Issue Statement: Broward County and the cities within Broward County, including Oakland Park, have been working on a long-term plan for the processing and disposal of recyclables and solid waste within the County.  On July 17, 2019, the City Commission approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) regarding a Collaborative Study and subsequent development of an Integrated Solid Waste and Recycling System. A similar MOU was also approved by the cities.  Each MOU member appointed an elected official to serve on the Solid Waste and Recycling Task Force.  Mayor Jane Bolin serves as the appointed official for Oakland Park.   The study has been completed.  The next step is for each Task Force’s elected official to obtain consensus on a recommendation of a preferred governance structure from their respective elected body.

Recommended Action:  Presentation to City Commission of the three (3) governing structure options: Interlocal Agreement (ILA); Dependent Special District, and; Independent Special District.

Background:  Broward County and most of the Broward municipalities entered into a Settlement Agreement in 2014 to settle litigation regarding dissolving the Resource Recovery Board (RRB). The RRB was an independent county special district that handled solid waste disposal until June 2013. Pursuant to the RRB Settlement Agreement, a settlement was reached to sell the Alpha 250 property, an RRB property asset located in Pompano Beach,  and the proceeds paid on a pro-rata share basis to the cities. 

In 2016 and 2018, the Settlement Agreement was amended to extend the date for the sale of the Alpha 250 property to allow the County to have a consultant complete a study of the Alpha 250 property and solid waste disposal issues in Broward County. The First Amendment extended the Alpha 250 sale date for one year (until October 11, 2017), and the Second Amendment extended the MOU until the Study was completed.

In December 2018, Broward County and the participating Cities issued the final Solid Waste and Recycling Issues Study Final Report (Arcadis Study).

The Broward County Solid Waste Task Force was formed in 2019 by Interlocal Agreement (ILA) to review the disposition of the Resource Recovery System (RRS) property known as the Alpha 250 site.  Additionally, the Task Force was to determine mid- to long-term disposal options and governance for Broward County solid waste including recycling, residential and commercial garbage, bulk trash, and construction and demolition debris. Oakland Park Commission actions on approval of the MOU and appointment of the Task Force Member are attached to this agenda item. These actions were:

• July 2019:  Approve the MOU

• November 2019:  Appoint a Task Force Member and Alternate

The Task Force is made up of one elected official from each Broward County municipality and a Broward County Commissioner. The Task Force formed a Working Group made up of a smaller subgroup of elected officials (9 Members) to review and recommend a governance option. The Working Group tasked the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) to identify governance options.  The TAC consisted of one (1) staff member from each of the MOU Cities and Broward County (total 31 members; Public Work Director Albert Carbon, Oakland Park’s TAC Member).  As requested by the Working Group, the TAC made two presentations  on governance structures: The first presentation was the description of each governance structure and how to form an ILA, Dependent, or Independent Solid Waste governance structure; with the second presentation on the benefits and drawbacks of each governance structure with a TAC recommendation on a governance structure.

The Working Group met in March 2021 to vote on a recommended governance option to the Task Force.  The options presented were:

• Interlocal Agreement (ILA)
• Dependent Special District
• Independent Special District

Motions and voice votes were taken at the Working Group meeting.

• 1^st motion was to recommend an ILA.  It was voted down 6 to 3
• 2^nd motion was to recommend an Independent District.  It was voted in favor 6 to 3.

At its April 6, 2021 meeting, the County Commission heard an item on the Solid Waste Governance. The County Commission heard the presentation and voted in favor of an ILA.  

At the April 13, 2021, Task Force meeting,  County Commissioner Beam Furr presented the April 6^th County Presentation to the Task Force.  Each Task Force Member spoke on their thoughts on a potential Solid Waste Governance structure.

The Task Force consensus was for each elected official (Task Force Members) to return to their elected body for a consensus recommendation on a preferred governance structure.

The attached April 2021 letter from Coconut Creek was sent to all Broward County jurisdictions and provides an overview of the different proposed structures.