[GreenYes] Plasma Redux lake Co landfill Public Record Minutes Ans most questions?

[LWheeler45@no.address]

County  Wide Solid Waste Advisory Committee 
Meeting  Minutes 
November  13, 2003 
Attendees:                            Committee                               
            Staff                                                             
                                                                           
Henry Wolsmann                                               Blanche Girardin 
Glenn Irby                                          Gary Debo 
Barbara Newman                                  Denise Gainer 
Dr. Ronald Ney                                              Allan Hewitt 
Bob Fegers                                     David Crowe 
Leonard Wheeler                                   Jeff Cooper 
Committee  Liaison 
Commissioner Hanson 
Absent:                                  Carol  Rogers                        
            Guests
Eric Klienbach                                                Joseph Klimek, 
Startech Environmental Corp. 
Leo Vaughn                                   Monica Scott, Orlando Sentinel 
Terri Staniec, Covanta Lake                                         
Chairman  Henry Wolsmann called the meeting to order at 9:05 a.m.  The 
meeting was advertised appropriately  in the Lake Sentinel for the Lake County 
Landfill, WMFO Breakroom, Tavares,  Florida. 
New  Business
Sandy  Minkoff, Lake County Attorney, presented information on the Sunshine 
Law and the  Public Records Law, both of which are in the Florida  
Constitution. 
Prior to  his presentation, Mr. Minkoff extended an invitation to the members 
to attend 1  of 3 seminars presented by his office and the city attorney 
offices for all  elected and appointed board members. The seminars will be held in 
different  locations throughout the county in February. In-depth information 
on the  Sunshine Law and Public Records will be provided.  The members will 
receive an invitation  to this event. 
Mr.  Minkoff reported that many years ago, some government boards and 
committees held  pre-meetings to determine final resolution of an issue prior to the 
public  meeting. The legislature first, the people through the Constitution 
and the  courts determined that public business must be done in a public forum. 
It is not  just the vote that is important but the how and the why. Every time 
two or more  members of this committee meet, the requirements of the Sunshine 
Law must be  met. The requirements are: The meeting must be open to the 
public in a handicap  accessible facility, reasonable notice must be given to the 
public and minutes  must be taken and transcribed into writing in a reasonable 
period of time.  A meeting does not require a quorum so  two people is all 
that is required. Two or more members participating in other  meetings on a panel 
would require advertising. A telephone conference between  two members 
constitutes a meeting. Internet chat rooms, instant messaging, voice  mail and 
e-mail can be a meeting if it goes two ways.  If a staff member acts as a 
go-between  on an issue, this is a Sunshine Law violation.  Our state attorney takes 
the Sunshine  Law very seriously and will bring charges for violations.  
Consequences for violations include  civil fines, criminal penalties including up to 
six months in jail and personal  responsibility for the cost for litigation.  
Any action taken by the committee done  in violation of the Sunshine Law does 
not count and must be  redone. 
Leonard  Wheeler asked about the law if members are together in social 
situations. Mr.  Minkoff stated that it is not a problem if there is not any 
discussion of public  business. 
Hank  Wolsmann asked if he should open the meeting by asking if the meeting 
was  appropriately advertised and asking for a copy of the notice. Mr. Minkoff 
stated  that this would be a good idea. 
Commissioner  Hanson stated that some committee chairmen do ask at the 
beginning of the  meeting whether the meeting had been advertised and some do not. 
She asked if we  could have all of the county committees add this notice to the 
top of the  agenda. 
Mr.  Minkoff stated that this was a good idea and he would suggest it to Mr.  
Neron. 
Hank  asked if todayâs meeting had been advertised appropriately and was told 
that it  was. Hank said that this would be a good time for introductions to 
be  made. 
Commissioner  Hanson asked if she could talk with any member at any time 
because she is not a  voting member.  Mr. Minkoff said  that this is acceptable. 
Dr. Ney  asked if he could copy other committee members if he finds articles 
on the  Internet.  Mr. Minkoff suggested  that he copy staff and ask that it 
be sent to other members rather than sending  it directly. 
