AGENDA DATE: 6/5/2024
TITLE:
Title
Proposed Revised Charge for the Solid Waste Alternatives Advisory Committee
BODY
SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST: Consider approval of revised charge of the Solid Waste Alternatives Advisory Committee
ITEM TYPE: Consent Action Item
STAFF CONTACT(S): Richardson, Wall, Rosenberg, Herrick, Stewart, Dumars, Harper, Dayley, Powers
PRESENTER (S): None
LEGAL REVIEW: Yes
REVIEWED BY: Jeffrey B. Richardson
BACKGROUND: The Solid Waste Alternatives Advisory Committee (SWAAC) was established by the Board of Supervisors at its March 9, 2016, meeting as a standing advisory committee. The SWAAC’s charge is to develop sustainable materials management policies for consideration by the Board, with a focus on public education and engagement related to waste reduction, materials reuse, recycling and composting, greenhouse gas reduction, and waste disposal.
At the Board’s February 21, 2024, meeting, the Board discussed a letter sent by the SWAAC Chair to Chair Andrews requesting the Board’s concurrence to develop a revised charge, to better reflect the work of this public body. The Board concurred and requested that staff review the proposed charge draft and provide any feedback to the SWAAC as it finalized a draft. At its meeting April 11, 2024, the SWAAC reviewed and approved the draft committee charge statement (Attachment A).
STRATEGIC PLAN: Resilient, Equitable, & Engaged Community - Design programs and services that promote an equitable, engaged, and climate-resilient community.
DISCUSSION: The SWAAC seeks to revise the committee’s charge as follows:
- Remove the requirement of conducting “thorough budgetary and impact analyses,” given the voluntary nature of the committee and the lack of expertise in such analysis, instead maintaining a simpler requirement to provide “relevant analyses” in support of recommendations;
- Limit greenhouse gas reduction considerations to emissions related to sustainable materials management;
- Adjust the member requirements, including
- replacing the requirement for a professional engineer with a requirement for a sustainability subject matter expert; and
- adding one to two non-voting youth representatives, serving an eight-month term.
These changes are based on an interest to diversify the perspectives on the committee and engage a younger pipeline of potential members.
- Broaden the scope of possible recommendations on programs;
- Shift from a requirement of engagement of Rivanna Solid Waste Authority, City of Charlottesville, and Albemarle County Public Schools staff to intentional collaboration.
- Expand the description of the departments that might provide staff support to the committee;
- Adjust the scope of staff support; and
- Provide a high-level summary of FOIA requirements
BUDGET IMPACT: None
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the Board adopt the revised SWAAC charge (Attachment A).
ATTACHMENTS:
A - 2024 Proposed Revised Charge of the Solid Waste Alternatives Advisory Committee
B - Existing (2020) Charge of the Solid Waste Alternatives Advisory Committee