WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.090 Yes, at this late date in the afternoon. 00:00:02.460 --> 00:00:03.730 Uh, my name is Mark King. 00:00:03.740 --> 00:00:07.430 I'm the organics management specialist for the division of Materials Management. 00:00:07.740 --> 00:00:13.230 I run the organics program and also manage the waste Diversion grants program. 00:00:13.580 --> 00:00:23.690 I have three other folks that work with me, Megan Mansfield-Pryor Jim Guerra and Mike Parker was a member of the group, but he's recently taken another job. 00:00:24.710 --> 00:00:38.560 So what I want to talk to you today about is the waste diversion grant the process some of the some of the ways to apply and more specifically hopefully answer some of the questions that may be lurking in your mind through this presentation. 00:00:38.750 --> 00:00:52.820 And then allow you an opportunity to then ask more questions as you wish, because once I release the RFP, there's a very narrow window of two weeks where you have to submit questions in writing, and those are the only questions that you can ask. 00:00:52.930 --> 00:00:57.950 And I then submit the answers before the end of the period. 00:00:57.960 --> 00:01:02.520 Seven days prior to proposals due and that's how you get the information. 00:01:02.660 --> 00:01:06.670 So this is a a very rare chance to ask as many questions as you'd like. 00:01:06.880 --> 00:01:14.030 So to getting through the program, the main solid waste diversion grant program is definitely a statutory program. 00:01:14.080 --> 00:01:16.610 Section 220O1B. 00:01:16.880 --> 00:01:34.310 It was established to help increase the diversion of solid waste from disposal in the state and what's very important is awards must be aligned with two hierarchies to solid waste management hierarchy and the food recovery hierarchy, which was usually adopted in 2016. 00:01:34.820 --> 00:01:55.440 The wards are prioritized based on the maximum benefit for the amount of money you're requesting in terms of increasing diversion of solid waste from disposal options, and I grant web page is also available and when this meeting has been recorded and transcribed, we'll be able to have those as live links as well. 00:01:56.270 --> 00:01:59.840 OK, so these are the two hierarchies we're talking about. 00:02:00.190 --> 00:02:01.370 Reduce, reuse. 00:02:01.380 --> 00:02:01.940 Recycle. 00:02:01.950 --> 00:02:03.090 We're all familiar with that. 00:02:03.100 --> 00:02:10.310 That's been the mantra for many years, a compost we also have anaerobic digestion as well as another possibility. 00:02:10.590 --> 00:02:19.860 And then we get down to the disposal side where you have waste to energy where the material is still disposed, but energy is generated from the process. 00:02:19.870 --> 00:02:32.470 So it does have a higher value than landfilling and what we're looking for for these solid waste diversion grant proposals is that you're trying to push waste up the hierarchy towards higher and better end uses. 00:02:32.800 --> 00:02:43.290 That's something that we find extremely important to us, so some of the notable things, as I said once the RFP's issued, the only person that you can contact is myself. 00:02:43.580 --> 00:02:58.860 And it's only if there is a problem with your proposal, and that's usually I'll contact you in other cases, though, you just have that two week window to submit written questions and then we can't have any interaction. 00:02:58.870 --> 00:03:03.390 And that includes calling me or sending me emails, which has been a problem in the past. 00:03:04.930 --> 00:03:10.260 You definitely must follow all of the instructions in the application package. 00:03:10.270 --> 00:03:16.060 The RFP and failure to do so could get your your proposal disqualified. 00:03:16.350 --> 00:03:25.180 But most important, please read the entire thing, because there's lots of nuances in there that if you don't read them, you don't pick them up and and that can be a problem. 00:03:26.640 --> 00:03:29.490 And then another one that's that's been a big thing for us. 00:03:29.560 --> 00:03:39.140 If you are going in jointly with another entity, let's say that you're a, a, A community and you wanna have somebody collect your food and and do the work. 00:03:40.180 --> 00:03:44.240 Come in as Co applicants and then we'll figure out who gets the money. 00:03:44.250 --> 00:03:46.030 Who signs the contract? 00:03:46.100 --> 00:03:54.770 It's really important that you don't come in as the person and then expect the other entity to actually sign the contract. 00:03:54.860 --> 00:04:01.770 So come in jointly and then we'll figure out if you win an award, who gets the contract and who the money goes to. 00:04:02.250 --> 00:04:03.750 So that's really super important. 00:04:05.840 --> 00:04:22.940 Who's eligible to apply this is another thing that that kind of has been a very important thing for us, and that is that only main based entities can apply for this waste diversion grant and they can be main based entities with partners that aren't main based. 