Minutes-05/09/1990 (2)

notify the company of the stipulations that if anything happens to the junction box in the ditch in the 100 block of Main Street it is the full responsibility of Vantage Cable, and that because the city has not been provided with accurate "as built" maps, if anything happens to the cable lines running through the city's rights-of-way, it is the full responsibility of Vantage Cable Company. Roll call vote: Stoner, aye; Brown, aye; Morgan, aye; Slaymaker, aye; Bartels, aye. Carried unanimously. Susan Horowitz, mayor pro-tem of Iowa City, spoke about the new state regulations governing solid waste management. A six-county plan was submitted to the Department of Natural Resources, but has not yet been approved because DNR has not established guidelines. ECICOG agrees to use low-cost technology to achieve the goal of a 25% reduction in waste by 1994. The University of Iowa and ADM have expressed an interest in using the solid waste in recycling processes, but this would require massive quantities and would not encourage citizens to change their lifestyles and reduce the amount of disposed waste. Reports of leaching at the old landfill site in Iowa City are an indication of what Iowa City is responsible for in the future. The landfill is owned by Iowa City but everyone uses it. Tipping fees will have to be raised, as high as $16.00 per ton this year and $30.00 per ton in the near future. An assessment plan has also been proposed. There is disagreement about which way to pay for the future costs because an assessment would make everyone pay equally even though it is not used equally by every citizen, but tipping fees won't provide enough money if the waste reduction program is effective. It will probably be a combination of tipping fees and assessment of property owners. Iowa City will need $2,000,000.00 for the closure and future maintenance of the landfill site. A county-wide coordinator is needed because each town is too small to find markets for disposal or recycling of the waste. Every city should look into franchising the hauler, as the hauler might go out of business and leave the city with the problem. Also, cities should check on every report, such as underground storage tanks, etc. Tim Wolfe expressed concern about the landfill frequently being closed on windy days. Ms. Horowitz reported that the DNR regional office fines Iowa City if garbage blows around and the city has to hire personnel to pick it up. It is cost prohibitive to keep the landfill open on windy days. Wolfe reported that he sometimes get only one-half hour notice of the closure. Ms. Horowitz suggested going to a night schedule, but Wolfe pointed out that Iowa City has a noise ordinance which would not allow him to run his trucks at night. Wolfe displayed bags which could be sold to citizens and used for yard waste. Each bag would be stamped with "Iowa City Cleanup and Transfer" so it is easily identifiable and would be the only kind he would pick up. Tree limbs and sticks could be bundled and tied into piles no longer than four (4) feet and no heavier than sixty (60) pounds. As of July 1, 1990, the landfill is forbidden to take any yard waste, tires or batteries. Wolfe will take appliances and tires on Clean-Up Day at no extra charge because he has an outlet for them. Tim Wolfe spoke to council about proposal for waste collection in the future. He displayed a four-can system mounted on a cart which would serve to separate clear glass, newsprint, plastic and metal. The system costs $100.00 per household. He recommends such a system to meet future state regulations because everything will have to be separated in the future.