2017_08_08_studyTuesday, August 8, 2017
Board of Directors Study Session
290 Paularino Avenue, Costa Mesa
9:30AM
A. OPENING ITEMS
Subject 1. Call to Order
Meeting Aug 8, 2017 - Board of Directors Study Session
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Type Procedural
A. OPENING ITEMS
(If absences occur, consider whether to deem those absences excused based on facts presented for the absence – such
determination shall be the permission required by law.)
Subject 2. Roll Call
Meeting Aug 8, 2017 - Board of Directors Study Session
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Type Procedural
A. OPENING ITEMS
This time has been set aside for persons in the audience to make comments on items within the subject matter
jurisdiction of the Costa Mesa Sanitary District that are not listed on this agenda. Members of the public will have the
opportunity to address the Board of Directors about all other items on this agenda at the time those items are
considered.
Under the provisions of the Brown Act, the Board of Directors is prohibited from taking action on oral requests but may
refer the matter to staff or to a subsequent meeting. The Board of Directors will respond after public comment has been
received. Please state your name. Each speaker will be limited to four (4) continuous minutes.
Subject 3. Public Comments
Meeting Aug 8, 2017 - Board of Directors Study Session
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Type Procedural
B. ITEMS OF STUDY
Summary
A total of 801.53 tons of organic waste were collected and recycled in July 2017.
Staff Recommendation
That the Board of Directors receive and file the report.
Analysis
Below is a graph depicting the total tonnage of organic waste collected during each month of FY 2015-16, FY 2016-17
and FY 2017-18.
Legal Review
Not applicable.
Environmental Review
Consideration of the Organics Tonnage Report is an administrative matter and not a disturbance of the environment
similar to grading or construction and not a project under CEQA or the District’s CEQA Guidelines.
Financial Review
Not applicable.
Subject 1. Organics Tonnage Report
Meeting Aug 8, 2017 - Board of Directors Study Session
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Type Receive and File
Not applicable.
Public Notice Process
Copies of this report are on file and will be included with the complete agenda packet for the August 8, 2017 Board of
Directors Study Session meeting at District Headquarters and posted on the District’s website.
File Attachments
Organic Recycling Tonnages.png (16 KB)
B. ITEMS OF STUDY
File Attachments
July 2017 CEO report.doc (1,634 KB)
Subject 2. July Code Enforcement Officer Report
Meeting Aug 8, 2017 - Board of Directors Study Session
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Type Receive and File
B. ITEMS OF STUDY
Summary
The District currently offers a free Door-to-Door Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) collection program for District residents who may
not otherwise have the ability to recycle or dispose of their hazardous materials at permanent HHW facilities. Staff is providing the Board
of Directors with an update on the program.
Staff Recommendation
That the Board of Directors receive and file this report.
Analysis
The Door-to-Door HHW collection program allows senior citizens (62 years of age or older), immobile and/or disabled individuals to
dispose of their HHW materials without leaving their homes. Non-eligible residents can take their HHW materials to any of the permanent
HHW facilities in Orange County or participate in CMSD/OC Waste and Recycling biennial HHW collection program at Orange Coast
College. The closest facility to Costa Mesa is located in Huntington Beach at 17121 Nichols. The Door-to-Door HHW collection program
works as follows:
1. District residents contact CR&R at (949) 646-4617, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. to schedule a pickup.
2. CR&R will verify the quantity and type of HHW materials to be collected. Verification of age and physical status is currently based
on the honor system, residents are not asked to provide documentation.
3. CR&R will coordinate the pickup time and provide information on how to properly store and package the HHW materials.
4. On collection day, the District resident must place the bags or containers at the front of their house by 7:00 a.m. The District
resident does not need to be home for the items to be collected.
5. At the end of each month, CR&R bills the District $98.00 per collection.
Common HHW products picked up include:
Paint Batteries Motor oil & Filters
Light bulbs Antifreeze Cleaning products
Paint thinner Automotive Fluids Fertilizers
Wood Stain Fluorescent lights Pesticides
In fiscal year 2016-17 a total of 64 pickups were completed, a 23% increase from the previous fiscal year where only 52 pickups were
fulfilled. The growth in program use is in part due to increased staff efforts of promoting this program on the District website, newsletter,
social media and at community events. After analyzing total pickups over the last five years, it is proposed that the District aim to once
again increase use of the program by 15% for this current fiscal year 2017-18. In addition to the same outreach tools used in the past,
staff will begin to give oral presentations at the Costa Mesa Senior Center to further promote this program. Below is a chart illustrating a
steady increase in the number of HHW pickups over the last five years, as well as a graph with total pounds collected over the last two
fiscal years.
