27
Any opposed? 00:02:29
Carries. 00:02:31
Approval of May provisional claims. 00:02:33
Completely approved, so long as they were also. 00:02:37
Looked at a second time. 00:02:41
President and or Vice President? Yes, yes, we both. 00:02:44
Second got a motion by out a second by Adam. 00:02:48
Any further discussion? 00:02:52
All in favor signify by saying aye aye. Any opposed? 00:02:54
Carries. 00:02:57
Approval of May special claim. 00:03:00
So move. 00:03:06
I have to admit I didn't see that one. 00:03:09
And yeah. 00:03:11
Make sure that came in. That's Verizon. Verizon. Yes, it was the Verizon. 00:03:12
Issue. Thank you. 00:03:17
I'll second it's a. 00:03:19
Standard. 00:03:20
Certainly. So I got a motion by Al and a second by. 00:03:21
Any further discussion? 00:03:26
All in favor signify by saying aye. 00:03:28
Any post? 00:03:31
Carries. 00:03:32
Approval of June claims. 00:03:34
Make a motion. 00:03:37
Second, I got a motion by Brandon, a second by Adam. Any further discussion? 00:03:39
All in favor signify by saying aye aye. 00:03:44
Any opposed? 00:03:46
No scarce. 00:03:47
Approval Resolution 2025-05, the amendment to Exhibit A the vendor lists. 00:03:50
Motion to approve. 00:03:58
Second, I got a motion by on a second by Dale. Any further discussion? 00:04:00
All in favor signify by saying aye. 00:04:05
Aye, opposed. 00:04:07
Motion carries. 00:04:09
Just just so the public knows what we did there, we just added. 00:04:12
Vendors. 00:04:16
To. 00:04:18
Lists so that those can be paid in between. 00:04:19
Sessions. 00:04:23
Thank you for clarifying that that's correct. 00:04:24
OK. Next up on the general is the general discussion regarding the future of the solid waste district. So. 00:04:29
I can tell you I'll go ahead just. 00:04:37
You want the you think? 00:04:40
OK. 00:04:43
That's fine. Yeah. No, I think it's that would be acceptable. We'll go ahead and start with public comment. I have 123456789 00:04:47
people who have signed up. 00:04:52
To speak. 00:04:58
I'd say 2 minutes would be. 00:05:00
Should should we technically change the order of the agenda with a motion? 00:05:03
Because the agenda was public input at the end. 00:05:10
I'll probably have public input at the end as well. 00:05:13
Other than this but. 00:05:18
I'll make a motion to amend to allow public input on that. 00:05:23
Agenda item. 00:05:28
I got a motion and 2nd motion by. 00:05:29
Adam and second by Dale. 00:05:32
Any further discussion? 00:05:34
All in favor signal I was saying aye. 00:05:36
Aye, any post. 00:05:38
That carries. 00:05:39
So we'll start off with public comment. 00:05:41
And first up is. 00:05:44
Mr. Moore. 00:05:46
And this is already taken up. Is there any way? 00:05:53
As long as we have have time. Yes ma'am, I'll give you time to. 00:05:58
Yes, ma'am. 00:06:02
Thank you, gentlemen. Good afternoon. 00:06:05
First of all, doc, I don't know if you're. 00:06:07
Michael Bell and Johnny couldn't hear you. 00:06:09
Can you hear me now? 00:06:12
If you can start with your name and address though please. 00:06:14
Joseph Ward, 1344 Galena in Georgetown Township. 00:06:17
Here for the recycling program. 00:06:22
I was involved in this years ago, at least a dozen years ago was pretty active. 00:06:25
The poor health and other reasons that curtailed my. 00:06:30
Activities. 00:06:33
Still keep on it from a distance, but I'm. 00:06:34
I don't understand why. I understand, but I don't agree with the proposed to shut down the program. 00:06:37
Has been gaining. 00:06:43
More and more success, more participation. 00:06:44
The staff is wonderful, I mean. 00:06:48
Plus, Dave and his staff have these neat shirts. You know I don't want to get rid of those. 00:06:50
But yeah, it's. 00:06:54
Way easier for me and other people who are a bit limited. 00:06:57
And doing the recycling when I get up there, I've got somebody to help me empty the hair. 00:07:01
Continues. 00:07:05
It's all my years doing this. 00:07:07
It seems like solid waste is always the. 00:07:10
Low hanging fruit, the lowest priority in kindness and tight budget. 00:07:13
Recycling gets cut. 00:07:18
So right now I I just got a. 00:07:21
Say be shutting down recycling. 00:07:23
Besides. 00:07:26
Upsetting a lot of conservation minded people. 00:07:29
Is going to add many more tons to our landfill. 00:07:32
That's just going to fill up faster. 00:07:35
And you gentlemen haven't been. 00:07:37
Behind the wheel. 00:07:39
For very long, but every few years it seems to be a crisis with landfill space and getting permits to build higher. 00:07:40
And I'm wondering if you ever considered? 00:07:48
Before doing this, cutting some of the fat elsewhere. 00:07:50
For instance, there is at least 100 county employees have taken cars. 00:07:54
And. 00:07:58
It's eaten many of them. 00:07:59
The taxpayers are paying for insurance, maintenance and personal usage of these cars. 00:08:02
That's not fair. The vast majority of them. 00:08:07
Or even getting free. 00:08:10
From the taxpayers for personal commuting and personal errands, about 15 seconds. 00:08:11
Yes, Sir. 00:08:18
One day to consider. 00:08:19
Using unmanned sites. 00:08:22
Other counties do it successfully. 00:08:24
Maybe even charging a fee. 00:08:26
With subscription and that's what possibly use a private hauler where customers pay a yearly thing. 00:08:28
Those those recycle, we gladly do that and see the program act. 00:08:35
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Swan. 00:08:39
Sarah Johnson. 00:08:43
Can you please start off with your address please? 00:08:46
513 Hoffman Dr. New Albany, IN. 00:08:49
OK. My name is Sarah Johnson and I want to first say thank you all for everyone. 00:08:52
Who like took the time today? 00:08:58
Everyone because it is vital. 00:09:01
And what is happening in our community? 00:09:03
Through history I. 00:09:06
We're the home of the dream. 00:09:08
Where people came because they believed in a dream, in a dream of freedom. 00:09:09
We this is starting point. 00:09:14
We have the most trees. 00:09:16
Like umm. 00:09:18
Either in the country or in the world. 00:09:19
But our rivers are doing good. 00:09:21
Our planet, she's. 00:09:24
She's happy. 00:09:25
It's a place. 00:09:27
