Adopt Resolution #16-02-037 to Enter into a Residential Recycling Program Agreement with Anoka County to Receive SCORE Funds for 2016

Each year, Anoka County receives funding from the State of Minnesota pursuant to Minnesota Statute § 115A.557. The County distributes these funds, known as SCORE funds (Select Committee On Recycling and the Environment) to municipalities within the county. In 2016, the allocation includes a base of $10,000 plus $5.00 per household. Ramsey’s base allocation for 2016 is $52,500.00.

The funding is intended to help municipalities achieve their recycling goals as established by the Anoka County Board of Commissioners. Ramsey’s 2016 recycling goal, established by Anoka County, is 2,399 tons. The goal is based on 195 pounds per person (single family households, up to four [4] units) and 170 pounds per person for multi-tenant households (five [5] or more units). The City of Ramsey has traditionally used these funds to promote recycling and waste reduction education and awareness, notifying new residents of the recycling program components, to offset costs of the spring and fall recycling day events and other collection events/opportunities, and to fund the recycling coordinator position, which duties are a component of the City Planner 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 include providing households an opportunity to recycle at least four (4) broad types of materials, a public information program, recycling drop-off opportunities, and notifying new residents of the recycling program.  Furthermore, municipalities are encouraged, but not required, to look at opportunities to expand its recycling program by offering additional drop-off events, implement and/or enhance recycling at community events, enhance multi-family recycling opportunities, and/or develop opportunities for source separated compostables/organics collection.

This year, there are optional additional funding allocations for targeted programs including monthly or quarterly drop-off events, parks and community events recycling, multi-unit/curbside recycling, general program enhancements, and source-separated compostables/organics. Ramsey is eligible for up to an additional $41,000.00 in targeted program funding ($15,000 for monthly collection events, $3,000 for municipal park/community event recycling, $6,000 for multi-unit/curbside recycling, $8,500 for general program enhancements, and $8,500 for organics).

Currently, there are not sufficient staff resources to really delve into researching and developing program enhancements that could benefit from this additional funding.  However, the Community Development Intern job description has been modified to specify that part of those duties will include working with the recycling program.  Those costs attributed to time spent on recycling activities are eligible, reimbursable SCORE reimbursements.  This will greatly help with researching new recycling opportunities for the community that could then potentially be funded in future years through the SCORE program.

Based on current program activities, Staff is seeking additional targeted funding for recycling in parks and at community events as well as to offer additional recycling drop-off events for the residents.  The City currently has recycling containers throughout its' parks system (as required in §115A.151).  The City purchases bags to line these containers and utilize Public Works staff to empty them weekly as part of the trash run.  These are costs that the City will continue to incur and are eligible for reimbursement through the additional targeted program funding.  

Staff is also looking at expanding the spring and fall recycling events to occur once per month throughout the summer (June, July and August).  This will provide residents more frequent opportunities to recycle materials that are not accepted through the curbside program.  In addition to more frequent events, Staff is working on expanding the materials accepted at the drop-off events.  This year's events will now accept textiles and carpet (and carpet padding) in addition to all the materials collected previously. That will aide the City in its effort to meet or exceed the 2016 tonnage goal established by the Anoka County Board of Commissioners. The costs for the additional drop-off events would be covered through the additional targeted funding for quarterly/monthly drop-off events. 

Alternative Actions:

Alternative #1. Enter into the residential recycling agreement for the base allocation of $52,500.00 plus an additional $8,500.00 to focus on additional recycling drop-off events and municipal parks/community event recycling.  Both of these areas of focus will not only assist the City in meeting the 2016 tonnage goal established by the Anoka County Board of Commissioners but will also offset ongoing expenses incurred by the City in collecting recyclables throughout the parks system. Staff supports this option.

Alternative #2. Enter into the residential recycling agreement with the County for the base allocation of $52,500.00 only. 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.

Alternative #3. Enter into the residential recycling agreement with the County for the base allocation of $52,500.00 plus the full additional funding of $41,000.00 for targeted programs. Staff is not confident that additional programming could be developed and implemented entirely in 2016 to justify the full allocation.

Alternative #4. 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 2016 (a loss of $52,500.00). A portion of the City Planner position is funded through this allocation (duties related to managing the recycling program) as are all recycling related activities, including the spring/fall recycling events. Staff does not support this option.

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.

Staff recommends adopting Resolution #16-02-037 authorizing the Mayor, on behalf of the City, to sign the Agreement for Residential Recycling Program with Anoka County, to receive the base SCORE funds for 2016 as well as an additional allocation of $8,500.00 for municipal park/community event recycling and monthly/quarterly recycling drop-off events.

Adopt Resolution #16-02-037 authorizing the Mayor to sign the Agreement for Residential Recycling Program between the City of Ramsey and Anoka County to receive the base SCORE funds of $52,500.00 and an additional targeted program funding allocation of $8,500.00 to continue with and expand municipal park/community event recycling and monthly/quarterly drop-off events.