Subject 3. Door-to-Door HHW Program Update
Meeting Aug 8, 2017 - Board of Directors Study Session
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Type Receive and File
Goals 2.4 Develop Strategies for 75% Waste Diversion
2.00 Solid Waste
Legal Review
Not applicable at this time.
Environmental Review
The Door-to-Door Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) collection program is not a disturbance of the environment similar to grading or
construction and does not constitute a project under CEQA or the District's CEQA Guidelines.
Financial Review
There is no additional fiscal impact other than the funds provided in the adopted budget and the agreement with CR&R.
Public Notice Process
Copies of this report are on file and will be included with the complete agenda packet for the August 8, 2017 Study Session meeting at
District Headquarters and posted on the District's website.
Public Notice Process
1. Direct staff to report back with more information.
File Attachments
HHW Pickups.png (4 KB)
HHW lbs Collected.png (4 KB)
B. ITEMS OF STUDY
Summary
With over one-third of Costa Mesa's population identifying as Hispanic, CMSD seeks to provide Spanish speaking residents with
information about which materials should be placed in the curbside mixed waste carts and which materials should be placed in the
organics recycling carts, as well as available solid waste programs and services.
Recommendation
That the Board of Directors consider providing bilingual outreach material.
Analysis
There is currently very little bilingual material available to the public regarding CMSD's programs and services. In an effort to increase
CMSD's diversion rate and reach all members of the public, staff proposes to make the quarterly newsletter bilingual. Since over one-
third (34%) of Costa Mesa's population identifies as Hispanic, CMSD seeks to provide Spanish speaking residents with information about
which materials should be placed in the curbside mixed waste carts and which materials should be placed in the organics recycling carts,
as well as information about solid waste programs and services.
While organic tonnage and other CMSD waste diversion programs have steadily increased, the District has not yet met its 75% diversion
goal. As a strategy to educate the community and meet its 75% diversion goal, staff would like to expand its bilingual outreach efforts.
Recently, staff sent out a bilingual lockable cart postcard to the Westside neighborhood and received a very positive response. If more
bilingual information was available to the public, staff is confident that District programs and services would be more successful. By
making the quarterly newsletter bilingual, the District would increase its visibility within the Spanish speaking population and provide more
information and education regarding trash and recycling (as opposed to sending multiple postcards advertising specific programs and
services).
Staff has researched a few options to achieve increased bilingual outreach and their related costs:
Provide the quarterly newsletter in a bilingual format. Staff will email Eco Partners the articles and Eco Partners would translate
them into Spanish for an extra costs of $220 per quarter. (City of Santa Ana example - Attachment 1)
The newsletter can be mailed District-wide or the mailing can focus on the Westside neighborhood only.
Create a separate Spanish e-version of the newsletter. The quarterly newsletter would continue as is, but an additional online
version in Spanish would be uploaded onto our District's website for an extra quarterly cost of $675.
This option would require additional advertisement regarding the availability of a Spanish e-newsletter.
Provide a bilingual Living Green Classroom Guide. This quarterly guide is currently provided by Eco Partners at no additional
cost, but making it bilingual would cost $250 per quarter. It is designed with secondary (7-12th grade) students and teachers in
mind. Eco Partners would translate this guide and District staff could distribute it at Eco Challenge and Project Zero Waste
assemblies at schools.
This option does not guarantee that the guide will reach a majority of the District's Spanish speaking residents. Rather, it
assumes that students will take the guide home and share it with their families.
Send postcards to targeted areas, such as the Westside of Costa Mesa, regarding specific programs and services. A postcard
sent to 4,353 residences costs approximately $1,924.43, in addition to the staff staff time needed to design the postcard.
Legal Review
Not applicable.
Environmental Review
Distribution of bilingual material is not a disturbance of the environment similar to grading or construction and does not constitute a
project under CEQA or the District's CEQA Guidelines.