00:04:23.000 --> 00:04:25.640 But the entity of line for the grant has to be main based. 00:04:26.720 --> 00:04:38.030 You must be able to demonstrate that your program, project or anything that you're trying to do is gonna increase the diversion of solid waste from disposal within a sector of the state of Maine, and that can be organics. 00:04:38.080 --> 00:04:38.460 It can be. 00:04:39.560 --> 00:04:44.750 Recycling it can be reuse and repair of old equipment to make it new again. 00:04:45.220 --> 00:04:52.300 All those things are eligible, so that would be a solid waste facility, a private business, nonprofit schools. 00:04:52.560 --> 00:05:00.240 We've even actually had individuals that are associated with some project in their community, so all those things are eligible for funding. 00:05:03.410 --> 00:05:17.970 Some of the things that are important as well though, is that if you are a facility that wants to do a compost project and you're required to have a license in order to do it, you can't apply for the waste of version grant funds until you actually have that license. 00:05:18.490 --> 00:05:30.680 We've had situations where we have granted money and the entity hadn't gotten their permit yet and it became very problematic because we can't give you money until the project is solvent and we know it's going forward. 00:05:30.830 --> 00:05:39.960 So we've now requiring that you must have your state or local licensure if you hold it apartment license and you're applying for waste diversion. 00:05:39.970 --> 00:05:44.870 Grant, you must be current with all your annual reporting and all of your annual reporting fees as well. 00:05:44.880 --> 00:05:57.910 So you must be in total compliance with the regulations from the department in order to be considered, and then that also includes any state and local laws, ordinances and things like that in your Community as well. 00:05:58.140 --> 00:06:05.620 So the idea is that we just want a legitimate proposal from from a group that that is gonna move forward with a good project. 00:06:07.290 --> 00:06:11.390 Some of the eligible activities we have and and we've had some really awesome ones. 00:06:11.770 --> 00:06:18.940 One of my favorites actually is the reuse and repair clinics where they take old broken equipment and they turn it into new again. 00:06:19.210 --> 00:06:20.480 I think that's really cool. 00:06:20.810 --> 00:06:31.700 We had another one where we had a lending library where they took in electronic devices like weed wackers and lawn mowers, and people could actually sign them out and try them before they bought them. 00:06:31.920 --> 00:06:40.070 That was another cool project, but of course the near and dear to my heart of the organics recovery projects and and we've had quite a few of those. 00:06:40.570 --> 00:06:53.800 But the idea is that any programmer business that can collect, transport, process or move organics and other recycled materials towards higher and better uses, all of those are eligible. 00:06:54.170 --> 00:06:58.540 Another one that's really eligible that we like a lot is education and outreach. 00:06:58.910 --> 00:07:00.840 We love educating folks. 00:07:00.850 --> 00:07:14.700 We love students working on educational programs, so any opportunity we have to see good organics and good recycling education spread through communities and through the state, that's a really great project and something that we like. 00:07:16.300 --> 00:07:19.330 So we want to prioritize applications. 00:07:19.340 --> 00:07:25.610 This was originally when it first started was part of the State Planning Office and they were 100% municipal grants. 00:07:26.000 --> 00:07:46.090 We we now offer any any sector of the state can apply, but we do give a lot of priority to municipal and regional associations, a lot of like a vcog and some of the other groups that work to help other communities because we're looking for the greatest expansion of energy. 00:07:46.100 --> 00:07:51.620 The greatest mention of education and the greatest diversion of waste through communities. 00:07:51.750 --> 00:07:53.580 So these groups tend to do that. 00:07:53.690 --> 00:07:59.920 Other places that we look at and there are noted areas in the state of Maine are those that are underserved. 00:08:00.470 --> 00:08:02.280 Washington County, for example. 00:08:02.810 --> 00:08:11.880 I, Bristol County, to a certain extent as well and some of the other communities in Maine that that may not have a high tax base but still have an immediate need. 00:08:11.890 --> 00:08:23.480 So we definitely are looking for those and any waste prevention, food donation, gleaning, reuse, repair, all of those are really great priorities, education and outreach. 00:08:23.740 --> 00:08:30.600 And then if there's a statewide need and you're looking to address that statewide need that that's very important as well. 00:08:31.400 --> 00:08:39.070 And then, of course, reducing the greenhouse gases, we actually just got off a meeting with with the climate group talking about food scraps and things. 