Hank  asked if he received something in the mail from another member if it 
should be  sent to staff.  Mr. Minkoff replied  yes and used this as an opening 
to discuss the Public Records Act. Public  Records have a state issued 
retention schedule.  He suggested the following rules be  followed by committee 
members in order to comply with the Public Records  Act: 
         Assume  everything you receive pertaining to the committee is a 
public  record. 
         Assume  everything you receive from staff is a duplicate and can be 
thrown  away. 
         Assume  that anything received from someone else is an original and 
send it to  staff. 
One  example of a pitfall to these rules would be someone discussing notes 
they had  written on the agenda and another person at the meeting writing a 
comment on the  agenda.  It then becomes public  record and should be given to 
staff. 
He  suggested that if members have questions concerning the Public Records 
Act they  call the County Attorneyâs office for assistance. 
Leonard  Wheeler stated that he had e-mailed and called Mr. Klimek of 
Startech  Environmental Corporation regarding making todayâs presentation and asked 
what  would constitute a public record in this exchange. 
Mr.  Minkoff stated that the e-mail and any response would be a public 
record.  He suggested that he copy staff who  would comply with the Public Records 
Act. 
Blanche  stated that the Department had started a Master File System six 
months ago and  that all documents would be available at the administration  
building. 
Mr.  Minkoff stated that if a committee member kept a document and was asked 
for it  by the public or the press they would be required to share  it. 
Dr. Ney  asked if he sent a request for a disc would the request and the disc 
need to be  sent to staff and was told that it would. 
Dr. Ney  asked if he copied a document from a government agency would it be 
considered a  public record. Mr. Minkoff stated that it might be a public 
record if he brought  it home and it pertained to this committee. 
Mr.  Minkoff reported that at times private companies become subject to the 
Public  Records Law because they become so entwined with the government that 
the courts  look at them as if they are public.  
He stated  that this is one of the issues between Lake County and Covanta.  
The Judge ruled that Covanta is subject  to the Public Records Law. 
Mr.  Minkoff completed his presentation and left the  meeting. 
Glenn  Irby came into the meeting and introduced himself. 
Hank  Wolsmann stated that a quorum was now present and asked for a motion to 
approve  the minutes of the July 11th meeting.  A motion was made and  
approved. 
Commissioner  Hanson asked for a correction regarding a comment she made 
about the recycling  of clothing. She had stated that old clothing can be recycled 
and was corrected  by staff that the county is currently not doing this 
program.   
Joseph  Klimek of Startech Environmental Corporation was introduced.  Mr. 
Klimek stated that his company headquarters, manufacturing plant and  
demonstration site are located in Connecticut. The company manufactures plasma  
converters.  
Mr.  Klimek stated that Startech Environmental Corporation uses a technology 
called  plasma, which operates at extremely high temperatures created by  
electricity.  The system is a large  refractory lined vessel.  The volume  is 
filled with gas (air, argon, hydrogen, nitrogen, etc.) and a non-stop arc is  
struck inside the vessel, which creates a thermal area that operates in the  
6-8,000 degree temperature range. .  Any gas that can be ionized is used because an 
ionized gas has the  ability to transmit electricity. The hottest spot is in 
the system is 30,000  degrees. The system has the ability to melt anything put 
into it. If the  material is organic in nature, the process will immediately 
attack the molecular  structure and rip it into its elemental components. The 
system restructures the  elemental components into a fuel gas.  The trash put 
into the system is taken apart and reformed into a gas made  up of hydrogen 
and carbon monoxide joined together along with other elements  attached. This is 
similar to propane with less punch but for every standard  cubic foot of gas 
it creates about 300 btuâs of energy.  Mr. Klimek gave the following example.  
If you process a tire weighing 20-25 pounds, one pound of the tire will 
create  60 cubic feet of gas.  This process  allows municipalities to dispose of 
hazardous, domestic and medical waste  without separating the waste stream. In 
addition to the gas, there is also a  molten material, which separates into 
metal and glass. The metals can be drawn  off and sold to metals businesses and 
the glass, which becomes black obsidian  stone, can also be sold for a variety 
of uses. The gas can be used to generate  electricity and it is also rich in 
hydrogen. There is a minimum of 50% hydrogen,  which can be used to fuel 
vehicles.  Another use for the hydrogen is a fuel cell, a device that allows energy  
to be developed in a chemical process.  Waste material is a commodity and it 
requires a technology to transfer  the material from its present state to a 
usable state.   