I call home. It's a place that my kids grow up. 00:09:28
Our kids. So we want to preserve it. 00:09:32
For future generations and I know that. 00:09:35
The recycling thing. 00:09:38
I I don't, I didn't do the studies. 00:09:40
Passionate about our planet. 00:09:43
Because. 00:09:45
Fill them up, give them back when we go and you look over and you have that bag and you know that you feel that love in return, 00:09:46
that you know you did your part. 00:09:51
Like no matter how big, how small, we did our part. 00:09:56
And you all are doing your part by making sure that we keep this program because it is a vital program. 00:09:59
And not everyone really can't afford. 00:10:04
Recycling and if we could, it wouldn't fit in a little thing. 00:10:06
Like because I do love so much. 00:10:09
But I do want to say that. 00:10:11
I'm proud. 00:10:14
Of everyone, I really am very proud. 00:10:15
And it is an honor to live here. 00:10:18
And to raise my kids here and my grand animals and stuff and. 00:10:20
It makes that stuff like this is the reason that I get to say that I'm proud. 00:10:26
So I'm very grateful and appreciative for it. 00:10:31
And I just wanted to let you know. 00:10:34
Thank you. Thank you, Miss Johnson. 00:10:36
Paige Adams. 00:10:41
Other can you start with giving your address please? 00:10:46
3107 Brazil Lake Parkway in Georgetown, IN. 00:10:49
First of all, I want to appreciate all of you that are present. 00:10:56
Both the board and all those who have gotten here. 00:11:00
But let me tell you this. 00:11:04
Why are you even thinking about cutting recycling? 00:11:06
It's only going to hurt people. 00:11:10
My family has been recycling ever since we moved here over 20 years ago. 00:11:13
And to this day, we still recycle. 00:11:19
Almost every single Wednesday I go to the location at Galena. 00:11:22
Behind the small little white building that's a little library. 00:11:27
And recycle tons of material. 00:11:31
Week after week. 00:11:34
Month after month. 00:11:35
Year after year. 00:11:36
And if this program is cut? 00:11:40
It's only going to hurt Hoosiers who are trying to do good for the environment. 00:11:43
Because to the best of my knowledge, the nearest recycling facilities. 00:11:48
Would be all the way in Harrison County. 00:11:53
That's like 20 to 30 minutes away depending on what city you go to. 00:11:57
It'll cost Hoosiers more gas. 00:12:02
It'll cost us the environment. 00:12:05
It'll mean more landfills that will have to be used in order to. 00:12:08
Get trash. 00:12:12
Not pollute the environment. 00:12:14
And where is this money going to come from? 00:12:17
It's going to come from the taxpayers. 00:12:20
And let me guys ask you this. 00:12:23
If you do decide to cut this program. 00:12:26
The money that you would save by trying to cut it. 00:12:29
Where exactly would it go? 00:12:33
Would it actually help Hoosiers? 00:12:35
Spread them better lives. 00:12:38
Or would it only be going to politicians? 00:12:40
Who have done nothing. 00:12:43
To deserve it. 00:12:45
About 10 seconds left. 00:12:52
I believe I have said my piece. 00:12:55
Have a good day. Thank you, man. Thank you. 00:12:57
David Abersole. 00:13:03
1202 Ebersole Dr. New Albany. 00:13:11
I just heard about this while back and we started recycling our cardboard out of the business. 00:13:15
Dollar below you've been having a 1215 years or so. 00:13:21
We have a lot of stuff. 00:13:25
Cardboard to recycle every. 00:13:27
Tuesday or Wednesday or Thursday, when they come by Tuesday. 00:13:30
By the day. 00:13:33
I guess. 00:13:37
Curious about? 00:13:38
Where in the world is all this cardboard going to go next? 00:13:39
We have a ton of it. 00:13:43
Out of there, I mean, they got one of. 00:13:44
Movable racks. 00:13:47
You guys let us have a whatever. 00:13:48
And it's full every time, if not more. 00:13:51
Just cardboard from a small business on Silver Street. 00:13:54
What are we going to do with this stuff? 00:13:57
We got a dumpster there. Echo tech can do it. I guess we can throw it all in there if you want. It's going to not be recycled 00:13:59
again. 00:14:02
Recycling is one of the major things that. 00:14:06
I think America is down in the last 50 years or whatever. 00:14:08
It's a good idea. 00:14:12
It's a great idea. 00:14:13
And I'd like for you all to somehow or other. 00:14:15
See if you can continue. 00:14:18
Recycling for Floyd County. 00:14:21
There's a lot of people going to be. 00:14:23
Probably doing a lot of stupid stuff. 00:14:26
And you need to think about that. 00:14:30
Run a business for about 60 some more years. 00:14:32
You need to think about OK, go back and take another look at the book. 00:14:35
Budget. Say what you can do. 00:14:38
See if somewhere, somehow Subway. 00:14:40
You can make this project continue even if it has. 00:14:43
Cost us a little bit more. 00:14:47
Businesses can do it. 00:14:49
You know, we'll make it up somehow or other. 00:14:51
Expenses that we have every day. 00:14:54
I don't know about the people in general. 00:14:56
But they'll probably go along with it too if they have to pay a little bit more. 00:14:58
To keep this program going, it's a good one. 00:15:02
And I hope you can. 00:15:05
That's good. 00:15:06
Thank you. Thank you, Sir. 00:15:07
Dave is. 00:15:12
I'm trying to get used to have other people except me in the public. 00:15:20
Understand. Can you start with your address please, Sir? 00:15:24
David Isaacs, 106 Old Cordon Rd. New Albany, IN. Thank you. 00:15:26
I've been coming to these meetings since 2014. 00:15:31
I've been trying to find ways to make recycling better. 00:15:35
For all of us. 00:15:39
I I don't know a lot about the. 00:15:42
The overall financial situation in the county, but it's hard for me to believe. 00:15:44
There's not some other places that we can. 00:15:48
Couldn't cut it, wouldn't have. 00:15:50
Quite the impact in the long range. 00:15:52
We might be able to cut. 00:15:54
We might be able to save some short range. 00:15:56
We need to be able to. 00:15:59
To save the. 00:16:00
The country, the city and everybody. 00:16:02
In the long range, and I believe that's what recycling helps to do. 00:16:05
I would say. 00:16:11
My favorite idea would be if all else fails. 00:16:12
