LBA ASSOCIATES 2003 Colorado SWANA Annual Mtg CO SOLID WASTE SURVEY By LBA Associates (with CAFR) Collected 2002 program data Disclaimer – quality

LBA ASSOCIATES 2003 Colorado SWANA Annual Mtg

CO SOLID WASTE SURVEY

By LBA Associates (with CAFR)

Collected 2002 program data

Disclaimer – quality and completeness of survey results vary


CO SOLID WASTE SURVEY: BACKGROUND

Surveyed 30 counties and 8 municipalities

County populations ranged from 600 to 555,000

County solid waste budgets ranged from $4,000 to $19M


CO SOLID WASTE SURVEY:COUNTY-OWNED FACILITIES

33% own transfer stations 60% own landfills 20% own drop-offs 10% own MRFs 13% own compost

facilities 20% own HHW facilities Privately owned facilities NPO facilities


CO SOLID WASTE SURVEY:FISCAL MANAGEMENT

33% of counties (10) operate as Enterprise Funds

Another 17% of counties (5) have “segregated” funds

17 municipalities have residential user fees

7 municipalities have PAYT for residential trash collection


CO SOLID WASTE SURVEY:FUNDING SOURCES $$

County user fees - transfer station/landfill tip fees (several with tip fee surcharges)

Municipal user fees – per household service(including examples of “mandatory fee –

voluntary participation” programs) Other – material sales, CESQG,

municipal payments, grants, sponsors


CO SOLID WASTE SURVEY:OUTSTANDING ISSUES

Resources to be innovative and efficient

Obtaining good data Cutting budgets – adding fees, taxes Turning new facilities into

sustainable operations Competing for private sector tons High hauling $ and illegal dumping Safe-guarding Enterprise Fund

accounts


HOW TO MAKE COLORADO’S MSW ECONOMICALLY VIABLE?


RURAL v. URBAN COUNTIES Rural counties typically more “hands on”

with full system Urban counties often more facility-specific More rural landfills than urban landfills Rural transfer stations needed to service

sparsely populated areas (increased self-haul)

Urban transfer used to reach large, regional (private) landfills


PUBLIC & PRIVATE SECTOR COMMON GROUND Operate system as a business (enterprise

for local government) Full costs of integrated system are known Accountability for costs and revenues Defensible rates Self-sustaining cost center Apply net-revenues to operating expenses, debt,

future investments Issue revenue bonds Separate from economic swings that affect the

General Fund


CITY of BOULDER (segregated fund)

103,000 people - $1M budget “Hands-off” approach

Open hauling with stringent ordinances – trash, recyclables, yard waste

Strong education, BY composting, yard waste and commercial programs

49% diversion Dedicated trash tax SW system impacted by city’s $18M deficit


PITKIN COUNTY (Enterprise Fund)

15,300 people - $2.8M budget MRF, Compost, Landfill & HHW Collection of county buildings/DOCs Plus aggregate, soil, rock, drop&swap Non-profit recycling outreach Funded by LF tip fees, material sales $250k appropriation by Gen Fund

(’02) – 5-year plan


CITY OF LOVELAND (Enterprise Fund)

53,000 people - $3.1M budget Public collection of residential trash,

recyclables, yard waste Drop-off center, joint compost venture 43% residential diversion rate Funded by user fees (flat base plus variable

depending on services), materials sales


CITY of DURANGO (Enterprise Fund)

15,000 people - $800k budget Automated collection of trash/

recyclables at 1-2 units 3 municipal DOCs (incl 2 outside city) Regional MRF Seasonal yard waste, paint, e-scrap Funded through both trash (variable)

and recyclable (flat) user fees


GRAND COUNTY

12,000 people - $1M budget Landfill and other wastes Grand Recycles (NPO) – 3 DOCs, 2

sorting facilities Includes Kremmling with municipal

collection, flat user fees Funded by LF tip fees, tires (no direct

general fund support)


MESA COUNTY (Enterprise Fund) 116,000 people - $2.7M budget Landfill, HHW/CESQG, Compost 4 transfer stations No formal recycling Includes Grand Junction with municipal

collection, and variable user fees Funded by LF, CESQG fees and compost

sales


MORGAN COUNTY (Enterprise Fund)

28,000 people - $725,000 budget 6 transfer stations with recyclables drop-

off Includes Brush and Fort Morgan with

municipal collection, and flat user fees

Funded by landfill tip fees (plus 50% surcharge for uncovered loads)

Documents

LBA ASSOCIATES 2003 Colorado SWANA Annual Mtg CO SOLID WASTE SURVEY By LBA Associates (with CAFR) Collected 2002 program data Disclaimer – quality