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Home My WebLink AboutNASWAC MeetingMinutes_01.12.06 North Andover Solid Waste Advisory Committee(NASWAC) Minutes Thursday January 12, 2006 In attendance:Tina Klein, Chair Steve Daly, Vice chair Karen Kline Joan Kulash--designated to take minutes Wm. Hmurciak, DPW Director PlaceNorthAndover DPW Time:Meeting called to order by Tina Klein at 7pm December minutes accepted ACTION,. October minutes due. (Karen) OLD BUSINESS : a)Update on proposed town web site overhaul ACTION : Tina will follow-up with Lisa B. to determine the statusof utilizing the software package offered by “Virtual Town Hall, Inc. One Person’s Trash b)“.” ACTION: --Karen Kline will be taking copies to Town Hall, the Library, Sr. Center, and Val’s Restaurant. ACTION: --Karen will ask library if we can post thelaminated version at the library. th The Committee critiqued the January 12/13edition --. All agreed that for the most part it look very good. However, Steve Daly commented that the font size on the front page looked small and not inviting to the readership. --ACTION : Tina will ask Elizabeth if there is a way to make the font larger. If Elizabeth feels as though in order to make the font larger it would entail shortening the articles, that this should be done. The Committee discussed and agreed on the following articles for April edition of -- “One Person’s Trash.” (1). May shredding eventto be held on 5/20Included in this article should be a distinct clarification that this involves ONLY residential files, and notfiles from businesses, even if the business is home-based. ACTIONdue 1/19 (:.Steve to write or to establish the parameters in terms of number of columns or number of words, plus key talking points for Elizabeth to write...) (2) “There is no “Away” --the concept being that the trash ultimately returns to you. Either you recycle it and it returns in another form. You re-use it in its current form. Or, you burn it in our local incinerator. In that case, the chemicals –some of them toxic –return to you the air that we breathe, the water wedrink, or the food that we eat. This would be written by Elizabeth. (3) Middle Moment: ACTION(due 1/19 (: Karen to write or to establish the parameters in terms of number of columns or number of words, plus key talking points for Elizabeth to write..) (4) Bulger’s AnimalHospitalrecycling efforts as an example of a local business that engages in recycling efforts. ACTION(due 1/19 (:Karen to write or to establish the parameters in terms of number of columns or number of words, plus key talking points forElizabeth to write..) (5) Details of Townwide Yardsalealso as article for “One Person’s Trash”: ACTION (: Tina talk to Margaret Barrett to get details. ACTION : Tina also talks to Bernadette regarding allowing public to register on the website. DiscussionWho would people write the $10 checks out toin order to : participate ? It was agreed that it would be written out to the “Town of North Andover” Forms and checks sent to the DPW. In the MEMO on the check, write “Yardsale.” (6) North Andover averagehousehold trash tonnage compared to a similar community, or compared to Andover. ACTION: Tina gets info from Caroline Dann of DEP (7) After a description of what the DPW workers have to go through, and the potential injuries from the heavy lifting of glass,etc. it became very clear to the committee that North Andover residents need to understand why we have certain rules as to how the recycling needs to be “packaged” at the curb. The committee agreed to an article in One Person’s Trash” that would include pictures and an article of how the personnel who are responsible for curbside pickup have to contend with heavy loads, etc. This article would show WHY we ask residents to segregate paper, and not to use large receptacles such as large cardboard boxes to store cardboard strips in. It’s heavy. A picture is worth 1,000 words here. ACTION: Steve to talk to Ellie about getting a video of what the men behind the recycling go through. Steve may see if he can get the high school group who work with Ellie Pye. He was also thinking about traveling with the crew. Discussion : How to acknowledge our DPW workers involved in the growing task of handling recycling. It is hard and heavy work prone to accidents, or injuries through wear and tear. Party. Future agenda item to discuss details.. Discussion : Different recycling vehicles and machinery that ease the burden of collecting the trash and recyclables. For future consideration. Scrap Metal Collection: report from Bill Hmurciak c) Bill said that we do not get paid for the scrap metal. We have a roll-out that gets metal and bulky waste, however, because it isn’t monitored, other things get thrown in it, rendering it “contaminated.” This may be the reason that we get no money for it. However, there is a market for metal, and we need to explore whether it is worth pursuing. ACTION: When Tina speaks to Caroline Dann, also find out how other communities handle scrap metal and if/how they get paid. Waste Ban Compliance:. d)Feedback from residents is that it’s working Other Old Business: e)Discussion of getting new members. How many empty slots do we have? Announced that Steve Daly will be taking a leave of absence after this year because he will be heading up the Rotary Club next year. NEW BUSINESS a)Town Manager sent a letter to Tina complimenting the committee. b)Redeemable. Discussion about boy scouts conducting an audit of aluminum cans because we have not been paid for redeemables. Is it worth sorting them out and getting money for them? A date was set for the boy scouts to do this, but it came right before a snow storm. Didn’t have enough in bin. Need to schedule a time for this to be conducted. c)Yellow Pages: Karen discussed the idea of putting together a blurb to be put in the yellow pages book for North Andover regarding our recycling committee. ACTION : Karen will writeup a blurb and give to Linda. d)Discussion: Will we be getting compost bins from DEP? Rain barrels? ACTION: Tina to check with A. McGovern. Adjourn at 9:20 p.m. thth Next meeting February 7and March 9. SUMMARY OF ACTION ITEMS : KarenOctober minutes due. Karen Karen take OPT copies to Town Hall, the Library, Sr. Center, and Val’s Restaurant. Karenask library if we can post the laminated version of OPT at the library Karen Middle Moment. to write or to establish the parameters in terms of number of columns or number of words, plus key talking points for Elizabeth to write. Karen Bulgers: to write or to establish the parameters in terms of number of columns or number of words, plus key talking points for Elizabeth to write..) Karen Yellow pages.will write up a blurb on Recycling Committee and give to Linda Tina followup with Lisa B. to determine the status of utilizing the software package offered by “Virtual Town Hall, Inc. Tina ask Elizabeth if there is a way to make the font larger. If Elizabeth feels as though in order to make the font larger it would entail shortening the articles, that this should be done. . TinaTown wide yardsaletalk to Margaret Barrett to get details. also talks to Bernadette regarding allowing public to register on the website. Tina Household trash tonnageand other community scrap handlinggets info from Caroline Dann of DEP TinaCheck with Anne McGovern/DEP regarding status of grants. Will we be getting rain barrels? Compost bins? Steve Shredding. To write or establish the parameters in terms of number of columns or number of words, plus key talking points for Elizabeth to write.. Steve to talk to Ellie about getting a video of what the men behind the recycling go through. Steve may see if he can get the high school group who work with Ellie Pye. He was also thinking abouttraveling with the crew on the truck. Respectfully submitted: Joan Kulash