We could cut it back a little bit. 00:16:15
And then hopefully come back up in the future. 00:16:17
I think if we cut the program, it's awfully hard to get started again. 00:16:19
So I prefer to. 00:16:24
See maybe cutting it back? 00:16:26
Some, but not all. 00:16:28
Not getting away with it. 00:16:30
Thank you. 00:16:32
Thank you, Sir. 00:16:33
Holly Tash. 00:16:39
Good evening, Holly Tash, 811 West St. New Albany, IN. 00:16:44
Umm, so I've been a resident of Floyd County for about almost coming up on 20 years now. 00:16:49
And I've been recycling since I moved here. It's something I've been very proud of since I moved here to New Albany and Salt 00:16:53
County. 00:16:56
So obviously I was very upset to hear that they're wanting to get rid of this program. You know, it's a great program and. 00:17:00
The websites great. 00:17:06
The program is gaining traction. It's trying to become a community hub. You know, like I just saw on the website today, like 00:17:08
they're trying to do like a canned food drive. 00:17:12
For the. 00:17:16
Hope program, you know, which I think that's great. Also Mr. Apperson being here shows that it's also good for businesses to be 00:17:18
here as well, which in turn brings in more revenue. 00:17:22
So, umm. 00:17:26
The most thing I'm worried about that really brought me here tonight is the hazardous waste. 00:17:28
That is not going to have anywhere to go. 00:17:32
If this program. 00:17:34
Goes away. I understand that that is a service that is paid for, for people to bring materials to be disposed of. 00:17:35
And I don't think any neighboring program is going to allow that. Most of those say right on their websites, Nope. You have to be 00:17:42
a resident of this county. 00:17:45
For the state, in order to bring those hazardous materials, where are they going to go? You know, they're going to get dumped off 00:17:49
the ground, they're going dumped in the toilets. They're going to get, you know, and that's going to ripple out. 00:17:53
To all different types of things that are just That's not great for the environment, not great for the city, not great for the 00:17:58
county. 00:18:00
So. 00:18:03
So, I mean, this is, this is a government service. It's not supposed to make money. That's the point of government is to provide 00:18:04
these services. 00:18:08
You know, umm. 00:18:13
Overall, it's not, you know, it shouldn't be just kind of a. 00:18:14
Quick fix to shore up a budget. You know, that's not really, that's not fair to the environment. Why should the environment have 00:18:16
to suffer for that? 00:18:19
And I also agreed with Mr. Moore's comment about, you know, yeah, there is a lot of. 00:18:23
I have noticed an uptick in take home vehicles just like I noticed the municipal plates all over the place. You know, it's like I 00:18:27
understand sometimes those are needed for essential functions, but. 00:18:32
I, you know, I know that some are are not used in that way. So, so that's all I have. Thank you. 00:18:37
Thank you. 00:18:43
Andrew, I believe it's Rick. 00:18:48
It is Raker. Sorry about my terrible handwriting. Don't blame that on New Albany, Floyd County Schools. That happened. 00:18:54
Before I enroll here, 3813 Dogwood Rd. in Floyd's Knobs. 00:18:59
You know, I'm also a long time Floyd County resident. I've seen how the recycling program grew from. 00:19:05
A trailer at Saint Mary's of the Knobs one day of the week to the larger facility at Galena Lamb Park. 00:19:12
And now most Wednesdays I'm at. 00:19:17
The Galena library. 00:19:21
Using services there, it's great to see that investment. I would really hate to see. 00:19:22
The work that Floyd County residents have done and invested in that go to waste. 00:19:28
Also certainly want to commend the employees of the district. 00:19:34
Certainly. 00:19:38
Lookout for their future, I know. 00:19:39
How about the recycling unit? But when I got a flat tire on 265 a couple of months ago, one of the recycling employees said, hey, 00:19:42
did you have car trouble? I wanted to stop, but I didn't have enough time to do that. 00:19:47
And I can't think of many other. 00:19:53
Public servants, that. 00:19:55
Just know me from passing through once a week and would want to help out folks. 00:19:57
I'm also a volunteer at the food pantry at Hope Southern Indiana, and we're certainly grateful for the Solid Waste District and 00:20:04
their partnership with collecting. 00:20:07
Up camp goods from donations from Floyd County residents. 00:20:11
But we go through a lot of cardboard, as you might imagine, just like the florist and. 00:20:16
Our mission to serve the neediest residents of Floyd County and of southern Indiana would be severely Hanford if. 00:20:23
We have to figure out another way to dispose of this, not just the environmental costs of course of. 00:20:30
Having to find another way, having to take money out of our tight budget. But. 00:20:36
It's hard to operate a food pantry when there's a bunch of cardboard piling up, and that's an important. 00:20:41
Public service. 00:20:48
The recycling is so important as it is. 00:20:50
But it also helps other public services happen in our great county. So that is why I'm here in support of it. Thank you. 00:20:53
Thank you. 00:21:00
All right, I hope I get this one right as well. Susan. Is it Enos Ennis? 00:21:04
EMS OK. 00:21:08
EMS. You think I get that one right? 00:21:10
I have three questions, two of them really are not directly. 00:21:16
With recycling 1 is. 00:21:20
Why can't these meetings be scheduled? 00:21:22
When people are not. 00:21:24
Involved in their work. 00:21:26
You know, later in the evenings. 00:21:29
That's a question for you guys. 00:21:31
And. 00:21:32
Another question I had with regard to this meeting is. 00:21:33
We we get to tribute. 00:21:38
Is everybody in here? 00:21:40
Is that how you find out about these meetings? 00:21:41
Is there a better way to get some of these words out? 00:21:45
OK, now directly to recycling is. 00:21:48
What does it say about our community? 00:21:51
We don't recycle. 00:21:54
It does doesn't sound good. 00:21:55
What does it say about our community that we cannot manage to recycle? 00:21:58
Amen. Thank. 00:22:04
Denise Conkel. 00:22:09
Denise Conkle, 88. 00:22:21
Ford County. 00:22:24
I'm on the County Council. 00:22:28
I read about this in the paper. 00:22:30
On Saturday morning. 00:22:33
I did nothing about this before then. 00:22:35
I don't know why we're doing away. 00:22:39
The recycling program. 00:22:43
I don't know is it, is it financial related because? 00:22:46
I'm a member of the fiduciary body. 00:22:50
And knew nothing about it. 00:22:53
So how do you know if we have money? 00:22:55
To support this program. 00:22:57
Or not. 00:22:59
We do have money. 00:23:02
To support the program. 00:23:03
I've done a spreadsheet as normal. 00:23:05
And I can show you where we can support this problem. 00:23:08
Program and we could do it really. 00:23:11
Without using taxpayer dollars if we want to do that. 00:23:14
We have riverboat money sitting. 00:23:18
Out here right now of 780. 00:23:21
$1000. 00:23:23
That is not appropriate. 00:23:25
For this year. 00:23:27
And up to $1,000,000 next year. 00:23:28
So I don't know if we're doing this because of budgetary. 00:23:32
Restraints. 00:23:36
I got the feeling that that's what other people. 00:23:38
Why other people thought we were doing this, I don't know. 00:23:41
Is there an answer why we're doing this? 00:23:44
No answer. 00:23:48
So is there a plan if we do away with this program? Is there another plan in place? 00:23:51
Poor people of Floyd County to recycle. 00:23:57
No answer. 00:24:02
And this is not your first time in a public meeting. You, you understand this is, this is your opportunity to speak. This isn't 00:24:03
question answer, but everybody here would be happy to speak to anyone after the conclusion of the meeting. So I haven't and the 00:24:08
first time I heard about this and I'm a, I'm a leader in the community. 00:24:14
And we have joint meetings every month. 00:24:20
And this could have brought been brought up and this could have been discussed as whether. 00:24:23
It was financially feasible to continue this program. 00:24:28
It is. I will. I will leave. I will leave you with the numbers. 00:24:31
We have the money to do this with. 00:24:36
I think this. 00:24:40
Definitely. 00:24:42
Sends the wrong message to our county. 00:24:43
To our kids. 00:24:46
To our my grandkids. 00:24:47
I have a four year old. 00:24:50
That asked me if the background for recycling grandma. 00:24:51
And we want to do away with this program. 00:24:57
I I don't I don't understand any of these answers. 00:25:00
Is it financially? 00:25:04
Is it finances? Is there a different reason? 00:25:06
Is there another plan? 00:25:08
Of 15 seconds, I don't know. 00:25:10
One you're over about 15 seconds, OK, I will leave you with these numbers. 00:25:13
Thank you. 00:25:18
Understand that money. 00:25:20
Thank you. 00:25:21
All right. 00:25:25
I have. 00:25:28
I had the. 00:25:29
Like yes ma'am. 00:25:30
Asked to have an opportunity to speak. 00:25:32
Thank you, I appreciate it. I wrapped up work early today so I could be here. Yes ma'am. My name is Lily Legends. My address is 00:25:36
4303 Emerald Way, New Albany, IN 47150. 00:25:41
It was my understanding. 00:25:48
That the consideration for ending the recycling program is as a result. 00:25:50
Reduction in. 00:25:56
Income, or I should say assets. 00:25:57
That local government will have as a. 00:25:59
As a consequence of changes that have been made to taxation by that General Assembly, specifically the reduction of property 00:26:02
taxes. 00:26:05
That may be correct, may not be correct. The first thing I want to say is that if that is true, it angers me. 00:26:09
That the General Assembly has done this to local governments. 00:26:14
There's not a whole lot that I can do about that now. I was against the reduction of property taxes because a lot of these 00:26:18
reduction in taxes. 00:26:22
It's a three card Monte. 00:26:26
They cut it, we're happy with them, and then you all get cut and we end up angry with you. And that's, that's not the way that it 00:26:28
should be. 00:26:31
I do want to say that my husband and I moved here from Louisville 21 years ago. 00:26:36
We've been using the recycling program. 00:26:42
Think ever since we came here if it's that old. 00:26:44
And we've been really impressed with Floyd County in general. And one of the reasons why is the recycling program. 00:26:48
I am a former environmental attorney. I do believe in doing what we can to protect the environment so we can continue to live our 00:26:55
modern life without. 00:26:59
A lot of household hazardous waste in Silver Creek, or what have you. 00:27:04
But the other thing is that recycling has been beneficial to us financially because it reduces our solid waste produced by our 00:27:09
house by about half probably. 00:27:14
Which means that we, because we are in the county, we pay for our own. 00:27:18
Solid waste service. So that basically means that we've got less than one can instead of 2, so we're paying less. 00:27:23
So the cost of ending the recycling program? 00:27:32
Is going to simply shift to other areas. People are going to have to pay more. 00:27:35
Because they're going to have more waste. 00:27:39
Municipalities that pay for disposal of waste are going to have to pay more. 00:27:41
Sure, landfills will fill up. 00:27:46
The utilization will increase. We will need more, which means fine. 00:27:48
Land buying land, preparing it for landfills. We will see the costs elsewhere. So thank you for your time. Thank you. Real quick, 00:27:53
before you leave, can I get your name just one more time? I didn't get a chance to write it down and I'm here. 00:27:59
That would be great. Thank you so much. 00:28:07
Yes, ma'am. 00:28:12
We have enough time. 00:28:13
Can I get your name as well? 00:28:17
My name is Debbie Hackman. My address is 3323 E County Road 400 S, Brownstown, on the Solid Waste District director of Jackson 00:28:19
County. I've met some of you before. I'm also the Indiana State Solid Waste. 00:28:25
I'm specialist for the Rural Community Development Program and I serve on a recycled market Development Board for the state of 00:28:31
Indiana. 00:28:34
We were surprised and saddened to hear that you would. 00:28:38
I'm thinking about eliminating and when I say lemon, I want to make sure I get my boarding straight. Are you talking about just? 00:28:41
Eliminating the solid waste district. 00:28:48
Completely. 00:28:51
Is that is that? 00:28:53
So don't know yet. This is not a question and answer session. 00:28:56
That was if you eliminate the solid waste district. 00:29:03
You still by state such you have to provide the same programs that they are providing now. So you still have to find funding for 00:29:06
this and I know that you get funded out of edit funds. 00:29:10
And I know because it may be because of Senate Bill one that you're going to have to maybe move some some tax dollars around to 00:29:15
meet all your obligations. 00:29:19
But I think that. 00:29:23
That no one from this board has. 00:29:24
Has approached the Indiana Association of Solid Waste Districts who could help you with your budgeting. Can help you look at your 00:29:28
budget if you find some more sources of revenue maybe and find some things that you could count or do as a cheaper price. 00:29:34
Nobody's called. 00:29:41
The Indiana World Community Assistance Program that I work for and ask for help. 00:29:43
In helping your budget and maybe looking at this and how can we keep these people happy? 00:29:48
It's now how they're recycling in their homes that are hazardous waste programs. 00:29:52
And maybe we can find money. 00:29:57
Without eliminating it completely. 00:29:59
OK. I think you guys got a great thing going here. 00:30:02
Another thing is 2 years ago you received a grant from the Recycling Indiana Recycle Market Development Board. 00:30:05
You purchase assets with those. 00:30:10
One thing I would like for you to think about is what's going to happen to those assets and have you asked them if those can be 00:30:13
sold? 00:30:16
Because they worked, they were given to you in good faith that they were going to be used for recycling program. 00:30:19
So that's one thing that if you. 00:30:24
If you advance with this, this idea of eliminating program. 00:30:26
That's something you need to check into because that could be a, you know, the Indian state government's going to be concerned 00:30:30
about that. 00:30:32
Thank you. 00:30:36
All right. That concludes that portion of our public comment. 00:30:38
I'll go ahead and open up the floor to the other board members. 00:30:43
If they have any. 00:30:47
Further comments they would like to make. 00:30:48
Regarding this matter. 00:30:50
I'll be happy to start. 00:30:55
But umm. 00:30:57
Unless you. 00:30:58
Lighting doc. 00:30:58
Well, you know, I'm. 00:31:03
I've been pretty outspoken over the last. 00:31:05
Several months. 00:31:07
About. 00:31:09
Some of the legislation that has been passed that's going to have. 00:31:10
Real impacts to everyone of our communities to the point where. 00:31:14
I can't imagine that there's any community out. 00:31:18
Right now, that's not. 00:31:20
Examining the services they provide and how they're going to provide those services. 00:31:22
You know, we have not just the county government, but we got. 00:31:27
Schools we have fire departments, we have libraries, we have municipalities that are all getting ready to. 00:31:31
Take a significant decrease in the amount of funding that they have to. 00:31:36
Provide services and. 00:31:41
I've been very clear. 00:31:44
Over the last couple months that. 00:31:45
You know my job is to make sure that the services that we are statutorily. 00:31:47
Responsible for providing a strong and solvent and that is going to be. 00:31:52
Our number one priority and what happens after that? 00:31:56
We'll just kind of have to see, but. 00:31:59
I know there's been a lot of. 00:32:01
Data that's been thrown at us and even our fiscal advisors aren't exactly, exactly confident what. 00:32:04
That totally looks like they don't believe that. 00:32:09
We're going to have. 00:32:12
Very good projections, accurate models built until sometime. 00:32:14
Mid-july Umm. 00:32:18
Maybe even in August so. 00:32:19
You know, we're kind of. 00:32:21
Fly by the seat of our pants here a little bit and. 00:32:22
You know, I've heard everything from when this originally started from. 00:32:25
Decreases. 00:32:29
Anywhere from $300,000 to over $1,000,000. 00:32:31
You know. 00:32:35
That's what I got to say as far as services go. I mean, we got to focus on the services that. 00:32:37
We're responsible for providing to make sure those are strong and solvent first. 00:32:43
And First off, no one doubts the passion of the people who recycle. 00:32:49
Nor the ability. 00:32:54
And hard work with people that. 00:32:56
Have worked with this department. 00:32:57
For numerous years. 00:32:59
I don't recall. 00:33:01
Year of the State mandated the program again. 00:33:03
But it's my understanding that that was reversed by state statute in 2020, in 2017. 00:33:07
That's correct. 00:33:13
And the way that our lawyers have counseled us with regards to that statute is that. 00:33:14
We don't have to have. 00:33:20
Any services available after that? 00:33:21
That's their legal interpretation. I have two attorneys who looked into that for us. 00:33:24
So the legality that has been looked into have also looked. 00:33:32
Reality of the grants that are out there as well. 00:33:35
That's my understanding that as long as we go beyond a certain number of months with those, then. 00:33:37
We're not under any. 00:33:43
Scrutiny or we're not violation of any. 00:33:44
Received those grants, nor do we have to repay them. 00:33:47
It's certainly if we found out that we were. 00:33:50
Sideways with that then that would he would either go back. 00:33:53
Or the money would go back to the grantee if it was turned out, if it turns out that that was the legal necessity on that. 00:33:57
We discussed this publicly, this board. 00:34:05
More than once, I mean, we had a discussion about a moratorium and during those discussions, if I'm not incorrect, we talked about 00:34:09
we weren't exactly sure what pathway we're going to have to go down. 00:34:13
Whether we were going to have to look at outsourcing, whether going to have to look at discontinuation of this, but this is not 00:34:18
the first. 00:34:21
Time This has been on the radar. 00:34:24