Financial Review
The financial impact of the aforementioned bilingual outreach options are as follows:
Subject 4. Consider providing bilingual outreach material
Meeting Aug 8, 2017 - Board of Directors Study Session
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Type Discussion
Goals 4.0 Community Outreach & Communications
2.4 Develop Strategies for 75% Waste Diversion
2.00 Solid Waste
Option Additional Costs
Bilingual Newsletter $220 per quarter ($880 per fiscal year)
Bilingual e-Newsletter $675 per quarter ($2,700 per fiscal year)
Bilingual Living Green Classroom Guide $250 per quarter ($1,000 per fiscal year)
Bilingual Post Cards $1,924.43 for 4,353 residences
There is $41,000 budgeted for the four (4) quarterly newsletters that will be distributed in FY 2017-18. Last fiscal year, the District spent
nearly $38,600 on its quarterly newsletters. Staff is confident that a bilingual newsletter and/or Classroom Guide can be distributed within
the budget amount of $41,000. However, the addition of a Spanish e-newsletter may require an appropriation of funds (of no more than
$2,000) to the Solid Waste and Wastewater Public Information/Education/Community Promotions account (10-100800-4420 and 20-
200000-4420).
Public Notice Process
Copies of this report are on file and will be included with the complete agenda packet for the August 8, 2017 Board of Directors Study
Session meeting at District Headquarters and posted on teh District's website.
Alternative Actions
1. Do nothing and continue providing outreach in English only.
2. Direct staff to report back with more information.
File Attachments
Attachment 1.pdf (1,183 KB)
B. ITEMS OF STUDY
Summary
The Costa Mesa Sanitary District offers District residents a convenient curbside collection of large or bulky items at their home. CMSD
residents are eligible for three (3) complimentary pickups per year. There is a limit of 10 items per call or collections can be combined for
a total of 30 items per calendar year. Staff is providing the Board of Directors with an update on the program.
Recommendation
That the Board of Directors receive and file this report.
Analysis
The large item collection program allows current District residents to dispose of large or bulky items in their home for free. Residents are
eligible for three (3) complimentary curbside pickups per year or 30 items per calendar year. The program works as follows:
1. District residents contact CR&R at (949) 646-4617, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. to schedule a pickup.
2. CR&R will verify the quantity and type of large or bulky items to be collected.
3. CR&R coordinates the pickup time and provides information on where to place the materials.
4. On collection day, the District resident must place the items at their front of their house by 7:00 a.m. The District resident does not
need to be home for the items to be collected.
5. This program is offered free of charge to residents and the District.
Popular type of items collected include:
Carpet Roll Doors Mattresses
Bed frame TV/E-waste Couches
Dressers Washer/Dryer Refrigerators
Chairs Boxes Tables
There were a total of 5,079 large item pickup requests for fiscal year 2016-17, an 18% increase from fiscal year 2015-16, where only
4,039 requests were made. An increase in pickups means an increase in total tonnage collected, below is a graph summarizing total
tons collected over the last three fiscal years. Fiscal year 2016-17 also saw an increase in the collection of white goods, as reflected in
the list above, not all items collected are white goods that CR&R is able to recycle. White goods tonnage for fiscal year 2015-16 was 8.3,
it more than doubled in fiscal year 2016-17 to 18.7 tons collected. Staff considers the program successful based on the increasing
number of pickups per year and will continue to promote this program on the district website, newsletters, social media and at community
events.
The following graphs illustrate total pickups completed and tonnage collected by fiscal year:
Subject 5. Large Item Collection Program Update
Meeting Aug 8, 2017 - Board of Directors Study Session
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Type Receive and File
Legal Review
Not applicable.
Environmental Review
The large item collection program is not a disturbance of the environment similar to grading or construction and does not constitute a
project under CEQA or the District's CEQA Guidelines.
Financial Review
There is no additional fiscal impact other than the funds provided in the adopted budget and the agreement with CR&R.
Public Notice Process
Copies of this report are on file and will be included with the complete agenda packet for the August 8, 2017 Board of Directors Study
Session meeting at District Headquarters and posted on the District’s website.
