The Aim to be Green rural recycling program will continue for two more years using an extension to the current program contract. The Ottawa Sandusky Seneca Joint Solid Waste District board of directors approved the extension during its online meeting Wednesday.
The district is in the third year of a three-year contract with Republic Services, of Sandusky, which ends this fall. However, the agreement included optional extensions for one or two years with adjusted fees.
The district currently pays $25.04 every time the company empties an Aim to be Green container. In the first year of the contract extension, the fee will increase to $25.79 per tip, and it increases to $26.56 in the fifth year.
"It still seems reasonable for all the unknowns happening right now," said Director Kathleen Rocco.
Board members said the two years will give the board and staff time to research other options.
The district has been using the Aim to be Green program in the townships of its three counties since Oct. 1, 2012. However, in the past year, the board has discussed the uncertainty of how much recycling costs are going to increase in the future. Changes made by end users of recycled products have caused costs to increase.
Also Wednesday, the board approved advertising for proposals for the district's next 15-year plan.
Rocco said the district is required by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency to write a new 15-year plan every five years, and it's time to get the next update started.
She said the district plans to work with a consultant beginning in 2021. A draft is due in 2022 and a final draft is due in 2023. OEPA then has until October 2023 to approve the plan.
The board decided to appoint a committee of board Chairman Kay Reiter, of Sandusky County, and two commissioners from Ottawa and Seneca counties to review the proposals. Commissioners from Seneca and Ottawa counties said they would appoint representatives at their general sessions.
The board also discussed the compliance of Sunny Farms Landfill in sending prompt payments to the district.
"They've been running a little bit behind, but we have been receiving our payments," Rocco said.
Because of past issues between the district and Sunny Farms, board Chairman Kay Reiter said she wants to make sure payments are kept current.
"We don't want to fall back into that situation," she said.
Ben Nutter, director of community relations for Sunny Farms Landfill, who attended the digital meeting, said he would check on the reasons checks are delayed and get back to the board. He said the company is going through another merger and finances are changing offices, so that might be the reason.
OSS financial records report Sunny Farms paid to the district $531,175 January through May this year:
$24,048 for in-district fees at $1.50 per ton.
$1,788 for out-of-district but inside Ohio fees at $3 per ton.
$30,604 for out-of-state materials by rail at $1.50 per ton.
$474,735 for host community fees at 75 cents per ton.
The district had not yet received June or July checks.
In her director's report, Rocco said Tim Hassinger of Tiffin is starting Monday as the new communications and outreach specialist for OSS. He replaces Jamie Coleman, who took a position elsewhere. She said Hassinger has degrees in marketing and communications.
She said she is seeking a waste diversion educator in Ottawa County.
Rocco said recycling collections changed this spring due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead of open drop-offs as in the past, she said people are required to register before drop-offs to limit numbers of people.
She said 180 people in Seneca County participated in the household hazardous collection July 11, and a total of 422 in the three counties.
At the three locations, she said 567 people took part in TV and electronics collections in June and July.
Rocco said there have been no issues with people wearing masks, and staff members and volunteers unloading vehicles wear masks and use hand sanitizer.
Collections coming up include farm tires Aug. 17-18, where registration has always been required; appliances Sept. 19; and residential tires, Oct. 17.
Rocco said recycling educators who work with schools are trying to find ways to reach students without visiting schools, but those programs are unknowns for now.
She said the district's Adopt A Road groups began picking up trash in June and July, and several pickups are planning for August.
She said the district is planning adult virtual programs for fall.
Also Wednesday, the board:
Approved adding $150 to a "change fund" - $50 for each of the three county recycling drop-off locations - to handle the need for making change when drop-offs require fees to be paid.
Went into executive session to discuss personnel.
Agreed to add the topic of potentially resuming community recycling grants to the board's agenda for the next meeting at 8:30 a.m. Oct. 7.