With regards to the paper, I know that the circulation. 00:34:27
Glendale's we still advertising that? 00:34:31
We are on Facebook and the Commissioners page. 00:34:34
And then I know there's a very active. 00:34:37
Communication that goes on within. 00:34:39
The recycling community as well. 00:34:42
So unfortunately, it seems like the more ways we had to communicate with one another, the less effective. 00:34:44
One means. 00:34:49
Anymore, Umm. 00:34:51
Also. 00:34:53
Doing public service for 10 years and I will tell you there's no great time to have a meeting. 00:34:54
People work at all hours. We had a 10 AM this morning for. 00:34:59
Development that had a few attendees will have a six PM tonight, so there's not. 00:35:02
Any 9:00 to 5:00 work. 00:35:06
Force anymore out there Monday through Friday, everybody's working all hours, so I know that that's inconvenient for some. 00:35:09
With regards to where this money may be going, I'm always. 00:35:19
A little flummoxed when people think that if if this is cut out, that we're really going to be lying in our pockets with it. 00:35:23
Just doesn't happen that way. 00:35:29
Right now I will tell you that we're projecting. 00:35:31
Probably need to replace. 00:35:34
10 snowplows over the next 5 to 8 years within the. 00:35:37
County. 00:35:41
The vast majority of that fleet was purchased in 2016 and 2017 when the hospital revenue was received. 00:35:43
And other than two trucks purchased a couple of years ago, there have been no wide scale replacements. 00:35:49
Each one of those. 00:35:55
Large tandem trucks runs about $250,000 apiece. 00:35:57
And we're looking at. 00:36:02
As a county of trying to replace that equipment, trying to do it. 00:36:03
With offsets from a budget rather than having to raise taxes or revenue somewhere else to do that. 00:36:07
That work? Really. 00:36:13
Should have begun a few years ago. 00:36:15
It's going to begin this year. 00:36:17
But I can tell you one tandem truck is $256,000. That was quote from two years ago, so I imagine it's only gone up. 00:36:20
So more than likely that's where. 00:36:27
A good portion of this money is going to go. 00:36:29
I believe that we probably could use riverboat money for a year or two. 00:36:34
Think it's a model to use long term with regards to this. 00:36:38
And I don't think anybody in this room can tell us what's going to happen. 00:36:42
With the projected cuts in revenue from the property taxes. 00:36:45
Even the Department of Local Government Finance tells us that we can't. 00:36:49
Count on anything until quote UN quote it happens. 00:36:53
And that's no way to do business. 00:36:57
One final thought. 00:37:00
You know, essential government services consist of providing for the public safety, in my opinion, providing for infrastructure, 00:37:04
for education, providing for some healthcare measures. 00:37:09
I think that you could. 00:37:16
Discuss recycling programs and education is providing for the common good, but it certainly falls below the other four of my. 00:37:17
Estimation. 00:37:25
And we're going to have to make a lot of priorities as. 00:37:27
Commissioner Sharp. 00:37:30
Indicated. 00:37:32
My recommendation would be that. 00:37:33
If it's determined that. 00:37:36
Recycling is an essential government service. 00:37:38
My fall back argument to that would be that. 00:37:41
Outsourcing would be a much. 00:37:44
More economical way of providing for that. 00:37:46
Estimates that we've gotten indicate that that might happen for as much as 50% reduction. 00:37:49
And so. 00:37:55
If we decide to become more efficient as a government agency, we're looking for outsourcing. 00:37:57
Then at a bare minimum. 00:38:03
I would recommend that we continue to offer. 00:38:05
Either monthly. 00:38:07
Quarterly, however we look at it. 00:38:09
Some sort of way of getting rid of the hazardous household? 00:38:11
Materials. I can't remember which speaker brought that up, but that was very, very close to. 00:38:15
My estimation on that to the electronics. 00:38:19
The lithium batteries. 00:38:22
Paint. 00:38:24
All of those types of things. 00:38:25
I think we have to do that. 00:38:27
At a minimum. 00:38:29
With regards to. 00:38:31
Businesses recycling. 00:38:33
Dale and I both live within the city and we pay separate recycling fees for the recycling that we do. 00:38:35
As does our business. 00:38:41
And. 00:38:42
As Mr. Aber said. 00:38:43
Paper sold said. You know, that is a cost of business and sometimes that gets passed on at the consumer. 00:38:45
But. 00:38:51
Those are my thoughts. They're not all of my thoughts and. 00:38:53
Probably best that I don't give everybody all my thoughts at anyone time ever, because. 00:38:56
Might be a little bit of a dangerous place at times, you know, but. 00:39:00
That's what is. 00:39:04
Front of mind right now with regards to this. 00:39:05
So. 00:39:08
Those are my comments at the moment on this. Might have some more sits a lot. 00:39:10
Thank you, Sir. 00:39:13
Any other comments? 00:39:16
I'd like to say that. 00:39:19
I concur with Mr. Sharp, Mr. 00:39:21
Enabled it. 00:39:23
As we need to figure out what's in my mind, what's very important is public safety and infrastructure. 00:39:26
I guess I could put. 00:39:34
This into my bucket of public safety, especially with Azure S materials. 00:39:36
We all know that's a problem. I mean in the old days when you change your old old. 00:39:41
Called shade tree mechanics. You just dump it out on the ground and. 00:39:46
Walk away. Well, we don't do that anymore. 00:39:49
Paints. 00:39:52
We had an incident the other day. 00:39:54
Make the paper some latex paint. Well, what shouldn't have been. 00:39:55
That was on the contractor. He should have. 00:40:00
More properly I would assume. 00:40:02
But then again, just looking back. 00:40:04
You know, I'll date myself, but. 00:40:07
I know. 00:40:10
It hadn't been that long ago that there was guys that rode around pickup trucks. 00:40:11
Looking for cardboard? 00:40:15
I mean, they would. 00:40:17
And they take it down at Riverside Recycling and they make. 00:40:18
And that might supplement or Social Security or whatever, I don't know. 00:40:21
But. 00:40:25
Furthermore, just anything that we could that we're doing that. 00:40:26
