HomeMy WebLinkAboutCouncil Information Memorandum 12-11-2009CITY OF PLYMOUTH
rp) COUNCIL INFO MEMO
December 11, 2009
UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS
Inaugural Ceremony for E. Kautz 01/05/10 .................................................
Met Council 2010 State of the Region Event 02/01/09 ................................
October, November, December 2009 Official City Meeting Calendars.......
Tentative List of Agenda Items for Future City Council Meetings ..............
.................................... Page 1
.................................... Page 2
................................... Page 3
................................... Page 6
INFORMATION
News Articles, Releases, Publications, Etc ...
What would you cut or save if you ran the city budget?, Article, Star & Trib.................................... Page 7
District aims to better market its schools............................................................................................. Page 9
After two years, library marriage is a little rocky, Article, Star & Trib............................................. Page 11
Buzz builds over St. Paul social host rule, Article, Star & Trib......................................................... Page 14
Hilltop seeks cop -call decline, Article, Star & Trib........................................................................... Page 18
Everything has a price in cost-conscious cities, Article, Star & Trib................................................. Page 21
Outdoor ice rinks slipping away, Article, Star & Trib........................................................................ Page 24
Streets will get plowed — it just might take longer, Article, Star & Trib............................................ Page 27
Cities, counties survive aid cuts for now, Article, Star & Trib........................................................... Page 29
Metro housing market shows signs of healing, Article, Star & Trib.................................................. Page 31
Ehlers Market Commentary, 12/07/09............................................................................................... Page 33
MEETING MINUTES
Highway 55 Corridor Coalition Minutes 10/16/09........................................................................... Page 35
Wayzata CICC Minutes 11/11/09....................................................................................................... Page 38
Wayzata CICC Minutes 12/09/09...................................................................................................... Page 42
STAFF REPORTS
Plymouth Builder, Plymouth Inspection Newsletter........................................................................ Page 47
Northwest Greenway Web Addition by Park & Rec.......................................................................... Page 50
CORRESPONDENCE
Thank you letter from REACH......................................................................................................... Page 51
Letter from Hennepin Cty, RE: 2010 Daily Charges for prisoners .................................................... Page 52
CITY COUNCIL INFORMATION MEMO
March 9, 2007
Page 2
ATTACHMENTS
Research Brief on America's Cities................................................................................................... Page 53
Understanding economic and environmental impacts of single -stream collection systems
Submitted by Councilmember Ginny Black................................................................................. Page 57
ON BEHALF OF THE NATION'S MAYORS
Tom Cochran
CEO and Executive Director
cordially invites you to attend
The Inaugural Ceremony
of
THE HONORABLE ELIZABETH $. KAUTZ
Mayor of Burnsville, Minnesota
as
68' President of The United States Conference of Mayors
Tuesday, the Fifth of January, Two Thousand Ten
II:00 a.m. Ceremony
Luncheon to Follow
Burnsville Performing Arts Center
12600 Nicollet Avenue
Burnsville, MN 55337
I
RSVP
Edward Delmoro
Email: delmoro2@aol.com
RSVP hotline: 952-895-4.33
Page 1
Sandy Engdahl
From: Sund, Elizabeth [Elizabeth.Sund@metc.state.mn.us]
Sent: Tuesday, December 08, 2009 1:17 PM
To: Sund, Elizabeth
Subject: RE: State of the Region -- Mark Your Calendars
The event will be held from 10-11:30 a.m. not p.m.
Thank you.
From: Sund, Elizabeth
Sent: Tuesday, December 08, 2009 10:40 AM
To: Sund, Elizabeth
Subject: State of the Region -- Mark Your Calendars
Mark your calendars now -- and plan to attend the Metropolitan Council's 2010 State of the Region event. It will be held
from 10-1130 p.m. Monday, Feb. 1, in the Great Room of the Visitors Center at the new Silverwood Regional Park. It is
located just a mile south of 1-894 on County Load E near Silver take Road. Chair Peter Bell will talk about the progress of
the region and the challenges that lie ahead. The Council also will release the result of our annual Residents Surrey and
our 2009 Annual Report.
More about Silverwood Regional Park ... http://www,metrocouncil.org/directions/parks/parks2009/SilverwoodSep09.htm
Page 2
Plymouthr�
Adding Quality to Life
December 2009
Modified on 12! 11109
CHANGES ARE NOTED IN RED
Page 3
1
2 7:00 PM
3
4
5
PLANNING
COMMISSION
MEETING
Council Chambers
7:00 PM
PLYMOUTH ADVISOR
COMMITTEE ON
TRANSIT (PACT)
MEETING
Medicine Lake Room
6
7
8 5:30 PM
9 7:00 PM
10 Cancelled
11
12
2:00-5:00 PM
SPECIAL COUNCIL
ENVIRONMENTAL
PARK E REC
Old Fashioned
MEETING
QUALITY COMM
ADVISORY
Christmas
Medicine Lake Room
(EQC) MEETING
COMMISSION
Plymouth Historical
Review Hilde Center
Council Chambers
(PRAC) MEETING
Society Building
Plans
Council Chambers
7:00 PM
7:00 PM
CHARTER
REGULAR COUNCIL
COMMISSION ANNUAL
CHANUKAH
MEETING
MEETING
Begins at Sunset
Council Chambers
Medicine Lake Room
13
14
15
16 Cancelled
17Cancelled
18
19
PLANNING
HRA MEETING
COMMISSION
Medicine Lake Room
MEETING
Council Chambers
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
CHRISTMAS EVE
CHRISTMAS DAY
CITY OFFICES
CITY OFFICES
CLOSED AT
CLOSED
NOON
27
28
29
30
31
6:00-9:00 PM
New Years Eve
Event
Plymouth Ice
Center
Modified on 12! 11109
CHANGES ARE NOTED IN RED
Page 3
Plymouthr�
Addin_q Quality to Life
January 2010
Modified on 121 t 1109
Page 4
]
2
NEW YEAR'S DAY
CITY OFFICES
CLOSED
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
7:00 PM
PLANNING
COMMISSION
MEETING
Council Chambers
10
11
12 5:30 PM
13
14
15
16
SPECIAL COUNCIL
7:00 PM
7:00
MEETING'
ENVIRONMENTAL
PARK & REC
Medicine Lake Room
QUALITY
ADVISORY
COMMITTEE
COMMISSION
(EQC) MEETING
(FRAC) MEETING
7;00 PM
Council Chambers
Council Chambers
REGULAR COUNCIL
MEETING
Council Chambers
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
7:00 PM
PLANNING
COMMISSION
MARTIN LUTHER
MEETING
KING JR.
Council Chambers
BIRTHDAY
Observed
CITY OFFICES
CLOSED
24
25
26 5:30 PM
27
28
29
30
SPECIAL COUNCIL
7'00 PFT
7:00 PM
MEETING"
PLYMOUTH
HRA MEETING
Medicine Lake Room
ADVISORY
Medicine Lake Room
COMMITTEE ON
7:00 PM
TRANSIT (PACT)
REGULAR COUNCIL
MEETING
MEETING
Medicine Lake Room
• Discuss Visit Minneapos
North,
Council Chambers
and Discuss TEF Dis
ricts 7-6 and 1-1
2010 Council Goals an
Legislative Priorities
Modified on 121 t 1109
Page 4
Plymouth1 �
Adding Quality to Life
February 2010
Modijiedon 12111/04
CHANGES ARE NOTED IN RED
Page 5
1
2
3
4
5
6
7:00 PM
7:00 PM
2:00-7:00 PM
PLANNING
HUMAN RIGHTS
Fire and Ice
PRECINCT
COMMISSION
COMMISSION
Festival
CAUCUSES
MEETING
MEETING
Parkers Lake
Council Chambers
Parkers Lake Room
7
8
9 5:30 PM
10
11
12
13
SPECIAL COUNCIL
7O
7:00 PM
MEETING
ENVIRONNMEE NTAL
PARK & REC
Medicine Lake Room
QUALITY
ADVISORY
City Assessor Update
COMMITTEE
COMMIS5ION
(EQC) MEETING
(PRAC) MEETING
7:00 PM
Council Chambers
Council Chambers
REGULAR COUNCIL
MEETING
Council Chambers
14
15
16
17 7:00 PM
18 6:00 PM
19
20
PLANNING
BOARD AND
PRESIDENTS
COMMISSION
COMMISSION
DAY
MEETING
RECOGNITION
Council Chambers
EVENT
Plymouth Creek
CITY OFFICES
Center
CLOSED
21
22
23 5:30 PM
24
25
26
27
SPECIAL COUNCIL
7:00
7:00 PM
MEETING
PLYMOUTH
A
HRA MEETING
Medicine Lake Room
ADVISORY
Medicine Lake Room
Review City Fees
COMMITTEE ON
TRANSIT (PACT)
7:00 PM
MEETING
REGULAR COUNCIL
Medicine Lake Room
MEETING
Council Chambers
28
Modijiedon 12111/04
CHANGES ARE NOTED IN RED
Page 5
Tentative Schedule for
City Council Agenda Items
January 12, Special, 5:30 p.m., Medicine Lake Room
• Discuss Visit Minneapolis North
• Discuss Modifications of Development Program for Development District Number 7 and Tax
Increment Financing District 7-6 and Redevelopment Plan for Redevelopment Project Area
Number 1 and Tax Increment Financing District 1-I (lobled_fr•orn Noveinber 24, 2009)
January 12, Regular, 7.00 p.m., Council Chambers
• Discuss energy projects to be paid for by the City's Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block
Grant Award (2008020) (tabled from November 24, 2009)
• Appoint 2010 Health Officer
• Appoint 2010 City Council Secretary
• Appoint 2010 Official Depositories
• Designate 2010 Official Newspaper
• Discuss Farmer's Market
• Approve Liquor License Renewals
January 26, Special, 5:30 p.m., Medicine Lake Room
2010 Council Goals and Legislative Priorities
January 26, Regular, 7:00 p.m., Council Chambers
• Discuss Development Program for Development District Number 7 and Tax Increment Financing
District 7-6 and Redevelopment Plan for Redevelopment Project Area Number 1 and Tax
Increment Financing District 1-1
February 9, Special, 5:30 p.m., Medicine Lake Room
• City Assessor update
February 9, Regular, 7:00 p.m., Council Chambers
February 23, Special, 5:30 p.m., Medicine Lake Room
• Review City fees
February 23, Regular, 7:00 p.m., Council Chambers
Mole; Special Meeting topics hai,e been set by Council; all other topics are lentaffiv. Page 6
What would you cut or save if you ran the city budget? I S tarTribune. coin
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What would you cut or sage if you
ran the city budget?
Traveiinia exhibit kvill try to educate
citizens on the value of local
government services.
By MARIA ELENA BACA, Star Tribune
Last update December G. 2009 - 10:08 PPA
Even as Gov. Tirn Pawlenty threatens to
unallot year-end local �_overnnlent aid to
cities and city councils are giving Final
approval to stripped -down budgets this
month, the League of Pvlimlesota Cities is
working on a campaign to help Joe and Joan
Citizen better understand what's at stake.
League officials hope to translate an exhibit
that debuted at the Nfinnesota State Fair into
a traveling program to give audiences across
the state a better appreciation for the
services local governments provide.
As part of the State Fair exhibit, fairgoers
were given six beans (aka dollars) and were
asked to choose Nvhrch of eight core services
to fiend.
"Fart of the problem is that city officials are
eery responsible w ith how they cut because
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i17�:\ don't want to have cuts impact the
Illings people rely on the most," said the
league's communications director, Mary-
1largaret Zindren. "If that's how you operate,
you're not going to see whole streets where
potholes aren't filled or all the branches of
the library closed down."
For now. the exhibit is set up at league offices
in St. Paul, and the curious can check out the
website at �� w w.citiesinatter.org to learn
about the Ser"Mees cities provide. such as
clean tap water and sanitary sewers, transit,
waste removal, parrs. libraries and public
safety. A bldg at nincitiesmatter.blogspot.
com offers more in-depth coverage of city
issues.
"We are trying to raise awareness of the
depth and breadth of what cities do and raise
awareness of the tough choices cities have to
make." Zindren said of the exhibit. "It was
tyreat to see how seriously people took that
challenge and horn' kids and parents and
senior citizens all stood there and said. 'I
don't know what I'd give up. Do I really have
to give up sewers for senior- services?"'
Of course, the real-life choices aren't quite
that stark, but cities can cut around the
edges for on[).- so long, she said.
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The or;anizers also hope the canipaign %N ill
help them reach into schools for future
planners, politicians and city engineers at the
local level.
Traditional civics education tends to focus
on state and federal "over-nment. but "the
government thev get the most from every day
and can relate to best in a tangible Nvav is cit}'
ernment." Zindren said. "We're hoping
that general awareness of what cities do and
that connection to quality of life will spark
something in students when theN think about
What the\- Want to do."
And she Nvaiits both kids and adults to look
across city borders to see ho" they also use
services in neighboring cities.
"ifyou think about why LGA [local
government aid] exists, it's incant to ensure t
hat from one community to the next, there's
a basic level ofqualit) of life you can rely on.
despite the tax capacitN." she said.
"For tis as the league, we represent the whole
of the city community. We've worked hard
over the years to build and maintain empalhy
from cities of different circumstances. There
is a bit of a '\ve're-sil l-iii-it-to�(,ether' feeling."
Maria Elena Baca • 612-673-4409
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District aims to better market its schools I Star7'ribune.cotn
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District aims to better market its
schools
Trying to counter student losses.
Robbinsdale officials are increasing
comtnn ttrticatiowith the district's L
parents and students.
By NORMAN DRAPER, Star Tribune
Last update: December 5. 2009 - 12;29 AM
The Robbinsdale School District is \workin`t,
harder to sell itself.
Concerned about enrollment declines and
the loss ofstudents to private schools,
charter schools and other districts via the
open -enrollment route. the district has
devised a marketing plan..
But district officials still don't plan to
advertise. as some other districts have done.
or tr\ to lure Students troln other districts.
"Part of that is our philosophy that using
taxpayer dollars to market to other areas just
doesn't seem like the right use of those
I'unds." said district spokesman Jeff Dehler,
who also manages the district's nascent
public relations. campaign.
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The nearb\ \linnetonka School District, for
example. advertises in print and on public
television and nets hundreds more students
than it loses to open enrollment.
What Robbinsdale is doing is ramping up its
communications effort to students and
parents living \\ithin the district. Resident
students and parents earlier this school year.
for instance, got postcards and brochures
from both of the district high schools --
Armstrong in Plymouth and Cooper in New
Dope -- about parent previe\v nights for
eighth -graders, held in mid-November.
Those mailings \were followed up with
reminders sent waa \otce mall or e-mail.
"What \we had done before was just a very
simple letter from the principals." Dehler
said.
The same chill will be used with middle
schools, which will hold open houses in
January, and for kindergarten re-istration
night in March.
Dehler said one concern is that parents in the
district don't kno\w enou,h about district
options. Those include a Spanish immersion
program as well as rigorous International
Baccalaureate programs at Cooper High,
Robbinsdale Middle School and Lakevic\w
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Flententarw' in Robbins- dale. and advanced
placement programs at Armstrong High and
pre -advanced placement programs at
Plvmouth kliddle School.
According to Dehler, district residents hear
plenty about other non -district schools. One
co-worker. for instance, recently got a flier in
the mail froth the private Providence
Academe in Plynwouth.
"1'w e gotten Fliers that have come to ntv 11OLISe
f-oin Beacon Academy. a charter school [in
Maple Grove], and a lot of online high school
options." Defiler said. "So as people's
,,r\%.n•eness of their options is increasing, we
need to respond to that and make sure
people are aware of the options available to
them right here in their back yard."
Loss of enrollment is a concern to school
districts because state education aid is
allocated on a per -pupil basis: fewer
students means less state aid.
Last year, Robbinsdale reported one of its
biggest enrollment declines in a decade.
zr
totaling 177 students. At $5,174 in basic
state aid per pupil. that equals a loss of at
Icast $2.5 million in state funding,. That was a
major factor contribu6110 to the closing of
two elernentary schools and a middle school
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at the end of the 2008-09 school }'ear.
The district recently reported a loss of 567
students this Year. Projections further into
the future showy enrollment levelling off.
For the most part, district officials said, those
losses have been the result apt'fewwer births
and an aging population. But the district also
is IOSint' students to other schools.
District figures showed 621 students
attending charter schools last year, and
another 1345 attending private schools. In
terms of open enrollment-- wwhich allows
students to attend schools in districts other t
han the ones in which theN live. -- the
district is a net loser. but only slightly:
District figures showed 1,238 students going
to other districts last near and 1.196
students coming in from other districts.
Dehler said the district loses the most open
enrollment students to the Hopkins (306),
Wawzata (281), Osseo (215) and Minneapolis
(192) districts, and gains the most from
Minneapolis (7 14) and Osseo (365),
Norman Draper • 612-673-1547
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After two years, library marriage is a little rocky I StarTribune,cotrr
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After two years, library marriage is
a little rocky
Progress is evident in the merger of
the Minneapolis and Hennepin
County systems, yet frustration .N ith
the older city; libraries persists.
By KEVIN DUCHSCHERE, Star Tribune
ast update, December 6, 2009 - 112:43 AM
The Hennepin Count), Board was reviewing
its five -near facilities plan when board
Chairman Mike Dpat spotted the dollar -
figures for the county librar % sx'ste]m.
Hentiepin's 25 srrtiurban libraries. the chart
shoved, would need $5.7 million over the
next fevv %ears for maintenance, enerav and
lighting upgrades. On /lie other hand. the 16
,%linneapolis libraries recently added to the
eount)� System were slated for $7.6 million in
Similar work. And that didn't include another
S9 15,000 for automation system
improvements.
Opat frowned.
"What did we take over here?" lie asked. his
voice edged with frustration. "flow decrepit a
re these [Minneapolis library] buildings ...`?
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Was anv of this disclosed to us by the
Minneapolis Library Board. or Minneapolis
City Council, to any degree that would
suggest this order of magnitude?"
Nearly two years after the Hennepin County
merger that rescued Minneapolis libraries
from mountinO financial problems, the two
systems have consolidated their catalogs,
developed a single website and united their
nonprofit arms.
Three city libraries that had closed for lack of
fundinty have been reopened. and two new
suburban library buildings will open newt
year. The 41 libraries in the combined system
now house the 12th largest public library
collection in (lie nation.
Yet, the fair -to -middling condition ofmanv
of the Nl inneapolis branches. o\N ing to nears
of deferred maintenance even as cite leaders
built a new $125 million downtown library,
continues to vex some Hennepin County
officials looking to rein in spending and
reduce capital expenses in the midst of a
sluggish economy.
Even though the county's marriage to the city
libraries carne with a do\yr•v of sorts in the
form of $18 million approved by city voters
for library remodeling, it won't be enough to
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After two years, library marriage is a little rocky I StarTribune.coni
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cover those costs.
1, \, ith most cotum departments, the library
,\ ,W111 is stated to take a ]lit in 2010. The
proposed budget is $69.1 million, a 6 percent
(1,:crease froin this year's Spending.
lit an interview last xN-eek, Opat -- w -hose
northern Hennepin district is suburban. save
for a chunk of northwest Minneapolis -- said
that improvements at suburban libraries
shouldn't be delayed to make room in the
budget for upgrades at city branches. It
might be necessary to spread out the
,clledtile for Minneapolis facility
improvenients. lie said.
"It stings to find that Minneapolis referendtirn
money isn't going to conte close to
remodeling the [city] libraries to 01.11-
standards,"
urstandards," he said. "It also stings to find that
many of the libraries are in need ofcapital
repairs."
The tipping paint
In 2000. Minneapolis voters approved a $140
million referenclurn to build a new Central
Library and cover improvements to the
~stem's neighborhood branches.
But the citA's libraries were already running a
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deficit. a situation that dramatically worsened
when the state cut aid to cities. Only a year
after the downtown library opened, the city's
libraries wcrc forced to accept a merger with
the far healthier- county system.
The merger was rock\ almost from the start.
Mer-er costs ran $3.5 million higher than
expected, although that was offset somewliat
by job cuts and administrative savings.
County coinniissioners, including. Opat,
wondered whether the cit'} had withheld
critical information and if the eouilN had
clone enoti-h to ferret it out.
Judy Hollander. Hennepin County's property
services director. said the county examined
the Minneapolis sy stern as much as possible,
given the tight timefranic of the nieroer,
Hollander said that city library officials,
working \with a reduced staff and limited
resources. had postponed regular building
inaintenance in a number of case;.