00:08:39.080 --> 00:08:42.590 And so any chances to reduce emissions is is another good one. 00:08:43.740 --> 00:08:48.770 And then expanding, if you find a new sector, a glass is one that comes to mind. 00:08:48.780 --> 00:08:52.510 Where we're getting more and more interest in recovering that and reusing it. 00:08:52.700 --> 00:08:56.180 So that's another another place that can be prioritized. 00:08:57.930 --> 00:09:10.920 So things that aren't eligible, any proposal that requires legislation to pass in order to be implemented is definitely not anything that that, that you can apply for the legislation has to have already been passed for that to occur. 00:09:11.520 --> 00:09:14.320 Any projects or programs that have already been undertaken? 00:09:14.550 --> 00:09:20.090 Let's say that you bought a compactor and you're now hoping to kind of pay it off with. 00:09:20.100 --> 00:09:21.280 That's not gonna happen. 00:09:21.590 --> 00:09:29.590 We're specifically looking at, say you got a compactor, now you want to expand the way that it's used then that is eligible. 00:09:29.720 --> 00:09:38.070 So previous purchases can't be applied for, but any new purchases to augment an existing system are definitely eligible. 00:09:39.100 --> 00:09:45.630 We also don't want to and and and can't pay for any administrative indirect costs. 00:09:45.640 --> 00:09:54.510 Fringe things like that, and we specifically have stopped paying salaries of faculty and other full time staff. 00:09:54.780 --> 00:10:03.080 We still will entertain students and interns if you have a project where you're going to employ a student to help get it started, maybe help do education. 00:10:03.370 --> 00:10:19.620 Those costs are still eligible, but we can't cover any fringe or any benefits, just just the salary of that person and any disposal costs associated with what you're trying to do with, let's say that you're going to have somebody come collect your food scraps. 00:10:19.630 --> 00:10:36.570 We can't pay for the food scrap collection service, but any of those costs that I mentioned that aren't eligible can all be applied as your match and we require a 25% match in order to 25% of the total project cost. 00:10:37.620 --> 00:10:45.480 So you can use all those defrayed costs, the fringe and all of that, and offer that as match to help cover your piece of the grant. 00:10:49.040 --> 00:10:50.790 So can I ask questions on the RFP? 00:10:50.800 --> 00:10:53.510 That's, that's the one that's that I put in here on purpose. 00:10:53.620 --> 00:11:01.430 And the answer is you can ask questions in writing during the first two weeks of the application RFP release process. 00:11:01.800 --> 00:11:03.530 At that point, it ends. 00:11:03.760 --> 00:11:15.970 I come up with answers and I post those answers at least seven days prior to the closing of the RFP period and that'll be put on the purchases website where you can actually look up and see the answers to all those submitted questions. 00:11:18.320 --> 00:11:24.090 So you use Appendix E and there's very specific directions in the RFP on how to do that. 00:11:24.380 --> 00:11:29.730 But the whole goal is that everybody has a chance to see the same question, just like today. 00:11:29.740 --> 00:11:44.910 Everybody has a chance to see the same questions asked and I will put a link to this video in the RFP so that anybody that hasn't seen it can pop on and take a look at it and plus a Jessica is also going to transcribe it as well. 00:11:45.220 --> 00:11:49.990 So that way there's a written record of any questions that were asked and all that we discussed. 00:11:52.770 --> 00:11:56.140 So this is a really cool and this is one that Megan put in I and I like it. 00:11:56.150 --> 00:11:57.800 It's how do you make it pop out? 00:11:57.810 --> 00:11:59.030 What's what's some cool stuff? 00:11:59.040 --> 00:12:02.700 And the first is to think beyond your organization or your immediate community. 00:12:02.870 --> 00:12:08.040 If you wanna do a compost operation or your transfer station, think about all the communities around me. 00:12:08.050 --> 00:12:09.140 Are they doing anything? 00:12:09.470 --> 00:12:15.980 Maybe I can work together with them synergistically, and now I've expanded what I'm doing over many communities. 00:12:16.130 --> 00:12:21.340 So just take a look outside your little project that you're proposing and find ways to make it bigger. 00:12:21.810 --> 00:12:24.910 And then so that's the the second one, of course. 00:12:25.040 --> 00:12:27.600 And then is the target area underserved? 00:12:27.700 --> 00:12:30.310 Will your project make a real, substantial difference? 00:12:30.580 --> 00:12:45.340 If you're, if you're an underserved area and you say I'm gonna do this and this is gonna benefit my people because I have the most food insecure place in the state of Maine and we're gonna find a way to conserve this food and get it to a higher and better use, that's awesome. 