We can get private enterprise to do it. 00:40:30
I think it's better for everybody concerning as Mr. 00:40:33
Can able pointed out in the city? 00:40:36
We pay a separate fee for recycling. I just wonder. 00:40:40
If companies that provide. 00:40:43
Waste disposal in a county would be amicable to. 00:40:47
Having a separate truck out like in New Albany Echo Tech. 00:40:51
They come down my alley with a garbage truck. 00:40:55
Down my alley with a recycling truck. 00:40:57
I just wonder if private enterprise would be amicable. 00:40:59
To doing that. 00:41:02
4 feet. 00:41:03
That's just my thoughts. 00:41:05
Thank you, Bill. 00:41:07
So. 00:41:10
I want to begin my. 00:41:12
Thoughts by making. 00:41:14
Observation. 00:41:16
As the lone representative of the city. 00:41:17
Government. 00:41:22
The first thing that I'll acknowledge is. 00:41:24
What you all have said that we as a city do have a recycling program. 00:41:27
And that will continue. 00:41:32
Regardless of. 00:41:34
Any changes necessitated? 00:41:36
Here or with the solid waste program. 00:41:40
So the government has viewed that as a priority. 00:41:45
We have a fee for that and we'll continue to provide that. 00:41:48
Or city residents typically receive. 00:41:52
A value from solid waste. 00:41:56
Is with those hazardous? 00:41:59
Materials. 00:42:02
It's with the electronics. 00:42:04
Because there isn't a similar. 00:42:07
Component to our recycling program. 00:42:11
And that is something that I think all of our residents countrywide. 00:42:14
Can benefit from. 00:42:19
I appreciate. 00:42:25
And join with all of you in the frustration that. 00:42:29
I think that. 00:42:33
Our state legislators have missed the mark. 00:42:35
I think they failed to appropriately address. 00:42:38
The key problem? 00:42:42
And in. 00:42:44
Rushing to. 00:42:45
Arrive at a solution. 00:42:47
They have created. 00:42:49
A series of local problems at schools. 00:42:52
With local government. 00:42:57
And. 00:43:00
I do expect. 00:43:01
That. 00:43:03
Most entities at those levels will have to make decisions about. 00:43:04
How to? 00:43:08
Incorporate those cuts, whether it be a reduction in services, whether it be an implementing of a new tax that they. 00:43:10
Particularly also wrote into the legislation. 00:43:17
So they made some provision for. 00:43:21
But but those will be things that that will have to be dealt with. 00:43:23
What I think I would prefer. 00:43:29
Before we. 00:43:32
Jump to. 00:43:34
Conversation about outright eliminating something. 00:43:36
Is to develop a plan. 00:43:40
For what that would look like. 00:43:43
If the county, for example, wants to have conversations. 00:43:46
And employ an eco tech or a similar waste management system to do. 00:43:50
Residential recycling pickup. 00:43:56
I would like to have those conversations so that we know what we're transitioning to and the public can be aware of that and we 00:43:59
can all know the cost of that and have a plan. 00:44:04
If the plan is to. 00:44:08
Not have any recycling services. 00:44:11
I think that we should at least have a conversation about how we're. 00:44:14
Going to provide for some of these hazardous. 00:44:18
Conditions. 00:44:21
And I also have. 00:44:23
A concern. 00:44:26
For our our team. 00:44:31
Our team has done an excellent job of building this program over. 00:44:36
A number of years. 00:44:41
They provide education they provide. 00:44:43
The waste management services. 00:44:47
In many ways, I would argue that having this service also helps reduce some of the. 00:44:51
Trash and debris in ways that might otherwise end up along to the side of the road or. 00:44:58
Hillsides or wherever. 00:45:04
To Dales point. 00:45:08
Yeah, that that was how a lot of people dealt with oil. That was how a lot of people dealt with paint, with tires. 00:45:09
Al and I could probably go March around Silver Hills and to this day probably find somewhere where someone is thrown out tires. 00:45:18
In a otherwise. 00:45:25
You know. 00:45:28
Vacant section. 00:45:31
Of property. 00:45:33
And I think that. 00:45:36
I think those are the things that would be right to be explored. 00:45:38
I will defer to my county colleagues. 00:45:44
About some of their financial constraints, I can't address and answer that for them. 00:45:48
Nor should they. 00:45:56
Inform me as a city. 00:45:59
Budgeter. 00:46:01
Of how we should always do that. 00:46:02
But I do think that maybe there would be some some wise. 00:46:07
Thought to. 00:46:13
Actually moving forward when we did the moratorium. 00:46:15
I thought that what we would do is is go through a process, and I voted for the moratorium because I thought that was a prudent 00:46:19
first step to make sure that our costs were. 00:46:25
Reigned in that we appreciated the severity of the situation and were able to make adjustments. 00:46:31
I I think. 00:46:40
You know, to the point. 00:46:41
Almighty, I think you're right. Perhaps we don't want to use riverboat money that the county receives or that come in from other 00:46:43
places. 00:46:47
As a continuing source. 00:46:52
But perhaps that would give us a period of time. 00:46:55
Over the next. 00:46:59
Year. 00:47:01
To decide. 00:47:03
What direction is the best and what options we have and and come up with that plan. 00:47:05
You know, I think we've we've got models and have done that in other ways, whether it be regarding our, our assets or facilities, 00:47:12
other sorts of things. 00:47:16
And so I guess that's the the point that I would make is. 00:47:21
You know, I understand the need to. 00:47:26
Face a reality. 00:47:29
I guess I'm just wondering if we're. 00:47:32
It feels like we're moving to a final decision. 00:47:34
Before we've had a chance to, really. 00:47:38
Do some evaluation and look at some options collectively as a board. 00:47:41
Any other comments? 00:47:54
Yeah, I've got a couple. 00:47:55
I've just been here since January. This topic has been on the agenda every. 00:47:56
Meeting that I've been. 00:48:02
So this is my 12th meeting. 00:48:04
And we've been talking about it. 00:48:08
And if you want to serve the public, maybe we should get the city and the county together and we should solve these problems 00:48:09
