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Home My WebLink About12/09/2025 (3)Indian River County, Florida Indian River County Administration Complex 1801 27th Street Vero Beach, Florida 32960 indianriver.gov i �ORIO�' Solid Waste Disposal District Meeting Minutes - Final Tuesday, December 9, 2025 Commission Chambers Board of Commissioners Dery/ Loar, District 4, Chairman Laura Moss, District 5, Vice Chairman Susan Adams, District 1 Joseph Flescher, District 2 Joseph H. Earman, District 3 John A. Titkanich, Jr., County Administrator Jennifer W. Shuler, County Attorney Ryan L. Butler, Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller Shauna James, Deputy Clerk Board of Commissioners SWDD Meeting Minutes - Final December 9, 2025 B. Solid Waste Disposal District 16.13.1. 25-1143 Approval of SWDD Meeting Minutes of September 23, 2025 Recommended Action: Approve A motion was made by Commissioner Flescher, seconded by Chairman Loar, to approve the Solid Waste Disposal District Meeting Minutes of September 23, 2025, as written. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 5- Chairman Loar, Vice Chairman Moss, Commissioner Adams, Commissioner Flescher, and Commissioner Earman 16.13.2. 25-1119 Work Order No. 10 to Geosyntec for Annual Compliance Monitoring and Reporting for 2026 Recommended Action: Solid Waste Disposal District (SWDD) staff recommends that its Board approve Work Order No. 10 with Geosyntec Consultants for $287,637.28 to provide engineering services related to the SWDD Annual Permit, Compliance Monitoring, and Reporting; and authorize the Chairman to execute the same, as presented. Attachments: WORK ORDER No 10 2026 Annual Compliance.pdf There was no discussion on this Item. A motion was made by Commissioner Adams, seconded by Commissioner Flescher, to approve staffs recommendation. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 5- Chairman Loar, Vice Chairman Moss, Commissioner Adams, Commissioner Flescher, and Commissioner Earman 16.13.3. 25-1126 Request for General Fund funds for PACE EH and Other Community Cleanup Projects Recommended Action: Staff recommends the Board of Commissioners authorize up to $6,000.00 to be donated to various PACE/illegal dumping projects from the General Fund Reserve for Contingencies for the sole purpose of paying associated landfill fees. Attachments: Landfill Fee Allocation There was no discussion on this Item A motion was made by Commissioner Adams, seconded by Chairman Loar, to approve staffs recommendation. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 5- Chairman Loar, Vice Chairman Moss, Commissioner Adams, Commissioner Flescher, and Commissioner Earman 16.13.4. 25-1128 Amendment No. 1 to Agreement for Landfill Gas Wellfield Expansion Project Recommended action: Staff recommends the Board waive bid requirements and approve the attached Indian River County, Florida Page 1 Board of Commissioners SWDD Meeting Minutes - Final December 9, 2025 Amendment No. 1 to landfill gas wellfield expansion agreement to SCS Field Services in the amount of $421,500 and authorize the Chairman to execute it after review and approval by the County Attorney as to form and legal sufficiency. Staff also recommends the Board authorize the County Administrator to approve contingency funds to cover change orders to the agreement that may be necessary, including increases in price, up to a total project cost of $700,000, to prevent delays in work. Attachments: Amendment No 1 Indian River County 2025 Signed by SCS.pdf There was no discussion on this Item A motion was made by Commissioner Flescher, seconded by Commissioner Adams, to approve staffs recommendaiton. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 5- Chairman Loar, Vice Chairman Moss, Commissioner Adams, Commissioner Flescher, and Commissioner Earman 16.13.5. 25-1130 IRC Landfill Work Order No. 2 to Geosyntec for Partial Closure Design and Landfill Gas System Evaluation Recommended action: Staff recommends the Board approve IRC Landfill Work Order No. 2 with Geosyntec Consultants for $416,039.48 to provide engineering services related to the Partial Closure Design and GCCS Evaluation; and authorize the Chairman to execute the same, as presented. Attachments: IRC Partial Closure & GCCS Evaluation.pdf There was no discussion on this Item. A motion was made by Commissioner Flescher, seconded by Commissioner Adams, to approve staffs recommendation. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 5- Chairman Loar, Vice Chairman Moss, Commissioner Adams, Commissioner Flescher, and Commissioner Earman 16.13.6. 