00:12:45.350 --> 00:12:46.660 That's the stuff that we want to see. 00:12:47.480 --> 00:12:48.850 Is your project unique? 00:12:49.060 --> 00:12:51.230 And if if so, what about it is different? 00:12:51.240 --> 00:12:53.770 So really talk about your project. 00:12:53.780 --> 00:12:55.210 You know all the goodness of it. 00:12:55.460 --> 00:12:59.950 Is it likely to reduce greenhouse gas emissions if it is, don't just say it is. 00:13:00.040 --> 00:13:02.490 Give us some way of being able to actually measure that. 00:13:02.640 --> 00:13:09.910 So when we compare these proposals, we're looking at the most competitive for the money that they're asking. 00:13:10.100 --> 00:13:12.140 So the more you put in, the better. 00:13:13.090 --> 00:13:15.840 And does the proposal push materials up the waste hierarchy? 00:13:15.970 --> 00:13:33.240 And as I said, food donation, feeding hungry people, gleaning, feeding hungry animals, reuse, repair lending programs and other sharing initiatives, all those move stuff up the hierarchy and that's what we're trying to do is get stuff away from disposal. 00:13:33.450 --> 00:13:34.330 That's our biggest key. 00:13:35.960 --> 00:13:36.950 So how do you apply? 00:13:37.400 --> 00:13:39.570 Well, there's gonna be an RFP release. 00:13:39.740 --> 00:13:47.190 If you send me an email and you're not currently receiving any of our information, I will put you on our listserv. 00:13:47.200 --> 00:13:49.370 We have 168 member listserv. 00:13:49.620 --> 00:13:53.030 When the RFP is released, it's sent out in the local papers. 00:13:53.440 --> 00:14:00.410 It's also tweeted by David Meador, are a deputy commissioner, but also that list serve. 00:14:00.420 --> 00:14:02.050 I blasted out on that as well. 00:14:02.200 --> 00:14:07.390 So we have multiple ways of getting you the press release with the RFP in it. 00:14:07.620 --> 00:14:15.530 And then from there, everything that you need to know is in that package, you must submit it exactly as described in the RFP. 00:14:15.840 --> 00:14:19.230 Purchases will receive them up until like 1159. 00:14:19.240 --> 00:14:25.500 Whatever deadline they give you, they automatically stop receipt one second over that timeline. 00:14:25.960 --> 00:14:29.160 So a lot of people wait till the last minute. 00:14:29.250 --> 00:14:50.820 I've had people the day before I have two proposals and then that next day I have 30 so it can happen and just remember they're very competitive and we can only give 125,000 the minimum amount we've ever given is $347 and the highest amount we can give is 40,000. 00:14:51.250 --> 00:14:56.420 So if you think about that three, 40,000 or is almost chops up all the money. 00:14:56.590 --> 00:15:05.570 So we're very careful to review these things and come up with the best possible results based on the quality of the proposals that we get. 00:15:05.760 --> 00:15:13.590 If we get 3 great proposals that are all super high quality and they all want 40,000, then those first three will get the 40,000. 00:15:13.740 --> 00:15:21.810 So our group is very, very good about consensus evaluation and then the information in the application must be complete and accurate. 00:15:22.070 --> 00:15:29.770 I've had people submit applications and then after they submit it say I wanna send some more stuff in and the answer is no. 00:15:29.840 --> 00:15:37.020 If you if if you do something like that, you've got to withdraw it and start over as long as you do it before the deadline. 00:15:38.470 --> 00:15:43.530 And then I have that question submission again, so common pitfalls. 00:15:43.540 --> 00:15:53.830 The biggest one is we had a year where three people were disqualified at the beginning beginning because they didn't meet their 25% match really carefully. 00:15:53.840 --> 00:16:00.680 Look at that, because if it's not 25% match, we automatically disqualify your application from further processing. 00:16:01.810 --> 00:16:08.670 Pay attention to deadlines for questions and completed application and and remember you can't call me and ask questions. 00:16:08.680 --> 00:16:09.850 You can't send me an email. 00:16:10.030 --> 00:16:16.890 It can only be submitted on that written form and only within the first two weeks, and I actually have a deadline date that they have to be received by. 00:16:18.720 --> 00:16:20.910 Make sure you get all the documents the first time. 00:16:21.010 --> 00:16:23.510 Ask questions through the appropriate channel on time. 00:16:23.520 --> 00:16:27.780 So today is a good one and follow all the instructions as best you can. 00:16:29.530 --> 00:16:30.800 So this is a big one. 00:16:31.230 --> 00:16:32.500 The final word on math. 00:16:32.510 --> 00:16:34.990 I'll proposals providing financial match. 00:16:35.150 --> 00:16:47.540 We actually had a a problem this last round and the bottom line is that if you're proposing money, it has to be money that's dedicated specifically towards being matched and not money. 