Mr.  Klimek stated that landfilling and incineration are the current solution 
for  waste disposal and may remain as such until this new technology is 
tested and  becomes an accepted alternative. 
Mr. Klimek reported that this technology  has been sold to Poland, which has 
large quantities of fertilizer chemicals,  which cannot be landfilled but must 
be destroyed. This technology is being used  to convert it into a usable 
fuel. 
The  initial objective of Startech Environmental Corporation was to provide a 
 solution for the disposal of various types of hazardous waste around the 
world  including the destruction of chemical weapons.  
Mr.  Klimek reported that his company has designed single units, which can 
handle 100  tons per day.  They are currently  bidding for municipalities 
processing 300-500 tons per day, which will require  3-5 units, providing 
flexibility for maintenance and varied waste streams.  Liquids, gases and solids can be 
fed  into the system simultaneously. 
A video  demonstrating how the system operates, brochures and independent 
evaluations  from environmental companies were provided to the  committee. 
Another  feature of the system is a mobile configuration. A mobile 
configuration is being  developed using two 18-wheelers, which go directly to asbestos 
clean-up sites  and process it immediately. 
Dr. Ney  asked what end product results from the processing of asbestos and 
was told that  it is melted into blocks of obsidian stone, which is  no
n-leachable. 
The  system is currently being used in Japan and the end products created 
from the  obsidian stone include street pavers, fireproof insulation and 
fireproof wall  panels.   
Startech  built a system for the Army to process materials from a chemical 
weapons cleanup  project. The system had to operate robotically, remotely and be 
interlocked  because of the material involved. 
The  system currently operates with one person loading the material into the 
system  and one person at the console who is able to look into the vessel as 
the  material is being processed.  
Mr.  Klimek stated that the larger the system the more economical.   A system 
processing 25 tons per  day would cost 20 to 22 cents per pound or $200 per 
ton. 300 tons per day would  cost $60 per ton. 
The  benefit to utilizing this process is that a salable commodity is 
produced. Mr.  Klimek stated that large producers of industrial waste are interested 
in having  an on-site system, which gives them the beneficial use of the end 
product and  the assurance that the material is being disposed of  properly. 
Mr.  Klimek stated that on October 23rd, the USEPA promulgated a rule  change 
regarding the RCRA laws. Producers of material that can be converted into  a 
usable commodity can now consider it a feedstock and not a RCRA waste.  The 
rule is expected to close in  February. 
Advantages  to the system are no residual, the ability to take any type of 
waste including  industrial wastes at a higher tipping fee, household hazardous 
waste, medical  waste and pharmaceuticals,  
Another  market Mr. Klimek mentioned is e-waste.  He stated that they are 
currently processing e-waste for the Army, which  is the executive agency for the 
Dept. of Defense.  They have an official program to gather  this material and 
dispose of it. 
Dr. Ney  asked if the system processes raw sewage and was told that it does.  
Dr. Ney stated that this could eliminate  the need for sewage treatment 
plants. 
Dr. Ney  asked about the disposal of radioactive waste.  According to Mr. 
Klimek, there are 3  levels of radioactive waste â low, medium and high. The 
system can process  low-level waste, which greatly reduces the volume but not the 
radioactivity. The  waste can then be stored more easily.  Once the system 
processes radioactive material, it is dedicated to that  purpose. 
He stated  that medical waste is different in that it uses only material with 
a short  half-life.  It must be kept for a  certain period of time and then 
it is considered a normal liquid for  processing. 
Blanche  Girardin asked the chair for the floor in order to ask the following 
series of  questions: 
Question:  What is the largest quantity has the  company processed and what 
is the cost for the entire system including  construction, feeders, etc.? 
Answer:  The cost is 22 cents per pound end to end based on producing a fuel 
gas.  It does not include the cost of what is  done with the gas created. 
Question:  How many existing systems does the  company have that have been 
permitted in the United  States? 
