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Minutes - CAC - 2022-03-09COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT MINUTES OF THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING MARCH 9, 2022 NOTE. This hybrid in person and teleconferenced meeting will utilize electronic means consistent with State of California AssemblyM11361(Gov. Code § 54953(b)(3)). CAC Members present Daniel Baume, Cindy Brenneman, Rosemarie Chora, Dickie Fernandez, Judy Gielow, Seth Greiner, Elodie Katz, Phil Marsh CAC Members absent Jeff Arbour, Mike Corcoran, Sue Lester Board Members present None Staff present Scott Carroll (General Manager), Noelani Middenway (District Clerk & Public Information Officer), Gina Terraneo (Management Analyst II), Mark Esquer (District Engineer) Others present Mike Balliet (Michael Balliet Consulting) Meeting called to order at 6:00 P.M. A. OPENING ITEMS Procedural: 1. Call to Order Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) Chair Katz called the meeting to order at 6:00 P.M. COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 2 MINUTES OF THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING HELD MARCH 9, 2022 Procedural: 2. Roll Call District Clerk & Public Information Officer, Noelani Middenway, conducted roll call. She noted that CAC Members Baume, Brenneman, Chora, Fernandez, Gielow, Greiner, Katz, and Marsh were present, while CAC Members Arbour, Corcoran, and Lester were not present. Procedural: 3. Public Comments - Speakers will be limited to three minutes. The three minutes per speaker time allotted may be extended for good cause by a majority vote of the committee. CAC Chair Katz opened public comments. Hearing none, she closed public comments. B. ITEMS Action: 1. Approve the Citizens Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes of January 12, 2022 Recommendation: That the Citizens Advisory Committee approves the meeting minutes as presented. CAC Chair Katz introduced the item. She discussed a few revisions to page six of the document regarding native plants and establishing an outdoor community space. Motion: To approve the Citizens Advisory Committee Meeting minutes of January 12, 2022 with CAC Chair Katz- s requested edits. Motion by Cindy Brenneman, second by Seth Greiner. Final Resolution: Motion carries 8-0-3 Ayes: Daniel Baume, Cindy Brenneman, Rosemarie Chora, Dickie Fernandez, Judy Gielow, Seth Greiner, Elodie Katz, Phil Marsh No: None Not Present: Jeff Arbour, Mike Corcoran, Sue Lester There was no further discussion. COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 3 MINUTES OF THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING HELD MARCH 9, 2022 Action, Receive and File: 2. Receive and File Waste Composition Study #1 from Michael Balliet Consulting Recommendation: That the Citizens Advisory Committee receives and files this report. CAC Chair Katz introduced the item. General Manager, Scott Carroll, provided an overview of the waste composition study and its purpose. He noted that the District's solid waste consultant, Mike Balliet, was not present to give the report. He stated that the study was performed on December 8, 2021. CAC Member Gielow requested clarification on how to properly separate food waste. Mr. Carroll stated that the District's public outreach efforts include educational videos, social media campaigns, flyers, and trash cart inspections. He encouraged the CAC to help educate their neighbors and local community on how to properly recycle. CAC Member Gielow asked how to dispose of diapers. Mr. Carroll stated that diapers can be placed in the Mixed Waste Cart. CAC Member Fernandez shared that the sticker on the lid of the Organics Recycling Carts is very helpful in determining how to separate waste. CAC Member Chora asked how many customers were included in the study. She also asked if the characterization is representative of the whole service area. She stated that sometimes more affluent areas are not entirely representative of the community at large. Mr. Carroll stated that he does not know how many customers were analyzed. He stated that there are some neighborhoods with higher diversion rates than others within the District's service area. He noted that the study is not intended to encompass the entire District. CAC Chair Katz asked how frequently these studies will be conducted. COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 4 MINUTES OF THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING HELD MARCH 9, 2022 Mr. Carroll stated that two studies will be conducted every quarter. He added that each study will analyze different trash routes in different neighborhoods. CAC Member Gielow stated that the stickers on the lid of the Organics Recycling Carts contain a strip of graphics that are hard to interpret as they have faded over time. Mr. Carroll stated that some of the Organics Recycling Carts are about seven years old and, therefore, the stickers are worn out. He added that the District will work with CR&R to issue new stickers. CAC Chair Katz recommended adding stickers to each cart of a three -cart system. CAC Member Chora also recommended educational literature or a kitchen magnet that contains information about the District's Organics Recycling Program. Mr. Carroll shared that the District has magnets available for the pubic. CAC Member Greiner inquired about pet waste bags. Mr. Carroll clarified that only compostable pet waste bags can be placed in the Organics Recycling Carts. Discussion followed regarding diapers, pet waste, and palm fronds. Mr. Carroll clarified that palm fronds are too fibrous for CR&R's Anaerobic Digestion (AD) Facility and should be placed in the Mixed Waste