Special Commission Meeting - Plastics Workshop

MINUTES

SPECIAL MEETING OF THE STUART CITY COMMISSION

HELD June 6, 2019

AT 4:00 PM Commission Chambers - PLASTICS WORKSHOP

121 SW FLAGLER AVE.

STUART, FLORIDA 34994

CITY COMMISSION

Mayor Rebecca S. Bruner

Vice Mayor Eula R. Clarke

Commissioner Kelli Glass Leighton

Commissioner Merritt Matheson

Commissioner Mike Meier

ADMINISTRATIVE

City Manager, David Dyess

City Attorney, Michael J. Mortell

City Clerk, Mary R. Kindel

ROLL CALL

4:02 PM Roll Call.

Present: Mayor Bruner, Vice Mayor Clarke, Commissioner Glass Leighton, Commissioner Matheson, Commissioner Meier.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

PRESENTATIONS

4:03 PM 1. AWARENESS AND EDUCATION

Anne Ellig, Public Works Department Recycling and Conservation Coordinator presented on the current Recycling Program, campaigns, and some initiatives the future.

4:28 PM 2. PRESENTATION ON THE REGULATION OF PLASTIC POLLUTION

Ben Hogarth, Community Services Department Community Affairs Liaison, gave a presentation on the Regulation of Plastic Pollution from world-wide to locally and how it relates to us.

A brief question and answer period after the presentation included what other municipalities have done and information on known associated lawsuits. Clarification was provided on which municipalities that were identified in the presentation on the Surfrider Foundation listing were regulated, by Ordinance or policy.

5:02 PM COMMENTS BY CITY COMMISSIONERS

Commissioner Matheson commented and made a motion on adopting a policy for making Stuart a zero waste zone for all events on City-owned property.

Discussion included clarification and recommended amendments to the motion, resulting in the direction of staff to bring back a draft policy to be reviewed and discussed at a future workshop.

5:29 PM Commissioner Matheson Motion Clarification

Motion: Have staff draft a policy for all City-owned property to become a zero waste zone after 6 months of outreach and education. What I mean by zero waste is single use and not recyclable by our standards and it would not be used on City-owned tax payer property. This policy would have logical, meaningful exemptions in it.

Attorney Mortell commented that because it’s a policy, it could be adopted now, but steak holders should have an opportunity to add input so it should be discussed at more than one meeting.

Commissioner Matheson amended his Motion:

To allow at this point, because we don’t have an organics composting in our system to allow food waste at City owned property to go into the trash but my motion would include working towards zero waste with the idea that we’re working towards food waste going into a compost facility for some we could find.

Commissioner Meier would like the policy to include some language to have a City staff person to be present to be the custodian of the bins, to manage the waste stream at City sponsored events. City sponsored, City run event.

Commissioner Glass Leighton commented that it would be helpful to ask staff to include the costs associated with having a City staff member at events by using a calendar of the past year or two events as an example.

Commissioner Matheson added to his Motion:

That staff consider options on educational bodies being at events whether they’re volunteer or employed to educate zero waste.

Commissioner Clarke commented on making this a strong impact and taking this seriously and set an example.

5:52 PM Public Comment: