Adopt Resolution #13-02-029 to Enter into a Residential Recycling Program Agreement to Receive SCORE Funds for 2013

Each year, Anoka County receives funding from the Solid Waste Management Coordinating Board and the State of Minnesota pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 115A.557. The County distributes these funds, known as SCORE funds (Select Committee On Recycling and the Environment) to cities and townships within the county. In 2013, the allocation includes a base of $10,000 plus $5.00 per household. Ramsey’s base allocation for 2013 is $50,505.00

The funding is intended to help municipalities achieve their recycling goals as established by the Anoka County Board of Commissioners (Ramsey’s recycling goal for 2013 is 2,205 tons). The goal is based on 185 pounds per person (single family households, up to four [4] units) and 175 pounds per person for multi-tenant households (five [5] or more units). The City of Ramsey has traditionally used these funds to promote waste reduction and recycling efforts and awareness in the community, to offset costs of the spring and fall recycling day events and to fund the recycling coordinator position.

To receive the SCORE funding, each municipality must enter into an agreement with Anoka County that outlines required components of a municipality’s recycling program. These required components, which Ramsey already complies with, include providing households an opportunity to recycle at least four (4) broad types of materials, a public information program and notifying new residents of the recycling program. 

This year, there are potential additional funding allocations for targeted programs including monthly drop-off events, municipal park recycling, community event recycling, and enhancement grants. Ramsey is eligible for up to an additional $35,101 in targeted program funding ($15,000 for monthly collection events, $6,000 for municipal park recycling, $6,000 for community event recycling, and $8,101 for program enhancements via grant).

Staff believes that the residents of the community would benefit from access to a collection event more frequently than the standard two times per year. Staff continues to have discussions with Ace Solid Waste about implementing a monthly drop-off program for certain materials (likely a scaled back version of the spring and fall events) and would like to take advantage of the additional funding to make this happen.  While details are still be worked out, the collection events would likely occur at the Public Works site, just as our spring and fall events are, and materials collected may include appliances, electronics, fluorescent bulbs and standard curbside materials.  

Additionally, last fall, Staff was able to secure approximately fifty (50) recycling carts through the County (at no cost to the City), for use within municipal parks. This was done in an effort to comply with a State Statute (115A.151) that requires public entities ensure that facilities under its control, including parks, from which garbage is collected shall also provide containers to collect at least three (3) types of recyclables. Staff would like to implement the parks recycling program this spring/summer and this additional funding opportunity will help make that a reality.

Alternative Actions:

Do not enter into the residential recycling agreement with the County.  By not executing this agreement with the County, the City would not receive any SCORE funding for 2013 (a loss of $50,505).  A portion of the Associate Planner/Environmental Coordinator staff position is funded through this allocation as are all recycling related activities, including the spring/fall recycling events. 

Enter into the residential recycling agreement with the County for only the base allocation of $50,505.  This would allow the City to continue to promote recycling and waste reduction ideas and coordinating the spring and fall recycling events; however, it would limit the City's ability to pursue new opportunities to increase recycling efforts that would help the City continue to meet its established tonnage goals and bring the City into compliance with certain statutory requirements.

Enter into the residential recycling agreement with the County for the base allocation of $50,505 plus an additional $21,000 to help implement new programs (monthly collection events and municipal park recycling).  Staff is already in the planning stages for both of these program opportunities and believes that both would be well received by the community and help divert additional recyclables from being landfilled.  While this may create slightly more work for Staff, such as needing to empty recycling carts in parks (this would be done concurrently with trash runs) and program coordination and promotional efforts, the additional funding would offset those costs.

Enter into the residential recycling agreement with the County for the base allocation of $50,505 plus the full additional funding of $35,101 for target programs.  Staff would need to explore how the other components (community event recycling and enhancement grant) could be implemented.  While there's likely areas that could be enhanced or new ideas that could be implemented with this funding, Staff would have to research what impact that would have on available staff resources (time).

Ramsey's recycling program and related staff time are funded with SCORE funds received from Anoka County annually and recorded under the Recycling Enterprise Fund.