Answer:  The Company currently has permitted  engineering and demonstration 
systems that are not full scale processing  systems.  The company also has  
contracts for 4 systems.  There are  20 proposals in place with municipalities 
and private companies in the United  States and Canada.  A number of them  are 
for tire processing, which will be utilized by  municipalities. 
Question:  How many systems are permitted under ISO  (International Standards 
Organization) in Europe? 
Answer:  One is South Africa, which is starting at 50 tons per day and going 
up to 200  tons per day. Taiwan, Japan and Poland have all been fully  
approved. 
Question:  How much gas is produced from one pound  of wet, household 
garbage? 
Answer:  Between 12 and 16 cubic feet of gas per  pound. 
Question:  What is the liability for hazardous  materials? 
Answer:  The system is irreversible destruction technology.  Everything 
placed into the system comes  out in a completely changed state, which eliminates 
the hazardous  content. 
Question:  Have any ISO agencies or the EPA  determined if your waste is 
inert? 
Answer:  Yes.  Papers are available on the  findings. 
Question:  What is the nature of the polishing  systems, the nature of the 
hazardous waste and the cost of  disposal? 
Answer:  Once it is processed and the material  gas is leaving the vessel, 
any particulate in the gas stream goes into a cyclone  and goes back into the 
system for reprocessing.  There is no effluent.  The gas exits the vessel at 
2400 degrees  Fahrenheit and has the ability to go through a heat recovery boiler 
and create  steam or the thermal content of the gas can be used beneficially. 
 The gas is cooled and if there are any  acid components, they are measured 
and a neutralizer is injected into the system  to hold the ph level at 7.  This 
is  totally neutral and becomes a salt, which is benign.  Two gallons of 
salt-water effluent is  generated per ton.  The next step is  refining the gas by 
putting it through a series of filters including baghouse  and hepa.  The 
debris collected goes  back through the system.  A charcoal  stage is added if 
needed for heavy metals.   
Question:  What is the cost of a 100-ton per day  unit used for wet garbage? 
Answer:  The cost would be between 10 and 12  million dollars, which would 
vary depending on what is done with the gas.  A system to process 300 tons per 
day  would cost 20 million dollars and would require 3  units. 
Terri  Staniec of Covanta asked what the 20 cents per pound would cover and 
was told  that this is a total turnkey cost including the cost of  financing. 
Mr.  Klimek stated the company has a computer input sheet, which takes the 
type of  waste produced, the type of industry, cost per kilowatt-hour, labor 
rates and  cost of financing and does a cash flow analysis over a 10-15 year  
period. 
David  Crowe asked what the power demand to operate at 100 tons per day would 
be. Mr.  Klimek responded that it would depend on the type of material 
processed.  For a typical MSW system, 4 megawatts  per day would be needed.  Tires  
would require up to 6 megawatts.  He  stated that the system has a complete 
feedback loop so if the loads are varied,  the system adjusts the power of the 
torch. 
David  Crowe asked what type of plasma gas is used and was told that for the 
most part,  air is used.   
Hank  Wolsmann asked about a backup if the system goes down. Mr. Klimek 
responded that  there is a small, backup power unit, which brings the system down 
safely. He  also stated that the system is designed to operate around the clock 
or whatever  hours are needed which cannot be done with an incinerator.  The 
system loses less than 1% of its  thermal energy per hour so if it is shut 
down for 10 hours, 10% of the energy is  lost.  It only takes 20 minutes to  
bring the system back up to temperature. 
Barbara  Newman asked how long the company had been in operation.  Mr. Klimek 
stated that Startech  Environmental was started in 1995 but it had been in 
the developmental stages  for 4-5 years prior to that. 
David  Crowe asked about other items in an MSW stream such as arsenic.  Mr. 
Klimek responded that the scrubbing  system is designed to take care of all of 
the halogens and acid gases and is  designed to measure and to neutralize in 
the gas-polishing phase of the  operating system. 
The  question was asked what is done with mercury and heavy lead.  The 
materials are processed in the  system and every three months the unit is changed 
out.  A 55-gallon drum of hazardous charcoal  is produced.  The charcoal filter  
for a 100-ton unit costs $1500. 
David  Crowe asked the end price for the product and was told that it depends 
on the  buyer.  Mr. Klimek stated the prices  for the product are more stable 
in Japan at approximately 4 cents per pound for  the stone. 
