Rain Barrel and Compost Bin Sale and Distribution Event

The Recycling Association of Minnesota (RAM) reached out to City Staff about the possibility of the city serving as a distrubution site again in 2024 for RAM's Rain Barrel and Compost Bin sales.  The city's only obligations would be to provide a site and volunteers to assist with the distrubution of purchased items, along with promoting the sales event to Ramsey residents.  RAM handles all sales (this is a pre-order only program, there are no day-of-pickup sales) and all questions regarding the rain barrels and compost bins.  The City of Ramsey served as a distribution site for RAM's 2022 Rain Barrel and Compost Bin sales and again in 2023 for the remaining compost bins that did not sell in 2022.  There was minimal staff time required to participate as a distribution site previously and Staff anticipates a similar time commitment again this year.  The sales event would be promoted through the City's newsletter, website, the dynamic display sign on Highway 10, and through RAM's website.

Staff would like to hold the distribution event earlier than in past years and is suggesting holding it on Wednesday, May 1, 2024.  The distribution event would run from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm at the Public Works Campus, assuming that this will not disrupt Public Works daily operations.  This timeframe has worked well with previous distribution events.  It provides sufficient time for purchasers to swing through to pick up their item(s) while also not consuming Staff's and volunteers' entire evening. 

Soft costs would include Staff time during the distribution event and putting together the promotional information.  Staff recommends offering a $10 discount on the compost bins (for Ramsey residents only), which could be covered via the recycling budget (funds provided by the Select Committee On Recycling and the Environment [SCORE]).

Staff recommends serving as a distribution site for this sale and to identify May 1, 2024, as the date of the distribution event.

Motion to partner with RAM on their Rain Barrel and Compost Bin sales by serving as a distribution site and to hold the event on May 1, 2024, from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm.