Four Creeks Unincorporated Area Council

Regular Meeting Minutes – November 17, 2004

Submitted by Gwendolyn High.

Attending:

D1: OPEN

 

D2: Gwendolyn High

X

D3: Grant Smith

 

D4: Heather Colburn

 

D5: Ronda Bryant

X

D6: Delanie Fragnoli

X

D7: Marshall Brenden

X

D8: Dick Fackenthall

X

D9: Sharon Schimke

X

D10: Vern Redecker

 

D11: Kelly Faoro

X

AL: Dave Dahlin

X

AL: Edie Jorgensen

X

AAL: David Rockabrand

X

 

 2004 UAC Forum:

§

Edie J. reported that she, Marshal B., David R. and Ronda B. attended. The event was videotaped and will be re-broadcast on Channel 22.

 

Deputy's Report:

§

Deputy Maxwell reported the latest numbers:

- Burglaries: Oct – 7      Sept – 14
- Auto Thefts: Oct - 3      Sept – 3
- Larcenies: Oct - 15      Sept – 10

Main Topic: Cedar Grove Smell and Water Quality Issues

§

Cedar Grove General manager, Jerry Bartlett, gave a presentation detailing the current facilities and operating procedures as well as the facilities that will be constructed as soon as the currently pending permit is approved.

Cedar Grove Compost opened in 1989 to compost yard waste. In 2003 they installed new equipment and piloted a new process to prove that the facilities, for which the new permit has been filed, will do a dramatically better job of odor control. The new facility will have all primary processes under cover. The odor problems this year were reported to be due to the exceptionally dry summer. The main equipment that has been in place to control odor was a single large “bio-filter”. The bio-filter uses micro-organisms that feed on the odor causing materials. It requires rain-water to keep the micro-organisms growing and thriving. Because of the weather conditions, the filter began to fail almost two years earlier than would normally be expected. The new facility will include a over sized, double bio-filter. This will provide redundancy as each half will be big enough to filter for the whole operation. In the case that one half of the filter system should fail again, the other half will continue to fully combat odor during repair of the other half.

Public Hearing on the permit application will occur during December. Neighbors and area residents are invited to attend and voice their concerns at that time. The date of the Hearing has not yet been set. Updates and more information is available at:

www.cedar-grove.com

Audience: Why did the odor problem happen? Was there too much material being processed?
Jerry B.: The problem was the failure of the bio-filter. They could just replace the existing system, but they designed and applied for a permit to upgrade the system. This way, instead of just getting back to what has been normal since 1989, they expect that overall the new “normal” will be much better.

Audience: When will the new system be on-line?
Jerry B.: They are waiting for King County to approve the up-grade permit. They expect to begin construction in January.

Audience: Has the new system been tried anywhere else?
Jerry B.: They found it in Europe, where it has been used in high density neighborhoods since 1994. They have also used it in Everett since Oct and have received zero complaints since it went on-line.

Jill Trohimovich of King County Environmental Health then explained how her department is involved. They are responsible for the permitting. There are only two composting operations in all of King County – Cedar Grove and SteerCo. Environmental Health is required by state law to enforce many state level regulations controlling siting, operation and maintenance of all composting facilities. They are studying the upgrade permit along with the State Department of Ecology. They also inspect the facility at least once a month.

Audience: Is the odor dangerous to health?
Jill T.: Probably not. The material that makes the smell is organic, but humans have a very low detection threshold to it.

Audience: What if the smell does not get better?
Jill T.: All current complaints are being considered during and in conjunction with the permit review. Penalties can be levied and have been in the past.

Claude Williams of the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency next spoke about his group’s role. He is a permit engineer and has been doing the technical review of the permit for the last four months. He anticipates completion of the review process in a couple of weeks. He suggested that residents check the department’s website for more information:
www.pscleanair.org

When the Cedar Grove facility first began operations in 1989, there were no odor regulations. Now there are and they have an unusually high level of requirements: best available odor control technology must be installed every time any update is made.

