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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06/17/2025 (3)Indian River County, Florida Indian River County Administration Complex 1801 27th Street Vero Beach, Florida 32960 indianriver.gov �LORIO�' Solid Waste Disposal District Meeting Minutes - Final Tuesday, June 17, 2025 Commission Chambers Board of Commissioners Joseph Flescher, District 2, Chairman Deryl Loar, District 4, Vice Chairman Susan Adams, District 1 Joseph H. Earman, District 3 Laura Moss, District 5 John A. Titkanich, Jr., County Administrator Jennifer W. Shuler, County Attorney Ryan L. Butler, Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller Board of Commissioners SWDD Meeting Minutes - Final June 17, 2025 16. SPECIAL DISTRICTS AND BOARDS The Board of County Commissioners reconvened as the Board of Commissioners of the Solid Waste Disposal District. The minutes will be approved at an upcoming Solid Waste Disposal District meeting. B. Solid Waste Disposal District 16.13.1. 25-0607 Approval of the SWDD Meeting Minutes of April 08, 2025 Recommended Action: Approve Attachments: 04082025 SWDD draft A motion was made by Vice Chairman Loar, seconded by Chairman Flescher, to approve the Solid Waste Disposal District Meeting Minutes of April 8, 2025 as written. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 5 - Chairman Flescher, Vice Chairman Loar, Commissioner Adams, Commissioner Earman, and Commissioner Moss 16.13.2. 25-0634 Request to Amend the Solid Waste and Recyclables Collection Franchise Agreement between SWDD and Waste Management, Inc. of Florida Recommended Action: Staff recommends that the Solid Waste Disposal District (SWDD) Board approve the implementation of an earlier cart swap program and to allow the Contract Manager to grant yard waste cart delivery and service exemption to Homeowner's Associations within unincorporated Indian River County with direction to staff and the County Attorney's office to return at a future SWDD Board meeting to ratify an amended Agreement for these approved changes. Attachments: WM Letter Director of Utility Services Sean Lieske began his presentation with a recap of the County's decision to implement Universal garbage collection service with Waste Management (WM) through a 10 -year contract starting October 1, 2025. This included delivering new carts for recycling in June/July, yard waste carts in August, and garbage carts in September. Residents raised concerns which led to staff negotiating two amendments to the contract, presented for the Board's approval. Mr. Lieske detailed the modifications starting with allowing Home Owners Associations (HOA) to opt -out of receiving yard waste carts for all of their units. The decision could not be reversed for the length of the contract, and HOAs had to inform WM by July 15, 2025. It was noted that opting out of yard waste collection would not change the total cost of service. The second amendment regarded the delivery of 65 -gallon recycling carts which were too large for some Indian River County, Florida Page 1 Board of Commissioners SWDD Meeting Minutes - Final June 17, 2025 residents. Initially, people could request a swap for a smaller cart starting on January 2, 2026. The modification allowed swap requests to start August 1, 2025, with deliveries during October 2025. Mr. Lieske explained the cost for this earlier delivery would be handled as a credit against future administrative charges. Discussion ensued between the Board and Mr. Lieske, along with Debbie Perez, WM Government Affairs Manager. Topics included the effect of WM's credit balance, concerns regarding unneeded yard waste containers, problems storing multiple or too -large carts, timing of cart deliveries, and customer service options. Ms. Perez informed residents who were not in an HOA community that they would receive yard waste carts, but could call to have them reclaimed if not needed. She also gave details regarding the delivery of new recycling carts, and the coordinated pick-up of the old ones. The following people addressed the Board: Gary Wilbun felt it was unfair to pay for services he did not want or need, and expressed concern for family members living on a fixed income. He later received confirmation that the Convenience Centers would remain open. Tom Surat explained new recycling bins were too large to fit in his garage, as required by his HOA. He requested an earlier date for swapping. Cynthia Ketcham told of her difficulty in getting correct information. She explained she did not need pick up service, could not afford it, and was overwhelmed by another expense. Paul Freeman suggested Waste Management apply their savings from HOAs which were not receiving yard waste pick-up, as credits for those who could not afford service. A Concerned Resident received information regarding swapping recycling bins, and requested a copy of the opt -out letter for his HOA. A Concerned Resident told the Board he did not want the yard waste container, and felt he should not have to pay for the service. Chairman Flescher explained this was a package of services for the benefit