6.4. SR 11-01-2004
Item 6.4.
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Rebecca Haug, Environmental Technician
DATE: November I, 2004
SUBJECT: Update on Pilot Project Clean-Up Week Oct. 11-16,2004
During the week of October 11- 16, 2004 the City conducted a Pilot Project Clean-Up
Week. Residents took materials to the Elk River Landfill where they were either
recycled or properly disposed of in the landfil1. There were a total of 64 residents who
took advantage of the Clean-Up Week. Advertising for the clean-up was done through
the cable channel, flyers posted around the City, an ad in the Elk River Shopper and an
article in the Elk River Star News. If timing would have worked to have the event
advertised in The Current, there probably would have been more participation. If the
City decides to continue working with the Elk River Landfill on clean-ups, advertising
will need to be greatly increased.
Even though there wasn't a lot of participation, many items were recycled and disposed
of properly. The following is a breakdown of the amounts of materials that were
collected:
Waste Material
MSW
Furniture
Computers (towers, monitors or printers)
Computer system
Tires
Tires w/rims
Tractor tires
Appliances
Air conditioners
Total
6.89 tons
27 units
21 units
7 units
242 units
101 units
11 units
62 units
8 units
The City collected $1,061.00 from the residents. The Elk River Landfill charged the City
$6,581.07. Some of the expense included covering overtime hours for the landfill staff
which amounted to $890.00. When you compare this to the Saturday, April 26, 2004
Clean-Up Day, the City generated $2,076.00 from residents and paid out $8,615.00 to the
vendors. The difference is that the City's expenses for the April Clean-Up Day were
covered by Sherburne County's SCORE grant rather than the City covering the expenses.
One other difference was that the landfill does not collect fluorescent bulbs, whereas the
City collects them at their Spring Clean-Up Day.
Some advantages of having the clean-up out at the Elk River Landfill include having the
collection for an entire week rather than just half a day. The landfill already has contracts
with all the vendors for recycling so the City doesn't have to contact all of the vendors
and make sure that the date and time will work. The Elk River Landfill has the staff to
handle the Clean-Up Week. City doesn't have to pay as many employees to work on a
Saturday.
Some disadvantages of having the Clean-Up out at the Elk River Landfill include the
residents having to unload their own materials. The landfill doesn't collect fluorescent
bulbs and some people may be intimidated by the landfill.
Recommendation
City staff would like to try another Clean-Up Week at the landfill the last week in April
rather than the half dav Spring Clean-Up on the last Saturdav of April. If approved, the
Clean-Up Week would go from April 25 - 30,2004. The City should be eligible for
SCORE funding for this Clean-Up Week.