Alternative Actions
1. Direct staff to report back with more information.
File Attachments
Large Item Pickups.png (3 KB)
Large Item Tons Collected.png (4 KB)
B. ITEMS OF STUDY
Summary
The Sharps and Pharmaceutical waste collection program collects used sharps and pharmaceuticals and properly disposes of them for
residents free of charge. The program ensures proper disposal of discarded needles and other sharps to prevent health risks to the
public as as wastewater and solid waste workers. The program also prevents further contamination of pharmaceuticals in the water
stream. The collection of sharps includes syringes, pen needles, and lancets while the collection of pharmaceuticals includes any
unneeded, "non-controlled," prescription, and over-the counter medications.
Staff Recommendation
The Board of Directors receive and file this report.
Analysis
In fiscal year 2016-17 the program collected a total of 1,852.6 lbs. in pharmaceutical waste and a total of 1,970.2 lbs., in sharps. The
program has experienced a small decline in sharps collection but a steady increase in pharmaceutical waste collection throughout the
years despite the decline in participating locations. Residents are able to dispose of their sharps and pharmaceuticals at three
pharmacies located in Costa Mesa. The District recently contracted with Harbor Compounding Pharmacy to allow residents to dispose of
their unneeded pharmaceuticals on site in their facility. Below is a chart illustrating total sharps and pharmaceutical collection for the past
four fiscal years as well as a list of current participating pharmacies with the type of waste they will be collecting.
Location Sharps Pharmaceuticals
Costa Mesa Senior Center X
Harbor Compounding Pharmacy X
Ramsay Rexall Drugs X X
White Front Pharmacy X
*The Costa Mesa Senior Center location is not advertised because it is meant for senior citizens who utilize the facility*
Fiscal Year 2016-17 data indicates Steven's Pharmacy as the location that generated the most waste, unfortunately the pharmacy closed
earlier this year but staff will continue to advertise this program and the new location on the District website, newsletters, social media
and community events. Staff considers the program successful based on the total amount of sharps and pharmaceuticals collected for
the number of participating pharmacies. Below is a summary graph of the total pounds collected at each pharmacy:
Subject 6. Sharps and Pharmaceutical Waste Collection Program Update
Meeting Aug 8, 2017 - Board of Directors Study Session
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Type Receive and File
Goals 2.00 Solid Waste
Legal Review
Not applicable.
Environmental Review
The sharps and pharmaceutical waste collection program is not a disturbance of the environment similar to grading or construction and
does not constitute a project under CEQA or the District's CEQA Guidelines.
Financial Review
The total cost of the Sharps program for FY 16-17 was $10,508.45 which exceeded the budgeted amount of $10,200. The total cost of
the Pharmaceutical program for FY 16-17 was $13,206.92 which exceeded the budgeted amount of $12,000. For fiscal year 2017-18 the
adopted budget of $13,000 and $15,000 for the collection and disposal of sharps and pharmaceutical, respectively.
Public Notice Process
Copies of this report are on file and will be included with the complete agenda packet for the August 8, 2017 Board of Directors Study
Session meeting at District Headquarters and posted on the District’s website.
Alternative Actions
1. Direct staff to report back with more information.
File Attachments
Sharps & Pharm Collected.png (5 KB)
Sharps & Pharm by location.png (5 KB)
B. ITEMS OF STUDY
Recommendation
That the Board of Directors consider hosting a State of the District/Open House on one of the following dates and
times:
Wednesday, October 11 at 6PM
Thursday, October 12 at 6PM
Wednesday, October 18 at 6PM
Wednesday, October 25 at 6PM
Wednesday, November 1 at 6PM
Subject 7. Consider Hosting State of the District/Open House - Oral Report
Meeting Aug 8, 2017 - Board of Directors Study Session
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Type Discussion
C. CLOSING ITEMS
Subject 1. Oral Communications & Director Comments
Meeting Aug 8, 2017 - Board of Directors Study Session
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Type Procedural
C. CLOSING ITEMS
THE NEXT STUDY SESSION OF THE COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS WILL BE HELD ON
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2017 AT 9:30 A.M. IN THE DISTRICTS BOARD ROOM, 290 PAULARINO AVENUE, COSTA
MESA.
Subject 2. Adjournment
Meeting Aug 8, 2017 - Board of Directors Study Session
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Type Procedural