of the community, and did not have a la carte choices. Christopher Mackie requested the Board include COAs (Condominium Owners Associations), along with HOAs, in the contract for legal reasons. He also voiced the following concerns: seasonal residents could not receive/swap bins, liability/insurance impacts, and wildlife access to accessible trash bins. He asked if Indian River County, Florida Page 2 Board of Commissioners SWDD Meeting Minutes - Final June 17, 2025 delivery could be held until the smaller bins were ready. Jayne Killian, Waverly Place, informed the Board her community did not receive the mailing explaining the new system, and residents were unprepared to receive new bins. She asked how to improve communication and to receive correct information. Chairman Flescher apologized for the miscommunication, and offered direct communication with her community. Donna Keys expressed her displeasure with the schedule of cart delivery, and received answers to her questions regarding opting out of the yard waste container, the inability to receive a delivery date for a specific community, the inability to change delivery dates to later in the season, and the revised October date for receiving smaller carts. The Board and staff entered into discussion with Ms. Keys, asking her community to work together to find solutions for snowbird's cart storage. Joi Royce explained her community's difficulty handling and storing the large recycling bins, concerns with wildlife access, and asked the Board to consider delaying more cart deliveries to HOAs. Ms. Perez spoke of the value WM placed in its partnership with the residents of the County, and explained the intricacies of manufacturing and delivering 200,000 new bins. Commissioner Adams received a recap from Mr. Lieske of the issues the Board was being asked to consider. A motion was made by Commissioner Adams, seconded by Vice Chairman Loar, to approve staffs recommendation, as amended to include COAs in the contract revisions. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 5 - Chairman Flescher, Vice Chairman Loar, Commissioner Adams, Commissioner Earman, and Commissioner Moss 16.13.3. 25-0638 Final Pay to Geosyntec for Work Order No. 5 — Permit Compliance Monitoring and Reporting Indian River County Landfill Facility Recommended Action: Solid Waste Disposal District staff recommends that its Board approve Geosyntec's final invoice amount of $11,552.29. Attachments: Geosyntec Completion Letter There was no discussion regarding this item. A motion was made by Commissioner Adams, seconded by Vice Chairman Loar, to approve staffs recommendation. The motion carried by the following vote: Indian River County, Florida I -age s Board of Commissioners SWDD Meeting Minutes - Final June 17, 2025 Aye: 5 - Chairman Flescher, Vice Chairman Loar, Commissioner Adams, Commissioner Earman, and Commissioner Moss 16.6.4. 25-0650 Annual SWDD Rate Study Update Recommended Action: Staff recommends that the SWDD Board approve Scenario 4 of the KCI annual SWDD rate study update as presented with an increase of 15% in service assessments as well as a 15% increase in tipping fees in years 1 thru 3 with 6% increases in both service assessments and tipping fees in years 4 thru 5. This would result in a base service assessment increasing to $79.12 per WGU and the recycling service assessment increasing to $45.94 per WGU. Director of Utility Services Sean Lieske introduced the Item, and handed the presentation over to Peter Engel, Senior Consultant with Kessler Consulting, Inc. (KSI). Mr. Engel used a PowerPoint presentation to discuss the Solid Waste Disposal District (SWDD) Rate Study. The study was done within the context of new Waste Generation Units (WGU) Rates set to start in Fiscal Year (FY) 2027, and did not include the new Collection Assessment with Waste Management which was fully funded. Mr. Engel noted the study focused on adjustments to the Service Assessment Rate (landfill and convenience center operation, landfill leachate, and yard waste composting) and tipping fees to ensure required revenue and reserves were sufficient. The report included four different scenarios of various rate increases and their effect on revenue and reserve balances. Commissioner Adams requested details of the fourth scenario as it would impact residents the least. Mr. Engel discussed the rate increases which would take effect FY 26 through FY 30, the impact to homeowners, and tipping fee comparisons. Vice Chairman Loar stated his reasons for supporting Scenario 4, as recommended by staff. A motion was made by Vice Chairman Loar, seconded by Chairman Flescher, to approve staff's recommendation of Scenario 4. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 5 - Chairman Flescher, Vice Chairman Loar, Commissioner Adams, Commissioner Earman, and Commissioner Moss Indian River County, Florida Page 4 Board of Commissioners SWDD Meeting Minutes - Final June 17, 2025 ATTEST: A&x4e�, Ryan L. Butler Clerk of Circuit Court and Comptroller By: Deputy Clerk SWDD/RW/2025 Minutes Approved: October 7, 2025 lux RIVES - 1v1.1,. Indian River County Florida Page 6