Audience: Why is the permit process so slow? Why hasn’t the upgrade happened already?
Claude W.: The technology that was determined to be the best was European, and the original supporting documentation was in German. He could not read German, so had to rule that the application was incomplete until he was supplied with English documentation. He also required the pilot test to prove that the new technology works.

Audience: Is the odor the only air quality issue being monitored?
Claude W.: Yes, but CO2 regulations are being considered in Olympia right now.

Audience: This is not the first time there has been an odor issue. Will we be here again in a year?
Claude W.: There is no magic answer. The regulation requires that the very best technology be installed with each upgrade, and that is what is being required. Nothing lasts forever, but the best available system will be installed.

Audience: Is there any testing of the health effects of the odor?
Claude W.: No. Composting is a well understood process and the incoming material is monitored to ensure that it is only clean plant material. The substances that produce the odor are not toxic in the levels that have occurred. It would take many, perhaps thousands of times more of that material in the air to cause toxic effects. Humans easily detect these substances, and they are not pleasant, but they are not dangerous.

Audience: Who is responsible to make the odor stop?
Claude W.: We are. If we come out and there is a problem, a citation is issued and they pay a fine.

Finally, Dick Gribbon, and inspector for Puget Sound Clean Air Agency spoke. He is one of the people who actually responds to an odor complaint. There are only 17 people to respond to complaints in the whole system. Officially, there is no problem until a complaint is made, and a complaint is not official until the resident signs the affidavit. The complaint must also include specific data, specified by State law, before the agency can issue a citation: description of the current conditions, the level of impact, the duration of the problem and how the impact interferes with the use and enjoyment of the residents’ property. Call any time – 24/7 – to file a complaint: 1-800-552-3565

Cedar Grove offered a tour of the Everett facility to anyone interested in seeing the new technology at work now.

 2004 Four Creeks UAC Elections:

§

Edie J. began by thanking this year’s Election Committee for an outstanding performance. All deadlines were met, vote counting went smoothly, and there were no controversies. The final results are: Planning committee members were Ronda Bryant, David Rockabrand, Grant Smith, Dave Dahlin amd Edie.  Counting committee members were Kelly Faoro, and Marshall Brenden, who were assisted by Ronda B.

Dist. 1 Rick Spence
Dist. 2 Jeane Baurichter
Dist. 4 No votes
Dist. 6 Delanie Fragnoli
Dist. 8 Dick Fackenthall
Dist. 9 Sharon Schimke
Dist 10 No votes
At Large: David Rockabrand and Chuck Pillon

Edie noted that she tried to locate Jeane Baurichter, a write-in candidate, but was unsuccessful, and asked others if they would assist in trying to locate her so she could participate.

Kelly F. announced that she will be taking up new responsibilities and projects that will not allow her the time that her seat on the FCUAC deserves and requires. She offered her resignation, effective at the end of the meeting. She has represented District 11.

Districts 4, 10 and 11 were reported as open.

Edie J. invited any audience members to stand for appointment these open seats. Lisa Taylor requested to be considered. She resides in District 11. There was some discussion as to procedural requirements. It was determined that Lisa T. could be appointed to a Temporary At-Large seat at this meeting, but that the bylaws required a period of specific public notice about this vacancy before the next meeting in order to allow her to represent District 11. Once this was resolved, Lisa Taylor was appointed by popular acclaim to a Temporary At-Large position.

Interested FCUAC residents are invited to serve. Appointed one-year At-Large Appointments can be made at each Regular Meeting. County Councilmember David Irons offered to post notice of these open seats in his newsletter.

Gwendolyn H. continued to take the minutes for this meeting, but at this point relinquished her seat on the council.

Officer Election

§

PRESIDENT
Edie J. self nominated
Marshall B. nominated David R., but he declined
David R. nominated Rick S.

Each candidate gave a very brief statement of background or willingness to serve and left the room. There was a brief discussion and a secret paper ballot. Rick S. was elected.