together. 00:48:13
So that we serve. 00:48:16
All of the public instead of whether you live in the city or the county. 00:48:18
Everett, Ma'am. 00:48:26
Any other comment? 00:48:31
All right, so given the fact that. 00:48:33
We want to make sure the public had. 00:48:37
Ample time to speak today. 00:48:39
About some of this. 00:48:42
Issues revolving around the South Waste District. 00:48:44
I I'd like to recommend that we accept the Directors report as presented. 00:48:48
Umm, yeah, I think that. 00:48:52
Yeah. 00:48:57
OK. 00:49:01
So I move to accept the director report as written and presented. 00:49:05
This evening. 00:49:09
I'll second. 00:49:11
OK, got a motion by Al. 00:49:12
And a second by Frank to accept the directors report as submitted. 00:49:14
Is there any further discussion? 00:49:19
All in favor signify by saying aye. 00:49:25
Aye aye. Any opposed? 00:49:27
Motion carries. 00:49:29
I'll go ahead and open up public comment. 00:49:32
For any general recommendation from this body to go forward with commissioners. 00:49:35
Again, legal counsel correctly if I'm. 00:49:41
Incorrect but. 00:49:43
No formal. 00:49:45
Recommendations. 00:49:46
Required from this body that is correct and. 00:49:47
Just the public knows any vote would have to go through the commissioners. 00:49:51
A majority vote as well as the County Council by majority vote. That is correct. Both of those bodies would entertain. 00:49:56
Ordinances to with the intent to dissolve. 00:50:03
Thereafter, there will be a public hearing set. 00:50:06
And then the commissioners would vote after that public hearing. 00:50:09
So commissioned your vote, a council vote, a public hearing which has to wait 180 days and then? 00:50:13
You guys, then the commissioners would vote on that. 00:50:20
So those are the two bodies that have to take action, not this body. Get this right, for the record, because I know. 00:50:22
This is very important so Commissioners vote could be taken. 00:50:28
As early as tonight. 00:50:31
Not necessarily. 00:50:33
County Council. 00:50:34
As early as their next meeting, but not necessarily. 00:50:36
When would a public hearing be required? 180 days later? 00:50:40
Within 180 days, no. After 180 day waiting period, so 181 days, correct and that public meeting would be? 00:50:45
Most probably it could be like we've done this previously, a joint County Council and county commissioner meeting. It could be, 00:50:54
but it's really commissioners meeting. 00:50:58
And then after that. 00:51:04
Immediately after that, 180 days plus one, plus public hearing. That vote could take place that night or another night at another 00:51:06
commissioners meeting. 00:51:10
That is correct and along with that I. 00:51:14
What you would call actual ordinance to dissolve, we would have a plan. 00:51:17
Associated with that which would include what would happen with assets and debts of the district. 00:51:21
And what plan, if any, exists for services that were provided? 00:51:27
Not to say that there has has to be any plan there, but even if that plan is for private citizens to. 00:51:33
Contract for their own services or if there's some plan for a hazardous waste type separate contract that's not under solid waste 00:51:39
district, whatever that plan may look like. Those are some different things that were floated this evening, so only reason I'm 00:51:43
throwing those out there. 00:51:47
So that final ordinance to dissolve by the commissioners would include that plan. 00:51:51
Right, and that's where I. 00:51:56
Emphasize because a lot of times it looks like these things are final actions, like today. We're voting today or voting tomorrow 00:51:58
and that's it. 00:52:01
If there's a vote tonight. 00:52:07
At a minimum you have 180 days still to have public input. 00:52:09
At each commissioners meeting, At each Council meeting. 00:52:14
Because at the end of each Commissioners meeting, we have. 00:52:16
Free mic basically for any non agenda item. 00:52:19
You can usually arrange to have coffee with one of us whenever. 00:52:24
You want to. 00:52:28
Or council folks. 00:52:30
And we're going to have multiple. 00:52:32
Joint meetings between now and then. 00:52:33
And during those 180 days? 00:52:35
The votes could be. 00:52:40
There could be changes of minds, changes of hearts. 00:52:42
Plans coming up. 00:52:44
It's just a time to gather information. 00:52:46
But so often, it looks like this is a final vote. 00:52:49
And it's not. 00:52:53
Many of these. 00:52:54
Boards and departments have built within them a time frame where it takes time to. 00:52:56
Dissolve, deconstruct them however you want to do it, and that time is baked in there purposefully. 00:53:04
So that. 00:53:09
It has come before the public multiple times. 00:53:10
So it's crap. 00:53:13
All right. So anyway, no recommendation required from this board to go before the commissioners and then that's the timetable. 00:53:15
That is correct. 00:53:21
All right, I'll. 00:53:24
Open up public comment for any non agenda items if anyone. 00:53:26
This is not agenda items. 00:53:29
For anyone who may. 00:53:31
How many things? Yes, ma'am. 00:53:33
Business days or? 00:53:36
Just calendar day is correct calendar day. 00:53:39
All right. 00:53:45
On that agenda items. Yes ma'am. 00:53:50
We didn't vote on anything. 00:53:57
There's no vote taken. 00:53:59
I just want to state that I. 00:54:07
Hope that we can have a. 00:54:10
Joint meeting and talk about. 00:54:12
All. 00:54:14
The budget issues. 00:54:16
That need to come together. It is a. 00:54:19
Huge puzzle. 00:54:22
And lots of pieces to it this year. 00:54:24
And this is only one of the many pieces that need to be talked about and put together. 00:54:27
So I'm looking forward to doing those discussions, having those discussions. 00:54:33
And making these decisions based on facts. 00:54:38
Of our financial situation. 00:54:42
Thank you very much. 00:54:44
Thank you. 00:54:46
Anyone else? 00:54:49
I'll take a motion to adjourn. 00:54:51
So who second? All right. 00:54:52
I have some paperwork. 00:54:58
Did you not add this into the record? 00:55:00
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