25-1151 2nd Amendment to 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 Second Amendment to the Solid Waste ad Recycling Collection Franchise Agreement between SWDD and WM; and authorize the Chairman to execute the agreement. Attachments: 2nd Amendment to Franchise with WM - Final.pdf Indian River County Supplemental Fees -1 01 525.pdf Himanshu Mehta, Managing Director of the Solid Waste Disposal District (SWDD), highlighted key updates in the Second Amendment to the Solid Waste Collection Franchise Agreement with Waste Management, Inc. of Florida (WM). Key changes included: 1. Yard Waste Cart Exemptions: Previously, a 95 -gallon Indian River County, Florida Page 2 Board of Commissioners SWDD Meeting Minutes - Final December 9, 2025 yard waste cart was required for all curbside residents in Unincorporated Indian River County. Now, fewer than 50 communities with about 5,000 residents were exempt for 5 years, with WM waiving the $100 fee for additional carts for the first 5,000 customers outside of those communities who request one. 2. Standardized Carts and Cart Swaps: Starting October 1, 2025, residents would be able to swap standardized recycling and trash carts sooner than planned, and yard waste service would decrease from 4 to 1 cubic yard per week. 3. Supplemental Fees: To address confusion and rising costs for multi -family and commercial customers, WM eliminated the recycling cart roll-out fee, lowered specific fees to a monthly rate, and required customer approval for supplemental fees. A discussion ensued between the Board and Mr. Mehta regarding the notable 93% increase in Commercial Waste Management rates, which took effect on October 1, 2025. This decision was attributed to a competitive bidding process. Mr. Mehta highlighted that previous rate increases had been controlled, influenced by the Consumer Price Index and the COVID-19 pandemic. This resulted in higher bids from various companies compared to the rates established in the previous ten-year contract. Vice Chairman Moss asked about the potential for rate decreases. County Administrator Titkanich responded and clarified that, while the rates remained set, supplemental fees had varied. He emphasized that the commercial rates remained competitive relative to neighboring counties and noted that the increase was a necessary adjustment following a decade of low rates. Administrator Titkanich inquired whether WM would waive the $100 fee for distributing approximately 5,000 carts. Mr. Mehta clarified that, while 5,000 yard waste carts had been reserved, they remained undelivered due to specific communities had received an exemption. The collection of this fee was still necessary as part of the non -ad valorem assessment program, which involved collecting the assessment through residents' tax bills. Under the Franchise Agreement, WM was obligated to be prepared to provide service to the community each day, even though the community had opted out of yard waste service. This scenario mirrored previous franchise agreements in which communities had used their own yard waste companies and paid service charges directly to WM. Those communities had opted not to allow WM to collect yard waste, preferring to hire their own landscapers. Additionally, WM agreed that during the one-year period, if another 5,000 residents outside the exempt communities required a second yard waste cart, the current $100 delivery fee would be waived. However, residents would need to agree to an extra $10 Indian River County, Florida Page 3 Board of Commissioners SWDD Meeting Minutes - Final December 9, 2025 monthly fee for the second cart, as specified in the amendment regarding benefits for exempt communities. Mr. Mehta further clarified that there was no mechanism to credit the $100 to exempt communities. Chairman Loar stated that, in his understanding, the 5,001st customer would be required to pay the $100 fee for a new yard waste cart. To the Administrator's point, those 5,000 carts had already been effectively paid for. The key takeaway was that WM was already being compensated by those 5,000 customers who were not receiving the services. Luigi Pace of Waste Management addressed the Board, stating that he did not have the authority to agree to any changes from those initially discussed and negotiated with Mr. Mehta. If the Board desired to make any changes, Mr. Pace would need to seek permission and approval to proceed. Chairman Loar requested a motion to bring this Item back in January 2026. Commissioner Flescher believed it would be appropriate and in the public's best interest. A motion was made by Commissioner Flescher, seconded by Vice Chairman Moss, to postpone the discussion until the January 13, 2026, BCC Meeting. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 5- Chairman Loar, Vice Chairman Moss, Commissioner Adams, Commissioner Flescher, and Commissioner Earman Indian River County, Florida Page 4 Board of Commissioners SWDD Meeting Minutes — Final December 09, 2025 ATTEST: /4:C 00�� Ryan L. Butler Clerk of Circuit Court and Comptroller Daryl Loar, Chairman By: Approved: January 27, 2026 Deputy Clerk Indian River County Florida Page 5 ,........... •;� �OAtrt?�S '92fR COUNT �o�•