Minneapolis' libraries are much older than
those in the suburbs. The average age of the
cite libraries is 57 years. versus 29 years for
suburban libraries. On average. Minneapolis
libraries tivere last remodeled 15 years ago: in
the suburbs. the average lemt th of time is 10
years.
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But it masn't just the city's older buildings
that raised eyebrows. The board found out
this summer that the three-year-old
Minneapolis Central Librate hadn't yet been
recommissioned -- a process that adjusts a
building's mechanical systems for more
efficient operation, and that in this case may
cost $300,000. Hollander said that some of
that cost might be covered by federal
stimulus funding.
In other wad's, the iiteri-er made Great
progress in 3009. said Sharon Charles, the
Hennepin County library services manager.
Phones and computers have been
standardized, policies and procedures are
becoming uniform, and a neNv strategic plan
i , iit the works,
The proof is in the popularity of the library
System's set -vices: BN' the end ofthis month,
the library= projects that 16.7 million items
\� ill have been checked out this year. That's
the fifth -highest circulation in the country.
she said.
And people are beginning to forget that the
Hennepin County Library is a newly merged
system. Charles said. "When the catalous
were combined in AugusL 1 think that Nvas
the tipping point. We are one," she said.
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I�cvin Duchschere • 612-673-4455
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Buzz builds over St. Paul social host rule I StarTribune.com
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Buzz builds over St. Paul social host
rule
David Brewster, Star Tribune
Rugby players and St.Thoinas students living near
campus on Marshall Ave. in St.Paul are (L. to R_)
Brian Salzer, Tom Maher, Sam Glynn, and Ross
Alberts.
Meant to stein underage drinking,
such laws are gaining popularity.
Minneapolis is considering one, too.
By CHRIS HAVENS, Star Tribune
Last update: December 5. 2009 - 11:09 PNI
Used to be, a 19 -year-old could throw down
$5 for a red plastic cup, unlimited keg beer
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and a night of revelry in a house near one of
St. Paul's many colleges.
But soon, a 19 -year-old might have a harder
time finding a place to party..
St. Paul, with a history of bootleggers and
breweries, is the largest cite in the state to
adopt a social host ordinance. \Nhich makes
it a crime to ,give minors a place to drink. It
takes effect Saturday, and folks on all sides
of the issue of underage drinking -- and the
often aggravating side effects -- are waiting
to see what happens.
The consensus prediction: Fewer raucous
house parties and less puking in
neighborhood bushes. But there are no
illusions that it will eliminate underage
drinking.
"More than anything, it will deepen the bad
blood between students and neighbors," said
Grant Goerke, a 21 -year-old senior at the
University of St. Thomas in Merriam Park.
For all practical purposes. the private
Catholic college. which has 6,100
undergraduate students.. has become ground
zero for the origination and application of
the ordinance.
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Buzz builds over St. Paul social host rule I StarTribune.cont
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"Do I think it will stop anything? No," said
Ross Alberts. a 21 -year-old St. Thomas
senior. He has noticed a new trend -- white
sheets of paper on house doors during
parties. telling minors to star out.
Perhaps the notes are a legal hedge to avoid
crossin4- the new ordinance. which says it's a
crime to knowingly host an event where
minors can obtain or consume alcohol,
regardless of whether the host providing the
booze. It's a misdemeanor_ wvith an tiltinlate
penalty of a $ I MOO fine and as long as 90
days in _jail.
Flu: �:amptis has been buzzing about the
ordinance_ Questions abound about how it
will affect people and parties. Neighbors,
mearm bile, are ww+aiting to see if it will mean
quieter nights and cleaner mornings.
"We're hopeful it will reduce the number of
Out -Of -control parties," said Scott Banas,
who lives two blocks front the university and
is a co-chair of a cornnnunitV group that
works with St. Thatnas concerning various
nein.-hborhood issues. He pointed out that
strict alcohol policies at the university cause
students to fain out into the neighborhood.
There has long been tension between the
neighborhood and the university, although
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both sides say they nnostlw w clue the other as
an asset.
Things boiled over this fall. as neighbors
noticed more roving bands ol'students
looking for a parry or leaving one.
Urinating in a yard or passing out on
someone's lawn are livability issues and can
drive e people away, Cite Attorney John Choi
said.
St. Thomas supports the ordinance, said
John llershey, the university's neighborhood
liaison. He said his goal is to tr-w to educate
students about the disruptions they can
cause to neighbors -- and to their own lives
-- by drinking to excess. He said students
are usually pretty, good about shaping up
once he's had to visit their home because of
a connplaint.
Variation on a theme
Often, social host ordinances target high
school drinking. But in St. Paul, the ordinance
arose from what happens outside the halls of
higher learning.
"College students are the origin of what we
identified as the problem," said Council
Member Buss Stark, who sponsored the St.
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Paul ordinance.
Social Trost ordinances have -wined
popularity in recent years, about 30 cities
have enacted sonic Form of them. An
ordinance based on the one in St. Paul has
been introduced in Minneapolis, and could be
approved �� ithin months.
Council Member Cam Gordon, whose ward
includes the UniversitN of Minnesota and
borders St. Paul; sponsored it as a Nvav to
deal with underage and binge drinking. He
also wants to quash the notion that students
can leave St. Paul to party in Minneapolis
because they �n't get busted as badly.
Party hosts have adapted
:Sonic St. Tkrornas stridents say the ordinance
is just another in a series of harsh
crackdowns, and ask what problem is really
tnvina to be solved.
four Maher, a 21 -year-old senior, said
two _,ressive enforeetnent can add to
neighborhood disturbances. When police
bust a party and tell people to leave, Maher
said, that puts more people carousing on the
streets.
Jess Novak, a 19 -year-old sophomore, said
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;he doesn't think the ordinance is unfair.
"I can understand %where it's coming frorn,"7
she said. "But I think it'S unrealistic."
Nobody spoke against the ordinance at a Cite
Council public hearing. in October.
Between 2005 and 2008, St. Paul police
presented more than 1,300 cases to the City
Attorney's Office for prosecution of
undera�Le drinking.
There are laws against minors buying.
possessing and consuming alcohol. There
are laws against of -age people providing
booze to rninors. Until social host
ordinances began to gain traction, there was
rye way to punish people who gave rninors a
place to drink.
As the latus have changed. the parties h:r� c
adapted.
Gone, for the most part, are the notorious
party houses that throxv multi -keg blowouts
every weekend. Parties are spread around to
different houses, so it's harder for police to
develop a pattern ofdisturbances at one
address. St. Paul police spokesman Sgt. Paul
Schnell said.
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having a keg niivht make it easier to mail
someone forgiving alcohol to a minor, so
bottles and earls -- often bring vour owl] --
irrc the neN\ north, According to Schnell.
that's a significant issue, because it isn't
about alcohol being obtained at a location
but being allowed to be consumed there.
"There's not a great risk of beim, caught,""
Schnell said. "We might catch 90 people at
one party. but another a fess blocks a\Na% has
60.
"We will never arrest our wav out of tile
problem of underage drinking."
Social host ordinances begin to address that.
because they could reduce the number of
locations where underage drinking is
allowed_ Schnell said.
St. Paul police plan to talk with past offenders
about the new ordinance the week it takes
effect. Schnell said. "If we arrest nobody. it's
a win."
Oil i; Havens • 612-673-4148
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Hilltop seeks cop -call decline I StarTribune.com
StarTribune.-Com
Hilltop seeks cop -call decline
Richard Tsang-Taatarii, Star .v ribune
Tom Brezny has been the manager of the Starlite
Motel in Hilltop for about 14 months. Brezny
describes the place as an "inner city, blue-collar
motel. It can be rough at times." He is pictured with
his office dog, Addie, 2. The village has the
somewhat -embarrassing distinction of leading the
state in crimes per person.
A charge for excessive police tithe
would put the onus on otiN,ners of
such property as the Starlite.
By JIM ADAMS, Star Tribune
L-, st upd�,iie December 4 2009 - '19:21 PM
1 r1'1'ii i,rls in the tiny inner-rintif suburb of
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Hilltop are considering an Unusual rernedy to
resolve an irksome policing problem: too
many calls to such places as the Starlite
Motel.
The mobile-horne hamlet of 766 residents is
surrounded by Columbia Heights, which
Hilltop pays for police service. The Starlite. a
loN%-budget. 1960s -era motel, isn't overly
particular about who gets a room. It draws
the most 911 calls in town, mostly for minor
assaults, prostitution and alcohol- or drug-
related medical emergencies. police said.
Offenses at the Starlite. a middle school and a
few other problem addresses -- when
factored auainst Hilltop's tiny population --
have given the village the somewhat -
embarrassing distinction of leading the state
in crimes per person. Though few of the
crimes are serious. they require police tirne
and resources.
To curb the calls, Columbia Heights Police
Chief Scott Nadeau has suggested that Hilltop
adopt an ordinance charging property
o« ners for excessive calls.
While experts say the idea is relatively new
and may be problematic. a handful of metro
cities, including Plymouth, Robbinsdale and
St. Paul, have instituted some kind of
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exce�.ive call fee.
Nadeau's o,�vn Columbia HeM-dits recentl`
passed an ordinance limiting; free police,
animal control and code enforcement service
to tivo calls per year for each property. After
txvo calls in a near, the oN� ner can be billed
'x'50 a call. The rule takes effect in January,
"When a bUSiness beconies a big dra\i on our
resources. \ve can't use [those] officers in
other parts of the community." Nadeau said,
"We feel it is incumbent upon a business to
be an asset to the coniniunity ... and not
bring in unsavory elements."
Starlite manager Tom Brezny thinks the idea
is ridiculous.
Police aren't called "unless we have to,"
Breznv said. "i shouldn't have to be afraid of
being reprimanded by a policeman because
called them once too often."
Brezny_ %N ho lives at the motel and has been
manager about 14 months. said the Starlite
hasn't had such serious incidents as
stabbings. He said he accepts homeless
people \\ ith vouchers from the Salvation
Anny and customers with to\v-paying? jobs.
"Just because you are poor doesn't make you
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Harlan Johnson, executive director of the
Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association, said
he hasn't heard ofto",ns imposing excessive
police service fees on property owners.
"It is innovative," he said, "We'll stand back
and watch and see Nvhat happens and
whether it is picked up by others."
Jim Franklin; executive director of the
Minnesota Sheriffs Association, cautioned
that such fees could potentially discourage
o\vners or their employees from calling,
police about minor offenses. If police are not
ativai*e ofsuch offenses, lie said, they could
escalate to violent crimes.
No homicides
Through November, the Starlite accounted
for 9 percent, or 26. of Hilltop's 291 reported
offenses. nearly all of them minor or
propert\ crinies. said police Capt. Lenny
Austin. Of the 291 reports citywide, only nine
were for violent crimes, seven of theni
aggravated assaults.
Though Hilltop led the state in per -capita
crime fair at least the past five years_ it's had
no homicides during that tilde, according to
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,tate uniform crime reports. The citN. eeltich
has two schools and about 20 businesses
along Central Avenue, had 35.5 offenses per
100 residents last near.
At 116 calls through November. the motel
leads all Hilltop addresses but could conte in
under last year's 151 calls, which would
mean 2009 brought the lowest number of
calls to the motel in five years. Residential
areas of Hilltop have few crimes, Nadeau
noted.
Police thought they had the Starlite problem
licked earlier this N car•. when its number of
calls dropped to live in April. That month the
motel followed a police recommendation to
hire night security guards and require picture
IDs and payment by credit card.
Brezm said lie worked with police and
continues to check IDs, require credit cards
and not accept drunks. "We did more
policing, so we get better people that are not
so dramatic," he said.
But room rentals dropped along with the
police calls, and the motel couldn't afford to
keel) the guards. said Brezny. Calls jumped
to 14 in May.
Still. the tally was less than the 19 calls in May
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?008. Austin said. Monthly all %glume has
remained at 10 or les, <Mcc N lar% . cxccpt for
September, when calls hit a 1-1\ c-_% car hush of
31. lie noted.
Hilltop Mayor Jerry Murphy said the City
Council will consider the excessive call
proposal at its meeting next week. He said
another option Nadeau suggested xvas
creating a license for the motel and setting
conditions that would lead to fewer calls.
Murphy, sitting to his mobile 'home a few-
blocks from the Starlite:. said the city attorne\
suggested waitinwo to see how the excessive -
call fee does in Colombia Heights.
"We don't want to be their "uinea pig."
Murphy said. "We will never be able to
completely control it [Starlite calls], but the
rate has to come down. We will work \% ith the
police to the end that we can keep it kind of
clean over there."
Librarian John Warehain contributed to this
article. Jim. Adams • 613-673-7658
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Everything has a price in cost-conscious cities I StarTribune.com
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Everything has a price in cost-
conscious cities
Cities loot: to get their money's
Nvorth from an eclectic range of
licensing fres.
By MARY JANE SMETANKA, Star Tribune
Last update: December 7, 2909 - 5:54 AM
Anvonc %with a hankering to hawk patent
medicines might Nvant to avoid Richfield.
Otlnervise, it's goin+g to cost liim -- $179 for
a single day of trying to charm people into
hu} ing quack medicines,
Richfield's cite code is lull of fees for such
activities, and in fact the city is raising the
permit fee for mountebanks, or patent
medicine peddlers, to $182 ;next year.
Other transient merchants -- such as the
Texas shrimp -seller who brings in a
refrigerated truck to sell seafood to dozens
of lob al customers -- must pay $94 per day,
a fee that allows the city to test the seafood
to make Sure it's safe.
C;tch %ear. cities revie%v their permit and
license lees to see if they should be
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increased, State la\e limits such fees to the
Lost of offering the service. so cities can't
legally raise xvhat they charge just to help
\vith tight budgets.
But this Near. cost-conscious cities such as
Richfield and St. Louis Park asked
departments to closely review Nvhat they're
been charging to make: sure they \\ ere
collecting as onuIcln as 1110' could.
"Our goal wasn't to tr\ to generate additional
revenue. It \vas only to make sure the fees
were fair." said Brian Swanson, St. Louis
Park's finance manager.
The resulting increases in St. Louis Park are
expected to generate an additional $ 11 MO,
lie said.
One new fee charges $50 to number a new
address, sonnething that Swanson said will
.just cover the city's cost of making sure
numbers are properly displa\ed and big
enough to be seen fi-onn the street. Another
fee change affects developers 4vho would
rather pay the city than replace trees they
remove; next vear, they'll have to pay $115
per caliper inch, a $5 increase.
All about competition
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Still. SI. Louis Park crit sante park and
recreation fees to remain competitive AN ith
programs in nearby communities. Swanson
said. Edina did the same, cutting the group
fee for 18 holes of golf at Braemar Golf
Course. from S49 to $=46.
"You have to make sure you're 1)1 -icing
vourselfxvithin the golf course market," said
l=diva f=inance Director John Wallin.
Edina bumped rip fees for its ambulance
services, much in demand in a city \A ith many
older people. Next year, fees for on -scene
medical treatment will increase from $335 to
A; "major care" Nvi11 go from S1.485 to
51,55[). Wallin said those fees were adjusted
after they were compared with those charged
by hospitals such as Hennepin County
Medical Center and other ambulance
providers.
"We subsidize this." Wallin said. "It is a
progranh that the City Council considers to
be very important."
St. Louis Park, Edina and Richfield all
increased fees related to massage therapy.
Officials said that because massage
businesses have occasionally been fronts for
prostitution. those businesses roust be
thoroughly investigated before they're
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licensed and monitored afterward. Next dear,
St. Louis Park will charge $325 to establish a
massage therapy business: Edina N\ ill charge
$285.
Richfield charges similar businesses a
AN hopping $733 fee and massage therapists a
$75 lee. Bets}Y Osborn. support service
manager in the city's Public Safety
Department, said that years ago the cit\T had a
problem with "masseuses" M ho were
trafficking in something other than kneading
sore muscles.
High cost of licensing
Sometimes even a heft\ fee may not cover a
city's licensing costs. Richfield forbids
locating massage therapy businesses in
homes. But a few years ago, an agoraphobic
-- someone who fears crowds and public
places -- applied for a license to do massage
therapy in her home. The city worked with
the Minnesota Disabilities LaNv Center to meet
requirements of federal lacy and agreed to
license the A%onian to work at home. It had to
veritA that doctors had diagnosed the
woman's agoraphobia and had to confirm
that she had training. In the end, the license
fee probably didn't cover all of the work the
city did; Osborn said.
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"I've ea:il- "tit all Inch ofpaper" ork on [flirt.'"
Osborn said. "Slee is the only person we have
ever licensed Oho �\orks in a home."
From peddlers to circuses
Some fees appear to be historical relics.
Judging from them, Lichfield in particular
seems to have had a colorful past.
There are fees for wagon peddlers (S22I in
2010), people \vho keep pigeons ($43).
fortune tellers ($148 for a day, $1,470 for a
� ear) and public baths ($2.553 fbr a year).
Are such categories obsolete? Not in a city
that tries to protect its citizens fi-on noise.
clanger, irritations and cheats, Osborn said.
"Every so often \ve get someone �vho
wanders into town and \\ants to tell fortunes.
That can be problematic," she said. "We tell
then the process and, gee. it's funny_ they
disappear the next day."
\ext year, the fee to bring a circus to
Richfield will be $191.
"There's still the possibility that a small
traveling circus with a fevv monkeys could
blow into town." Osborn said.
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Mary Jane Smetanka - 612-673-7350
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Outdoor ice rinks slipping away i StarTribune.cont
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Outdoor ice rinks slipping away
KYNDELL HARKNESS, Star Tribune
In Coon Rapids, parks worker Joe Tart sprayed a
layer of ice for a hockey rink in Delta Park. It was the
first day for making ice in the open and hockey
rinks at Coon Rapids parks.
Sonic neighborhood ice rinks in the
Twin Cities won't get flooded this
vear as cities struggle to balance
their budgets.
By MARIA ELENA BACA, Star Tribune
Last updates December 9, 2009 - 7:13 AM
Denny Loving describes a cherished view he
,got flying into Minneapolis -St. Paul
International Airport: Outdoor skating rinks
"on ponds and sloughs and outdoor parks
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Loving would notice such an asset. He's
president of the Pond Hockey North America
Championship.
But across the metro area, some of those
rinks will go dark this year. victims of cit,
budget cuts that have trickled down to
neighborhood parks.
No single agency or organization specifically
tracks changes to outdoor ice rinks in
Minnesota cities, but the examples are
numerous:
*Lakeville is not flooding, rinks in five parks
that traditionally have had them, leaving five
others open. Estimated savings are as much
as $7,000. including maintenance and
utilities.
-Coon Rapids will operate lights and
warming houses at t%vo sites on Nveekends
onIN : three other rinks will be maintained
without \\ arming houses or lights. Two other
rinks will remain open with full facilities
every day. 'The city maintained 17 rinks until
about four years ago. This year's cutbacks
could save as much as $15,000.
-Burnsville is closing 13 of its tree outdoor
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skatintt sites -- half of those it usually
maintains. Savings are difficult to estimate
because the changes are due to the loss of
park maintenance staff and expanded
sno,r plowing responsibilities for city
personnel after a private p[cnving contract
\vas terminated.
\lost city officials said budget cuts are Fueling
such chances. Cities are entering another
year of unpredictable state aid and
reimbursements, and \N,-ith small or
nonexistent revenue increases due to slo%v --
or stalled -- development.
"Unfortunately. we're not considered a core
service." said Lakeville Parks and Recreation
Director Steve Michaud. "Definitcly. it will
affect the duality of life for those interested
in that particular activity. What do you do in
the reinter ill Minnesota.
Cities that are cutting back say they have
tried to ensure that remaining facilities are
geographically dispersed -- or concentrated
where demand is greatest.
Civic pride meets reality
In Burnsville, the city's 26 skating facilities
rr°ere a source of pride. "We had kind of an
exceptional program when you compare the
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number of sites rve had to our neighbors."
said Terry Schultz, Burnsville's director of
Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources. "It
ryas nice to be able to have a rink within a
half -mile or mile of everybody. Norv, we're
saving a rink within a mile or tvvo of
even bock."
In a year NN lien cities are hunting for rvays to
cut costs, every expense must be justified.
Officials said they tried to focus cuts on the
least -used rinks.
Blaine is closing four neighborhood facilities
and ti -ores some +won't be missed that much.
"When maintenance comes in to flood and
there are no skate marks, that says 'what are
We rvastir7g our time for here'?' " said Park and
Recreation Director Jim Kappelhoff. "We're
finding that kids are just not going to the
skating rinks an}' longer in the wintertime.
