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Mr. Culver noted staff will take a look at that. <br />5. Recycling Update <br />Public Works Director Marc Culver provided a brief review and update on <br />recycling and costs listed in the staff report dated August 27, 2019. He noted the <br />city is not getting any revenue for mixed paper that is being collected and recycling <br />revenue has been declining through the years. <br />Member Joyce asked how the city absorbs the loss in the budget. <br />Mr. Culver explained the city had built up a surplus over the years in the recycling <br />fund. He anticipates the balance of the fund to be near zero by the end of the year <br />and did ask Ramsey County for some help in absorbing additional costs and <br />Ramsey County did have some funds set aside for this type of thing. <br />Member Spencer asked if this a one-time aid. <br />Mr. Culver indicated it was. <br />Chair Cihacek thought the more people that recycle the bigger the problem <br />becomes. <br />Mr. Culver stated that was right. He said there are a number of cities in the Nation <br />that have stopped recycling because of the costs. No one is asking Roseville to stop <br />recycling. He explained that going forward the city is going to have to find out <br />how to manage this. He indicated staff has asked Eureka what it would cost if <br />revenue sharing were removed. Eureka came up with a proposed rate chart. He <br />reviewed the chart with the Commission. <br />Member Spencer asked if Mr. Culver had a sense of what the collection costs are <br />versus the processing fees. <br />Mr. Culver explained the current contract spells that out. Eureka funds their <br />collection service with the $2.46 per unit. In 2019 for $465,000 that pays for them <br />to collect the recycling. He indicated he ran the numbers himself and between 2006 <br />and 2018 the city averaged 3,329 tons per year of recycled material collected. To <br />process the material at $58 a ton it costs $193,082 per year. Over the 15,332 units <br />it is $12.60 per year, $3.14 per quarter or $1.05 per month and Eureka's proposal <br />to get rid of the revenue sharing happened to be $1.00 extra He noted this works <br />from a math perspective if worked backwards. <br />Mr. Culver indicated if the city were to take Eureka's current proposal and go to <br />$3.46, combined processing and collection and no revenue sharing or extra costs it <br />would add up to be $654,000 in 2019 which is $114,000 more than staff thinks the <br />city will end up paying Eureka in 2019. In 2020, staff thinks that number is <br />Page 4 of 7 <br />