HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 7g. Authorize the Utilities Department to apply for the 2024-25 IWMA Technical Assistance Grant Item 7g
Department: Utilities
Cost Center: 6107
For Agenda of: 4/1/2025
Placement: Consent
Estimated Time: N/A
FROM: Aaron Floyd, Utilities Director
Prepared By: Meg Buckingham, Solid Waste and Recycling Program Manager
SUBJECT: FISCAL YEAR 2024 – 2025 SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY INTEGRATED
WASTE MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY TECHNICAL ASSSITANCE
GRANT APPLICATION
RECOMMENDATION
1. Authorize the Utilities Department to apply for the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Integrated
Waste Management Authority Technical Assistance Grant in the amount of $10,000;
and
2. If the grant is awarded, authorize the Utilities Director, or their designee, to execute
necessary grant documents and direct the appropriation of monies to the accounts
required to administer the grant.
POLICY CONTEXT
The recommended actions are consistent with the City of San Luis Obispo’s Climate
Action Plan, Pillar 5: Circular Economy, which includes a Lead by Example component
identifying a zero-waste goal of ninety percent landfill diversion for all City operations,
buildings, and facilities by 2030. Under the City’s Grant Management Policy, Council
approval is required for all grant applications in excess of $5,000.
DISCUSSION
Background
The San Luis Obispo County Integrated Waste Management Authority (IWMA) offers a
Technical Assistance Grant (TAG) Program to businesses, government agencies,
nonprofit groups, and institutions located in San Luis Obispo County to promote, start,
and/or expand waste reduction and landfill diversion efforts.
The IWMA’s TAG Program is designed to empower local groups and/or change agents
to develop community-based strategies for the prevention, separation, diversion,
recycling, and composting of material. The IWMA typically seeks applicants who can act
as a catalyst for reducing waste, promote zero waste strategies, demonstrate circular
economy practices to eliminate waste, and maximize material resources.
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Item 7g
In 2023, staff in the Solid Waste and Recycling Program conducted an audit of trash,
recycling, and organics containers at indoor and rentable City facilities to identify areas
needing new containers. This was necessary to ensure compliance with the organics
recycling law Senate Bill 1383 and address issues such as inconsistent signage or broken
containers. During the audit, staff observed that some City facilities had damaged
containers, incorrectly labeled bins, or lacked recycling containers altogether.
In 2024, the City successfully secured $10,000 in funding from the 2023-24 TAG Program
to procure 13 standardized two- and three-stream waste units in 8 high-use or public-
facing City facilities. These containers replaced broken or missing bins and improved
signage for proper source separation of materials. The new bins have effectively guided
staff and the public in properly sorting waste, ensuring consistency across City facilities.
Proposed Use of 2024-25 Grant Funds
If authorized, staff will apply for the 2024-25 TAG Program to procure additional uniform
two- and three-stream waste containers for remaining City facilities, consistent with those
purchased through the previous cycle of TAG Program funding. Some identified locations
for these containers include the rentable Meadow Park Community Room and staff areas
within Fire Station 1, City Hall, the Community Development and Public Works
Departments in 919 Palm Street, Water Resource Recovery Facility, and the Corporation
Yard. This initiative supports the City's waste reduction goals. In-kind contributions will be
dedicated in the form of staff time to facilitate the project, including procurement,
installation, and reporting outcomes to the IWMA.
Placing uniformly paired, well-labeled, and SB 1383-compliant color-coded bins in areas
with low diversion rates and high employee usage—where existing bin setups are
inadequate—is expected to significantly increase the amount of material the City diverts
from landfill disposal.
The proposed new bins feature customizable signage that can be easily upda ted to
address location-specific contamination based on periodic audit results. The City has
already piloted these bin systems in multiple facilities, receiving highly positive feedback
from users.
Application Process
This is a competitive grant opportunity that requires both a written application (Attachment
A) and a presentation to the IWMA Board of Directors. The Board will consider the
application at its May 14, 2025 meeting.
This grant would advance the City’s efforts to achieve the ambitious zero -waste goal
outlined in the adopted Climate Action Plan. By leading by example, the City aims to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions while demonstrating scalable waste reduction
strategies for residents, businesses, and other organizations.
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Item 7g
Previous Council or Advisory Body Action
On April 2, 2024, the City Council authorized staff to apply for fiscal year 2023 -24 TAG
Program funding. At the May 8, 2024, IWMA Board of Directors Meeting, the application
was approved and the project commenced. Grant funding renews every fiscal year,
providing the opportunity for agencies to apply annually.