Thev'vc become homebound with other
activities, such as computers_ cell phones
and video oames."
Beth Lervis, assistant professor of
kinesiology at the University of Minnesota.
said she wasn't surprised to hear of falling
outdoor rink attendance.
"We've had a culture shin in terms of kids
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loin` more organized acm /ties versus Inst
«ding out and playing in the backyard and
Poing to the local skating rink." she said.
A fejt indoor rink managers said they have
maintained strong organized and free -skate
programs. But Michael Sheggeby, president of
the i/limtesota Ice Arena Managers'
Association, hesitated to correlate indoor
attendance numbers to a decline in outdoor
rink usage.
Still, indoor rinks do operate without the
Lmpre(lictability of weather. \vhether it's
mush) ice or biting N\ inds. said Craig Flor.
manatler at Ridder and MRI-iL[CCI arenas at the
University of Minnesota. Others noted that
several recent Nvarm years have made for
horrible ice conditions or short seasons.
All is not bleak
But free -play- pickup hockey and skating
races tinder the stars aren't history
everywhere. In some neighborhoods, an
aging population can explain the absence of
skaters. In other communities, outdoor rinks
are still in their heyday.
In Blaine, some outdoor multi -rink facilities
see as many as 200 skaters a night during
the week, And a park like Happy Acres that's
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in the middle of a neighborhood of ` 01,11111
families is well -used.
Minneapolis isn't making any changes to its
outdoor ice program after closing five
facilities two years ago. Bloomington was
able to soften its cuts thanks to a `roup of
volunteers trained to maintain the ice and
staff warming houses on school Ilolldays and
weekends. St. Paul credits its volunteers for
helping keep all of its 20 facilities open,
volunteers do the flooding. grooming and
staffing at set oral of its rinks.
The outdoor experience is important, said
Lewis, because the lack of structure allows
kids to be creatke. and to be their own
referees and problem -solvers.
"When you round Lip kids from the
neighborhood, kids see that skating is a Rin
activity." she said. "It's a creative activity,
lala) ing games and learning to love to be
physicalh actkce"
Maria Elena Baca • 612-673-4409
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Streets will get plowed - it just might take longer I StarTribune.com
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Streets will get plowed - it just
might take longer
Cities around the metro area etre
trying new strategies to deal with
clearing, snore and ice in tighter
budget tiimes.
By CHRIS HAVENS, Star Tribune
Last update. December 9, 2009 - 5:3:5 AM
Minneapo[is residents can expect the hills of
snow left by plows at bus stops to remain for
days or mavbe vNeeks longer than normal.
St. Paulites probably won't hear the salt truck
rumbling down their residential streets.
In some suburbs, residents will spy snow
sitting on sidewalks, trails and neighborhood
roads longer than usual.
That's the picture painted by public works
officials as cities try to deal with clearing
snoxv and ice in tighter budget times. Cost-
cutling measures rangy=e from cutting salt
usage to reining in overtime to using fewer
full-time workers.
Those strategies w ill likely get a workout noNv
as the season's first siti-nificant snowfalI is
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blanketing metro roads.
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'File net effect of -the changes �%on't be too
noticeable in most cities. officials say. In
Minneapolis. though, folks will see some
differences -- rtaostly in the time it takes to
clear bus stops. corners and residential
streets. For lighter storms and follow-up
plowing, there \N ill be fewer plows out.
"We might have a longer response time, but
we'll get there." said Mike Kennedy of the
Minneapolis Public Works Department. He
had to cut $1.4 million from an $8.5 million
budget this season.
Last year. Minneapolis had 134 workers
dedicated to snow and ice. This vear, the
number is down to 80 full-time workers.
Many of the employees Nvho were cut were
put on a reserve status, so when a snobv e
mergency hits, they'll drop what they're
doing and get to N ork for the city. Employees
in other public works divisions have been
trained to drive plows, as NNell.
"We still believe we can hit the peak needs."
Kennedy said.
Minneapolis and 5t. Paul also will be renting
less snow -clearing equipment. officials said.
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"W'e're in pretty good shape for the winter."
said Kevin Nelson, St. Paul's street
maintenance engineer. "They [residents]
won't see a hu -e difference in the level of
service."
St, Paul has reduced its full-time snoAN and
ice complement by about 30 workers to 55,
Nelson said. But he Nyill be able to hire
temporary workers during snow
emergencies or as needed for bi+, storms to
(yet back to old staffing levels.
He said that main roads Nvill still ,get the
attention they normally do, but that
residential streets, aside from intersections,
will not be salted, The frequency of plowing
shouldn't decrease, he added.
A common sirate<gy for saving money in
manv metro cities is to hole{ back oil the salt.
Blaine and Cottave Grove intend to use less.
Several cities are now using a saltwater
mixture to wet the salt so it sticks to the
street better and is needed in smaller
amounts. St. Paul, which cut its salt purchase
by about 20 percent this year. will have 10
trucks outfitted with the liquid dispenser. St.
Louis Park and Maple Grove will also use that
strategy,
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The other- thing public % orks officials are
hoping for is, admittedly. out of their control:
fewer snowstorms.
In Plymouth 2.5 inches of snow triggers a
snow emerg=enebringing all plows out. To
reduce the number of all-out plowing events.
the Cite Council considered raising the level
to 3 inches but decided against the change.
said Plymouth Public Works Director Doran
Cote,
"Tile Cita Council decided this is one ofthe
things that is important to the conllnunity
and important to the council, so thea did not
touch the way we do snow plowing. In
Minnesota this is one of the services that
people want to have at a very high leytl."
St. Paul officials have talked about waiting to
declare a snot emergency until the white
stuff stacks up to 4 inches instead of the.
typical 3. but Nelson said that chance hasn't
become an ol'ficial policy. It costs St. Paul
about $500.000 per snow emergency, and it
budgets about four per year.
It should also be noted that while city
workers are handling the streets, residents
and business owners in the Twill Cities must
keep sidewalks clear-- it's the lacy in St. Paul
and Minneapolis.
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Cities, counties survive aid cuts for
now
Pav-d enty won't withhold payments
this month, but said cuts could come
if legislators don't act on the deficit.
By BAIRD HELGESON and BOB VON STERNBERG, Star
Tribune staff writers
Last update: December 8, 2009 - 9:40 PM
Minnesota's cash-strapped cities and
counties will get a reprieve from the budget
ax -- at least for now.
Gov. Tim Pawlenty announced Tuesday that
he won't withhold city and county aid
payments to chip away at the state's
projected $1.2 billion budget deficit.
Pawlerlty and Minnesota Management and
Budget Commissioner Tom Hanson both
singled out the $437 million pot of cash as a
way to at least partially resolve the projected
19 -month shortfall announced last week.
"We are obviously very pleased," said .lien
Miller, executive director of the League of
Minnesota Cities. "But this doesn't mean the
deficit is gone, or that the budget will be
balanced another way."
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Cities and counties braced for losing millions
of dollars that help pay for fire departments,
police and other government services.
Minnesota law requires the payment to go
out Dec. 26, the second of two annual lump -
sum payments.
"Given the imminent expected payment of
December local aid, I have determined that
additional local aid program cuts, if any,
should be focused on fixture payments,"
Pawlenty wrote to cities and counties.
Pawlenty's decision pushes the budget -
cutting decisions to the Legislature, which
convenes Feb. 4. The state has already spent
about 22 percent of its money for the
biennium and loses another $40 million to
$50 million each clay.
"It's always better policy for the Legislature
to make spending cut decisions, rather than
the governor," said state Senate Tax
Committee Chairman Torn Bakk, DFL -Cook,
who is running for governor.
Pawlenty warned that lie expects lawmakers
to take action resolving the budget, "If the
Legislature is unable to pass appropriate
budget reductions, I will take the necessary
actions to resolve the budget deficit,"
Pawlenty wrote. "Future local aid program
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Cities, counties survive aid cuts for now I StarTribune.com
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payments would likely be part of that budget
solution."
Pawlenty endured criticism this summer
when he used his emergency budget -cutting
authority to "unallot" $2.7 billion without
consulting lawmakers. Two lawsuits are
pending challenging Pawlenty's use of his
solo budget -cutting authority.
St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman and Wadena
Mayor Wayne Wolden praised the governor's
decision.
In the past seven years, Minnesota cities lost
$754 million in government aid, they said in a
joint statement. That resulted in a 64 percent
increase in property taxes and significant
cuts to core services.
Local cities and counties appealed to state
Revenue Commissioner Ward Einess last
week to snake the aid payments, Miller said.
City officials generally feel they have a better
chance preserving most or all of their state a
id in the Legislature than the governor's
office, Miller said.
"This is only a reprieve," he said.
Baird Helgesori • 651-222-1288 Bob von
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Sternberg • 612-673-7184
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Metro housing market shows signs of healing I StarTribune.com
StarTribune.com
Metro housing market shows signs
of healing
By JENNIFER BJORH US, Star Tribune
Last update: December 10, 2009 - 11:27 AM
The Twin Cities housing market continues to
heal from the Great Recession. Prices are still
sliding but no longer plunging, and the
inventory of homes for sale has returned to
more normal levels.
"We are bottomed out. We are on the road to
recovery," said Steve Havig, president of the
Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors,
which released the November housing
numbers Thursday.
The metro area's median sale price Iast
month was $170,000, a 3 percent drop from
a year ago but not the double-digit declines
of months past. Closed sales jumped nearly
70 percent from a year ago to 4,304, thanks
in part to the bump from buyers rushing to
take advantage of the fast -time borne buyers
tax credit last month. That rush is expected
to ease this month, historically a slow one for
home sales, although the tax credit has since
been extended to the end of April.
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The total number of homes listed for sale
dropped to 21,959, down from previous
months and about 20 percent less than a
year ago.
Page I of 2
That's about a six-month supply of inventory
for sale. A five n-ionth supply is generally
considered a balanced market.
It's all good news for sellers facing
competition on the market, although it means
the selection for buyers is slowly shrinking.
About one third of the final sales last month
were lender -mediated, meaning they were
some sort of short sale or foreclosure.
The road ahead is clearly bumpy. One
problem, Havig said, is that banks and
lenders continue to stumble with short sales,
where homes are sold for less than the
remaining mortgage on them.
"We have everywhere from a three to nine-
month lag in response time from lenders on
short sales," said Havig. He noted that the
inventory of foreclosures has dropped, but
the supply of short sales remains high -- a
"bulge" in the inventory, he said.
There's also more pain in the pipeline as
Minnesotans struggle with unemployment.
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Nearly 7 percent of Mirmesota Homeowners
with mortgages are late on their }payments,
according to the latest from the Mortgage
Bankers Association. That's the highest since
1979 when the association started tracking
delinquencies at the state level. And it means
that more lenders and struggling
homeowners will be putting homes on the
market, depressing prices.
Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's
Econoiny.coin, recently released a sober
2010 forecast calling for still more trouble in
the nation's housing market. He predicted
median home prices in the metro area will fall
another S percent next year, then pick up
about two percent in 2011.
--Jennifer Bjorhus • 612-673-4683
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3
Ehlers Market Commentary December 7, 2009
Interest Rates Mixed
Tax-exempt interest rates over the past two weeks have fallen. Ten year yields are down 7 basis points
and 20 year yields are down 12 basis points. Demand for tax-exempt debt continues to be strong but
the longer terse yields are lagging behind the shorter term. This is evidenced by the ratio of a tax-
exempt interest rate to the taxable interest rates. The 10 year ratio is 80.2%, which means that tax-
exempt interest rates are fairly low relative to taxable rates. The 30 year ratio is 96.5% which would
lead one to believe that longer term rates could fall more. However, tax-exempt rates tend to be less
volatile than the Treasury rates and the recent up tick in the taxable rates may reduce that 30 year ratio
to be more in line with the 10 year ratio.
Treasury rates had been fairly stable over the past two weeks until the employment news hit the
markets on Friday, December 4th. November job losses were announced at 11,000 while economists
had expected over 100,000. This glimmer of inflation was enough to drive up taxable rates by 10
basis points on Friday alone. The 10 year Treasury closed last week at a 3.48%
Recovery Zone Economic Development Bonds
We have previously discussed Build America Bonds (BABs), the taxable bonds authorized by the
federal stimulus bill earlier this year with its 35% rebate. Recovery Zone Economic Development
Bonds (RZEDB) carry a 45% interest rate subsidy and were allocated directly from the federal
government to certain counties and certain cities over 100,000 in population based upon
unemployment trends. These counties and cities can reallocate their share to schools and communities
in their jurisdiction or they can turn there back to their respective state governments. Unlike BAB s,
RZEDB have not been widely used to date. The likely reason for the slower absorption has less to do
with market considerations and more to do with process. Because the allocations were often small
(sometimes $200,000 or less), many counties will not use any of their allocation and have little
incentive to reallocate to the state. The delay in issuance is also because counties and larger cities with
more substantial allocations are still working through a prioritization system on what project is best
deserving of the subsidy. A few states across the country have implemented laws or rules to enforce a
"use it or lose it" process to ensure the RZEDB are issued well before the 12/31/2010 deadline.
Our firm has now competitively bid RZEDB for three different communities and have a few early
comments based upon these experiences. Specifically we have found:
1. The subsidy is very valuable. A 25 year bond with an average taxable coupon rate of 6%
results in a net rate of 3.3% after the subsidy. This is .50% to .75% lower than a regular tax-
exempt bond for the same term and rating.
2. Even for relatively small (less than $2,000,000) and longer tens (20 to 30 years) taxable
bonds, there is demand for general obligation RZEDBs.
4b
EHLERS www.ehiers-inc.com
LEADERS IN PUBLIC FINANCE Offices in Minnesota (800) 552-1171
Wisconsin (800) 717-9742
Illinois: (800) 417-1119
Page 33
Ehlers Market Commentary December 7, 2009
3. RZEDB require federal Davis Bacon wage requirements for any building project funded by
the bonds. Depending upon your location and the size of your project, you may want to
weigh the benefits of the lower interest costs against any changes in the cost of the project.
We strongly suggest a good paper trail with independent verification of the wage rates in
case the Department of Labor audits your project.
4. Post issuance policies and compliance for any type of debt has become more vital with the
IRS' announcement at a recent bond lawyer's seminar that they will send out written surveys
in 2010 for all types of stimulus funding bonds including RZEDBs, BABs and Qualified
School Construction Bonds (QSCBs).
�#k
EHLERS
r w LEADERS IN PUBLIC FINANCE
www.ehiers-inc.com
Offices in Minnesota (800) 552-1171
Wisconsin (800) 717-9742
Illinois: (800) 417-1119
Page 34
if&!
HIGHWAY 55
CORRIDOR COALITION
www.highway55.org
Preserving the 55 Corridor from I-494 to Annandale, Minnesota
Highway 55 Corridor Coalition
Full Membership Committee Meeting
Meeting Minutes
Friday, October 16, 2009
9:30 a.m. —11:30 a.m.
Hennepin County Transportation Facility
Medina, MN
Training Room
1. Call to Order— Chair Marvin Johnson, with a quorum being present, called the meeting to order at 9:32 a.m.
2. Introductions Marvin Johnson, City of Independence; Wayne Fingalson, Wright County; Jack Russek,
Wright County; Liz Weir, City of Medina; Todd Vlatkovich, Hennepin County; Tom Johnson, Hennepin
County; Dick Mattson, Wright County; Claudia Dumont, MnDOT D3; Loren Harff, City of Greenfield;
Dennis Bei��ockford Township: Chad Adams, City of Medina; Bob Moberg, City of Plymouth; Kathleen
Poate, I-'94 WestChamber;-Dan Labo, Wright County; Brad Larson, SRF Consulting Group, Inc.
Special Guests — Christine Goepfert, Transportation 4 America; Barb Thoman, Transit for Liveable
Communities
Special Notes — Chair Marvin Johnson noted the passing of Willard Vetsch, City of Loretto's long time
representative to the Hwy 55 Corridor Coalition. He also noted that Deb Steiskal could not make this meeting
but Congresswoman Michele Bachmann and Deb send their greetings.
3. Approve Meeting Minutes from August 21, 2009: Motion by Jack Russek, second by Dennis Beise to
approve the August 21, 2009 meeting minutes with a spelling change. Motion passed.
4. Transportation 4 America Presentation: Christine Goepfert and Barb Thoman went through a
powerpoint presentation titled Bluepring for a 21" Century Federal Transportation Program including
handouts.
5. Financial Report: Wayne handed out the Financial Report as of October 14, 2009. He reported the current
fund balance of $18,678.68. Wayne explained that the Coalition is waiting for a reimbursement from MnDOT
of approximately $6,000 so the balance will soon be about $25,000. Motion by Bob Moberg, second by Jack
Russek to approve the Financial Report. Motion was approved. Wayne said that the Minnesota Transportation
Alliance annual dues invoice has been received and asked for a motion to approve the payment. Motion was
made by Dennis Beise, second by Liz Weir to pay the dues invoice. Motion passed. Wayne said that the
Contact: Wayne A. Fingalson Phone: 763/682--7383
Wright County Highway Department FAX.- 763/682-7313
1901 highway 25 North E-mail: wayne.tingalson u,co.wright.nzn.us
Buffalo, Minnesota 55313-3306 Page 3 5
www.highway55.org
HIGHWAY 55
CORRIDOR COALITION Preserving tl:e 55 Corridor from I-494 to Annandale, Minnesota
Minnesota Transportation Alliance sends out a weekly legislative update and since the Coalition is a member
that update could be sent to Coalition members. Brad Larson will send it out.
6. Technical Advisory Committee/MnDOT Report:
• TH 55 Environmental Assessment Status — District 3:
Claudia Dumont said that the EA from Rockford to Buffalo will be worked after the EA for work on I-
94 is completed.
• Dick Mattson had recently attended a District 3 meeting where some information provided by
1V1i-tDOT suggested that only TH 23 from Buffalo to Monticello project was in their program. Dick
also had some questions on other information discussed at the meeting, Claudia said that she would
check out the information and report back to the Coalition at the December meeting.
• Coalition Projects Status Report:
--CSAH 116: Chad Adams noted that this intersection project at Hwy 55 is at a stage where a
consultant needs to be selected to start the preliminary design and environmental work. Medina,
Hennepin County are working with MnDOT on the consultant selection process.
7. Legislative Updates.
Federal: Nothing at this time about the FFY 2010 Appropriations bill except Congress has passed a
continuing resolution for the existing bill to allow more time to work on the 2010 appropriations. The
new Transportation authorization bill has been passed by the House but the Senate wants a 12 to 18 month
extension of the existing Authorization bill which is also supported by the Administration. A continuing
resolution has been passed to December, 2009 on the existing bill.
Tom Johnson stated that bids have been coming in low on the federal stimulus transportation projects and
more projects are needed to use the federal funds. They need to be ready to go to contract immediately.
The Coalition's projects are not that far advanced to compete for these funds. Bob Moberg said that
MnDOT has positioned itself to capture more federal funds if other states can not use them in time.
Wayne Fingalson and Tom Johnson talked about the TIGER grant status where projects competing must
be at least $20 Million and competition is nation-wide. The project selection is to be in January. Pretty
limited number of projects probably will be selected. Wright County submitted the I94 from Rogers to
Albertville project on behalf of MnDOT, Others submitted include the Stillwater Bridge and 1494 @ TH
169 interchange.
Wayne noted that only about 3% of the Federal Stimulus funds are going to transportation.
State: Claudia Dumont said District 3 has accelerated bridge projects and has spent their allocation of the
federal funds. Dick Mattson mentioned to Claudia Dumont that there is a house for sale next to Hwy 55.
Claudia noted that they get calls on these.
S. Communications: There were no communications at this time.
Contact • Wayne A. Fingalson Phone: 763/682-7383
Wright County Highway Department FAX- 763/682-7313
1901 Highway 25 North E-mail: wayne. frngalsona,co.wrighi.inn. ars
Buffalo, Minnesota 55313-3306 Page 36
HIGHWAY 55 www.highway55.org
CORRIDOR COALITION Preserving the 55 Corridor from I-494 to Annandale, Minnesota
9. Establish next full membership meeting date and time: The next meeting will be on Friday,
December 18, 2009 at 9:30 a.m. at the Hennepin County Public Works facility, Training Room in Medina.
Wayne said that he appreciated Kathleen Poate attending the meeting and ask if she could give the Coalition
and update on the I-94 West Chamber activities at the December meeting.
10. Other Business: Brad Larson noted that the Coalition's 2010 dues will be sent out in early December.
11. Adjourn: On a motion by Jack Russek, second by Liz Weir the meeting adjourned at 10:44 a.m.
Respectfully submitted:
Brad Larson, SRF Consulting Group, Inc.