Rick Spence took over the meeting and was given the gavel by Edie J.

VICE PRESIDENT
Rick S. nominated David R. and he was affirmed to the office unanimously.

TREASURER
Dave D. nominated Edie J. and she was affirmed to the office unanimously.

SECRETARY
Edie J. nominated Delanie F. and she was affirmed to the office unanimously.

Meeting Minutes Regular Meeting of October 20, 2004

Date/Motion Description

Member

Motion Made By

2nd

Aye

Nay

Abstain

2004.11.17

Motion calling for approval of the meeting minutes of the October 20 regular  meeting as submitted.

D1: Rick Spence

 

 

 

 

X

D2: Jeane Baurichter

 

 

 

 

 

D3: Grant Smith

 

 

 

 

 

D4: OPEN

 

 

 

 

 

D5: Ronda Bryant

 

 

X

 

 

D6: Dellanie Fragnoli

 

 

X

 

 

D7: Marshall Brenden

 

 

X

 

 

D8: Dick Fackenthall

 

 

X

 

 

D9: Sharon Schimke

 

 

X

 

 

D10: OPEN

 

 

 

 

 

D11: OPEN

 

 

 

 

 

AL: Dave Dahlin

 

 

X

 

 

AL: Edie Jorgensen

X

 

X

 

 

AL: David Rockabrand

 

X

X

 

 

AL: Chuck Pillon

 

 

 

 

X

 

AAL: Lisa Taylor

 

 

 

 

X

Result: PASSED

 

 

 

8

0

3

Treasurer’s Report presented by Edie as out-going Treasurer Heather Colburn was absent

§

We have received a check to cover the expenses submitted for reimbursement to the county at last month’s meeting for advertising the elections in the local newspapers and to Labels & Lists for the address lists.

The current WaMu balance is $42.52 and the current King County balance is $7350.

Gwendolyn H. submitted a bill for the next years’ website and email address fees. Ronda Bryant submitted additional receipts for various election activities.

Dave R. was assigned to price signage for directions to the meeting room as people had difficulty locting it once inside the building.

New Business

§

David R. spoke briefly of a workshop on the permitting process that DDES will be hosting and suggested that it would be a good opportunity for council members to learn important detailed information about the process. The cost is $35 per person.

 

Date/Motion Description

Member

Motion Made By

2nd

Aye

Nay

Abstain

2004.11.17

Motion calling authorizing David R., Ronda B,.Marshall B and Dave D. to attend the December 10 workshop and summarize the day’s trainingat the next FCUAC meeting.

D1: Rick Spence

 

 

X

 

 

D2: Jeane Baurichter

 

 

 

 

 

D3: Grant Smith

 

 

 

 

 

D4: OPEN

 

 

 

 

 

D5: Ronda Bryant

 

 

X

 

 

D6: Delanie Fragnoli

 

 

X

 

 

D7: Marshall Brenden

 

 

X

 

 

D8: Dick Fackenthall

 

 

X

 

 

D9: Sharon Schimke

 

 

X

 

 

D10: OPEN

 

 

 

 

 

D11: OPEN

 

 

 

 

 

AL: Dave Dahlin

 

 

X

 

 

AL: Edie Jorgensen

X

 

X

 

 

AL: David Rockabrand

 

X

X

 

 

AL: Chuck Pillon

 

 

X

 

 

 

AAL: Lisa Taylor

 

 

X

 

 

Result: PASSED

 

 

 

11

0

0

Unfinished Business

§

Marshall B. reported that the CAO update passed with a 7 to 6 vote of the full King County Council. Lawsuits are being prepared and are expected to be filed soon. At least two referenda have also been initiated and signatures will be gathered in order to meet the requirements to get on the next election ballot.

Meeting was adjourned at 9:21pm.

Submitted via email to Dellanie F.  for distribution to all FCUAC members December 15, 2004 - gh

 

 

 

Attested by:

 

 

 

________________________________                                            _____________________________

Dellanie Fragnoli, Secretary                                                                  Date