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FALCON HEIGHTS CITY COUNCIL MINUTES -11- June 23, 2004 Interim report from the Solid Waste Commission on organized collection (continued) Council member Kuettel said she would like to see the Commission look at doing a test of Northome or Northome and Hollywood Court. She asked if a three year contract is standard. Council member Lamb said that three years is a placeholder and one of the terms you negotiate. Whether three, five or seven years are optimal, no one knows until you actually get to the table to negotiate. Administrator Worthington said that with regard to a pilot test, Hollywood Court has a single hauler at this time. Neighborhoods can self organize under the statute. The City is prevented by statute from assisting in that process but can provide information to the residents. Council member Lamb said the State statute is very restrictive and requires the City to behave in a very narrow framework. Mayor Gehrz said that she wanted to clarify something Administrator Worthington said, that the • City cannot assist a neighborhood that is looking on its own. The City of Burnsville provides an informational packet for residents and they encourage residents to choose a hauler in their neighborhood. As a result, more than a third of the city is organized voluntarily. The difference in assist is that the City cannot force a hauler to sit down and negotiate with residents but the City can provide information and materials. Administrator Worthington said the City can provide information but cannot instruct a neighborhood group, a specific block, or area that they must organize. The City can't bring a hauler in to negotiate. She has heard of cities that have tried a more formalized City driven track and have gotten in trouble. Falcon Heights has been very careful to emphasize to residents that they need to organize themselves, but that the City can provide information for them. Council member Kuettel asked where the Solid Waste Commission is at with their goal regarding a waste management educational plan. Council member Lamb said that before you can really initiate an education plan, other than recycling, for which periodic educational things come out, you have to come to some conclusion on these issues. He doesn't see anything coming forward on an education plan until this first period is pretty much done. The Solid Waste Commission has to be pretty sure about what it is educating people and what it is saying. Education has to be an ongoing thing. One of the goals of the Commission is to work with the haulers to develop and distribute materials through the billing process and all of the haulers have agreed to that. Trust but verify. There are a lot of statements being made and we need to verify those statements. The Commission very much believes, regardless of the ultimate result, that, as a society, we need to address how we are dealing with all of this stuff. Education will be a key part regardless of whatever else is done here.