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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES Public Works Committee 2008-07-24RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado, July 24, 2008 Minutes of a Regular meeting of the PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE of the Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado. Meeting held at Town Hall in said Town of Estes Park on the 24th day of July 2008. Committee: Attending: All Chairman Blackhurst, Trustees Levine and Miller Also Attending: Town Administrator Halburnt, Deputy Town Administrator Richardson, Director Zurn, Town Clerk Williamson Absent: None Chairman Blackhurst called the meeting to order at 8:00 a.m. PUBLIC COMMENT. Craig Jones/State Forest Service stated Peak to Peak Wood is a five -county (Larimer, Boulder, Gilpin, Jefferson and Clear Creek) effort in Colorado's northern Front Range to create markets for products coming from forest management, wildfire reduction and beetle kill in order to lower treatment costs and utilize biomass locally. The program is funded through a US Forest Service grant for the marketing and utilization of forest products, and administered by the Colorado State Parks and Open Space and the Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS). The organization is looking for sorting yards for the collection of the material in each of the five counties with up to 6 to 8 sites total and would like the Town to consider the current beetle kill collection site as a cooperative collection site. The grant could fund infrastructure improvements on site such as fencing that Town staff has identified as a need. The project aims to develop a collaborative business infrastructure to move biomass products to the marketplace by developing the business infrastructure needed to transform forest biomass into marketable products such as energy, landscaping materials and firewood. A large percentage of the woody byproduct is not utilized and is either chipped or burned onsite. Committee discussion is summarized: what type of materials would be accepted on the site, how often would the material be hauled away, could chipped material be used in the market place, there could be a hazard to storing large volumes of material, the organization should contact the RMNP. Mr. Jones stated discussions have not been held with the RMNP to date. The organization is working with composting companies to investigate the possibility of using chip material as a bulking agent. Loads would be hauled off site once a full load is available. He commented that some of the beetle kill trees could be used for other wood products instead of burned in the Town's air curtain burner. The Committee requested staff continue to investigate the beetle collection site as a collection site for the Peak to Peak Wood project and return to the Committee with further details. The Committee agreed to participate in the program. League of Women Voters (LWV) Jim Martinsen/LWV reviewed the report provided to the Committee in May with regard to the establishment of a recycling center separate from the transfer station. He stated an additional site located off of Hwy 36 within the Reclamation area could be a potential site. In May, the Committee requested the League provide additional information on the annual costs to operate a recycling center and the following was provided by the LWV: • Ecocycle o Cardboard - $10,400 - $15,600 o Single Stream Recycling - $24,960 - $37,440 RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Public Works Committee — July 24, 2008 — Page 2 o Compactor cost - $3,000 o Estimated Yearly Costs - $38,360 - $56,400 • Recycle America Cost o Cardboard - $10,400 - $15,600 o Single Stream Recycling - $10,400 - $15,600 o Compactor cost - Free o Estimated Yearly Costs - $20,800 — 31,200 • Larimer County o Estimated 2007 Costs - $22,797 Mr. Martinsen stated there are alternative methods to pay for a new recycling center including the adoption of a recycling fee in cooperation with Larimer County for the residents of the Estes Valley and grants are available through the Colorado Department of Public Health for the construction of recycling facilities. The LWV would partner with the Town to obtain such a grant and to obtain a land lease with the Bureau of Reclamation (one of the proposed locations). He also stated recycling providers have questioned the need for a building, which could decrease the start up costs. Chairman Blackhurst recommended the LWV continue to explore the issue and focus on private enterprise to provide the service. Government should be the last resource to fund what should be a private enterprise. Trustee Miller requested staff look into grant opportunities and the possibility of establishing a recycling fee. Deputy Town Administrator Richardson stated there are costs associated with grants including administration, adding a new service and expectation that the Town would continue to fund the program in the future. Dale Eckard/Ecocycle commented there is a need to reuse and conserve our resources in a way that is convenient and appealing to the general public. Ecocycle's partnerships with local governmental entities have been good. Government should view waste as a utility that needs to be managed. The Committee stated tax revenues are down, there is a hiring freeze and departments may be looking at budget cuts for 2008. This would not be an appropriate time to add a new program; however, this item has been added to the Capital Improvement Program to be discussed during the upcoming budget process. REPORTS. 1. Bark Beetle Inspections and Air Curtain Burner Activity — Dir. Zurn stated the pine beetle inspection and destruction programs have been very active since the adoption of the Pine Beetle Ordinance in May. There have been 120 requests with 100 inspections completed by a team of six volunteers and three staff members. Staff would like to publish a map of the results to date with a media release. The Committee supports the media release and the maps should be place on the Town's website. Code Enforcement has been used to make contact with the property owners to gain access to private property. Approximately one third of the properties inspected have signs of past or present beetle infestation. The air curtain burner has been in operation since June 16, 2008 with multiple beetle -killed or infested logs incinerated. A majority of the deliveries have been from private contractors providing service to customers in the valley. The estimated operational cost of the burner at the current infestation level is under $1,000. Only one complaint has been received to date with regard to smoke and staff is investigating potential operational procedures to minimize the smoke. The burner is currently running 24 hours/7 days a week or until the burner is full of ash. The Committee questioned where the material is coming from and stated the material received should be limited to the Estes Valley. RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Public Works Committee — July 24, 2008 — Page 3 2. Hwy 36 Road Construction — Manager Sievers stated beginning August 11th through September 19th the Larimer County Engineering Department will be widening Hwy 36 in front of Hermit Park with one lane of traffic open. Staff continues to have discussions with the County to provide two lanes of traffic especially during the weekend of the Scottish Festival. There being no further business, Chairman Blackhurst adjourned the meeting at 9:17 a.m. 1L.. t,�..:r�o. . .. J kie Williamson, Town Clerk APPROVED AUG 1 2 2fl B TOWN OF ESTES PARK BOARD OF TRUSTEES