00:16:47.550 --> 00:16:48.760 You don't have yet. 00:16:48.890 --> 00:17:08.050 You're hoping to get down the road, so we're gonna require that if you do a financial match, you have to show us a bank statement or a notice of intent to fund by a bank or other lending institution or any any communication verifying the available funds are there and they have been set aside for the specific activity. 00:17:08.660 --> 00:17:09.990 And this is a big one. 00:17:10.300 --> 00:17:18.630 Under no circumstances can waste diversion funds be used as collateral to secure loans or leverage to secure other funding sources. 00:17:19.100 --> 00:17:20.570 That's a really big no, no. 00:17:20.580 --> 00:17:22.920 And that would get you a proposal disqualified. 00:17:25.820 --> 00:17:27.540 And that is pretty much it. 00:17:27.550 --> 00:17:28.480 I'll open it up to questions. 00:17:35.070 --> 00:17:40.380 Alright, we just had a few new folks join if you wanna ask a question, just put a hand up. 00:17:40.390 --> 00:17:47.940 I'll make you a presenter and and you'll have the availability to ask your question. 00:17:54.590 --> 00:17:56.800 I made uh Laura, a presenter. 00:17:56.810 --> 00:17:58.090 You're welcome to ask your question. 00:18:03.780 --> 00:18:04.480 Does his muted. 00:18:06.760 --> 00:18:07.130 Go. 00:18:07.140 --> 00:18:07.390 OK. 00:18:07.400 --> 00:18:08.250 Can you hear me now? 00:18:08.420 --> 00:18:08.560 Yes. 00:18:08.840 --> 00:18:09.370 Great. 00:18:08.810 --> 00:18:09.370 Yes. 00:18:09.420 --> 00:18:10.710 Ohh OK, thanks so much. 00:18:10.720 --> 00:18:18.570 So I'm calling you from Eastport, Umm and I have a couple of questions based on looking at the previous cycles application. 00:18:18.580 --> 00:18:21.190 So I'm assuming that the application is going to be pretty much the same. 00:18:21.770 --> 00:18:28.590 Real, real similar, just with more detail as I put in the presentation about eligibility and things like that. 00:18:29.340 --> 00:18:31.000 OK, so I have. 00:18:31.010 --> 00:18:33.050 Let's say 1234 questions. 00:18:33.890 --> 00:18:34.380 Not yet. 00:18:35.180 --> 00:18:42.340 OK, so the the first one is we will probably have some in kind as part of our match. 00:18:43.560 --> 00:18:48.870 I couldn't figure out from looking at the application form where where we would put the in kind value. 00:18:48.880 --> 00:18:50.060 How we would note that down. 00:18:50.900 --> 00:18:58.730 In in the cost proposal sheet, there is a grant side and there is a uh side that you put down. 00:18:58.740 --> 00:19:03.060 What you're going to give, if you look at the, I think it's sheet #4. 00:19:04.500 --> 00:19:06.030 OK, OK. 00:19:06.040 --> 00:19:07.730 And so we, I'm sorry, go ahead. 00:19:05.870 --> 00:19:14.210 And and So what you need to do is just like if, let's say you're gonna put your salary or you're putting disposal costing. 00:19:14.380 --> 00:19:21.230 Just get an exact dollar figure and put it in there and the key is get at least 25% of the total. 00:19:21.240 --> 00:19:30.370 So let's say that the project's gonna cost $45,000 and you'd like to get from us 20,000. 00:19:30.620 --> 00:19:32.730 And you say we're gonna put in 25. 00:19:32.820 --> 00:19:36.280 That's more than 25% match, and that's all we're shooting for. 00:19:38.500 --> 00:19:51.790 OK, so if if we had a company that said that it wants, it would be happy to donate us some materials, we would get the in kind dollar amount value of those of those materials and just put that in, no noting that it's in kind. 00:19:52.460 --> 00:19:53.140 Absolutely. 00:19:53.150 --> 00:19:54.950 We're we're not trying to rob the bank here. 00:19:57.090 --> 00:19:57.320 Sure. 00:19:54.960 --> 00:20:00.870 We just want people to have skin in the game and so that 25% match shows that you're not just asking us for money. 00:20:00.880 --> 00:20:02.080 You're committed to what you're doing. 00:20:02.860 --> 00:20:03.510 OK. 00:20:03.770 --> 00:20:04.070 Umm. 00:20:04.330 --> 00:20:06.500 And so also having to do with the match. 00:20:07.290 --> 00:20:12.640 Our municipal budget has the Eastport recycling committee align item, budget and match. 00:20:12.710 --> 00:20:14.230 But budget amount is it. 00:20:14.240 --> 00:20:20.430 Does that qualify for the financial match statement, or do we actually need to get the bank statement you're just referring to? 00:20:21.170 --> 00:20:21.500 No. 00:20:26.710 --> 00:20:26.950 OK. 00:20:21.510 --> 00:20:27.570 If you have matched this dedicated by a town process, that would be satisfactory for us, would you agree with that, Megan? 00:20:29.150 --> 00:20:29.330 Yeah. 00:20:30.190 --> 00:20:30.870 OK, great. 00:20:30.240 --> 00:20:35.970 Make making and I pretty much there's one other person in the group, but we we pretty much agree on almost everything. 00:20:37.840 --> 00:20:38.640 OK, great. 00:20:35.980 --> 00:20:39.140 So it it it's a. 00:20:39.180 --> 00:20:39.750 It's a great group. 