Palmer Township Environmental Steering Committee

Palmer Municipal Building

Meeting Minutes:

October 28, 2004

Attendees: L. Bonner, T. Dittmar, T. Ganssle, B. Lammi, N. Nicholas, C. Oatis, J. Olock, J. Stoneback, D. Veres

Guests: Waste Management of PA: Bill Buskirk (Front Load Supervisor ),

- Brian Spangler, Joe Chang (Easton High students)

Meeting opened at 7:00 PM

1. Minute Approval:

Minutes from ESC meetings of September approved (Dittmar, Oatis)

- Easton High School students B. Spangler, J. Chang were present to update the ESC on the progress of ongoing recycling program efforts. Both boys provided information concerning the successes and needs of the program:

- Containers for 181 rooms are needed, plans for $ raising were discussed

- 4 committees were established, B. Spangler is Chairman of Community Relations committee

- High School volunteers would try to identify recycling leaders from Shawnee Intermediate School to draft them into

High School Program when they arrive

- T. Ganssle volunteered to draft letter representing PESC’s endorsement of student’s efforts and successes

- J. Stoneback suggested an article to appear in Palmer Newsletter

2. Single Hauler Issues:

- B. Buskirk reported no outstanding problems or hauling issues

- T. Ganssle inquired of Bill Buskirk prices for “pay per bag” waste collection; Bill would bring to next meeting

- C. Oatis also inquired about tonnage reports which Bill would be providing

- B. Lammi spoke of the cut/leave for yard grass would be major factor in next hauling contract renewal

3. Recycling Coordinator’s Report

- C.Oatis – stated that state pushes for recycling minimums of 25% and although Palmer is comfortably within the acceptable range, the numbers have been dropping off possibly due to no fines being levied on business infractions.

- B. Lammi suggested Cindy provide graphs displaying Palmer’s recycling figures to publish in newsletter & website

- C. Oatis reported that Recycling Center & Yard Waste Facility were functioning well and that she would provide performance information on a yearly basis for the yard compost facility. Also, state will soon pass legislation to ban yard waste from landfills

- C. Oatis just completed the 904 grant and she reported that paper collection bins for the Easton High School recycling program were included in her recycling budget

4. Old Business

- Open Space / Northampton County Issues – B. Lammi reported that its passage had been finalized but how to fund it over the next 10 years needed to be worked out

- Chrin Transfer Station – B. Lammi reported that it had PBOS endorsement

- T. Ganssle presented a future plans list (compiled by R. Reese) so that committee individuals could volunteer their participation in those items matching their individual expertise. List & appropriate volunteers follow:

- Compost Seminar / Solid Waste Option Research – T. Dittmar

- Community Days – a subcommittee of: T. Ganssle, T. Dittmar, D. Halasz, J. Stoneback, C. Oatis

- Recycling Trends & Improvements – D. Halasz

- Sinkhole Ordinance & Tracking – R. Kantor

- PBOS Communication – B. Lammi

- Electronic Recycling – N. Nicholas

- Recycling / Hauling updates – C. Oatis

- BSC / County Issues – R. Reese

- Newsletter / Palmer Planning Commission liaison – J. Stoneback

- Local Recycling Programs – D. Veres

- PESC Historical Timeline for key events – A. Yost

5. New Business

- Electronic Recycling Collection Day was discussed and it was suggested to take place after Community Weekend so that it could be advertised at booth.

- C. Oatis stated that funds were budgeted to cover costs

- T. Ganssle volunteered to contact Tom Marshal for information on the event he directed in Bethlehem. It was suggested by many members to run a multifront campaign to educate and inform Palmer residents of e-cycling benefits and hazards of ignoring issue

- D. Veres suggested informational fliers to be distributed at Administration building and other locations

- Date set for first meeting of Community Days subcommittee: January 27, 2005, 6:00 PM

Motion to adjourn: PM 8:40 pm (Ganssle, Oatis)

Submitted by: T. Ganssle

TDG/tg