Minutes October 14, 2003CITY OF DENTON CITY COUNCIL M1NUTES
October 14, 2003
After determining that a quorum is present, the City Council convened in a Planning Session on
Tuesday, October 14, 2003 at 4:00 p.m. in the City Council Work Session Room.
PRESENT:
Mayor Brock; Mayor Pro Tern Burroughs; Council Members Kamp, McNeill,
Montgomery, Redmon and Thomson.
ABSENT: None
1. The Council received a report and held a discussion concerning long range (50 year)
planning issues for Solid Waste, Wastewater and Water.
Howard Martin, Assistant City Manager of Utilities, stated that the current landfill was permitted
in 1997 and represented Denton's third landfill facility. The city's waste disposal volume was
projected at approximately 118,000 tons/year or about 400 tons/day for FY 2004. Solid waste
from customers that deliver waste by contract, cash and other (C,C,O) to the landfill had
historically been less than 8% of the total disposal volumes. Solid waste from C,C,O customers
for FY 2004 was estimated at 12,000-14,000 tons/year (approximately 10%). Solid waste from
non-Denton C,C,O customers was less than 3,800 tons/year for FY 2003.
Martin advised the Council that based on the current population and waste generation
projections, the existing landfill site would be fully utilized by the year 2029. With continued
improvements in technology and recycling efforts, the site life could be extended to 2031.
However, a new landfill site would have to be identified, permitted and developed to satisfy the
50-year planning window.
Martin advised the Council that an issue being debated was under what conditions or to what
extent should the Denton landfill accept waste from outside the Denton community. Economies
of scale, asset utilization, monetary benefits, and long-range disposal strategy were all factors.
Projected landfill life with no outside tons and 1,240 lbs. per cubic yard would be until October
2033; 35,000 tons annually with 1,240 lbs. per cubic yard would be until March 2031; and
35,000 tons annually with 1,430 lbs. per cubic yard would be until October 2033.
Long range plans included expanding the public education program to encourage proper waste
handling techniques, encourage source reduction of waste and increase recycling participation;
implement a volume based "Pay-as-You-Throw" (PAYT) service; and expand the recycling
program into the multi-family residential, business and commercial sector.
The Solid Waste Department was investigating the impact of other methods that might extend
the life of the existing landfill site by incorporating different operating techniques to increase
compaction efficiency, reducing the use of soil by using alternative cover materials and
incorporating new landfill bioreactor technology into future plans.
Martin reviewed the proposed changes to the Solid Waste Rate Ordinance. Landfill Disposal
Rates: Retail Rates - Uncompacted Waste (<3cy) $33.75/ton from inside Denton, $41.00/ton
from outside Denton; Uncompacted Waste (>3cy) $39.00/ton from inside Denton, $41.00/ton
from outside Denton; Compacted Waste - $35.00/ton from inside Denton, $37.00/ton from
outside Denton. Wholesale Rates: Compacted (>25 cy) and Uncompacted (>50 cy) - $21.00/ton
from inside Denton, $23.00/ton from outside Denton. Deleted previous authorization for City
City of Denton City Council Minutes
October 14, 2003
Page 2
Manager to make agreements at negotiated rates. He stated that the rate ordinance would be
considered at the October 21 Council meeting.
P.S. Arora, Assistant Director of Wastewater, stated that the City provided wastewater collection
and treatment service within the city limits of the city and most of the ETJ area. He stated that
Denton provided wholesale wastewater treatment service to Corinth and Argyle. The City also
provided wholesale wastewater treatment service to the City of Krum.
The wastewater service area included four major drainage basins. The basins were: Pecan
Creek, Cooper Creek, Hickory Creek, Clear Creek/Milam Creek, and Robson Ranch in Hickory
Creek Basin. Issues dealing with the location of future plant sites, major collection system
infrastructure and the need for improved levels of treatment associated with new regulatory
requirements were discussed. A key component of both wastewater and water planning
initiatives was the future development of a beneficial reclaimed water system.
Jim Coulter, Director of Water Utilities, stated the Beneficial Reuse Program provided
production and sales of composted biosolids at the Pecan Creek Water Reclamation Plant. He
stated the operation used wastewater treatment plant biosolids and wood waste diverted from the
landfill to produce various composted materials.
He stated that the Beneficial Reuse Division would focus on developing a reclamation system
that was capable of servicing large scale industrial and irrigation needs of the community. The
composting operation would develop a plan to handle the increased biosolid and brush
wastestream from the community as well as adding other wastestreams to reduce loading to the
City' s landfill.
Tim Fisher, Assistant Director of Water Utilities, stated water supply planning covered three
basic areas: water resources or raw water supply, water treatment, and water distribution.
Water supply alternatives included: continue wholesale customer relationship with Dallas Water
Utilities; partner with one or more entities to sponsor a new water supply project; direct reuse
program; indirect reuse permit; and increased water conservation effort.
Fisher stated additional future challenges included aging infrastructure and impacts on rates,
increasing use of technology, higher expectations and involvement from the public, increased
regulations: water quality and treatment, daily operations, risk management and homeland
security.
The Council discussed outcome statements associated with Utilities and Solid Waste Future
Acquisition.
Solid Waste:
No solid waste containers visible from the street.
Landfill uses modern technology.
Dedicated reserve fund be established to expand capacity from net income
from outside waste disposal sources.
Wastewater: Extensive beneficial reuse.
City of Demon City Council Minutes
October 14, 2003
Page 3
With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:25 p.m.
JANE RICHARDSON
ASST. CITY SECRETARY
CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS
EUL1NEBROCK
MAYOR
CITY OFDENTON, TEXAS