00:20:40.640 --> 00:20:41.430 OK. 00:20:41.720 --> 00:20:53.550 And also on the financial side, in the application I saw that there was a there was a statement requirement about the financial viability of the institution or municipality applying. 00:20:53.680 --> 00:20:59.430 So again, could the city of E ports, fiscal year municipal budget qualify for that? 00:20:59.800 --> 00:21:01.160 OK, OK. 00:21:00.020 --> 00:21:01.410 Yeah, I don't see why not. 00:21:01.170 --> 00:21:19.980 And then OK and then the last question, umm, where you're asking for for instance, if we were going to use a subcontractor to do some repair work that we need, we would need to have done, umm well our municipal bid process can't happen until the money actually was awarded to us. 00:21:20.170 --> 00:21:24.240 So we can get estimates, but we cannot do a sub contractor list. 00:21:24.250 --> 00:21:28.850 We can't commit to that until an award happens, so. 00:21:28.610 --> 00:21:29.130 Yeah, it. 00:21:30.260 --> 00:21:31.250 No, that's fine. 00:21:31.320 --> 00:21:32.150 Where? 00:21:32.240 --> 00:21:37.070 Where we ran in the trouble was that we had a community that applied. 00:21:37.320 --> 00:21:38.850 They sent in two forms. 00:21:38.980 --> 00:22:03.710 The first form the contractor applied for the Waste diversion grant, the second form the contractor, was listed as the person, but the the town manager signed it and in essence the way that we do our grants is that the person that signed as the proposal is originator, they get the money and so we had a conflict and we just couldn't, couldn't do it. 00:22:03.720 --> 00:22:16.810 So you can put down contractor fees and you know you can estimate those and those if they're doing, they're helping to construct something or that that's OK we would consider paying those fees. 00:22:17.160 --> 00:22:24.590 But you know, you could also say that in lieu of that, and got an estimate will offer that as match. 00:22:24.820 --> 00:22:25.460 So you could do it. 00:22:25.470 --> 00:22:27.390 You could do it either way, I mean. 00:22:30.410 --> 00:22:31.200 Somebody's. 00:22:31.670 --> 00:22:32.690 Somebody's got some noise. 00:22:35.550 --> 00:22:35.800 Is. 00:22:36.070 --> 00:22:36.670 Is that Laura? 00:22:39.400 --> 00:22:39.620 OK. 00:22:38.910 --> 00:22:39.850 That makes sense, Laura. 00:22:39.950 --> 00:22:40.990 We'll we losing you. 00:22:41.710 --> 00:22:42.530 Yes it does. 00:22:42.540 --> 00:22:43.740 I will go on to mute now. 00:22:43.750 --> 00:22:44.680 That's the end of my question. 00:22:44.690 --> 00:22:45.270 Thank you so much. 00:22:45.650 --> 00:22:46.140 Alright, awesome. 00:22:46.150 --> 00:22:46.490 Thank you. 00:22:49.170 --> 00:22:50.540 And seriously, folks, don't be shy. 00:22:50.550 --> 00:22:54.040 This this is your chance to ask us unabated. 00:22:54.150 --> 00:22:55.080 And you can ask anything. 00:22:57.160 --> 00:22:58.530 So Emma is a. 00:22:59.180 --> 00:22:59.440 OK. 00:23:02.580 --> 00:23:03.600 Yeah. 00:23:03.820 --> 00:23:05.250 Thanks so much for your presentation. 00:23:05.260 --> 00:23:20.410 Mark, I was wondering if you could speak a little more to how the process works if you're planning to Co apply with another business or municipality and do you separate out which funds will go to which business? 00:23:20.420 --> 00:23:26.780 Do you how together is the application versus how separate are the two parts of each entity applying? 00:23:27.550 --> 00:23:27.920 OK. 00:23:27.930 --> 00:23:28.080 I'll. 00:23:30.950 --> 00:23:31.130 Umm. 00:23:28.090 --> 00:23:41.540 I'll give you one and since this public knowledge, I'll say the names garbage to garden worked with the city of Sanford and the city of Sanford was the one that's that signed everything but they wanted the money to go to garbage, to garden. 00:23:41.930 --> 00:23:52.680 So during the contract process, if you just supply as Co applicants during the contract process, we identify who is actually gonna get the funds and they're the person that we write the contract with. 00:23:53.900 --> 00:23:55.070 So that would be how it worked. 00:23:55.080 --> 00:23:59.950 Now if you want to have some money, go to you and some money, go to a contractor. 00:24:00.460 --> 00:24:10.680 I would suggest that if you're a municipality or another entity, you apply for the grant and then put in the cost proposal that these funds are gonna go towards this piece. 00:24:11.780 --> 00:24:17.700 That would be the best way to do it, but if you wanna apply as cohabitants we can figure it out during contract writing. 00:24:19.260 --> 00:24:20.290 OK, awesome. 00:24:20.380 --> 00:24:20.810 Thank you. 00:24:24.150 --> 00:24:24.350 Yeah. 00:24:20.820 --> 00:24:36.750 Because I I'm here representing a pleasant mountain, and we have, we have one of our colleagues from Sugarloaf on as well, and technically we're separate businesses, but we do a lot together, so if we were considering applying together, I just wanted to kind of hash out how that would work. 00:24:37.360 --> 00:24:38.030 Absolutely. 