Public Engagement
Public comment can be provided to the City Council through written correspondence prior
to the meeting and through public testimony at the meeting. An opportunity for public
comment will also be available at the May 14, 2025 IWMA Board of Directors meeting
when the City’s TAG Program funding request is under consideration.
CONCURRENCE
The City’s Finance Department concurs with the findings of this report. The Office of
Sustainability and Natural Resources also concurs with staff’s recommendation to utilize
grant funding to purchase uniform indoor solid waste, recycling, and organics containers
to expand the City’s current waste reduction program and increase landfill diversion
efforts.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The recommended actions are not a “project” as defined under CEQA Guidelines Section
15378 because the action will not result in any physical change to the environment.
FISCAL IMPACT
Budgeted: No Budget Year: 2024-25
Funding Identified: Yes
Fiscal Analysis:
Funding
Sources
Total Budget
Available
Current
Funding
Request
Remaining
Balance
Annual
Ongoing
Cost
General Fund $ $ $ $
State
Federal
Fees
Other: TAG
Program Award
$10,000
Total $10, 000 $ $ $
There is no fiscal impact associated with the recommended action to authorize staff to
pursue a grant funding opportunity with the IWMA for $10,000 to fund solid waste and
recycling infrastructural improvements to increase landfill diversion. The in-kind
requirements of the grant will be achieved through contributions of staff time dedicated to
facilitating the project, procuring and installing the containers, and reporting the success
to the IWMA.
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Item 7g
ALTERNATIVES
Council could decide not to authorize the application for the 2024-25 IWMA TAG
Program. If Council chooses not to authorize staff to apply for 2024-25 TAG Program
funding, staff will continue to seek other funding sources to assist with the implementation
of the City’s Climate Action Plan.
ATTACHMENTS
A - Fiscal Year 2024-25 Technical Assistance Grant Program Application
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San Luis Obispo County IWMA 870 Osos St, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 805-782-8530 Page - 1 -
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE GRANT (TAG) APPLICATION
Applicant Information
Organization:
Applicant Name First: Last:
Applicant Physical Address Street:
City: State: Zip Code:
Applicant Mailing Address Street:
City: State: Zip Code:
Primary Contact Name First: Last:
Title
Work Phone: Cell Phone:
Email: Total TAG Funding Requested:
Brief Project Description (1-3 sentences)
Certification:
I declare, under the penalty of perjury, that all information submitted for the San Luis Obispo County Integrated
Waste Management Authority’s (IWMAs) consideration for allocation of grant funds is true and accurate to the
best of my knowledge and belief: If applicant is not Officer/Principal, have form signed before returning to IWMA.
Company Officer or
Principal Name
First: Last:
Title: Phone:
Email:
Signature
City of San Luis Obispo - Utilities Department
Meg Buckingham
879 Morro Street
San Luis Obispo CA 93401
879 Morro Street
San Luis Obispo CA 93401
Meg Buckingham
Solid Waste and Recycling Program Manager
805-783-7850 805-748-0887
mbuckin@slocity.org $10,000
This grant request is for the purchase of trash, recycling, and organics infrastructure that will contribute
towards waste reduction efforts, reduce contamination, and increase landfill diversion in accordance with the
City of San Luis Obispo's Climate Action Plan.
Meg Buckingham
Solid Waste and Recycling Program Manager 805-783-7850
mbuckin@slocity.org
Meg Buckingham Digitally signed by Meg Buckingham
Date: 2025.03.10 10:19:42 -07'00'
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San Luis Obispo County IWMA 870 Osos St, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 805-782-8530 Page - 2 -
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE GRANT (TAG) APPLICATION QUESTIONS
Please provide the following information in the order requested. Additionally, limit your response to
no more than (3) three pages.
Applicant Name First: Last:
1. Provide a description of the project including project goals.
2. Describe how the grant money will be used to purchase, lease, or rent equipment or pay for
services/supplies needed to start and/or expand landfill diversion or source reduction
efforts.
Meg Buckingham
The City requests grant funding to purchase and install two- and three-stream indoor receptacles for
trash, recycling, and organics in high-use City facilities to enhance internal recycling efforts.
This grant would support the City’s progress toward achieving its ambitious zero waste goal—90%
landfill diversion by 2030—as outlined in the adopted Climate Action Plan. By leading by
example, the City aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while demonstrating replicable waste
reduction strategies for residents, businesses, and other organizations.
