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Hennepin County board requires final approval for Minneapolis waste contract, shortens city reporting window for recycling policy
Summary
The board added a requirement that waste-delivery agreements with cities of the first class be returned to the full board for final approval prior to signature and approved amendments shortening reporting windows for large cities and accelerating improvement-plan timelines for SCORE funding compliance.
The Hennepin County Board of Commissioners on Nov. 6 voted to add a board-approval step to negotiations of waste-delivery agreements involving "cities of the first class," including Minneapolis, and to accelerate parts of the county's residential waste reduction and recycling funding policy.
Chair Irene Fernando said the amendment allows staff to continue routine negotiations while ensuring that final contracts with cities of the first class are brought back to the full board "for final approval prior to signature." Lisa Cerny, assistant county administrator for public works, told the board the action authorizes negotiation of roughly 75 waste-hauler agreements and identified a market price for waste management services at $85 per ton.
Separately, the board approved two amendments to an updated residential waste reduction and recycling funding policy. Commissioner Connolly's first amendment requires cities of the first class to report recycling and compliance rates to the county by Feb. 15 and then semiannually thereafter. Her second amendment shortens the deadline for a required waste reduction and recycling improvement plan from 90 days to 60 days after notification by the county.
Commissioners debated timing and potential downstream effects on SCORE funding. County staff said SCORE (Special County Recycling) distributions typically occur around June and November; if an improvement plan submitted by a city is not acceptable to the county after review and negotiation, SCORE funding for that jurisdiction may be withheld. Lisa Cerny confirmed the county would work with cities during the review and that the amendment is intended to accelerate action and clarify expectations.
The board approved the amendment to require board review prior to signature by voice vote. The two amendments to the recycling policy were adopted (one recorded as passing with one dissent on an amendment vote). The measures are intended to increase transparency and press for more rapid progress toward county and city zero-waste goals.
What happens next: staff will proceed with negotiations on the majority of waste-delivery agreements while preparing any agreements involving cities of the first class for return to the board for final approval. The updated recycling policy and amendment language will be incorporated into the SCORE grant and compliance process and implemented according to the timetable in the adopted policy.