Contact: JVayne A. Fingalson Phone: 7631682-7383
Wright County Highway Department FAX: 7631682-7313
1901 Highway 25 North E-mail.- wavne. in nlsonCa�co.ivri ht.nan.us
Buffalo, Minnesota 55313-3306 Page 37
MINUTES
WAYZATA COMMUNITIES IN COLLABORATION COUNCIL
November 11, 2009
Next Meeting:
December 9, 2009
PRESENT
Becca Fink, Brenda Heim, Kristin Tollison, Katie Dunford, Donna Marget,
Marcia Treno, Cheryl Lubinski, Sheryl Kasdan, Joanna Redman, Charlene Barghini,
Jessica Cardwell, Alex Olmanson, Chris Olmanson, Margaret Rookey, Lynn Zemlin and
Carol Bergenstal
WELCOME
+ Chair, Becca Fink, welcomed everyone. She extended Dr. Anderson's apologies
that an unavoidable conflict prevented his presence with us today. Dr. Anderson
will attend the December 9th CICC meeting to provide an update on the "State of
the School District."
OCTOBER CICC MINUTES
• October CICC minutes were approved, as written.
LCTS UPDATE
+ Donna Marget, LCTS Grant Committee Chair, explained current LCTS-funded
programs will continue to be funded in 2010.
• Updated grant applications, to be completed by grant recipients, will place
additional emphasis on the development of partnerships, the identification of steps
organizations will take to ensure services are delivered in a manner that respects
the culture of recipients, and the collection of measurable outcome data.
• Donna also presented the 2010 LCTS Interagency Agreement and the 2010 LCTS
Financing Framework for review and approval.
• The only change in the 2010 Interagency Agreement is the change in dates.
+ The motion was made by Marcia Treno and seconded by Kristin Tollison to
approve the 2010 Interagency Agreement, as presented. Motion passed
unanimously.
• In the 2010 Financing Framework Agreement;
o There will be no change in the overall sharing formula from 2009: 5%
to the State, 5% to the County, 5% to Children's Mental Health
Collaborative (CHMC) and 85% distributed among the family services
collaboratives.
o NEW: The State Department of Human Services ruled that the
Minnesota Visiting Nurses Association and Minneapolis's Way to
Grow programs will be eliminated from LCTS claiming. It was
determined that because they are both private programs and are not
statewide they do not fit the criteria to be part of LCTS claiming.
Page 38
o NEW: All claims generated by Hennepin County Corrections will be
under the authority of the CMHC and will be available for county-
wide distribution based on a plan submitted by the Hennepin Juvenile
Detention Alternatives Initiative to the CMHC for review and
approval.
o NEW: All claims generated by Intermediate School District 287 will
also be under the authority of CMHC and will be available for
distribution based on a plan submitted by 287 and its member districts
to CMHC for review and approval. All funds must be dedicated to
support the development and operation of mental health support
in the schools.
The motion was made by Brenda Heim and seconded by Charlene Barghini to
approve the 2010 Financing Framework Agreement, as presented. Motion passed
unanimously.
COMMUNITY CONVERSATON - January 20, 2010
• Kristin Tollison, Sheryl Kasdan, Greg Rye and Carol Bergenstal are working on
the plans for the community event that will take place on Wednesday, January 20,
7:15 AM to 9:00 AM.
• Many thanks to the City of Plymouth for allowing us to use the beautiful
Plymouth Creek Center!
• The focus of the morning will be a dialogue regarding our most precious resource,
our children, that will take place between administrators and elected officials from
the cities within the Wayzata School District and administrators and elected
officials of the School District.
• Greg Rye will serve as the facilitator.
• There will be small group conversations at each table, followed by a full group
discussion.
• Marcia Treno suggested that CICC members serve as table captains at each table
to ensure the conversations stay on track and to take notes. All agreed.
• Donna Marget suggested that we take time to discuss what is going well and to
identify unmet needs.
• Sheryl Kasdan suggested that we offer some ideas for discussion: access to
wireless, the use of stimulus funding, hunger in our communities, youth access to
alcohol and drugs, etc.
• Additional ideas to generate interest in the event were also discussed and included
emphasis of the focus on children, press releases, additional PR, etc.
CHILD FAMILY SUPPORT/SCHOOL READINESS UPDATE
Renee Lach, School Readiness manager, and Amy Naleid, the school social
worker who devotes part of her time to the Child Family Support Program (in
support of School Readiness children and families), shared an overview and
update.
Over 60 children, ages 3 and 4, are enrolled in School Readiness programs at
three sites in the Wayzata School District: Peppermint Fence, Wayzata
Community Church Nursery School and Kids' Care Connection.
2
Page 39
• These children from low-income families have scholarships to participate in these
high quality early childhood programs to help ensure they are prepared to be
successful in kindergarten.
• In addition to School Readiness funding through Community Education, stimulus
funding is also being used to support this program.
• Scholarships for low-income families are also provided through the Caring for
Kids Initiative, Wayzata Community Church Nursery School and Kids' Care
Connection.
• The Bright Start Program in the Wayzata Schools also provides scholarships for 4
year olds.
• Wrap around services including transportation to school (a critical component for
the success of the program), parent education and support for other children in the
family are provided through School Readiness.
• Home visits and in -class observations of the children are conducted twice a year.
• This personalized approach helps to establish trust, provides an opportunity to
offer general parenting advice on day-to-day issues with children, and helps to
identify any emerging issues that may require additional attention or resources.
• These one-on-one visits also help to eliminate misunderstandings that may
develop as a result of language or cultural differences.
COMMUNITY CHECK-IN
The Teen Scene: A Community Reality Check. A Three -Part Series on Underage
Drinking and Drug Use
• Kristin reported that the first event in this series was held on October 26 and was
well received, attended by over 100 parents.
• Monday, November 16, 7-8:30 PM, WHS Auditorium
Part Two will focus on the real life stories that involve our own students, parents
and community members. Panel participants will share a significant life event
with the hope it will make a difference in the lives of others. Each will offer
reality and hope.
• Monday, November 30, 7-8:30 PM, WHS Culinary Express
Part three involves active participation as parents explore "tools" of the trade.
What can you do to prevent underage alcohol/drug use? Parents will share and
develop some of their best parenting strategies and strengthen communication
with other parents. You will leave with a full toolkit and many resources.
• This series is brought to you by community of partners including Partners in
Prevention, WHS staff and students, and the City of Plymouth School Resource
Officers,
Y Middle School Activity Nights
• Becca reported that the first Y Night of the school year was held Friday,
November 6 and was a great success.
• Over 110 middle school students attended, including a significant number of
youth from the CONECT neighborhoods and Wayzata students who live in
Minneapolis.
Page 40
• Kids had a great time playing basketball, swimming, dancing, playing Wii, bingo,
and doing cartoon drawings with a resident artist from the Minnetonka Center for
the Arts.
• The next Y Nights will take place Friday, February 12, 2010 and Friday, April 23,
2010
Stimulus Funded Services Provided Throu h CAPSH
• Please take note of the attached list of services (employment and emergency
services) that are available in our community as a result of ARRA (American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act) funds distributed through CAPSH.
Home Base SIeep-Out
• Lynn Zemlin reported that Home Base students at Gleason Lake will continue
their long -held tradition of participating in IOCP's Sleep Out this Friday night.
CONECT Homework Clubs
• Jessica Cardwell reported that Homework Clubs are up and running at all S
CONECT apartment neighborhoods in Plymouth.
• Thanks to an influx of volunteers, they are now well -staffed.
Caring for Kids Initiative
• Brenda Heim reported that another scholarship will be added this month!
• The Beauty and the Beast fundraiser at the Ordway will take place December 16.
Tickets are $150 and support Caring for Kids Initiative child care scholarships.
$90 of every ticket is tax-deductible. Call the Ordway box office (651-224-4222)
and use the code "Caring for Kids." Questions? Contact Jeannie Buckner (952-
240-4924).
WHS
• Alex and Chris Olmanson and Katie Dunford reported on the wonderful sports
season at WHS.
• Girls' Soccer - #1
• Boys' Soccer and Boys' Cross County - #2
• Football and Volley Ball going to State!
Veterans Day
• Renee Lach and Sheryl Kasdan reminded us to take a moment to acknowledge the
sacrifices made by all of the veterans who have served the U.S. and protected our
way of life.
The meeting was adjourned at 4:21 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Carol Bergenstal
NEXT MEETING:
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
3: 00 PM to 4:3 0 PM
Room A 413, Central Middle School
4
Page 41
MINUTES
WAYZATA COMMUNITIES IN COLLABORATION COUNCIL
December 9, 2009
Next Meeting:
January 13, 2010
PRESENT
Becca Fink, Brenda Heim, Kristin Tollison, Katie Dunford, Donna Marget,
Marcia Treno, Cheryl Lubinski, Sheryl Kasdan, Joanna Redman, Charlene Barghini,
Jessica Cardwell, Alex Olmanson, Chris Olmanson, Margaret Rookey, Chace Anderson,
Kimberly Conger, Nichole Garrett, Kris Korsmo, Diane Evans, Katie Dunford,
Cheryl Lubinski Angela Haseman, Bob Wittman, Greg Rye, Susan Sommerfeld,
Wendy Geving, Gloria Lundberg -Jorgenson and Carol Bergenstal
NOVEMBER CICC MINUTES
• November CICC minutes were approved, as written,
COMMUNITY CONVERSATION, JANUARY 20, 2010
• Greg Rye explained that Sheryl Kasdan, Kristin Tollison and Carol are working
on this event that will take place January 20th at Plymouth Creek Center.
• It will be an opportunity for city leaders to meet with school district leaders to
discuss what is going well with the youth of our community and identify the
challenges.
• There are very few --- if any --- opportunities like this where relationships among
these civic leaders can be cultivated to address issues of mutual concern.
• CICC members were invited to sign up to participate as Table Hosts at the event.
STATE OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT
• Superintendent Dr. Chace B. Anderson provided an overview of Wayzata
School District.
• The district is composed of 10,209 students (the largest enrollment ever), 700
teachers and a total of 1,200 staff.
• The vision of the district is: A model of excellence among learning communities.
• The governing body is the School Board, composed of seven members.
• Thank you and congratulations to Greg Rye who will retire this month from the
Wayzata School Board after many years of service.
• Community Education is a vital part of the School District and provides Home
Base, Early Childhood Family Education, School Age and Adult Education, Adult
Basic Education, etc.
• There are three Core Functions of the School District.
• The first Core Function is Finance.
o The current financial situation is relatively good.
o There is a fund balance equal to six weeks of operational costs.
o Wayzata is the only district in the state to earn a AAA bond rating.
o Wayzata is in the second of three years of zero increase in state funding.
Page 42
o The dire financial situation of the State of Minnesota is of concern.
o The "best case" scenario is that there will be two more years of zero
increase in state funding in the next biennium --- rather than a reduction in
funding.
The second Core Function is Human Resources,
o Wayzata has 700 outstanding teachers and Q Comp Program is a model
for the rest of the state.
o There is an excellent working relationship with all employee groups in the
district.
The third Core Function is Curriculum and Instruction.
a Wayzata has an excellent and comprehensive curriculum and effective
instruction.
o The Technology Plan is under review and by spring there will be a new
five year plan.
o There is also a facilities review underway to review capacity and function.
o The opportunities for co -curricular activities are extensive in Wayzata,
from athletics to fine arts.
The District Directions include personalized education for every student,
elimination of the predictability of student achievement based on race,
opportunities for global connections.
These Directions will be reviewed this spring for possible revisions or additions.
The Guiding Values for the School District include: Build Community; Dream
Big and Inspire Hope (would love every student to have then own plan for
achievement); Enrich Talent and Grow Leaders (the partnership with MN
State/Mankato to provide an on-site "Wayzata University" for teachers to pursue
advanced degrees is a good example); Envision, Design and Deliver the Ideal;
Know and Do What Matters (addresses the issue, "How do we know what
works?"); Improve Constantly (possible implementation of the Baldridge Model);
and Make a Difference!
The challenges facing the school district include the constant concern of funding,
the on-going efforts on the state and federal level regarding school reform that
may or may not be helpful for Wayzata, and the importance of maintaining strong
community support.
CONECT and HOMEWORK CLUBS
Kris Korsmo and Jessica Cardwell provided an overview of CONECT.
There are two new Vista workers at CONECT, Kimberly Conger and
• Nichole Garrett.
CONECT is a program of IOCP which serves families in eight low-income
neighborhoods in Plymouth to encourage youth success, family stability and
community building.
• CONECT has strong partnerships with Wayzata School District, the Ridgedale
Y, Minnetonka Center for the Arts, the City of Plymouth, etc.
• CONECT publishes a monthly newsletter for all CONECT residents that provides
information about events, resources and services.
2
Page 43
+ Camp CONECT runs 8 weeks ever summer in 4 neighborhoods. Transportation
is provided to youth who live in other neighborhoods.
• 184 students participated in 2009, with 16 counselors.
• The theme was Camp CONECT Gets Fit, thanks to major sponsorship from
General Mills. Park Nicollet also provided a dietician.
• Camp focused on the importance of healthy eating and physical exercise --- as
well as building relationships, daily reading, and mentoring of younger kids by
older kids.
• During the camp session a random sample of campers was tracked based on five
of the 40 Assets, as identified by the Search Institute.
• A review of the data collected showed that there was a gradual improvement over
the course of the camp session.
• Campers were also asked to complete pre and post -camp questionnaires on
nutrition and fitness to monitor the impact of the camp curriculum.
• Results showed modest improvement in campers' attitudes and behavior regarding
nutrition and physical activity.
• Homework Clubs take place at most CONECT sites two times a week.
• Students from five elementary schools are served.
• 164 students are currently registered.
• Volunteers are YES students, adult volunteers from the faith community's Adopt -
a -Neighborhood program, and from other sources.
FAMILY SCHOOL LIAISON
• Katy Hemmah explained her role as the connector between families, students,
Wayzata Schools and CONECT. She also reviewed the specific duties she
performs.
• Data on school attendance, grades, test scores, attendance at parent conferences,
etc., is tracked for students who participate in Homework Clubs.
• Effort is made to identify at -risk students who may benefit from extra support.
• Every student enrolled in Homework Club has an individual student plan,
• Teachers of these students are also informed of the students' success.
• Wayzata teachers who come to Homework Clubs have a very positive impact.
• A Homework Club - Moodle Web Site is underway to provide an extra
communication tool for families.
• Katy informs volunteers and CONECT staff of teachers' suggestions for strategies
to use with students.
• For some students, Homework Club is the only time during the week that they do
homework.
• Parent meetings are held in the fall and spring for parents of students in
Homework Clubs. These meetings help prepare parents for what to expect at
school conferences and make them more comfortable with the experience.
• 90% of parents with students who attend Homework Club attended parent
conferences this fall.
• A review of the low scores of Homework Club students (and who attend
Homework Club at least 70% of the time) on the District's standardized math and
3
Page 44
reading tests highlights the need for personalized attention for all of these
students.
However, the data also shows that there is a strong correlation between students
who attend Homework Club and their improved school attendance and grades.
90% of the teachers of these students indicated that they see academic
improvement for students who attend Homework Club.
COMMUNITY CHECK-IN
The Teen Scene: A Community Reality Check. A Three -Part Series on Underage
Drinking and Drug Use
• Kristin Tollison reported that this three part series, completed in November, was
very successful.
• The Parent Roundtable discussions that were held at the last event in the series
was particularly useful and helped parents validate the importance of keeping
track of their kids --- and to know they aren't the only parents doing this!
WHS Fundraiser
Alex and Chris Olmanson explained that they have helped organize "Wayzata's
Walk for Water".
This fundraiser --- where Wayzata students walk to and from school each day to
raise funds for clean water for a school in Kenya and to symbolize the walk that
kids all over the world make every day for water --- is underway now and will go
until December 22.
• Donations may be sent to: H2O for Life c/o Wayzata High School, Peony Lane
N, Plymouth, MN 55446.
Youne Scientist Roundtable
• Charlene Barghini commented on the excellent speakers that continue to lead
these events, including Dr. Steven Squyres from Cornell who will come to
Wayzata on March 10, 2010, to discuss: "Roving Mars: Spirit, Opportunity and
the Exploration of the Red Planet"
• Charlene announced that the State of Maryland has expressed interest in
duplicating the Young Scientist Roundtable program!
Homeless Youth
• Sheryl Kasdan asked about resources for homeless youth in our community,
• Donna Marget explained that youth who are not living with their families are
served by Teens Alone (www.teensalone.org- and The Bridge
(www.bridgeforyouth.org )
IOCP Sleep Out
• ^ Greg Rye urged everyone to help spread the word about the need for support of
the Sleep Out --- and to make a donation! www.iogp.org
The meeting was adjourned at 4:29 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Carol Bergenstal
NEXT MEETING:
4
Page 45
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
3:00 PM to 4:30 PM
Room A 413, Central Middle School
Page 46
P1Mou u■ llder'
A newsletter from the Plymouth Inspection Division, December 2009
Do I Really Need an
Electrical Permit
for That?
Questions arise when electrical
equipment and devices mounted
on the exterior of dwellings or
other buildings are removed and
re -installed, or are replaced in as-
sociation with the installation of a
new exterior wall covering. A few
examples of such items include
exterior light fixtures, receptacle
outlets, air conditioner discon-
nects and switches.
An individual performing electri-
cal work must be either licensed
or registered and the electrical
work must be performed by, or
under the direct supervision of,
a licensed master or journeyman
electrician. An exception to that
licensing requirement is that a
home owner, who will personally
and physically perform the elec-
trical work on the single family
dwelling that they own and oc-
cupy, is not required to hold an
electrical license.
The State Electrical Board has
determined that the removal of
existing electrical wiring and
equipment is not required to be
performed by licensed individu-
als or electrical contractors. The
removal of existing electrical
wiring and equipment is not re-
quired to be inspected, however,
the re -installation of existing light
fixtures, devices and equipment
as well as the installation of new
electrical wiring, junction boxes,
new light fixtures devices and
equipment shall be performed by
properly licensed or registered and
properly supervised employees of
a licensed electrical contractor and
shall be inspected. Whether the
electrical work is performed by
the homeowner or by employees
of an electrical contractor, an
electrical permit must be issued
by the Building Inspection Divi-
sion for such work.
New Building Codes
Adopted by the State
Chapters 1322 and 1323, the Minnesota
Energy Code became effective on June
1, 2009.
Chapter 4715, the amended plumbing
code, became effective on October 26,
2009.
Chapter 1346 adopts and amends the
2006 International Mechanical Code and
the 2006 International Fuel Gas Code.
This code also became effective October
26, 2009.
For more information about these codes,
visit the Minnesota Department of Labor
and Industry website @ www.doli.state.
mn.us
Met Council to
Increase SAC Charge
The Metropolitan Council Environmental
Services (MCES) Division has approved
the Sewer Availability Charge (SAC)
rates for 2010. The base SAC unit will
increase from $2,000 to $2,100 beginning
January 1, 2010. permits issued after
the close of business on December 31,
2009 will be subject to the increased rate.
While the City of Plymouth collects the
charge for MCES, it is not a city charge.
Deck and Porch Pians
Throughout the year, the Community
Development Department receives many
building permit applications containing
construction drawings developed from
local retail hardware stores that use a
computer program for estimating pur-
poses. Due to the iucompleteness and
lack of detailed information, the City
of Plymouth no longer accepts com-
puter generated plans from retail home
centers for these types of projects.
Information required for deck and porch
plans is detailed in handouts available at
our front service counter.
'1rK -
Plan Ahead for Your
Inspection Requests
Planning ahead when scheduling inspec-
tions will keep your construction plans
on track.
The Building Code is very specific re-
garding inspections.
It is the duty of the person doing the
work authorized by a permit to notify the
building official once the work is ready
for inspection. The permit holder must
also provide access to and means for
inspection of such work.
It is important to understand that requests
for inspections are to be made only after
the work is completed and ready for such
inspection.
Requests for building framing and final
inspections are not to be made until after
all other required inspections have been
approved (electrical, plumbing, mechani-
cal, fire protection, etc.).
Plymouth inspection personnel continue
to perform excessive repeat inspections
on some jobs where work is not ready for
the inspection being requested. These
unnecessary inspections result in con-
struction delays, and limit our ability to
provide all of our customers with effec-
tive and efficient inspection services.
Inspection requests for specific times
will be honored when possible. If the
requested time is not available, customers
will be advised so that an alternate time
or the next business day can be selected.