00:24:38.040 --> 00:24:39.810 I mean, that's the best way in. 00:24:40.120 --> 00:24:41.520 What do you think about this, Megan? 00:24:41.530 --> 00:24:43.990 I I think I'd like both people to sign it as well. 00:24:44.440 --> 00:24:47.580 If they're coat applicants, does that work for you, or does it really matter? 00:24:51.640 --> 00:24:51.840 Yeah. 00:24:48.560 --> 00:24:53.290 I think that's what we had before was trying to remember what garbage to Garden Sanford did. 00:24:56.860 --> 00:24:57.060 Yep. 00:24:53.300 --> 00:24:57.290 But I think they did both sign and we had contacts at both entities. 00:25:14.390 --> 00:25:14.510 Yes. 00:24:57.300 --> 00:25:15.170 Just so if we could reach out of questions came up and I think you probably mentioned this mark, but just in case people can look at the RFP page and pull up comments and review information from the previous rounds of grants, which might be helpful if you're thinking about applying cause you can go back and see how we scored things. 00:25:15.180 --> 00:25:19.760 And it's I think that's a good a good process to go through if you're thinking about applying. 00:25:20.700 --> 00:25:21.330 Absolutely. 00:25:21.340 --> 00:25:45.790 And I would encourage you to go on the purchases page with the RFP is and if you go down, Scroll down to the bottom, you'll see at the very, very bottom is waste diversion grant and you can see every single cycle that has happened since 2018 and all of the preselection package, it's like 140 to 160 pages long, but you see every single bit that goes into it and get an idea of what you're up against. 00:25:46.240 --> 00:25:46.750 That's great. 00:25:46.760 --> 00:25:47.380 Great suggestion. 00:25:49.330 --> 00:25:49.760 Awesome. 00:25:49.770 --> 00:25:50.250 Thank you guys. 00:25:59.270 --> 00:26:01.060 So there's yeah. 00:25:59.340 --> 00:26:01.100 It's like look, Laura again. 00:26:05.120 --> 00:26:05.880 Oh, OK, OK. 00:26:14.710 --> 00:26:14.970 OK. 00:26:02.600 --> 00:26:15.970 I think her hand is just up from the first time still, so we're all caught up on the hands that one up in the first round. 00:26:23.740 --> 00:26:24.680 Any other questions? 00:26:24.690 --> 00:26:26.270 I'm surprised there's not more. 00:26:26.280 --> 00:26:31.210 Usually there's there's a lots and lots of questions about subtle nuances. 00:26:31.720 --> 00:26:33.260 I can't believe I explained it that well. 00:26:41.030 --> 00:26:43.540 Maybe it's because you've done a bunch of these presentations. 00:26:43.550 --> 00:26:44.660 Now you've covered it all. 00:26:54.000 --> 00:26:54.280 OK. 00:26:54.270 --> 00:26:54.460 Umm. 00:26:45.820 --> 00:27:01.970 Well, it I just, I think that this is really important and I think we're gonna do these for every round from now on because I I I just, I hate having people send me emails or phone calls and I tell them that I can't talk to them until it's all done. 00:27:02.400 --> 00:27:03.130 I I just. 00:27:03.180 --> 00:27:09.260 I'm a people person and I wanna be able to have discussions with people so Ohh town of Soland. 00:27:09.890 --> 00:27:10.130 Yeah. 00:27:12.520 --> 00:27:13.500 We made your presenter. 00:27:22.920 --> 00:27:23.460 Are they muted? 00:27:24.300 --> 00:27:24.890 No. 00:27:25.320 --> 00:27:28.890 So we're not hearing you if you are speaking. 00:27:35.230 --> 00:27:37.460 It if your audio doesn't work. 00:27:39.920 --> 00:27:40.570 It's off. 00:27:41.630 --> 00:27:42.400 You want me to turn it? 00:27:42.410 --> 00:27:42.840 I can't. 00:27:37.470 --> 00:27:43.320 If you wanna type a question in the chat, if anybody wants to type, oh, the chat is yeah. 00:27:42.930 --> 00:27:43.710 I can turn it on. 00:27:43.330 --> 00:27:44.720 Turn, turn, turn the chat on. 00:27:45.550 --> 00:27:46.350 OK, let's see. 00:27:44.730 --> 00:27:49.430 Yeah, because because there are people that are shy that don't like to be on camera. 00:27:50.100 --> 00:27:50.300 OK. 00:27:50.020 --> 00:27:52.900 Any questions you have bump them into chat and we'll do it that way too. 00:27:59.770 --> 00:28:01.180 Do you want to talk a little bit, Megan? 00:28:01.190 --> 00:28:09.550 About some of the some of the projects that that we've done that you really like yourself because you're you're kind of the materials recycling person. 00:28:11.140 --> 00:28:11.470 That is. 00:28:10.950 --> 00:28:12.380 Yeah, well, sure. 00:28:12.390 --> 00:28:18.480 I I think one of my favorite recent ones that comes to mind cause some of the ones that have been farther back. 00:28:18.490 --> 00:28:28.540 I'm are a little bit distant my memory, but I really like the South Portland one, so the city of South Portland applied for a grant to do a lending program. 