Minutes 02/02/09

Approved 03/02/09

The meeting was called to order at 7:11 pm.  Margaret Walker, Jim Vaillancourt, Lucy Edwards and Steve Preston were in attendance.

Steve Preston reported that mixed paper is $225 per haul and we get paid $25/ton (in Oct we paid $55/ton plus $245 for hauling), alum cans now bring 43 cents a pound, steel brings $125 per ton, tin cans $15 cents per ton, and the vegetable oil recycling container will be here sometime this week.  All of this is an improvement after the steep drop off last fall.  The prices for plastic are up and down and up and down.

The minutes of the January meeting were discussed and approved.

Jim Vaillancourt inquired about a free-cycle account for Northwood. He indicated to the central clearing house that he was willing to be the administrator.  It turns out there is already a group in Northwood who have asked to be included, although the process is not complete. Jim will wait a week or so and then inquire again.  He will ask if we can find out who is starting the group and work with them.

Pete Jones has made the changes we requested on the website.  He added a link to the transfer station brochure.

Margaret Walker indicated that her husband Fred has a mapping program and might be willing to produce a map of the transfer station for a newsletter.  This would make it clear to users exactly where each different recyclable goes, and what the traffic flow is.

We received two calls that someone kicked in the door of the swap shop. Steve Preston believes it was a snow and ice problem and was able to fix it right away.  However, Steve says the swap shop is going good on the whole, which is why he hasn’t gone to the selectmen.  People are stopping and asking him if it is OK to put stuff in the shop and they are paying any fees required for items.

Jim Vaillancourt and Steve Preston will go over the invoices Friday to get some statistics for the town meeting.  Jim described his idea for a display of how recycling works and what we get for each item.

Steve Preston has the new cash register for keeping track of the fees but he is having problems getting it set up.  He has a list of account numbers set up.  This will give us a lot more detail of what is coming in to the transfer station.

Jim suggested that the transfer station lines be combined in the budget.  Steve asked why the fees can’t go into the transfer station expendable trust.  We will ask the town administrator about it.

The budget from the Lamprey Coop has been received but we need a better breakdown on the budget, particularly concerning the transportation costs .  Jim Vaillancourt reported the he had heard on NHPR that burning brush will be illegal in NH after the beginning of 2011.  Steve will check with fire marshall as to what exactly the rules will be and the time frame.

The committee discussed that anything that is put in home compost can go in a compost at the recycling center.  However, the compost is really not useful unless it can be turned regularly and we don’t have the equipment to do that.

Grant applications will be received in the spring.  Steve will show Jim the applications when they arrive.

The committee will work on the newsletter after we get a map created. Among the things to go in the newsletter will be information on how to use swap shop and the  compost pile.

The next meeting will be Monday March 2, 7pm.

The meeting adjourned at 8 pm.