New Code Prohibits
the Use of MN Check
and COM Check
With the adoption of the new State En-
ergy Codes, Com -Check and Res -Check
are no longer allowed in Minnesota and
are not acceptable as a design tool for de-
termining the energy requirements for a
building envelope. The trade offs allowed
using Com Check or Res -Check are no
longer applicable to the new energy code.
According to the State of Minnesota,
the Energy Codes, both residential and
commercial, have very good prescriptive
paths and performance paths, The build-
er, designer or architect should be able
to comply with the new requirements by
choosing the appropriate method.
Contractors' Most
Common Mistakes
A article in the fall 2009 edition of
the CCLD REVIEW, published by
the Construction Codes and License
Division (CCLD) of the Department
of Labor and Industry, listed the most
common mistakes made by contractors
in Minnesota. Here are just a few of
those mistakes;
For building and electrical contrac-
tors, one of the most common viola-
tions is failure to obtain permits prior
to starting work. Building contractors
are responsible for fulfilling the plan
review, permitting and inspections
requirements of each jurisdiction in
which they work. Performing work
without all applicable local permits and
inspections is deemed a "fraudulent,
deceptive or dishonest practice" under
state law. This failure could result in
a significant fine and enforcement ac-
tion.
Plumbers frequently find themselves
in serious trouble when they fail to
submit plumbing plans to CCLD for re-
view and approval prior to performing
plumbing work on any public building.
These plan reviews are in addition to
any other review or inspection per-
formed by the Minnesota Department
of Health or local authorities.
Please call the Building. Inspection
Division at 763-509-5430 if you have
any questions on whether a permit is
required for your proposed project.
2
Permit and Inspection
Information Can Now
be Checked Online
Contractors can check the status of a
permit by going to the city's website
www.ci.plymouth.mn.us and clicking on
eService/My Property Information. Enter
the house number and then the street and
click search. Click on the address when
it appears. Click on "Permits" under the
property navigation menu. All permits
associated with the address will appear.
You can click on a particular permit to
find out specific details, such as when the
permit was issued, including all associated
inspection records.
Check Your Jobs
Before Calling
Our office continues to receive calls from
contractors requesting us to verify if an
inspection has been made and/or informa-
tion regarding a correction notice posted
on the job site.
It is the contractor's responsibility to
check their jobs. The approved job site
plan, inspection requirement form and
permit inspection record cards are to be
posted on the job site.
If the inspector has not returned from
the field, we have no way of knowing
whether the inspection was made or what
types of corrections were needed.
Please check your jobs and if there are
specific questions, contact the appropriate
inspector between the hours of 8 to 8:30
a.m. and 4 to 4;30 p.m., Monday through
Friday.
Plymouth Builder is published by the City
of Plymouth to share information with
contractors and developers "working in
Plymouth. Let us hear from you. If you
have any questions, comments, issues
or concerns, call Building Official Joe
Ryan at (763) 509.5431, e-mail jryan @
ci.plymouth.mn.us or drop us a note at
the City of Plymouth, 3400 Plymouth
Boulevard, Plymouth, MN 55447.
tlm�
Seasons Greetings
From All Of Us
Joe Ryan, Building Official 763-509-5431
Larry Farris, Assistant Building Official 763-509-5436
Bob Rood, Commercial Plan Review 753-509-5442
Jessica Archer, Residential Plan Review 763-509-5432
Chris Land, Building Inspector
763-509-5439
Erik Noraas, Building Inspector
763-509-5438
Arnie Rasmusson, Building Inspector
763-509-5437
Bill Tonn, Building Inspector
763.509-5441
Todd Sandell, Electrical Inspector
763-509-5447
Stan Scofield, Fire Inspector
763-509-5443
Randy Kurtz, Fire Inspector
763-509-5444
Warren Kulesa, Mousing Inspector
763-509-5445
Support Staff
Denise Whalen, Support Services Manager
763-509-5408
Laurie Lokken, Office Support Specialist
763-509-5430
Janice Bergstrom, Office Support Rep.
763-509-5430
Tina Beckfeld, Office Support Rep.
763-509-5430
3
Lisa Baird
From:
Diane Evans
Sent:
Tuesday, December 08, 2009 9:37 AM
To:
Laurie Ahrens; Lisa Baird
Cc:
Eric Blank
Subject:
CIM information
Attachments:
image002.lpg
Laurie & City Council Members,
Council Members Stein and Black suggested that Northwest Greenway information and map be placed on the
City web -site. That task was accomplished. Northwest Greenway information and map are listed under the
Facilities/Park tab, and then identified on the left side bar as Northwest Greenway.
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Diane Evans I Superintendent of
Plymouth Parks F:t Recreation
3400 Plymouth Boulevard
Plymouth, MN 55447
Phone: 763.509.5220
www.ci.ptymouth.mn.us
Recreation
Plymouth, Minnesota I Money Magazine's #1 Best Place to Live
M
Page 50
Page 51
Hennepin County
Adult Corrections Facility
Administration _
1145 Shenandoah Lane
Plymouth, Minnesota 55447-3292
Phone, (612) 596-0001
Fax: (763) 475-4266
www.co.hennepin.mn.us
Date.:_ _ __ November -23.,2009
To: Jurisdictions Committing Inmates to the t Corrections Facility
From: Dennis Gilbertson, Superintendent
Subject: 2010 Daily Charges (Per Diem Rates)
Based on our actual operating expenses for fiscal year 2008 and the inflation rates from. July 1,
2008 through June 30, 2009 the daily charges for 2010 will be:
• $81.00 per -prisoner day for straight time inmates compared to $79.50 in 2009
• $65.50 per prisoner day for. Work Release inmates compared to $61.50 in 2009
The daily charge for Work Release inmates will be split:
• $49.50 per prisoner day billed to the committing jurisdiction, and
• $16.00 per prisoner day billed to the inmate
Additionally, please note that for any person committed for 48 hours for an alcohol related
driving offense, the jurisdiction will be billed at the rate of $54.00 per day for a total cost of
$162.00. The reason for this is that our computer billing system charges a daily rate each time
the date changes (e.g., at midnight). If we did not make this adjustment, your jurisdiction would
be billed at a rate of $81.00 per day for three days for a total of $243.00.
If there are any questions regarding the above, please call Dan Dykhoff at 612-596-0009.
Thank you.
DGleg
cc: Thomas Merkel, DOCCR Director
Greg Wagner, DOCCR Financial Officer
Dan Dykhoff, Program Manager
KAW Tolan, Sr. Adm. Assistant
Rita Beltrand, P.O. S.
Micheal Smith, ITS
ACF Mgmt. Team
ACF Booking Offices
file
ACF. A safe, secure and efficient facility promoting offender change.
Ar.=
-Kie 52
Municipal officials' Views on Public Engagement
OCTOBER 2009
Municipal officials report widespread local efforts to engage the public. There is broad agreement on the importance of "useful,
balanced information" as a basis for public engagement processes.
Additional findings from the National League of Cities' Summer 2009 survey include:
® Because of the current economic difficulties, one in three municipal officials (35%) report that their city has been
doing more than usual in the past year to engage the public in budgeting and finance processes; and
■ Thirty-one percent of city officials have also noticed an increase in residents' engagement in local public affairs
as a result of the increased activism during the 2008 Presidential campaigns.
REGULAR USE OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESSES
The survey specifically asked about the extent to which public
engagement processes, or proactive efforts to involve people in
deliberating issues and in helping to solve problems, are used regularly.
I1111-inicipal officials report that such processes are widely used by city
and town governments.
■ 81 percent of municipal officials report that their
municipality uses public engagement processes often (60%)
or sometimes (21%).
0 85 percent say their municipality does more public
engagement than is required by federal, state or local laws.
® 91 percent of municipal officials say these processes
produce useful results often (38%) or sometimes (53%). (see
Figure 1)
Figure 1: Flow frequently do your municipality's public
engagement processes produce useful outcomes?
RANGE AND VARIETY OF LOCAL PRACTICES
Public engagement efforts vary across the country. The survey asked about a few activities that illustrate the range and strategic nature
of public engagement efforts, as well as the degree to which these efforts are institutionalized (see Figure 2).
15511E 2009-3
-�
Nations eague of Cities
RESEARCH BRIEF ON AMERICA'S CITIES
For example, while nine in 10 (92%) city officials report that there is an "accessible city hall website, including e-mail addresses for city
officials," 28 percent say the city has "a specific plan for public engagement," and only 14 percent report the use of"interactive on-line
forums." Notably, 67 percent report that their city regularly uses special deliberative processes, for example `town hall' meetings, to
involve large numbers of people on critical issues.
Nineteen percent of respondents wrote in additional activities that are part of their local efforts. Examples of these include:
■ E-mail to residents;
o "Teletown hall" meetings;
d Community Insight Team of people selected at random for feedback;
® Resident surveys;
o ` Meet the Mayor" bi-weekly;
• Social networking like Facebook;
• Public access channel, and
ei Weekly "listening post" with public officials at town's Saturday farmers' market.
ASSESSMENTS OF LOCAL PRACTICE AND CONDITIONS
Virtually all respondents (95%) report that public officials value these
processes, to a great extent (58%) or somewhat (370/D).
But three in 10 municipal officials (28%) are dissatisfied or very
dissatisfied with the level and nature of public engagement in their cities.
Only 15 percent say they are very satisfied (see Figure 3). This finding
further illuminates NLC's June 2007 "State of America's Cities" survey
results in which 58 percent of elected city officials said that lack of trust
and degree of disengagement between residents and government is a big
problem in the nation generally.
The survey asked municipal officials to rate the amount of importance
they place on each item on a list of factors in contributing to the
effectiveness of public engagement activities and processes (see Figure 4).
The factors that the most respondents rated as "very important" are:
• Discussion is civil (78%);
• Public receives useful, balanced information about the subject
(76%); and
a People who can answer questions are in the room (73%).
3% Very Dissatisfied
Figure 3: How satisfied are you with the level and
nature of public engagement in your city?
MUNICIPAL OFFICIALS' VIEWS ON PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
The survey then separately asked respondents to prioritize that same list of factors by selecting the three "most important" factors (from
those listed in Figure 4) that contribute to effectiveness of public engagement processes. The most (79%) chose "public receives useful,
balanced information about subject," No other item was selected by more than 35 percent of the respondents.
These findings confirm a broad consensus among municipal officials on the high importance of a solid, shared and substantive basis
for deliberative public engagement.
ABOUT THE SURVEY
This State of America's Cities survey was sent to a random sample of municipal officials, both elected and appointed, in 1,748 cities
across the nation in June 2009. Results are drawn from 313 responses for a responses rate of 18 percent. With this response rate, it
can be expected with a 95 percent degree of confidence (i.e., in 95 out of 100 random sample surveys) that the answers to the survey
questions would be within 5 percentage points, plus or minus. Thus, in reading the findings, differences of 10 percentage points are
needed to identify significant differences. Response rates by population size are provided below.
This Research Brief is the first of several that will report results of the survey. Future topics may include: officials' views about costs and
benefits of public engagement; roles of citizens and media; and skills and training needed to do effective public engagement.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
William Barnes is Director for Emerging Issues at the National League of Cities, and Bonnie Mann is Project Manager of Democratic
Governance at the National League of Cities.
The authors would like to thank Christopher Hoene, Director of the Center for Research and Innovation, for his assistance in the
survey contents and Christiana McFarland, Program Director, finance and economic development who coordinated the conduct of the
survey and provided editorial assistance. The authors would also like to thank Lara Malakoff, Senior Program Associate for Outreach,
for her editorial assistance, and Alexander Clarke, Manager of Creative Design and Production, who designed and managed the
production of the brief. The authors are particularly thankful to the 313 respondents to this survey.
Acknowledgments: This research brief was made possible by the generous financial support of the Rockefeller Brother's Fund.
3
RESEARCH BRIEF ON AMERICA'S CITIES
1301 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Suite 550
Washington, D.C. 20004
National League of Cities www.nlc.org
Page 56
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Special thanks
Funding for this report was made possible through a generous grant from The Richard and
Rhoda Goldman Fund.
This report was authored by Clarissa Morawski, principal of CM Consulting and a leading expert
on extended producer responsibility (EPR), with a specific focus on beverage container recovery
systems. lvls. Morawski developed and publishes the report Who Pays PVhat--An Analysis of
Beverage Container Recovery and Costs in Canaria, which features the most recent recovery and
cost data concerning beverage container recovery programs, and she provides research to public
and private sector clients including the beverage industry, beverage packaging sector, end -
markets, and provincial governments.
The report was edited by Betty McLaughlin and NIarcre Davis, and formatted and proofread by
Valerie Hoy. Graphics were conceived and created by lois. Hoy and Ms. Morawski. Cover
photography was provided by Todd Johnson.
CRI gratefully acknowledges the following individuals who contributed information, data and
candid interviews for this report.
Susan Kinsella, Conservatree, Jerry .Powell, Resource Recycling Magazine; Lisa Skumatz,
SERA Inc; Guy Crittenden, Solid Waste and Recycling Magazine; Colin Johnston.
AbidbiBowater; Gary Liss, Gary Liss & Associates; Peter SLote, City of Oakland; Dan Cotter,
Marin County, CA; Michael Shedler, NAPCOR; Paul Smith, Owens Illinois; Tex Corley,
Strategic Materials Inc.; John Baldry, City of Toronto; Al Metauro, Metro Waste Paper Recovery
Inc.; John Woehlke, Novelis North America; Tony Moucachen, Merlin Plastics Supply Inc.;
Steve flavedo, Pure Tech Plastics; John Burnes, Marglen Industries; Mark Jeckering, Evergreen
Plastics Ltd.
Page 58
Table of Contents
Special thanks ................
Tableof Contents ........ —..........................................................................
2
Foreword.........................................................................................................................................
3
ExecutiveSummary........................................................................................................................
5
Outlook......................................................................................... .............................................
..... 7
Recommendations..........................................................................................
8
The evolution of single -stream collection......................................................................................
9
Single -stream in a strong economy ....................
.......................... 9
Single -stream and glass .................
.. 10
Economic downturn results in material quality discrimination....................................................
11
TheChina factor ......................................................
...........................,.. I?
The bottom line on single -stream collection.................................................................................
12
The genesis of single -stream collection ...................
Single -stream lowers collection costs........................................................................................
18
Single -stream collection raises processing costs and inefficiencies .............................................
20
Single -stream collection decreases material yield........................................................................
23
Remanufacturing and end use: Recycling's real purpose.............................................................
26
Conclusion............................................................... ..................................................................
... 30
Appendix A: Single -stream collection best practices...................................................................
31
Information sources: Bibliography...............................................................................................
32
2
Page 59
Foreword
In 2009, the Container Recycling Institute undertook a study on the impacts of single -stream
collection of residential recyclables, with a particular focus on the economic and environmental
impacts of this collection method on the final material sent to end -markets for remanufacturing.
The past decade has experienced a significant increase in packaging generation. At the same
time, recycling, collection systems have shifted from source -separated programs to single -stream
collection models in which all recyclable materials are placed in the same receptacle.
While these system changes have resulted in lower collection costs, they have also led to an
increased level of contamination at Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs). Processed materials
sold to recyclers also contain higher levels of contamination and require further processing.
Bales of paper-based secondary material, for instance, contain more glass, metal and other
contaminants, which lowers the economic value of the material and can impact recycling
operations in terms of extra labor and capital requirements. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET)
bottles collected through commingled collection systems usually require additional sorting by
recyclers or are simply too contaminated for high-end uses.
To date, the impacts on various collection methods—source-separated curbside, commingled
curbside, deposit'return---on the quality of materials destined for recycling have not been
formally researched and documented. In fact, rarely is 'material quality' or the "end -destination'
of the material considered by government decision -makers when choosing an appropriate
recycling system
The following report provides information on the impact of single -stream collection systems on
material quality with respect to remanufacturing and its economic value. For municipalities that
are being asked to consider a shift to a single -stream system from a curbside sort or a dual -
stream (fiber and containers) system, this report attempts to highlight the economic and
environmental impacts that this decision may have. Our goal is to provide guidance on what
strategies to incorporate when considering a single -stream collection system for maximum
efficiency and environmental effectiveness.
Research for this report was attained through a series of interviews with recyclers representing
different material end -markets and MRF operators. In addition, CRI reviewed existing reports
that address issues relating to material quality and related end -market applications. These
resources are listed at the end of the report.
Ask post -consumer material recyclers about single -stream collection, and they will consistently
tell you that collecting recyclables mixed together is problematic. This is especially relevant
today, where Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) are facing new challenges in their own market
conditions.
3
Page 60
Specifically, in the wake of the late-2008 economic collapse, domestic demand for scrap
materials also fell, scrap exports to China dropped dramatically, and the cost of energy
plummeted to less than $60 per barrel—a 50% decrease from early 2008.
These factors have created a "perfect storm" for municipalities and/or their NIR-Fs currently
collecting recyclables, especially if the quality of their bales is low-grade. These new market
conditions enable end-markets to discriminate among suppliers and to choose high-quality
feedstock over those suppliers whose duality has never been up to the recyclers' standards.
This new marketplace has in effect tested the single-stream system. Those single-stream haulers
and IVIRFS who have not applied best practices have been riding the wave of rapid economic
growth and unprecedented global scrap demand over the past decade. Today, many single-stream
MUs face a situation where their material is worth very little, worthless, or considered garbage.
The new marketplace requires a fundamental reassessment of the economics of single-stream
collection. One must weigh the lower collection costs of single-stream against the higher sorting
costs at the MRF, from slowing down the sorting belt, to hiring more workers, to spending more
on sorting equipment—all in an effort to improve the quality of the material.
4
Page 61
Executive Summary
This report describes the evolution of single -stream recycling in the United States, the recent
downturn in the scrap market for all recyclable materials, and explains factors affecting
collection costs. The real purpose of the study, however, is to examine the impacts of single -
stream recycling, as compared to other methods, on every step of the recycling process,
including:
■ Initial case of collection and collection costs;
■ Contamination rates and overall material yield at Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs);
■ Impacts on material yield at paper mills;
■ Impacts on yield at plastics processors;
■ Impacts on paper mills, on quality, quantity, equipment maintenance and costs;
■ Impacts on aluminum processors on contamination levels, resulting equipment
shutdowns, and profit losses;
■ Impacts on glass, including color mixing, suitability for certain end -uses, and increased
operating costs; and,
■ Impacts on plastic quality and costs.
Recycling's real purpose is remanufacturing and end use. tvlost lay people, and perhaps most
Iocal officials, assume that all recycled items go to their best use. They are shocked to learn that
the materials they dutifully put in a recycling bin may in fact wind up in a landfill. The key to
achieving the environmental and economic benefits of recycling is to keep the material
circulating for as many product lives as possible. This is the closed loop that reduces the need for
virgin materials, thus avoiding the energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions associated
with primary materials extraction, transportation and processing.
Ensuring that secondary recovered recyclables are utilized for the highest possible end-use is a
critical part of successful diversion. For plastic, high-end uses can have ten to twenty times the
environmental benefit in terms of the replacement of virgin materials and those avoided
upstream impacts. Using glass to make containers saves much more energy than using recycled
glass for other purposes.
The historical focus of residential recycling (in the 1990's) has been on keeping materials out of
landfills. This led to creating systems that could collect the greatest volume of material, with less
of a focus on final end-use of the rrraterials. Now, in 2009, we see a developing shift in public
solid waste policy to focus more on reducing energy use, creation of greenhouse gases, and
production of toxics.
In an effort to increase recycling volumes and reduce high recycling collection costs, the waste
management sector created single stream recycling collection, which increases efficiencies by
collecting more material with less labor and less distance traveled. Automated single stream
Page 62
collection can reduce the number of employees, improve route efficiency, and reduce workers
compensation costs. Single stream can encourage residents to place more material in their
recycling bin by giving them a larger bin and by simplifying the system.
Glass is the material most affected by the amount of breakage in each type of collection system.
In single-stream programs, it is virtually impossible to prevent glass from breaking as it goes to
the curb, is dumped in the truck, gets compacted, gets dumped on the tipping floor of the MRF,
is repeatedly driven over by forklifts, and is dumped on conveyor belts to be processed by the
MRF. On average, 40% of glass from single-stream collection winds up in landfills, while 20%
is small broken glass ("glass fines") used for low-end applications. Only 40% is recycled into
containers and fiberglass. About one third of the non-recyclable glass is broken glass, too small
to separate for recycling, some of which can be used for sandblasting base, aggregate material, or
Alternative Daily Cover (ADC). These "down-cycled" uses do not have the same savings in
terms of energy conservation and avoided emissions. In contrast, dual-stream systems have an
average yield of 90%, and container-deposit systems yield 98% glass available for use in bottle-
making. (Only glass that is sorted by color can be used to make glass containers.)
