HomeMy WebLinkAbout1989/03/06 - ADMIN - Minutes - City Council - Study Session IIIMINUTES
CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION
ST. LOUIS PARK, MINNESOTA
March 6, 1989
1 . Call to order
The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Mayor Lyle Hanks.
2. Roll call
The following Council members were present at roll call : Bruce Battaglia,
Allen Friedman, Keith Meland, Larry Mitchell and Lyle Hanks.
3. Recycling
Wally Wysopal was present to answer questions.
Councilmember Battaglia asked if Woodlake did it or SuperCycle did it,
would the cost be the same to operate the recycling program minus the tipping
fees.
Mr. Wysopal said that was correct.
III In answer to a question from Councilmember Battaglia, Mr. Wysopal said
the cost for picking up appliances was wrapped in the overall contract
cost. He said the reason for this is it avoids unused appliances lying
around in backyards when people want to avoid paying $20 for their removal .
Councilmember Friedman wondered what progress was being made on recycling
at apartments and multi family dwellings.
Mr. Wysopal responded that the apartments and multi family units which
have been added are through negotiation between the private garbage haulers,
the management people for the buildings and the City. He said that other
than newspapers, the recyclers are not willing to recycle at these locations
unless compensated.
Councilmember Friedman asked if th City could not get money back from
the County. Mr. Wysopal said thatYt orrect. He said recycling doesn' t pay
for itself until the tipping fee goes to $75/ton which triples the cost
of disposal and collection/disposal of garbage goes to $175/ton and recycling
will be about $50/ton.
Councilmember Battaglia asked if it were typical that with 80% participation
rate, only 23% of the waste being generated was being recycled.
111 Mr. Wysopal said one problem is plastic containers, some of which are not
recyclable. Secondly, 23% represents the residential program compared to
the entire wastestream of the City.
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2. Health insurance
The City Manager asked staff to look into health insurance within the context
of four considerations: alternatives to existing programs; possibilities
for cost containment but "not on the backs of employees"; examining existing
policies based on effectiveness vs. cost benefits; and involving employees
in the review process. He referenced a memo from Wally Wysopal covering
those four areas.
It was the consensus of Council that staff continue its research on this
item.
3. Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 7:20 p.m.
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Mayo/ yle Hanks
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