Carts. CAC Member Fernandez mentioned that there is new technology to convert food waste into energy. There was no further discussion, and the report was received. COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 5 MINUTES OF THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING HELD MARCH 9, 2022 Action: 3. Consider Recommending the Board of Directors adopt Ordinance No. 2022-XX Revising Chapter 9.02 of the District's Operations Code to Provide Consistency with District's Refund Policy Recommendation: That the Citizens Advisory Committee approves recommending the Board of Directors adopt Ordinance No. 2022-XXX revising Chapter 9.02 of the District's Operations Code to provide consistency with District's refund policy. CAC Chair Katz introduced the item. Mr. Carroll suggested to pull this item from the agenda per District Counsel's recommendation that no action is needed. The CAC agreed to pull the item from the agenda and there was no further discussion. Action: 4. Popular Annual Financial Report (PAFR) for the Year Ended June 30, 2021 Recommendation: That the Citizens Advisory Committee provides feedback to staff regarding the Popular Annual Financial Report (PAFR) for the Year Ended June 30, 2021. CAC Chair Katz introduced the item. Mr. Carroll provided report details. He stated that the Popular Annual Financial Report (PAFR) is a simplified and condensed version of the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR), which is a financial document that represents an agency's revenues and expenditures. He noted that every government agency is required to produce an ACFR, while the PAFR is voluntary. He added that the District is one of few public agencies that produce a PAFR every year. He stated that all of the District's financial reports are available online. He expressed recognition for the District's Finance Department. CAC Chair Katz stated that the PAFR is well -designed and easy to understand. COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 6 MINUTES OF THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING HELD MARCH 9, 2022 CAC Member Fernandez congratulated the District for their transparency efforts with the PAFR. CAC Chair Katz asked if the District's $400,000 loss in investment earnings had a significant impact. Mr. Carroll stated that it was a significant loss, but it was expected due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There was no further discussion. Action: S. Provide Comments and Recommendations regarding CMSD Switching to a 3-Cart Solid Waste Collection Program Recommendation: That the Citizens Advisory Committee provides comments and recommendations regarding CMSD switching to a 3-cart solid waste collection program. CAC Chair Katz introduced the item. Mr. Carroll provided report details. He stated that, according to Senate Bill (SB) 1383, the District is required to separate organic waste from landfill waste. He discussed the requirement of utilizing a high diversion facility for processing organic waste. He proposed the option of transitioning from a two -cart to a three -cart system and discussed the potential number of carts and sizes. He reported that there are 21,118 Organics Recycling Carts in the community. He noted that about 2,100 residential properties have two Organics Recycling Carts. He added that the District is trying to determine its current inventory. He reported that approximately 19.4 pounds of green waste was collected per household last year. He asked the CAC members how many Organics Recycling Carts they have at their residences. CAC Chair Katz stated that she has two Organics Recycling Carts. CAC Member Greiner stated that, in his neighborhood, most residences do not have an Organics Recycling Cart. He noted that some residences have one but there are no residences with two Organics Recycling Carts. COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 7 MINUTES OF THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING HELD MARCH 9, 2022 CAC Member Fernandez stated that his residence utilizes a dumpster and does not have space for additional waste containers. He proposed that the new legislation may cause participation to increase in the coming year. Discussion followed regarding kitchen pails for collecting food scraps and educating customers about SB 1383. Mr. Carroll discussed the potential sizes and quantities of Organics Carts under a three -cart system: (2) 65-gallon Organics Recycling Carts, (1) 65- gallon Organics Recycling Cart, or (1) 90-gallon Organics Recycling Cart. CAC Chair Katz inquired about the different cart sizes. Mr. Carroll clarified that, in a three -cart system, customers would have one cart designated for trash and another cart designated for recyclables. Discussion followed regarding 90-gallon trash carts. Mike Balliet of Michael Balliet Consulting joined the meeting at 6:33 p.m. CAC Member Gielow inquired about receiving a credit for not placing trash carts out for weekly service. She also asked about placing organic waste that does not fit in the Organics Recycling Cart in the Mixed Waste Carts. Mr. Carroll stated that placing organic waste in the wrongly assigned cart would result in a violation under SB 1383. He added that District trash customers can request a large item pickup for their extra waste. CAC Member Greiner noted that large item pickups need to be scheduled a couple weeks in advance. CAC Member Gielow asked how to collect the extra waste. Mr. Carroll stated that the extra waste can be placed in a large trash bag. CAC Member Chora expressed support for providing (2) 65-gallon Organics Recycling Carts and a smaller sized cart for only trash. She stated that a COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 8 MINUTES OF THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING HELD MARCH 9, 2022 smaller cart for trash will encourage customers to evaluate their recycling behaviors and reduce their landfill waste. Mr. Carroll stated that the District will not be promoting the 90-gallon trash carts. He noted that they are intended to serve larger families. CAC Member Chora discussed water services in comparison to trash services and suggested a usage rate fee rather than a flat rate fee. Mr. Carroll expressed agreement with a usage rate fee for trash services but noted that it is difficult to determine how much waste each customer produces. CAC Member Greiner expressed agreement with CAC Member Chora's suggestion of providing (2) 65-gallon Organics Recycling Carts and a smaller cart for trash. CAC Chair Katz inquired about additional Mixed Waste trash carts. She asked about the additional benefits of increasing organic waste tonnage. Mr. Carroll stated that customers can have extra trash carts for an additional cost. He confirmed that CR&R creates renewable natural gas from the organic waste to fuel its trash trucks. CAC Member Brenneman shared a photo of a residence with several trash carts. She inquired about residences with too many trash carts. Mr. Carroll stated that CR&R maintains an inventory of additional trash carts. He added that the District receives a portion of the revenue collected from additional trash carts. He noted that CR&R may need to reassess their inventory to ensure that their data is accurate. CAC Member Brenneman shared that she has two large Mixed Waste Carts and two small Organics Recycling Carts. She inquired about switching out one of her Organics Recycling Carts for a larger size. COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 9 MINUTES OF THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMIME MEETING HELD MARCH 9, 2022 Mr. Carroll stated that, in a three -cart system, customers will not be able to have multiple Mixed Waste Carts. He clarified that customers would have one cart for recyclables and one cart for landfill waste. CAC Member Brenneman discussed the importance of educating the public about recycling. CAC Member Gielow shared that she has one small Organics Recycling Cart and expressed interest in receiving another one. Mr. Carroll stated that the District can submit a request for an additional Organics Recycling Cart for her residence. CAC Member Marsh inquired about the size of the recycling carts. Mr. Carroll stated that the recycling carts will be 90-gallon carts. CAC Member Gielow discussed trash carts based on family sizes. CAC Chair Katz asked if the carts that are going to be removed from residences will be recycled. Mr. Carroll proposed that CR&R will keep those carts as additional inventory. CAC Chair Katz expressed support for the three -cart system and for supplying 90-gallon carts for customers with limited storage space. CAC Member Chora stated that most single-family residences have enough space to store additional carts. She noted that 90-gallon trash carts can be hard to maneuver when they are filled. CAC Member Fernandez stated that new residential construction projects do not have enough space available for trash cart storage. He inquired about providing both trash cart options. Mr. Carroll discussed the residential construction process between the District and the City of Costa Mesa. COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 10 MINUTES OF THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING HELD MARCH 9, 2022 District Engineer, Mark Esquer, discussed City planning codes for storing trash carts. CAC Member Greiner discussed the Organics Recycling Program and compostable bags. He suggested a three -cart system in which customers have one cart for recyclables, one cart for landfill, and up to two carts (of varying size) for organic waste. CAC Chair Katz and Members Marsh and Fernandez expressed support for CAC Member Greiner's suggestion. CAC Member Marsh stressed the importance of communication and public outreach to ensure that customers are aware of the District's trash services. There was no further discussion. Action: 6. Determine the Feasibility and Provide Recommendation Regarding of a Biomass Conversion Project Recommendation: That the Citizens Advisory Committee directs staff to continue this item for the FY 2022-23 Work Plan. CAC Chair Katz introduced the item. Mr. Carroll requested to continue this item for the CAC's 2022-23 workplan. He noted that the District is currently in contract negotiations with CR&R and has yet to conduct research regarding a biomass conversion project. There was no further discussion and the item was continued. C. CLOSING ITEMS Procedural: 1. Committee Member Comments CAC Chair Katz thanked the outgoing CAC members for their service. She shared that the instructions to reapply are posted on the District's website. COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 11 MINUTES OF THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING HELD MARCH 9, 2022 CAC Member Greiner shared that he has learned a lot of valuable information from participating on the CAC. He expressed support for the CAC as a tool for the District to receive public input. CAC Member Brenneman requested to adjourn the meeting in honor of Gladys Refakes, a prominent community member who recently passed away. There was no further discussion. Procedural: 2. Board/Staff Comments None. Procedural: 3. Adjournment CAC Chair Katz adjourned the meeting at 7:03 P.M in honor of Gladys Refakes and stated that the next CAC meeting is scheduled for May 11, 2022. Elodie Katz Citizens Advisory Committee Chair