The new receptacles feature fully customizable signage and messaging tailored to the specific
waste streams at each location. Last year, the City successfully implemented these containers in
high-priority and high-use facilities. Building on that success, the City seeks to procure and install
additional containers this year to expand waste diversion efforts.
These container systems will create new recycling opportunities for staff, increase program
participation, and reduce contamination across City facilities.
The grant funds will be used to purchase 2-stream and 3-stream recycling container systems for key
locations, including City Hall, the new Police Station, Fire Station #1, 919 Palm Street, the City
Corporation Yard, and the Wastewater Resource Recovery Facility.
Several of these facilities have break rooms that currently lack recycling options. Additionally, the
City's Solid Waste and Recycling Program has identified certain locations as high-contamination
areas due to issues such as roaming bins, inadequate labeling caused by poor bin and lid design,
and the frequent misplacement of labeled lids on incorrect bins by custodial staff.
To address these challenges, the City has selected recycling containers from Recycle Away
Systems and Solutions. These containers offer fully customizable signage and a variety of system
configurations tailored to meet the specific needs of each location.
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San Luis Obispo County IWMA 870 Osos St, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 805-782-8530 Page - 3 -
Applicant Name First: Last:
3.Provide an itemized projected budget (revenues and costs) for the next (3) three years.
Included the project’s proposed in-kind contribution. In-kind contributions can be any
services or equipment being provided by the applicant such as time, matching funding, etc.
4.Describe how your program will reduce waste, divert waste, and/or conserve landfill space.
Also, describe how you will track/measure project milestones in order to meet intended goals.
Meg Buckingham
Year 1:
Grant Funds - $10,000 for bin procurement (bin costs and shipping)
In-kind - Staff time for bin procurement, facilitation, installation, bin auditing no less than
quarterly, development and dissemination of custodial training video, and employee training
Year 2:
In-kind - Staff time for bin auditing no less than quarterly, development and dissemination of
custodial training video, and employee training
Year 3:
In-kind - Staff time for bin auditing no less than quarterly, development and dissemination of
custodial training video, and employee training
No revenues will be received from this effort.
In 2023, the City engaged the consulting firm ReCREATE to conduct a waste generation and
characterization audit of City facilities and operations. The audit revealed that the City's internal
diversion rate could be doubled—from approximately 30% to 60%—through proper source
separation of discarded materials.
To achieve this, the City plans to install standardized, well-labeled, and color-coded bins that
comply with SB 1383 requirements. These bins will be strategically placed in high-traffic
employee areas and locations where recycling is currently unavailable or underutilized. This
initiative is expected to significantly increase the volume of materials diverted from landfill
disposal.
Additionally, the new bins will feature customizable signage that can be periodically updated based
on findings from routine visual waste audits. These updates will help address location-specific
contamination issues and improve overall waste diversion efforts.
The City will use an Excel-based tracking system to document grant-funded container placements
and will conduct regular visual waste contamination audits to monitor progress and ensure program
effectiveness.
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San Luis Obispo County IWMA 870 Osos St, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 805-782-8530 Page - 4 -
Applicant Name First: Last:
5.How does this project provide new or expanded landfill diversion and/or source reduction
opportunities for San Luis Obispo County?
6.What resources and expertise do you have to complete this project?
Note: In addition to responding to the above (6) six items, applicants may provide up to (10) ten pages of
supplemental information such as brochures, equipment flyers, etc. Print application and submit the
complete packet by US Postal Service. Applications must be date stamped by the application deadline.
Meg Buckingham
Placing uniformly paired, well-labeled, and SB 1383-compliant color-coded bins in areas with low
diversion rates and high employee usage—where existing bin setups are inadequate—is expected to
significantly increase the amount of material the City diverts from landfill disposal.
The proposed new bins feature customizable signage that can be easily updated to address
location-specific contamination based on periodic audit results. The City has already piloted these
bin systems in multiple facilities, receiving highly positive feedback from users.
The City successfully implemented the first and second phases of this project in 2023 and 2024 and
has a comprehensive understanding of the requirements for procuring and installing bin systems at
the identified locations.
Extensive surveys and audits of facilities currently utilizing these bins have been conducted, and
locations for the next phase have been strategically identified.
The Solid Waste and Recycling Coordinator and Solid Waste and Recycling Manager will dedicate
time to overseeing the procurement process, while City Building Maintenance staff will support the
installation. Additionally, the program includes custodial training to ensure materials are properly
sorted and placed in the appropriate outdoor receptacles.
To supplement the grant funding, the City will utilize its Solid Waste and Recycling Program
budget for costs exceeding the grant award, as well as expenses for customized signage.
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