HomeMy WebLinkAbout01/22/2008 (3)January 22, 2008
SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL DISTRICT
The Board of Commissioners of the Solid Waste Disposal District met at the County
Commission Chambers, 1801 27th Street, Vero Beach, Florida, on Tuesday, January 22, 2008.
Present were Chairman Sandra L. Bowden, Vice Chairman Wesley S. Davis, and Commissioners
Joseph E. Flescher, Peter D. O'Bryan and Gary C. Wheeler. Also present were County
Administrator Joseph A. Baird, County Attorney William Collins, II, and Deputy Clerk Maureen
Gelfo.
The Chairman called the meeting to order at 10:05 a.m.
14.B.1. WORK ORDER NO. 14 TO GEO.SYNTEC CONSULTANTS. INC. FOR
ENGINEERING SERVICES WITH THE 2008 COMPLIANCE MONITORING &
GENERAL TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
Solid Waste Disposal District Managing Director Himanshu Mehta, P.E., reviewed his
memorandum of January 14, 2008, and informed the Board that semi-annual and annual reports
have to be done on the ground and surface water surrounding the landfill. Additionally, in order
to satisfy Title V requirements, an annual Operating Report and Flare Emission Testing Report
must be done on an annual basis. Director Mehta asked the Board to authorize funding for the
2008 Compliance Monitoring & General Technical Assistance.
January 22, 2008 1
S.W.D.D.
ON MOTION by Commissioner Flescher, SECONDED by
Vice Chair Davis, the Board unanimously approved: Work
Order No. 14 with GeoSyntec in the amount of $97,362.00
to provide engineering services related to the 2008
Compliance Monitoring & General Technical Assistance,
and authorized the Chairman to execute the same, as
recommended in the memorandum of January 14, 2008.
WORK ORDER IS ON FILE IN THE OFFICE OF THE CLERK TO THE BOARD
14.B.2. SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL DISTRICT CUSTOMER CONVENIENCE
CENTERS
Utilities Director Erik Olson presented this item, as outlined in the memorandum of
January 14, 2008. He related that due to the downturn in the economy, staff had been tasked
with finding ways to reduce costs in various County Departments. Within that context, staff was
charged with putting together a budget associated with the five (5) County -wide Solid Waste
Disposal District (SWDD) Customer Convenience Centers, which are staffed by twenty-three
(23) employees.
Director Olson presented two options for the Board to consider: (1) Option A - Maintain
current staffing and operations, bearing in mind that Managing Director Himanshu Mehta will
continue seeking opportunities to save some monies; and (2) Option B — Seek outside bids to see
January 22, 2008 2
S.W.D.D.
if the private market can operate more effectively and more efficiently. Director Olson asked the
Board for guidance, and noted that if the decision were made to privatize, the service provided
would be equal to the existing service.
A lengthy discussion ensued among the Commissioners and Administrator Baird, of
which the key points were the following:
• The need to find ways to reduce the County's costs and to obtain bids so that a
comparison could be made, and ensuring that said comparison is fair
• Concerns regarding the welfare of the twenty-three Convenience Center
employees & utilizing said staff to try to find cost-saving solutions
• The imprudence of having money leave the County, should the private
contractor's home base be elsewhere
• Concerns that a private company might "low -ball" a bid to secure the job, and
then elevate their costs
Commissioner O'Bryan suggested that the Teamsters Union submit a proposal to see if
County operations could be done more cost effectively.
Commissioner Wheeler MOVED, SECONDED by
Commissioner O'Bryan, for discussion, to approve Option
B, to develop bid specifications, to bid the Customer
Convenience Center operation and associated duties for
private contract operations.
January 22, 2008 3
S.W.D.D.
Ms. M. Sullivan, Sebastian, urged the Board to retain the Convenience Center staff, and
not to privatize this operation, as she felt the County employees were providing excellent service
for the money.
Fred Mensing, 7580 129a' Street, appealed to the Board to evaluate what could be done
within the County's current Solid Waste Center's operations to increase productivity using
current staff. He feared that a private company could present large fee increases.
Steve Myers, Teamsters Local Union 769, declared that a public sector employer should
be able to run more efficiently than a private sector employer. He reiterated the concerns of the
previous speakers relative to a private contractor hiking prices.
Tom Pecco, 1268 Bevin Drive, and SWDD employee, urged the Board to give the
County employees a chance to enact some changes, and divulged that staff was already working
with Director Mehta to make some modifications. He predicted that if the County sold its
equipment and went to privatization, the private contractor would enact a rate increase, and the
County would find that privatization had not been a good idea.
The Chairman CALLED THE QUESTION and
the Board, by a 4-1 vote (Commissioner Flescher opposed)
approved Option B, to develop Bid specifications, to bid the
Customer Convenience Center operation and associated
January 22, 2008
S.W.D.D.
-W./
duties for private contract operations, as recommended in
the memorandum of January 14, 2008.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, on Motion duly made, seconded and carried, the Board
adjourned at 10:35 a.m.
ALL BACKUP DOCUMENTATION ARE ON FILE IN THE OFFICE OF THE CLERK
TO THE BOARD AND ARE HEREBY MADE A PART OF THESE MINUTES
AT
Jeffrey K. Barton, Clerk
MAR 1 8 2008
Minutes Approved:
MG/SWDD Minutes
January 22, 2008
S.W.D.D.
5
Sa dra L. Bowden, Chairman
5 134 PS 434