Hank  Wolsmann stated that had been a good discussion but if a more in-depth  
discussion of the process is needed, it should be done by the  sub-committee. 
 He stated that the  presentation was excellent and whether Lake County 
utilizes the system or not,  it is an excellent technology.  He  asked that the 
minutes of the sub-committee be distributed to all  members. 
Leonard  Wheeler said that he had received materials about the Startech 
system and had  given them to staff.  He stated that  he had made a promise to the 
committee that he could obtain funding for this  system.  According to Mr. 
Wheeler,  this system could address the 400 tons of fertilizer runoff in Lake  
Okeechobee.  He stated that there is  $8 billion in restoration money available 
for the disposal of the runoff.   
Mr.  Wheeler also stated that he is interested in bringing industry to Lake 
County  and asked Mr. Klimek if they would consider relocating here.  Mr. 
Klimek stated that a search is  currently under way in Florida for a manufacturing 
facility  site. 
Mr.  Wheeler asked Mr. Klimek if they had ever received any pre-mitigation 
grants  from FEMA.  He stated that they have  not but that they are in touch 
with Homeland  Security. 
Mr.  Wheeler asked if the company currently has any projects to remediate 
existing  landfills and turn them into a suitable project and if so at where and 
at what  cost. 
Mr.  Klimek responded that the company is currently working with a landfill  
contractor in Riverhead, Long Island, New York who has the responsibility to  
reclaim a landfill.  He is  extracting the metals and selling them, shaking 
out the soil and selling it to  make asphalt and everything else goes through 
the plasma converter to create  energy.  The landfill is  approximately 60 feet 
deep and 35-40 acres and they are 10% into the  project. 
Blanche  asked Terri what the incinerator capacity at Covanta is currently. 
Terri  responded that it is 175,000 tons. 
Blanche  reported that she had figured that at 200,000 tons, the cost would 
be $60  million for equipment with an $80 tipping fee, not counting the cost of 
energy  or the cost of special waste disposal.  In order to make this 
profitable, Lake County would have to become a  treatment storage disposal facility, 
accepting hazardous waste, storing it until  treatment and disposing of 
residual by-products. She asked what incentives to  the county are offered to become 
a hazardous waste processor. She also asked  Allan Hewitt if the county would 
become a TSD if we take in this type of waste  and was told yes.  
Dr. Ney  stated that Lake County has the same chemicals in our landfill that 
would be  processed in this system including mercury.  Blanche stated we do 
not have mercury or  hazardous waste in our landfill and our only by-product is 
salt  water. 
Mr.  Klimek stated that we must understand the community at large and the 
present  scheme of disposal that is acceptable to understand the liabilities  
involved.  If there are waste  producers in the community without correct 
solutions for disposal, the county  has to protect the public and it is difficult to 
put a value on safety.  If the county provides a solution for  the industries 
in the area, other industries will come  here. 
David  Crowe stated that there are very few large quantity generators in Lake 
County  and only one historic superfund site. 
Mr.  Klimek asked how medical waste is handled in Lake County and was told 
that it is  taken out of county for processing.  It was also stated that the 
garbage haulers in Lake County had funded an  excellent education program on 
mercury hazards. 
Dr. Ney  asked if the EPA had declared feedstock non-hazardous and if and how 
they  address anything going out as a gas or mercury trapped in a filter  
system. 
Mr.  Klimek stated that the EPA rule, which is being changed, requires the 
waste  producer to identify what is being produced and how the company plans to 
process  it beneficially.  It does not go  into the chemical characteristics 
of the waste stream but to the theory that a  waste material produced is being 
processed to create something of  value. 
David  Crowe asked if non-hazardous recyclables are being pulled and was told 
 yes. 
Mr.  Klimek went on to report that this rule change had come from the 
refinery  industry which produces petcoke, a material of little value but difficult 
to dispose of. When  petcoke is processed, it produces significant amounts of 
hydrogen, which is  required by a refinery in order to give added value in the 
octane level of  material produced. The refineries needed a technique of 
recycling and using it  as a feedstock to produce something of value.  Other 
industries have the same issue and  there are now technologies available to process 
material, which creates a  beneficial new material.  Prior to  this, the 
materials were considered hazardous by  RCRA. 