In general, the final commodities from single stream programs will be more contaminated than
those that are collected in a dual-stream system or sorted at the curb. This contamination
increase often results in the commodity being worth less than cleaner material, and can create
problems at paper trills, leading to equipment failure, lost productivity and expensive repairs. In
other words, the cost savings for a municipality from single-stream collection show up as cost
increases for the processors and remanufacturers. The contaminants are thrown away by the
paper mills. So, an item such as a plastic bottle that was recyclable when it was placed at the
curb becomes trash by the time it is sorted out as a contaminant by the paper mill.
A study conducted in 2002 by Eureka Recycling (of St. Paul, Minnesota) compared five different
collection methods, and found that single-stream collected 21 % more material than the baseline
method. However, the study did not ultimately recommend a single-stream system, because the
lower collection costs were outweighed by higher processing costs and lower material revenues.
In another study, Daniel Lantz of Ontario, Canada-based Metro Waste Paper Recovery analyzed
recovery rates for three single-stream and four dual-stream programs in that province. The study
found that a drop in collection costs sees a commensurate rise in processing costs. In an article
for Resource Recycling magazine, Mr. Lantz concludes that the supposed benefits of single-
stream systems over dual-stream do not outweigh their costs:
"In summary, with increased processing costs and lost revenues in total far exceeding
collection savings in most instances (and zero under alternating -week collection), overall
single -stream recycling does not show the cost advantage that was originally anticipated. As
well, the expected increases in capture rate are also not apparent. Overall, dual -stream
recycling still appears to be more advantageous."
50
Page 63
Outlook
In spite of these challenging conditions and their impact on the current demand for recyclables,
recycling continues to be a vital component of a national strategy to conserve resources, supply
the manufacturing base and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, toxics and waste going to landfills
and incinerators.
Manufacturers of new glass, metal, plastic and fiber products continue to encourage clean
collection so that they can use secondary feedstock instead of virgin material for
remanufacturing. While manufacturers will continue to invest capital into their systems to
increase recycled inputs, these investments will remain contingent upon a regular supply of clean
material.
The upstream environmental benefit of
remanufacturing materials is 10 to 20 times
greater than downcycled' or disposal options.
More simply put, when a product is made from
recycled material, the use of virgin materials is
not required. Therefore, all the upstream energy
and associated environmental impacts from the
extraction, transport and processing of those
virgin materials are not required, or "avoided."
When the benefits of recycling are measured,
calculations assume "avoided environmental
impacts such as greenhouse gas emissions and
energy consumption. These savings are expressed
as metric tons of carbon equivalent (MICE) and
"saved" energy, expressed as millions of British
Thermal Units (NMTUs).
Table 1 highlights the energy and avoided
emissions derived from closed-loop recycling.
Table 1: Environmental Benefits
from Recycling
(data source; US EPA, 3106)
Material
Energy
Savings
(yIBTUslton)
Avoided GHG
emissions
(MTCF/ton of
recovered
material)
Aluminum cans
207
3.7
HDPE/LDPE'
511-56
0.38-0.46
PET plastic
53
0.42
Steel cans
20
0.49
Newsprint
17
0.76
Corrugated
16
0.85
Phone books
12
0.72
Office paper
10
0.78
Glass containers
2.7
0.08
Aggregate
0.6
n/a
HDPE (high-density polyethylene) and LDPE (low-density polyethylene) are two types of plastic.
2"Downcycling" is the recycling of a material into a feedstock of lesser quality, often into another product that cannot currently
be recycled at the end of its life. Some refer to this open -loop recycling as "delayed disposal."
7
Page 64
Recommendations
The following set of recommendations should be carefully considered by municipal and state
governments.
f) Municipalities should undertake analyses of how single -stream collection systems will
impact their own collection costs, including:
• Capital investment such as new bins
a Processing costs
+ Costs to their domestic end -markets (paper mills, glass beneficiation, smelters and
plastics recyclers)
• The impact on the quality of the material that is processed
+ The amount of available options for end-use, and the level of risk associated with
marketing that material, i.e., how well the quality of their bales can maintain demand in a
variety of economic conditions.
2) Municipalities should consider all other options for more efficient collection, such as dual -
stream and modified single -stream.
3) Any municipality currently operating or considering a single -stream collection approach
should adopt all of the best practices outlined in the Single -stream Recycling Best Practices
Implementation Guide, 2007, by Richard Gertman, Environmental Planning & Consulting,
and Susan Kinsella, Conservatree. See Appendix A.
4) The thirty-nine states that have not enacted beverage -container -deposit legislation should
support municipal recycling programs by imp Lementing such a Law. Container deposit
legislation (CDL) shifts the financial burden of end -of -life management to distributors and
consumers, significantly increases clean collection of empty glass, aluminum, steel, and
plastic beverage containers, reduces the contamination of paper-based materials, and reduces
municipal waste disposal and litter abatement costs.
5) All municipalities should consider alternative approaches such as take -back and drop-off
programs for materials whose collection at curbside is problematic.
Page 65
The evolution of single -stream collection
Single -stream collection was created by the waste -management sector in an effort to reduce their
high recycling costs. Costs for labor, workers' compensation and specialized recycling trucks are
significant expenditures for the hauling industry. Single -stream collection increases efficiencies
by collecting more material with less labor and less distance traveled. Costs are reduced by
automating collection, using larger bins, eliminating manual curbside sorting, and using single -
compartment compaction trucks to transport recyclables. These cost-saving measures
fundamentally revise the economics of collection and compete with more traditional methods
such as curbside sorting and dual -stream (fiber and containers) collection.
For municipalities struggling to divert more waste with less money, the concept of single -stream
collection may seem like an attractive alternative. Municipalities may be persuaded that offering
residents an easier way to recycle—one that allows homeowners to commingle all their
recyclables in one bin—would increase collection rates. Even though processing costa would
increase and the quality of the collected material would decrease due to increased contamination,
single -stream collection does offer a cost -avoidance advantage for local governments and the
waste industry.
Today there are more than 160 single -stream Material Recovery Facilities in the United States,
which is up from just 70 a mere four years ago.3 It is estimated that about 27% of the U.S.
population With access to curbside collection is participating in single -stream programs.4 The
majority of single -stream programs are operating in the states of California, Florida, Ohio,
Texas, Illinois and Washington.
Single-strearn in a strong economy
The evolution of single -stream
collection occurred during the
past decade --a time of
tremendous global growth,
especially in developing areas
like China and Asia Pacific.
China, for example,
experienced a 68% increase in
demand for pulp and recycled
paper grade from 1990 to 2003,
Table 2: Grovvth in demand for recycled materials
leadincrto increased single -stream collection
Location
Product
Time period
Increase in
demand
China
Pulp & recycled
1990-2003
68%
paper grade
China
Pulp & recycled
2003-2010
33% (projected)
paper grade
USA
Recycled Plastic
1993-1996
27% per year
(projected)
3 To Single-streann or Not to Single -stream?, power point presentation, Lori Scozzafava, SWANA, U.S EPA fvleetin.-, July 19,
2007 Philadelphia, PA
"AFPA, 2005
9
Page 66
and a 95% increase in net imports of these products for the same periods Projected growth in demand
from 2003 to 2010 was 33% and the projected growth in net imports for the same period was 40%. in
spite of China's efforts towards self-sufficiency, with the rapid growth in demand and supply expected
in the pulp and paper sector, China would continue to rely heavily on imports to meet its needs for raw
materials.
Other secondary commodities also experienced tremendous global growth over the last ten years. In
1993, U.S. demand for recycled plastics was predicted to increase 27% yearly to 1996—more than five
times the rate for total plastics demanda —while Chinese plastics industries' output grew by 19% in
2006, compared to 13% growth in 2005.7 See Table 2. Demand grew also for aluminum and steel
containers.
Strong global demand meant that MRF operators processing single -stream material were able to sell to
China and other Asian countries. These markets were not concerned with the quality of the materials
they purchased because the cheap labor in these developing countries allowed them to further clean the
material. Even in North America, paper mills became significantly less discriminating about quality
because they needed to secure secondary feedstock and were competing with China.
The market for single -stream material was strong despite the fact that paper mills and container
recyclers were receiving a higher degree of contamination ("out -throws"). Out -throws increase costs
for processors in three ways: The contaminated materials must be cleaned up, the contaminants must be
disposed of, and the equivalent tonnage of the contaminant must be re -purchased for the processor to
attain full -load capacity. It is estimated that paper mills spend $5 to $13 more per ton to process
material fiom single -stream systems compared to material collected using cleaner methods.a
Single -stream and glass
Secondary glass marketability is primarily dependent on Uvo things: proximity to a beneficiator9, and
the beneficiator's particular quality specifications. In many cases, broken mined glass from single-
st-eam systems is too contaminated to efficiently beneficiate.311 This breakage forces MRFs to sell the
mixed broken glass for low-end uses, such as road base and landfill cover. Even when a single -stream
system applies best practices, container glass recycling is still costly and extremely challenging because
ofbreakage and contamination.
5 Presentation on China and Asia Pacific, Forest Markets for Sustainable Markets and Livelihoods. ivlodeling Demand, Supply
and Trade In China's Pulp and Paper Markels, China Economic Consulting Inc, June, 2005. www.forest-trends.org.
6 ttrgh Performance Plastics, Monday, February 1, 1993,
7 China Plastics Processing Industry Association (CPPIA)_
3 Paper Recycling is Key to Long -Term Suecess, American Forest and Paper Association, 2004.
9 Beneficiation of glass is a process or preparing glass cullet feedstock for high-end recycling markets: used bottle manufacturing
and/or fiberglass. In order to be able to market glass to high-end recycling markets, a glass beneficiator located within
reasonable proximity to a MRF is needed.
10 Conversation with Tex Corley, Strategic Materials.
t0
Page 67
Figure 1 shows that, on average, 40% of glass from single -stream collection winds up in landfills, while
20% is small broken glass ("glass fines") used for low-end applications. Only 40% is recycled into
containers and fiberglass. About one third of the non -recyclable glass is broken glass, too small to
separate for recycling. Much of the breakage occurs during compaction in the single -stream truck or in
the MRF separation process.
In contrast, mixed glass from dual -stream systems yields an average of 90% being recycled into
containers and fiberglass, with 10% glass fines used for low-end applications, and nearly nothing sent
to landfill. In container -deposit systems, color -sorted material results in 98% being recycled and only
2% marketed as glass fines.
A system that reduces contamination and glass breakage to enable color sorting is a more effective way
to recycle glass into high-value re -manufactured goods such as new glass bottles and fiberglass.
Figure 1: End -markets for collected glass
(Source: Strategic Materials)
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Economic downturn results in material quality discrimination
The fall 2008 economic downturn fundamentally changed the market dynamics that had
prevailed over the previous decade. In a conference held in the United Kingdom (UK) on
October 23, 2008,11 delegates learned that the economic upheaval was making it increasingly
difficult for recyclers to move low -quality commodities.
11 WRAP Conference—October 23, 2008—issue: Focusing on navigating the current economic downturn.
11
Page 68
According to Roy Hathaway of the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs,
the quality of material would play an increasingly pivotal role in trade, with the market set to
face short-term financial constraints. "It is going to be the low -quality end of the spectrum," he
said, "which is going to be squeezed out by an economic downturn." Dr. Liz Goodwin, head of
the Waste & Resources Action Program (WRAP), made a similar point, saying that quality was
"one of the biggest issues of ... all," and noting that China had just raised the barrier for the type
and quality of material it would accept.
A multi -national aluminum company12 reported that in the last half of 2008, it had canceled
supply from many MRFs due to insufficient quality. This action came even after it had attempted
to incentivize quality improvements through a price penalty, The company based its decisions on
an analysis of the impact of low -quality aluminum on their production. According to the
company, the increase in single -stream collection has resulted in overall dirtier feedstock.
The China factor
Demand for secondary feedstock from China has also changed market dynamics for secondary
material suppliers. First, cheap freight and inexpensive labor have helped maintain relatively
high value in the marketplace for low -quality scrap material that can be further sorted in China.
Second, with a significant portion of materials (paper fiber, plastic and metals) marketed to
China, domesticpurchasers have had to tolerate sub -par material in order to compete with off-
shore shipments.
Since the last quarter of 2008, however, demand from China has fallen dramatically for reasons
other than the economic downturn. These factors include an increase in China's domestic
capacity, higher labor costs, and a host of new environmental requirements that are regularly
being added to China's regulatory landscape.
The bottom line on single -stream collection
Late -2008 market dynamics have tested existing single -stream systems. As global manufacturing
has slipped and overseas markets have eroded, domestic end -markets such as paper mills and
metal and plastics recyclers have found they can afford to discriminate against processed
material with high rates of contamination. The result is that collection systems that have been
unable to adapt to these new quality standards have found themselves saddled with processed
material that cannot be diverted to any recycling market either domestically or overseas.
On the surface there are several pros to single -stream collection. It is believed that single -stream
systems increase participation by a few percentage points and significantly reduce the costs of
12 Novelis, 2008.
12
Page 69
collection. However, increased participation rates may not be solely the result of the collection
method; they may also be impacted by other factors that usually come with the introduction of
any new recycling program, such as increased promotional efforts, distribution of larger
recycling container to residents, bag limits or user -pay programs for garbage.
In 2008, for instance, Daniel
Lantz of Ontario, Canada -based
Metro Waste Paper Recovery
analyzed recovery rates for three
single -stream and four dual -
stream programs in that province.
According to Findings reported in
the December 2008 issue of
Resource Recycling, the weighted
averages of recovery increases
from 2003 to 2007 were virtually
the same for both systems: 6.9%
and 7%. See Figure 2.
Switching to a single -stream
system requires substantial
financial investment—larger and
Figure 2; Increase in recovery rates
baser] on weighted average from 2003-2007
ztp
(Source: Lantz, D., Resource Recycling,
December 2008 - from study conducted by
Metro Waste Paper Recovery, 2008)
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Single stream Dual stream
more expensive carts for the
households, new trucks for haulers, new sorting technology at the MRFs, and more public
education for participants. Processing costs rise due to issues related to contamination, even as
revenues for processed materials are likely to shrink. Processors bear the financial burden of
added expenses for equipment failure and shut -downs; they lose their investment in non-
recyclables included in purchased loads; and they have to pay to dispose of unusable material.
Municipalities contemplating a shift to single -stream collection must examine their own waste
management system in its entirety, including the level of education of their residents and whether
their existing infrastructure is compatible with single -stream programs. Perhaps most important,
municipalities must understand who the end -markets are for the collected material, both today
and in the future, and how secure these markets are and will continue to be.
Collection cost reductions and ease for householders tell only part of the story. Municipalities
need to appreciate their role in choosing collection options that maintain quality, scrap revenue
generation, reliable markets and recycling infrastructure investment, including commitments to
using recycled content.
Consider the 2008 analysis conducted in Ontario by Metro Waste Paper Recovery. That analysis
looked at the system costs of three single -stream and four dual -stream programs. All seven
13
Page 70
programs served relatively large population densities and collected a similar assortment of
materials.
The 2008 study conducted by Metro Waste Paper Recovery in Ontario also looked at the system
costs of the three single -stream and four dual -stream programs. 13 See Figure 3.
Without a full understanding of how single -stream collection will be incorporated into an
existing system, and what changes are required within the entire waste management system in
order for single -stream to be effective, municipalities may actually enc{ up spending, a significant
amount of money to collect and process waste even as they create new waste from material that
should have been recovered.
In the same Resource Recycling article referenced above, Daniel Lantz concludes that the
supposed benefits of single -stream systems over dual -stream do not outweigh their costs:
"In summary, with increased processing costs and lost revenues in total far exceeding collection
savings in most instances (and zero under altemating-week collection), overall single -stream
recycling does not show the cost advantage that was originally anticipated. As well, the expected
increases in capture rate are also not apparent. Overall, dual -stream recycling still appears to be
more advantageous."
13 Lantz, D., Ifixed Residuals, Resource Recycling, December 2008. (Source of data findings, Metro Waste Paper
Recovery, 2008).
14
Page 71
Figure 3: Average net cost estimates -
single stream vs dual stream 2007
(Source: Lantz D., Allred Residuals, Resource Recycling, December
2008 _ Based on'Nletro Waste Paper Recovery study, 2008)
$145.00
LE
T _...._....-..._.__._....iNi ._...._.._...... --- ... _.__._._.._._..
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Single stream Dual Stream
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Without a full understanding of how single -stream collection will be incorporated into an
existing system, and what changes are required within the entire waste management system in
order for single -stream to be effective, municipalities may actually enc{ up spending, a significant
amount of money to collect and process waste even as they create new waste from material that
should have been recovered.
In the same Resource Recycling article referenced above, Daniel Lantz concludes that the
supposed benefits of single -stream systems over dual -stream do not outweigh their costs:
"In summary, with increased processing costs and lost revenues in total far exceeding collection
savings in most instances (and zero under altemating-week collection), overall single -stream
recycling does not show the cost advantage that was originally anticipated. As well, the expected
increases in capture rate are also not apparent. Overall, dual -stream recycling still appears to be
more advantageous."
13 Lantz, D., Ifixed Residuals, Resource Recycling, December 2008. (Source of data findings, Metro Waste Paper
Recovery, 2008).
14
Page 71
The genesis of single -stream collection
Single -stream collection began in California, as municipalities were attempting to fmd a way to
increase diversion while keeping recycling costs down. The existing dual -stream and dropoff
mechanisms for collection were not achieving high diversion rates for two reasons: 1) the
citizens did not participate fully enough; and 2) even if costly education programs could
convince the public to participate, it was simply too expensive to collect and process the
material. The sale of the end products would not justify the costs incurred.
For a recycling program to be viable, municipalities must use a collection method that yields
high participation rates in a cost-effective manner. And it is true that in many ways, single -
stream collection seems to do both. Because single -stream systems typically use one large cart,' 4
residents can place all recyclable materials into one receptacle without the so-called '`trouble" of
separation. Municipalities assumed that this level of convenience and simplification would
increase participation significantly.
On the collection side, the use of the large cart allows the collector to automate pick-up from
inside the truck cab. Co -mingled loads allow them to use single -compartment trucks, saving
significant labor and transportation Costs. 15 Labor costs area also lower, because an automated
truck requires only one worker. And since the cart is emptied by a machine, injuries and the
attendant worker compensation costs are also lessened.
At the samc time, single -stream collection lowers transportation costs, because the one -
compartment trucks cost less to purchase and usually have the ability to compact the load. In
some cases, the same one -compartment truck that picks up garbage can also be used for
recyclables collection, eliminating the need for additional capital expenditure. In addition, the
one -compartment single -stream truck saves time and fuel because they can return to the NTRF
only with full loads, whereas dual-strearn and curbside -sort systems must halt collection as soon
as one compartment is full. 16
In 1987 there were just four single -stream recycling systems in the United States.'? In 1989,
California passed AB 939, requiring "each city or county plan to include an implementation
schedule which shows: diversion of 25 percent of all solid waste from landfill or transformation
facilities by January 1, 1995, through source reduction, recycling, and composting activities; and
14 A cart is a large plastic bin on wheels with an integrated lid. A common brand name is Toter.
15 Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. www.dnr.wi.gov/oroJaw/wm/recycle/issues/singlestream.pdf.
36 dim Close, Public works Director, City of Harrisbur—PA
www.apwa.neUPublications/Reporter/ReporterOnline/index.asp?DISPLAY=ISSUE&ISSUE DATE=032003&ARTICLE_NU
ivIBER-569.
97Tamsin Ettefagh, Envision Plastics www.conservatrte.coni/tenni/SolidWastc/Roundtable/benefits.sbtml.
15
Page 72
diversion of 50 percent of all solid waste by January 1, 2000, through source reduction,
recycling, and composting activities"18
This law spurred many more California municipalities to adopt single -stream collection to
achieve that goal. As the potential economic savings appealed to more haulers, single -stream
collection began to move east. A survey by R.W. Beck released in July 2005 found that in 2000,
roughly 11% of the
population with access to
curbside recycling had
single -stream collection. By
2005 that percentage had
grown to 27%.19 See Fi-ure
4.
A study conducted in 2002
by Eureka Recycling (St.
Paul, Minnesota) and
comparing five different
collection methods found
that the single -stream
method collected 20.8%
more material than a
baseline of 402 pounds per
household per year
(1b/HH/yr) at a cost of
Figure 4: Percent of population with access to
curbside recycling using single stream collection
(Source: R.W. Beck 2005 AF&PA Community Survey)
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2000 2005
$51/ton. However, it should be noted that the study did not ultimately recommend a single -
stream system, because the lower collection costs outweighed by higher processing costs and
lower material revenues.20
Another study by R.W. Beck in December 2005 explored the impact of a switch to single -stream
collection on two groups of a different affluence demographic within the same city. Both groups
increased their total weight of recyclables (after non-recyclables had been subtracted) during a
pilot period following the switch. One group went from an average of 21.33 pounds per
household per collection, to 28.16. The other went from 26.87 pounds per household per
collection to 34.39.
It is important to understand that diversion from disposal is not recycling. Collection is not
recycling. A product is not recycled until it is made into another product. Broken glass used as
is California Integrated Waste Management Board. www.ciwmb.ca.gov/Statutes/Le.islation/Ca]Hist/[985tol989.htm.
19R.W. Beck, 2005 AFPA Community Survey.
20 EureUt recycling May 2002, www.eurekarecycling.or;/pdfs/ExceSummaryReport.pdf.
16
Page 73
landfill cover is "downcycled" into one use only. Closed-loop recycling occurs when a product
can be made and remade infinitely, such as remanufacturing containers back into aluminum cans
and glass and PET bottles,
Today, single -stream programs are being implemented on a regular basis. In 2008 alone, new
single -stream programs have been implemented in 40 U.S. cities, townships and counties. See
Figure S.
Given the growth of single -stream collection, the current economic situation has had a significant
impact on both program economics and marketability of recovered materials. All affected
municipalities should consider the current design of their program, apply best practices, and
consider alternative collection systems for those materials that may impose larger problems
within their existing program.
.Figure 5: New single -stream collection; programs
January 2008 through January 2009
17
In 2008, new single -stream pro rains were
implemented in Baltimore, NID; Gilroy, CA,
Macon, GA; Mount Airy, YID; Philadelphia,
PA; Saco, YIE; Appleton, Wl; tMarioa, FL;
Sumter. FL; De Pere, Wl; Cheyenne, WY;
Denver, CO; Des Moines, IA; Lady Lake.
FL; Raton Rouge, LA; Hartford , CT (pilot
program); Portland, OR; Rowland
Township, OH; Longmont, CO; North
Andover, iMA; St, Mary's County. NiD:
Weymouth, tVIA; Buffalo, NY; Plymouth,
PA; Corning, CA; Falls Church, VA; Fort
Collins, CD; Loveland, CO; Ridley, PA; Oak
Ridge, TN; Springfield, IMA, Superior, CO,
Orange Beach, AL, Plano, TX, Frederick
County, UID, Galloway Township, N3,
Mason County, WA, Orange County, NC,
Raleigh, NC, and South Whitehall
Township, PA (Source: Resource Recycling)
Page 74
Single -strew lowers collection costs
As noted elsewhere, collecting materials in a single -stream system can indeed be less expensive
than in either a curbside sort or a dual -stream collection. The 2002 the Eureka Recycling study
comparing single -stream to curbside sort and three different methods of dual -stream collecting
showed that single -stream cost $51/ton. This cost compared to $60/ton for curbside sort and a
range of $50465/ton for the three dual -stream methods that did not include organics collection.
A 2007 presentation by the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) put the
collection savings from single -stream at $10-$20/per ton. 21 The actual collection cost differs
from municipality to municipality as variables such as population density and types of materials
collected are considered, but the main cost savings are realized in labor and transportation.
A fully automated truck can be operated by only one worker, reducing labor costs. Injury
insurance and compensation costs are also lowered, since the operator does not need to manually
lift the heavy loads onto the truck.
Transportation savings are realized in several ways. The SWANA presentation showed that in a
fully automated single -stream system, the average stop time was 26 seconds. With an assumed
time of 12 seconds between stops, the collector is able to service 171 households per hour.
SWANA compared this time to a dual -stream, two -bin system, with a stop time of 36 seconds,
allowing 030 households to be serviced per hour; and a dual -stream, one -bin system, with a stop
time of 61 seconds, allowing only 82 households to be serviced per hour. 22
Another significant savings in transportation comes from fuel savings. Since a curb -sort system
requires materials to be put into different compartments of the truck, it is inevitable that one
compartment will fill before the others. The truck is forced to leave the route and go to the
processing facility to unload. Since the other compartments are not full, the truck is making this
trip at less than capacity. Processing facilities are often located far from residential
neighborhoods, making fuel usage even less efficient. A one -compartment truck (for single -
stream or biweekly dual -stream collection) can stay on the route until the truck is completely
full. This advantage is magnified by a compacting truck: a 4Y compactor will take one quarter of
the trips to the facility that a regular one -compartment truck makes, and an even lower ratio
compared to that of a multi-cornpartment truck.
These numbers seem compelling. However, the Metro Waste Paper Recovery study by Daniel
Lantz (2008) concludes that the savings in collection from single -stream compared to dual -
stream are not nearly so impressive. Lantz's findings show that the cost savings in collection
between single -stream and dual -stream is as little as $0—$3/ton.
21 To Single Stream or Not to Single Stream? Presentation by SWANA at US EPA Meeting, Philadelphia, PA, 2007:
www.epa. ga v/regi wemd/u rban2007/Single%2OStream%2ORecycl ing%20Presentation°/`20S W Al f A_Ju]07.1)df.
22 Ib id.
19
Page 75
Indeed, before a municipality can realize any savings from a switch to single -stream, it must make
significant investments in the system. Costs associated with switching to a single -stream system
include costs of the bins, costs of the trucks, and the costs of educating residents on how to use the
single -stream system.
Single -stream collection bins are expensive. The town of Mooresville, North Carolina, was to begin
implementing a pilot single -stream project in 2009. Over three years the town plans to give a 50-
gaIlon bin to each of 10,000+ households at an estimated cost per bin of $40. Even with a $20,000
grant to assist, the town will be spending roughly $400,000 just to purchase the bins.23 One
advantage to investing in these expensive lidded bins is that recycled paper stays dry, making it
easier to process and more likely to sell at a higher value.
Trucks constitute another large set-up cost for a municipality beginning a single -stream system.
While much of the cost savings from single -stream are derived from using fully automated
compacting trucks, these vehicles are expensive to procure. A new truck can cost up to $250,000,
although examples of less expensive purchases can be found.
Brian Jongetjes, president of John's Disposal Service in Whitewater, Wisconsin, reported that when
the city decided to pilot a single -stream program in 2002, John's bought a few 10 -year-old automated
trucks and rebuilt them for a total cost of less than $20,000 each. When the program moved from the
pilot to the citywide stage, John's bought five new Heil 7000 bodies on existing Crane Carrier
chassis for about $100,000 each. 21
Single -stream and dual -stream collection also makes it possible to collect a wider range of goods. For
example, all types of plastic containers can be put into a single -stream or dual -stream collection
system to be sorted out at the iV1RF, while it would be totally impractical to expect collectors to
separate all household plastics labeled #1 through 47, or to have trucks with a different compartment
for each type.25
A final cost is educating the public on how to use the single -stream system. Municipalities can use
many avenues for this education. Some of the most popular are pamphlets, newspaper ads, TV and
radio ads and billboards. All of these cost money, however. Mooresville, with just over 10,000
households, expects to spend $15,000 over three years on education as it switches to single -stream
collection. In a larger city, education costs are considerably more. In 2006, Philadelphia launched a
$1.2 million education program to coincide with its introduction of a simplified recycling program
that has evolved into a single -stream System. 26 In San Jose, California, and Seattle, Washington, the
processor is required to help pay for or provide materials for educatiort.27
23 Curbside recycling feasibility study. Town of Mooresville environmental protection committee, January 2003.
24 Brian Jongetjes. In MSW Scpt/Oct 2003 written by Darlene Snow.
'-' If the trucks did have compartments for each, the compartments for a low-volume plastic such as #5 PP would fill up far more
slowly than the #1 PET compartment and essentially be wasted space in the truck.
26 Jim Mccaffrey, Staff Reporter. The Evening Bulletin. www.recvclenowphiltv.orpr/media item.phOmedia id=29.
27 US Environmental Protection Agency. www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/tools/localgov/cconornics/processing.htn-k.
19
Page 76
Single -stream collection raises processing casts and inefficiencies
After the initial investments are made, a municipality may enjoy the cost savings from single -
stream collection. But a drop in collection costs sees a commensurate rise in processing costs.
The materials arrive at the MRF unsorted, and it is left to the recovery facility to sort the
materials to be marketed.
In general, the final commodities will be more contaminated than those that are collected in a
dual -stream system or sorted at the curb. This contamination increase often results in the
commodity being worth less than cleaner material. Contamination can also affect the ability of
the recycier to produce quality end products. For example, if paper grades are not properly
separated at a MRF, it can mean that old corrugated cardboard (OCC) might be improperly baled
with old newspaper (ONP). Once the bale has been purchased by the newspaper processing mill,
it can be very difficult to sort the ONP prior to its entry into the processing system. This type of
contamination can affect the quality of the final newsprint. In addition, contamination can cause
equipment failure, leading to lost productivity and expensive repairs. Both add costs to
processors' and remanufactUrers' bottom lines. The processor may have its load rejected by the
remanufacturer, or simply be paid less based on poorer quality, while the remanufacturer must
dispose of the contaminant OCC and purchase additional secondary ONP to make up for the loss.
In other words, the cost savings for a municipality from single -stream collection show up as cost
increases for the processors and remanufacturers.
Historically, one of the greatest challenges in single -stream collection has been glass. It is
virtually impossible to prevent Mass from breaking as it goes to the curb, is dumped in the truck,
Z, compacted, gets dumped on the tipping floor of the MRF, is repeatedly driven over by
forklifts, and is dumped on conveyor belts to be processed by the MRF. Therefore, it is highly
unlikely that glass collected in single -stream systems will be used for its highest closed-loop
application—glass bottles or fiberglass. Unless there is beneficiation capacity nearby, which can
clean the glass to remanufacturers' specifications, single -stream glass will be downcycled to a
use that is far less desirable in terms of energy conservation, avoided emissions and other high-
end benefits. The most likely end uses for mixed cullet from a MRF is sandblasting base,
aggregate material, or Alternative Daily Cover (ADC) for landfills.
20
Page 77
Another inefficiency related to
single -stream versus dual -stream
or curbside sorting is related to the
lost revenue associated with
recyclables ending up in the
wrong separated stream
(containers in the fiber stream, and
fiber in the container stream).
Equipment manufacturers suggest
that the efficiency of a typical
single -stream processing line is
about 85%.28 This means that
about 15% of the container stream
sent to market has unwanted
fibers, and about 15% of the fiber
stream has unwanted containers.
(See Figure b.) Most of the time,
these "unwanted" recyc[ables are
sent by the recycler (end -market) directly to disposal. This new waste not only represents a
significant amount of lost revenue; it also artificially boosts recovery rates.
The MRF switching to feedstock from a single -stream system must either buy or lease a new
facility to accommodate increased volume; retrofit an old facility; purchase new sorting
equipment; or accept the increased labor costs for a workforce to operate and maintain the
equipment. Most important, the MRF must achieve a level of quality of the output material that
makes these other investments worthwhile.
It is critical that any municipality considering a shift to single -stream collection consult with its
MRF first. A municipality cannot switch to single -stream unless the MRF is able to process
materials that arrive commingled. Equally important, the municipality must avoid collecting
materials that the MRF is not set up to sort and market. Timing plays an important role in a
decision to switch to a single -stream system. Just as it is more advantageous for the collector to
make changes when it is time to replace equipment such as trucks, the MRF owner will have to
acquire some new equipment, or even a new facility to accept materials collected in a single -
stream. If a municipality is going to switch to single -stream collection, it is best to do so when
the older equipment at the MRF is obsolete and investments are going to have to be made
regardless of collection technique.
'S Lantz, D., Mixed Residuals, Resource Recychn.g, December 2008.
21
Page 78
The cost of a new facility varies widely depending on the size of the facility, the siting of the
facility, the amount and type of machinery going in the facility, the materials the facility is going
to process, and other factors. In 2008, the capital cost for a new single -stream MRF serving
Brown, Outagamie and Winnebago counties in Wisconsin was estimated at $8 million.29 Other
important considerations in siting a new YIRF include the proximity to the municipality being
served to control transportation costs, and proximity to existing transport infrastructure such as
railways, ports and highways to control shipping costs for outgoing processed materials.
Because of these considerations, it is more common to retrofit an existing dual -stream MRF to
suit single -stream collection. This allows the MRF owner to save money on machinery that does
not need to be replaced and to bypass any objections that may arise with the siting process.
As in the case of new facilities, the cost of retrofitting an existing MRF varies. While a large
dual -stream MRF with modern equipment could be prepared to take single -stream materials with
the addition of one screen machine costing only $500,000, another facility could need upgrades
in every area at a cost in excess of $3 million.
How the MRF will affect the Quality and value of the final material depends on a wide range of
factors. Some N1RFs are showing better results than others regardless of the method of
collection. Indeed, some N Fs that receive goods from single -stream sources are able to
produce cleaner processed materials than others that collect from dual -stream sources. On
average, though, materials that come from a source -separated collection will be easier to process
than materials from dual -stream collectors, and dual -stream -collected materials will be easier to
process than those from single -stream. Therefore, if all MRFs were equal, the materials from the
single -stream collected system will, after passing through the MRF, be more contaminated, and
less material, as a percentage of the total input, will be diverted or recycled.
Although limited data is available, studies seem to show that single -stream VVIRFs do indeed
receive more recyclables due to the higher participation rates. However, as noted elsewhere,
there is little evidence to prove that it is the single -stream system alone, or even principally, that
motivates increased participation.
It is also important to note that because these materials are more contaminated, MRFs have to
invest more to clean them up and, in some cases, to dispose of a higher proportion of the rejects.
Though the gap is shrinking, single -stream MRFs in general produce materials of a lower
quality, and with more residuals and outthrows.
29 Single -stream Recycling. Brown, Outagamie, and Winnebago Counties. City of Oshkosh Common Council. June t0, 2008.
22
Page 79
A 2006 R.W. Beck study in
Pennsylvania showed that even as
single -stream collection had
matured somewhat, a higher
percentage of contaminants were
found in the incoming streams at
single -stream MRFs than at dual -
stream iVTFs, with 3.7% of
materials rejected in the former,
versus 1.8% rejected in the latter.
Curbside sorts had the smallest
proportion of rejects -0.4%.30
See Figure 7.
The quality of sorting at single -
stream MRFs has definitely
improved over the last few years,
Figure 7: Percent level of rejects from
incoming material from various collection
methods
(Source: Targeted Statewide Waste Characterization
Study, R. W. Beck, 2006)
4.00%
ME
3.50% ::-_ _� ter- --- -_-�L_ =.• -=
EM
2.50%-
' - ���= _mss= '•�-- ����
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single stream dual stream curbside sort
but the fact remains that if containers and newspaper are not mixed going into the MRF, there is
less chance that they will be mixed coming out.
Single -strum Collection decreases material yield
Another factor to be considered in choosing, between recycling systems is yield. While single -
stream MRFs appear to take in a greater volume of recyclable material compared to dual- or
multi -stream IVIRFs, they send a smaller volume of it out for remanufacturing. And what does get
sent out tends to be of a lower quality.
According to the 2002 Eureka Recycling study in Minnesota, source -separated MRFs lost only
1.6% of materials to residuals or outthrows, compared to 10%-12% for each of the four tested
forms of dual -stream collection; and 27.2% for the three single -stream systems. So even though
the single -stream systems showed a 20.8% increase in tonnage collected, they also showed a net
decrease of 12.2% in overall tons recycled.31
(Note: A December 2005 study by R.W. Beck that covered the same region as the Eureka study
showed that residual rates were not as high as they had been in 2002. The 2005 study reported a
residual rate of 17%.32)
30 Targeted Statetivide Waste Characterization Stndy.• Characterisation and Quantification of Residuals from Materials Recoveiy
Facilities, June 2006, R.W. Beck, Inc., Cascadia Consulting Group.
a' Eureka Recycling May 2002 www.curckarecycling.org/pdfs/ExecSummaryReport.pdf.
32 R.W. Beck, Report. City oFRoseville recycling pilot program summary. Ramsey County, Minnesota December 2005.
23
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In 2005, William Sacia and Jay Simmons published a compelling report, The effects ofsing-le-
stream on ca paper mill, measuring the impacts of residuals on a NORPAC paper mill in
Longview, Washington. Prior to 2001, all of the mill's incoming feedstock came from 100%
source -separated programs. The mill had an outthrows33 rate of a half a percent or less, a
"prohibitives"34 rate of zero percent, and a glass rate3l that was also zero. This product was sold
as ONP #836. The yield loss at the pulper was 1%, with the mill purchasing an additional 2,500
tons of fiber to replace the rejects.
Between 2003 and 2005, the study reported, the mill's input changed dramatically. During that
period, roughly 42% of incoming secondary newsprint came from commingled (single or dual -
stream) programs; the outthrows rate increased to 5.7%; the prohibitives rate increased to 1.3%;
and the glass rate increased to 0.1%, This material was sold as ONP #8, and #7.37 The yield loss
at the pulper increased to 9%, and the need for replacement fiber ballooned five -fold to 20,000
tons. At the same time, the mill's annual cost base for replacement fiber and disposal increased
to $2 million a year.
From September 2006 to December 2006, the commingled material increased to 68% of total
incoming fiber. The outthrows rate had tripled to 15%; the prohibitives rate also tripled to 3.4%;
and the ;lass rate increased to 0.33%. See Table 3.
Table 3: The effects of single-streamon a paper mill,
by W. Sacia and J. Simmons, 2005
Feedstock source
Pulper
Time
(as a % of total
Glass
End-
Yield
period
incoming material)
Outthrows
Prohibitives
rate
Market
Loss
2001 and
Curbside Sort (100%)
0.25%-0.5%
0.0
0.0
ONP-1-48
L%
prior
2003-2005
Single or Dual -stream
5.7%
1.3%
0.1%
ONP #8 &
9%
(42%)
#7
Sept—Dec
Single or Dual -stream
15%
3.4%
0.33%
ONP 98 &
n/a
200638
(68%)
#7
33 Outhrows is material which must be removed from the paper delivered to a mill before the paper is recycled/repulped. AFPA,
2005.
34 Prohibitives are any materials which by their presence in a packing of paper stock, in excess of the specification amount
allowed, will make the fiber unusable as the grade specified, or any materials that may damage the equipment. Source: AFPA,
2005.
35 "Glass rate" refers to the percentage of glass residue found in the incoming material.
36 Special News, De -ink Quality (#8 ONP), Consists of sorted, fresh newspapers, not sunburned, free from magazines, white
blank, pressroom over issues, and paper other than news, containing not more than tate normal percentage of rotogravure and
colored sections. This grade must he tare free. (Weyerhaeuser)
"ONP #7—News, De -ink Quality, consists of sorted, fresh, not sunburned newspapers, May contain magazine paper (OMG). No
prohibitives are allowed, and less than .0025 outthrows. (Conservatree)
=B The data for the more recent timeframe oPSept-December 2006 was derived from a presentation made by Jay Simmons:
impact of Single -stream Collections on ONP Quality EPA Roundtable, Ady 11, 2007, Jay Simmons - (Weyerhaeuser,
NORPAC). The "pulper yield loss" data was not included in his presentation, and therefore is listed as N/A.
24
Page 81
Plastics recyclers report that in general,
material fi-om single -stream N4RFs has a
yield rate of about 681/o-70%, compared
to dual -stream systems which usually
yield about 75%-78%. Bales of PET
from deposit return systems generally
have a yield rate of about 85% (Figure 8).
While a yield differential of five to ten
percent may not seem like a lot, consider
that if a facility has an annual capacity of
60 million pounds per year (5 million
pounds per month), every one percent of
lost yield represents about 50,000 pounds
of new waste, for a loss in value39 to the
recycler of $7,500. A processor who
Figure 8:.Estimate of yield rates
from collected plastic
90
* Max. yield
85
® Min. yield
80
75
70
a 65
60
Single Stream Dual Stream Deposit
Based on qualitative information from interviews with
plastic end -markets.
02008 Container Recycling Institute
averages just 5% loss in yield due to poor quality is losing about $37,500 per month, not including
the cost of sending these residuals to disposal.
For the most part, it is widely agreed that single -stream collection systems generally result in a lower
quality of material output destined for recovery. However, the range of impacts on material quality
and levels of contamination is directly related to a variety of factors that need to be considered on a
case-by-case basis. These include:
+ The level of promotion and education
• Whether the single -stream system is in an urban or rural environment
• Whether there is a pay -as -you -throw program in place for trash collection (i.e., user fees
charged for garbage, usually by the bag or by the pound)
• Whether there is an existing container deposit and return system in place
• Whether glass is included in or excluded from the program
• The quantity of different materials that are accepted in the recycling program
• Whether materials are cornpacted during collection
• The level of technical sophistication at the MRF
• Type of collection bins, e.g.,18-ballon open bins, or rollout bins with lids
• Whether collectors can visually inspect the material going into the truck
• The level of manual labor on the processing line
+ The kind of automated sorting equipment at the MRF
+ Whether the facility is working within its capacity or exceeding capacity
• The speed of the conveyor belts at the MRFs
+ Amount, if any, of pre-sorting after the material has been tipped
39 Based on a three-year average for lower quality PET of l5 -cents per lbs.
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Each of these variables will have a direct impact on the level of contamination ending up in the
1bIRF and in the bales being sent from the MRF to end -markets.
Remanufacturing and enol use: Recycling's real purpose
Most lay people, and perhaps most local officials, assume that all recycled items go to their best
use. They are shocked to learn that the materials they dutifully put in a recycling bin may in fact
wind up in a landfill. So a key question that needs to be asked by municipalities considering
collection options, is: What will become of the materials collected in a given system?
To date there is little quantitative data on how the reduced quality of single -stream material
impacts the total life cycle of the material from its extraction as a raw material, to its final end -
of -life.
Though too often ignored, this question is absolutely central. The key to successful recycling,
from the perspective of total environmental footprint, is to keep the material circulating for as
many product lives as possible. This is the closed loop that reduces the need for virgin materials,
thus avoiding the energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions associated with primary
materials extraction, transportation and processing. Recycling glass bottles back into bottles over
and over again is by far the best use of secondary glass, just as it is for aluminum cans.
Recycling reduces the need for extraction of raw material, and remanufacturing consumes less
energy than does manufacturing from raw materials.
Downcycling or "open loop" recycling of a product provides for one incarnation only—a use that
will likely not be repeated. Downeycled ;lass bottles, for instance, can be ground into drainage
material or road aggregate, but that's the end of the line, there is no further recycling for that
recycled glass. Similarly, PET resin can be recycled into strapping, but nobody is recycling
strapping, at least not yet.
Remanufacturers are the most vocal opponents of single -stream collection systems. These
companies purchase secondary materials from MR -Fs to use as feedstock in the manufacture of
new products which include paper, plastic, glass and metal products.
Impacts on Paper
With the growth of single -stream collection, manufacturers have seen their costs escalate.
Specifically, these are the additional expenses related to cleaning and screening poorly processed
materials, repairing damage to equipment, more frequent equipment cleaning, equipment
replacement, buying new raw materials to replace those that were unusable, and disposal of the
residual materials that cannot be used.
The 2005 paper, The Effects of Single -stream on a Paper 1vfill, reports that prior to receiving
commingled materials {from either single or dual -stream collection), the NORPAC paper mill
091
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managed the costs associated with maintenance from contamination in their budget and did not
spend money to improve incoming material quality. However, in the post -commingling period
from 2004 to the present, the company reported a fourfold increase in maintenance costs related
to contamination, while capital investment to improve the quality of incoming material exceeded
$100,000.
In a regression analysis called Single -stream Recycling—Total Cost Analysis, by Jaakko Poyry
and Skumatz Economic Research Associates (SERA) in 2004, the consultants interviewed a
number of paper mill representatives and extrapolated data on the production costs of new
newsprint. Their findings showed a strong correlation between using recycled content and
increased production costs. More specifically, at 100% recycled content there was a cost increase
of $6.50 per ton produced. These results indicate that there are significant costs associated with
the use of secondary fiber, which creates a disincentive for manufacturers to use recycled
materials or to increase recycled content.
Fable 4: Average cost differences by value chain segment
Collection
Processing
pulp ing/Papermaking
Net increase
Cost savings with
$15
Single -stream
($10420)
Cost increase with
$10
$8
$3
Single -stream
($5–$15)
($5-$13)
($0-$8)
Source: Single-slf•eam Recyclin,,�--Totcd Cost Analysis, prepared by Jaakko Poyry and Skumatz Economic Research
Associates (SERA) in 2004.
The analysis further calculates an estimated cost to paper mills if all dual -stream recycling systems
were converted to single -stream (summarized in Table 4). The estimate assumes recycled content
newsprint at 56%; recycled paperboard at 100%; tissue at 51%, and other grades where recycled
content varies. The analysis determined that the industry would incur an additional $48M to $51M in
costs associated with increased production costs stemming fiom increased contamination.
In terms of the net costs affecting the entire stakeholder group, the analysis shows while there is an
average decrease in collection costs for paper products of $10–$20/ton (a total savings of $90M–
$ l 05M), this would be offset by an increase in processing costs of $5415/ton (a total increase of
$60M–$701M). Combined with additional papermaking costs of $5413/ton (a total increase of $48–
$51"; this results in an overall net increase of about $3/ton (a total increase of $18M to $21 M).
Assessing the impact on paper quality on the remanufacturing sector is difficult because paper mills
receive their secondary feedstock fiom a variety of suppliers, all of which have different collection
methods. It is estimated, however, that for paper pulpers, single -stream material has eight times the
yield loss of curbside -sorted material. As Sacia and Simmons conclude, "In the drive to reduce
27
Page 84
recycling collection costs, the recovered-fiber-consuming mill has been substantially and adversely
affected." There is, they conclude, "a strong need for more balance in the system,1140
Impacts on Aluminum
To determine the impacts of single-stream collection on downstream aluminum manufacturers,
we interviewed the largest recycler of used beverage containers (UBCs) in North America,
Atlanta-based Novelis, The aluminum recycler reported that it does not inherently segment
incoming material by recycling collection method (single or dual-stream, curbside sort, or
deposit return systems), because business value is better managed at an individual supplier level
rather than for broad segments. They do, however, periodically aggregate segment information to
study broader trends and quality issues. The following was based on recent quality information
and sampling.
One significant quality concern was with supplier variation—i.e., broad differences in product
quality from one supplier to the next. Variation was higher for curbside than for deposit and
return collection systems. Within curbside, regardless of whether the material came from single-
stream or dual-stream systems, suppliers varied widely in the quality of sorting, based on myriad
variables such as quality of employees, quality of supervision, on-site sorting technology (er
eddy currents and magnets) and quality of physical assets.
In comparing curbside-collected material versus material collected through container deposit and
return systems, the contaminant level (excluding moisture) was, on average, 78% higher for
curbside sources. Contaminants cause facility equipment to shut down at contamination Levels
well below what many sources supply today. As Novelis explained, "Too much moisture absorbs
BTUs and the equipment shuts down until it can reach a high enough operating temperature to
burn off the paint/lacquer, etc. PET (polyethylene terephthalate, or #1 plastic) and paper cause
the equipment to shut down from excessive operating temperature as burning these materials is
exothermic. Glass, sand, non-aluminum metallics and other contaminants cause a myriad of
problems as Well."41
Although curbside material was, on average, significantly lower quality than bottle-bill material,
Novelis found that some MRFs had better quality than the bottle-bill average. Given that a
variety of MRF types have good quality, improved future material value seems achievable, for
many suppliers, if they apply improved business and resource management.
Voluntary supplier action was not yielding measurably improved quality. This was true even
during the 2007-2008 commodities boom, during which material revenue and supplier profit far
exceeded historical standards. As a result, Novelis implemented a financial penalty for poor
40 The Effects of Single -stream on a Paper I ill, Sacia and Simmons, Tappi Journal January 2006.
41 John M. Woelilke, Novelis North America.
28
Page 85
suppliers, discounting prices paid by 10 cents per pound. Though it might seem a rigorous
measure, the surcharge did not fully compensate Novelis for profit losses due to low productivity
from substandard materials. Recently, a number of suppliers left, and many more have been
redirected to a special off-site cleaning facility where markedly lower prices will be applied to
offset the site's operating costs and investment return.
Novelis' action highlights how serious the company is about not accepting low -quality material.
The company has indicated that other aluminum buyers such as Alcoa and Aleris are "also
serious, and the rest of the industry is coming on line as well.X42
Impacts on Glass
Container glass is also marginalized in the single -stream process. Glass from single -stream
1VLRFs is not only color -mixed, but highly contaminated. Meanwhile, even as glass -beneficiation
facilities are faced with a feedstock that is increasingly contaminated, glass container and
fiberglass manufacturers are setting more stringent quality standards.
In an effort to control maintenance and production equipment costs, reduce downtime and
increase usage, container glass and fiberglass manufacturers are requiring cleaner cullet. As the
percentage of cullet use increases, their quality requirements also increase. Contaminated cullet
reduces the life expectancy of production equipment; increases operating costs; and limits how
much cullet can be used.43 With the growth of single -stream recycling programs, and the
subsequent downgrading of cullet quality, a beneficiation facility will nun significantly higher
costs for energy and cleaning, which adversely impacts the economics of building additional
beneficiation capacity.
Impacts on Plastic
The value of PET from a single -stream MRF is worth on average about one to two cents less per
pound (representing from 9% to 13% of the overall price offered per pound) compared with PET
collected via dual -stream. While plastics recyclers were unable to quantify the cost impact that
dirtier bales are having on their operations in terms of equipment repair, increased maintenance
and unplanned system shut downs, they consistently reported that there is a relationship between
dirtier material and increased costs.
Ensuring that secondary recovered recyclabies are utilized for the highest possible end-use is a
critical part of successful diversion. High end-use can have 10 to 20 times the environmental
benefit in terms of the replacement of virgin materials and those avoided upstream impacts.44
42 Ibid.
43 Market Status Report: Container and Plate Glass, CIWfYIB web site. littp://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/markets/StatusRpts/glass.him.
44 Making Co -mingled Work: Agreeing to new standards to jet the most out of our curbside mix. Viccy Salazar,
US EPA, Region 10. Power Point presentation, RCC Web Academy —March 2008.
29
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An additional benefit beyond the environmental merit of closed-loop recycling is that higher
end-use application will always generate the greatest income because of the value of secondary
feedstock. Even if a recycler produces the same resin from clean material and dirtier material, he
must absorb all the costs associated with additional cleaning, increased maintenance and capital
replacements.
Conclusion
Choosing an appropriate recycling program for their communities can be challenging as
municipal leaders attempt to find a balance between economic and environmental sustainability.
Over the past decade, recycling systems have evolved towards collecting the maximum amount
of recyclables in the shortest amount of stop time with the least amount of labor. This strategy
has achieved cost savings at the collection end.
However, with a greater number of materials being collected. increased commingling and
compaction, the quality of recyclables destined for recyclers has suffered. The decline in quality
of secondary feedstock has impacted the cost to the processor, the cost to the manufacturer and
ultimately the cost to the consumer. Increased contamination in bales sent to recyclers has ended
up costing more money in terms of equipment replacement and maintenance, increased disposal
costs, and increased replacement costs as yield rates decline. This cost pressure on recyclers and
remanufacturers has not only decreased the value of secondary feedstock, but with the global
economic downturn, the demand for poorer quality material has also been significantly
compromised.
Recent analysis demonstrates that single -stream systems, on average, actually cost more in total
system costs (collection, processing and recycling) compared with dual -stream programs
(separate fiber and container collection). In addition, the evidence indicating that single -stream
systems actually divert more material than other collection methods is anecdotal. To date, little
research has been done that considers actual recycling rates that factor in yield rates from the
end-user.
In conclusion, municipalities and states need to work to improve recycling rates and reduce their
economic risk by maintaining high-quality recyclables to meet the requirements of domestic
recyclers, instead of relying solely on overseas markets. Through a variety of policies, which
include implementing producer -responsibility initiatives, expanding product take -back programs
for packaging recovery where curbside programs have limited scope, and improving existing
curbside recycling, the United States can make significant gains from recycling in terms of
avoided upstream pollution and greenhouse gases.
30
Page 87
Appendix A: Single -streams collection best practices
A chain is only as strong as its weakest link
Applying best practices in any single -stream recycling system is essential for sustainable
recycling. Each and every component of recycling, from relationships, communication,
education, collection system design, processing system design, contract terms and low-risk
sustainable marketing, must be considered equally. If any one component is not properly
implemented, the entire system can be compromised.
This concept is perhaps best described in Single -stream. Recycling: Best Practices
Implementation Guide, by Kinsella and Gertman, February 2007.
"The recycling cycle represents a collaborative system, and no one sector- can operate
independently of the others. The success of recycled product manufacturers depends on the
success of processors to properly sort the materials they receive. Processors, in turn, depend
on collectors to pick up loads of recyclables from residents who understand what should go
into their recycling carts and what should not.
Problems in any part of the system require resolution or ultimately every sector suffers,
even those that originally benefited. Receiving poorly sorted materials from a processor
discourages manufacturers from investing in new or expanded recycled product
manufacturing capacity and even may cause some to close or return to using raw virgin
resources. Low quality recovered materials can lead to defects in finished products, which
threaten buyers` acceptance of recycled products. If customers. whether industrial or
consumer, do not buy products with recycled content, .losses cascade back through the
system. Quality problems with some recycled products may taint buyers' acceptance of
other recycled products, as well.
Any of these outcomes will ultimately threaten markets for the materials recovered in
community recycling programs. So all recyclers have a stake in making sure that single -
stream recycling works as well for manufacturers and processors as it does for collectors."
From Single -stream Recycling: Best Practices Implementation Guide, by Kinsella and Gellman,
February 2007. http://www.consei-vatree.com/lean/SolidWaste/BestPracticesGuideO2l4O7.pd1
31
Page 88
Information saurees: Bibliography
AET Consultants Inc. Single -stream Blue Box Material Compaction Audit Study Regional
Municipality of York, October 2006
American Forest and Paper Association, Paper Recycling: Quality is Key to long -Term Success,
March 2004
Apotheker, Steve, Putting quality back into the recovery equation, Resource Recycling, April
2006
Barbagallo, Tony, P.E. Facilities Mgr. Presented to NH DES 2006, Evolution of a Regional &IRF
—Chittenden Solid Waste District
Brown-Outagamie- Winnebago Counties, Single -stream Recycling, Power Point presentation.
City of Oshkosh, Common Council June t 0, 2008.
txtww.ci.oshkosh.wi.us/p«blic_works/Single%20Stream%2ORecycling%20presentation%206-10-
08, t
Close, Jim, Single -stream Recycling: Could be coming to a theatre near you, , APWA reporter
online:www. apw a- net/ Pub lications/Rgporter/Reportei:Online/index. asp" D IS PLAY=ISSUE&ISS
UE DATE=032003&ARTICL-E NUMBERJ69
Eureka Recycling, A Comparative Analysis of Applied Recycling Collection Methods in St. Paul,
May 2002.
Eureka Recycling, A Comparative Analysis of Applied Recycling Collection Methods in St. Paul,
May 2002
Gessct, Greg, Single -stream. MRF Design Considerations, MSW, March/April 2006
Hem-icks, Mark, Sorting Systems for Single -stream Recyclables, American Recycler.com,
September 2008
Jamelske and Kipperburg, A Contingent Valuation Study and benefit -cost analysis of the switch
to automated collection of solid waste with single -stream recycling In Madison, Wisconsin,
October 2006 http://pwm.sa2epub.com/egi/reprint/l 1/2189
Kinsella, Susan and Richard Gertman Redesigning Recycling, Resource Recycling, November
2007
Kinsella, Susan and Richard Gertman Rethinking Recycling, Resource Recycling, August 2007
Kinsella, Susan and Richard Gertman, Collecting Recycling, Resource Recycling, January 2008
Kinsella, Susan and Richard Gertman, Processing ---The lynchpin of recycling success, Resource
Recycling, March 2008
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Kinsella, Susan and Richard Gertman, Single -stream Recycling Best Practices Implementation
Guide, Conservatree and Evironmental Planning Consultants, February 2007.
Lantz, Daniel, Mixed Residuals, Resource Recycling, December 2008
Leroux Miller, Kivi, Changing in Midstream, Waste Age, Oct 2004
Leung, Elaine, The Single -stream Switch, Recycling Today, May 2002
Northeast Resource Recovery Association, Single -stream Recycling and Alternative Avenztes,
Special Membership Meeting, July 16 2008
Pierce County Department of Public Works and Utilities Environmental Services, Background
Report: Curbside Recycling: Collection Issues And Trends, Solid Waste Division. February,
2004
R.W. Beck and Dan Krivit & Associates, City of Roseville Recycling Pilot Program Summcu-v,
Ramsey County, Minnesota, December 2005
R.W. Beck, Inc., Cascadia Consulting Group, Targeted Statewide TVaste Characterization Study:
Characterization and duantifcation of Residuals from 1111aterials Recovery Facilities, June 2006,
R.W.Beck, Final Report Pennsylvania Recovered Material Composition Study, Pennsylvania
Department of Environmental Protection, February 2005
Recycling Today, Single -Stream Recycling Generates Debate, May 2002
Resource Recycling, 2005, Single -Stream in Perspective, first edition—A compilation of articles
on Single -stream collection. These include (in chronological order)
1. tYlega iVRFs: Ensuring recovered paper supply through con7mingled processing, Dave
Steven, May 1998
2. Commingled makes the news(print), Kathern Sparks, June 1999
3. .State of JVRFs: 2001, Eileen Brettler Berenyi, January 2001
4. MRF Technology: 2001 and beyond, Eileen Brettler Berenyi, June 2001
5. Sorting out &IRF trends, Jerry Powell, October 2001
6. Single -stream recycling: searching for the bottom line, Daniel Lantz and Stephanie
Venters, March 2002
7. Single -stream ahead, Eileen Brettler Berenyi, August 2002
8. Downstream ofsingle-stream, Eureka Recycling, November 2002
9. Sorting through the options, Jerry Powell, March 2003
10. Community recycling programs: A time of change, Robert Craggs, October 2003
11. A high diversion rate and low price tag, Christine Holloway, January 2004
12. Challenges of change: Coupling operations with communications, Roberta Dunlop,
January 2004
13. One size won't fat all, Resource Recycling Editorial staff, July 2004
14. Single -stream recycling: Assessing the trade-offs, Lisa Skumatz, Charles Bicknell,
August 2004
33
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15. Are the fish biting? lvfeasiiring single -stream participation rates, Shirlene Sitton, August
2004
16. Analyzing collection and processing cost, Susan Hubbard, October 2004
17. Trends in materials recovery facility modernization, Theodore Pytlar, October 2004
18. Single -stream: a recycling method that cuts both ways, Steven Stein, October 2004
19. Optimizing plastics recovery from single -stream IfRFs, Ron Perkins, February 2005
Sacia, William K and .lay Simmons, The Effects of Changing ONP Quality on a Newsprint Ililill,
Tappi Journal, January 2006
Sandoval, Dan, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Recycling Today, August 2007
Sandoval, Dan, Curbside Clash, Recycling Today, December 2004
Sandoval, Dan, Stepping Things Up, Recycling today, June 2005
Scozzafava, Lori, To Single -stream or Not to Single -stream, Solid Waste Association of North
America, July 19 2007
Skumatz, Lisa and David Juri Freeman., Economic Research Associates, 2008, Single-strealn
Recycling: Keeping Glass In The Mix
Snow, Darlene Single -stream Recvcling, MSW, Sept/October 2003
Solid &- Hazardous Waste Education Centre, Single-strealn Reeveling,www4.uwm.edu/shwee/
Taylor, Brian, Dual Purposes ALRF Series—Single-stream Recycling, Recycling Today, .lune
2003
Themelis, Nickolas J. and Claire E. Todd, Recycling in a Megacity, Journal of Air and Waste
Management Association
Tim Goodman and Associates, Single -stream and Dual -stream Recycling: Comparative Impacts
of Commingled Recyclables Processing, January 2006
Tot, D. Pros and cons: glass offers benefits and drawbacks to municipal recycling programs. TVe
look at a few approaches to collecting this contentious commodity. (7005 municipal recycling
supplement),. Recycling Today, March 2005
Town on Mooresville, Curbside Recycling Feasibility Study, Environmental Protection
Commission, January 2008
US Environmental Protection Agency, Collection Costs,
www.epa..ov/osw/conserve/tools/localgov/economics/collection.htm
Waste Management, YYaste IYlanagernent And YYm Recycle America Unveil Single -stream.
Recycling Facility In Newark : Largest Single-strearn Facility Making Recycling Easier For New
Jersey Residents And Businesses, Press Release, April 30 2008
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