Dr. Ney  asked Mr. Klimek to e-mail information on the EPA rule to  staff. 
Hank Wolsmann again stated that the  subcommittee should address these 
issues.  He expressed appreciation for the presentation and the level of  
understanding it had provided to the committee. 
Mr.  Klimek asked if anyone knew which state is the largest user of hydrogen 
and was  told Florida.  He stated that  hydrogen is transported from Louisiana 
and loses 30% of its volume in  transport.  Mr. Klimek feels that  Florida 
should become a self-generator of hydrogen.  His company is creating a second 
product  called star cell, which is a device that takes gases that are generated 
and  removes the hydrogen. 
Terri  Staniec of Covanta said that there has been misinformation in the 
newspaper  regarding Covanta and she would like to make clarifications.  One big 
issue is the ash that Mr. Gregg  is planning to convert into asphalt.  A great 
deal of the profitability of that project depends on Lake County.  In the old 
service agreement, if Covanta reduces the amount of ash coming to the  
landfill, they would get a bonus. Mr. Gregg is entitled to 100% of the ash  through 
his contract with Covanta. Mr. Gregg is counting on Lake County paying  him $1 
million to take the ash. Mr. Greggâs facility, which is not yet  permitted, is 
set up to take ferrous metals out of the ash.  He is then going to sell the 
ash to  other landfills at a profit for daily cover.  He will charge Lake 
County to take the  ash and charge them again to buy it back for cover.   
Leonard  Wheeler asked about a news broadcast he had seen which stated that 
Mr. Gregg  owned the ash in the landfill.  
Blanche  asked that the staff not comment on this question, as an agreement 
has not been  reached with Covanta. 
Blanche  reported on the status of the Vetiver Grass paper, which was 
submitted to the  Department of Environmental Protection.  The information was 
presented as a technology, with Lake County asking to  participate in a pilot 
project. Lake County would provide services in kind. DEP  has not addressed it to 
date but we should receive notification after the  holidays. If the project were 
approved, DEP would give the project to the  University of Florida to manage. 
 
Copies of  the new Organizational Chart for the Department of Environmental 
Services were  handed out. It has been presented to the County Manager and 
Finance and no  comments have been received. Allan Hewitt corrected the section 
placement of a  newly created position in Water Resources.  A corrected copy 
will be e-mailed to committee  members. 
Barbara  Newman asked if there is a written mission statement for the Solid 
Waste  Advisory Committee. She would like to know what the boundaries are for 
the  committee. 
David  Crowe said that there is the enabling Resolution, which gives the 
purpose of the  committee.  
Copies of  the Resolution will be e-mailed to all members. 
Blanche  Girardin reported that the county is currently looking at all the 
committees and  the possibility of combining some of them. 
Commissioner  Hanson commended Blanche for the outstanding job she has done 
assisting with the  Wekiva Basin issue with her extensive background in 
geology. She also commended  Jeff Cooper and the rest of the staff for the work they 
have done in resolving  the Covanta issue. 
Blanche  commended Commissioner Hanson for all her hard work on the Wekiva 
Project.   
Hank  asked for a brief update on the Wekiva Basin issue. 
Commissioner  Hanson reported that up to this point there have been a lot of 
presentations and  education provided by a variety of agencies.  She stated 
that the only decision other  than the boundary, which includes part of Mt. 
Dora, Eustis and Clermont, was a  vote to approve 4 of the recommendations of the 
SJRWMD. They were mostly  regulations that would be extended from the current 
Wekiva Basin into this study  area.  The committee should finish  shortly 
after the first of the year. There is still a lot to be done. The cities  are very 
active and John Benton, a committee member representing the City of  Eustis 
is also participating.   A lot of the issues are economic as well as 
environmental. Eustis and Mt.  Dora have put an infrastructure in place that they have 
to pay for. Commissioner  Hanson said they are looking at design standards such 
as cluster development,  which she supports because a lot of land around 
developments can be preserved if  they are clustered.  There is an  argument that 
people will not accept smaller lots even when the have  conservation area 
around them but she feels this is a marketing issue.  Tough guidelines will be in 
place in  these areas and they have been assured that the recommendations by 
DCA will not  be to downzone anything, which has been a concern. 
Blanche  stated that it is the first time that the governorâs direction is to 
task the  committee to make a decision based on best science. She stated that 
all 27  people on the committee have worked very hard to learn some difficult 
concepts  and to make appropriate decisions. She feels it will stand as an 
example in this  state of how to make the science relevant. 
Commissioner  Hanson said that there has been a lot of education back to the 
state agencies  that have really not understood the amount of regulation the 
local governments  had to protect the environment in that area, the amount of 
regulation in place  today or the amount of acreage that the state already  
owns. 
Blanche  said she feels the agencies did not really understand how protective 
Lake County  is and how much work they have done. 
Hank  stated that if the subcommittee feels a need to meet, please do so and 
bring the  information back to the committee. 
Barbara  said that she wants to make sure the committee stays on task and not 
use staff  time with things that are not pertinent. 
Jeff  Cooper reported that the law firm representing Lake County has split 
but that  that the same attorneys will continue to handle the respective issues. 
One group  of attorneys will handle litigation and another group will handle 
the  negotiations so that each has a single purpose with no conflict of  
interest. 
Jeff  stated that the negotiations with Covanta for a new waste disposal 
agreement are  being handled by Sandy Minkoff, Bill Neron, Cindy Hall, Sara 
LaMarche, Melanie  Marsh, Chris Brauder from Gray Harris and himself. He also 
reported that Gary  Debo, Charlie Goen and David Crowe, Environmental Services staff 
members, have  provided invaluable assistance in providing the necessary 
information for the  negotiations. 
Jeff  reported that a current newspaper article incorrectly reported that 
there are  200,000 pounds of ash.  The correct  figure is 92,000 pounds of ash.  
Blanche  said that Gary Debo really helped a great deal by explaining how we 
handle the  ash, what we do with the ash and what the cover is. Charlie Goen 
provided the  numbers used to generate the revenues.  David Crowe worked very 
hard preparing legal statements for the attorneys  and getting all of the 
needed documentation  together. 
Commissioner  Hanson stated that an article in one newspaper gave all the 
credit for the  negotiations to Commissioner Cadwell. She stated that this is not 
true and that  he had very little to do with the negotiations.  She stated 
that a lot of people have  been working on this issue for quite some time and 
that basically it is the  staff that deserves the credit.  
Jeff  reiterated that the negotiations have been a collaborative, team 
effort. He  stated that Cindy Hall who has been with the County for a short time and 
staff  members who were not actually a part of the negotiations also played a 
very  important role. Everyone worked hard to make it come  together. 
Jeff  reported on the Covanta trial in New York.  He stated that Sandy 
Minkoff did an extraordinary job representing Lake  County. He stated that Mr. 
Minkoff was unbelievably articulate, in complete  command of all information 
including the dollars, tonnages and legal  concepts. 
Jeff  stated that because the county had gotten so close with the 
negotiations, it was  agreed that all litigation with Covanta be stopped. There is no 
firm agreement  in place at this time but the group has met with banking and 
finance people and  the rates have dropped if this moves forward.  The Judge gave 
Covanta and F. Brown  Gregg until December 18th to submit final briefs. There 
was supposed  to be a final closing on December 3rd.  In the meantime, the 
county is working  on the final negotiations and hope to have a final agreement 
by the end of the  year. 
Barbara  said that everything the committee has heard about the teamwork 
reinforces what  she had said in the past about this being the best department in 
Lake  County. 
Leonard  Wheeler requested copies of the material, which Mr. Klimek brought  
today. 
Barbara  reminded everyone about the cost of printing documents and suggested 
that it be  e-mailed for the members to print if desired.   
Barbara  wished everyone a happy holiday. 
The  meeting adjourned at 11:20am. 
The next  meeting will be Thursday, January 8, 2004 at 9:00am in the Solid 
Waste Operations  (WMFO) Breakroom 
Submitted  by CJ Eaton 





--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "GreenYes" group.
To post to this group, send email to GreenYes@no.address
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to GreenYes-unsubscribe@no.address
For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/GreenYes
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---