00:28:28.550 --> 00:28:30.670 So they're running it. 00:28:30.710 --> 00:28:43.300 It's like you would do a library, but they're doing it for electric tools so that people can, for one thing, not not have to buy something new and just be able to, you know, go out and get an electric tool to use when they need it. 00:28:43.550 --> 00:28:47.200 But it's also good because not everybody can afford to buy an electric tool. 00:28:47.210 --> 00:28:56.910 They tend to be more expensive than some of the gas powered stuff, so it's a great way to reduce waste because people are sharing something instead of going out and buying something that sits in their garage. 00:28:56.950 --> 00:29:00.960 You know, 80% of the time, that's a program I really enjoyed. 00:29:03.280 --> 00:29:05.930 I think I I love this swap shops. 00:29:06.860 --> 00:29:07.130 Umm. 00:29:05.940 --> 00:29:08.290 Any kind of transfer station swap shop program. 00:29:08.300 --> 00:29:11.370 I just think those are fantastic. Umm. 00:29:11.010 --> 00:29:18.260 And and and even though I'm the organic sky, I absolutely love the lending library. 00:29:18.270 --> 00:29:20.020 But I also love the repair clinics. 00:29:24.900 --> 00:29:25.280 Mm-hmm. 00:29:20.030 --> 00:29:34.600 Where you have retired members of the Community that are mechanically inclined and on a Saturday they go to the transfer station, people bring in junk equipment and they teach them how to fix it and they turn it back into usable stuff and they leave with a working piece of equipment. 00:29:34.950 --> 00:29:36.530 That's really cool stuff. 00:29:36.540 --> 00:29:41.380 That's people working together and that's people reusing things before they throw them out. 00:29:41.770 --> 00:29:42.600 So awesome. 00:29:42.520 --> 00:29:43.060 Very good. 00:29:42.610 --> 00:29:45.800 OK, so so is someone gonna submit a question? 00:29:45.800 --> 00:29:46.110 Yeah. 00:29:46.120 --> 00:29:49.070 They they asked about getting a bailer and that is absolutely eligible. 00:29:48.890 --> 00:29:50.380 Yep, big time. 00:29:50.390 --> 00:29:50.920 Big time. 00:29:51.250 --> 00:29:52.140 Yep, Yep. 00:29:49.080 --> 00:29:52.380 We funded a couple projects for Bailers, yeah. 00:29:52.510 --> 00:30:03.080 And and as I said, the another big one that's just come into view is is glass crushers and creating like sand and things like that and you know so. 00:30:03.090 --> 00:30:05.320 So there's all kinds of projects that are really out there. 00:30:05.370 --> 00:30:05.920 There. 00:30:07.140 --> 00:30:15.510 I can tell you that since the history of the waste of urgent grant program, 80% of the applicants that have won awards have been organics. 00:30:15.860 --> 00:30:20.030 But that's not because there weren't great other ones. 00:30:20.040 --> 00:30:23.170 It's just that that each cycle that tends to dominate. 00:30:23.400 --> 00:30:31.330 But we've also had some really incredible swap shops, some incredible repair clinics and the lending libraries are awesome. 00:30:39.120 --> 00:30:40.200 Yeah, they formed a Co-op. 00:30:31.540 --> 00:30:40.580 Allagash Brewery did a really nice recycling proposal that was really cool, bringing community members in, so there's a lot of awesome stuff out there. 00:30:40.830 --> 00:30:41.580 Yeah, awesome. 00:30:41.210 --> 00:30:46.880 Yeah, the allegation is another really great one because they're they have a coop and they have they have Fridays open. 00:30:46.890 --> 00:30:50.710 So people from the community can bring stuff in and are also working with other breweries to recycle. 00:30:51.760 --> 00:30:54.590 Kind of like supply chain materials that wouldn't normally get recycled. 00:30:54.860 --> 00:31:04.030 Another project that was really great was the one at Naswa and Arista County and they because you mentioned in class they got containers to store glass. 00:31:04.120 --> 00:31:11.080 So they could actually start recycling the non bottled build glass and that was another really good project I will say with the glass sand. 00:31:11.090 --> 00:31:17.290 Just make sure you have a place to use the glass sand afterward, because you're going to be if you end up making a ton of it. 00:31:17.560 --> 00:31:29.530 You just want to have uses for it like through public works or something cuz that is an issue that has cropped up with some of the glass crashing in the past is that you might have too much of it on your hands. 00:31:30.960 --> 00:31:32.200 Ohm Laura had a comment. 00:31:32.890 --> 00:31:33.060 Yeah. 00:31:33.070 --> 00:31:34.890 Yep, said said that Baylor donated. 00:31:37.570 --> 00:32:10.590 And then of course we we funded many compost facility startups and there is a provision in the the rules, the the solid waste management rules for composting Chapter 410 that allows you to compost up to 5 cubic yards per month without a DPP permit and another provision in the solid waste rules allows you to set up food collection areas and all you have to do is just submit a registration form with no cost to let people know where they are and they can then pick them up. 00:32:10.600 --> 00:32:12.960 So those are all really good things. 00:32:14.340 --> 00:32:14.920 He barks. 00:32:14.930 --> 00:32:20.810 So Laura's question was they have a Baylor, that Baylor, that they were donated is in parts and hasn't been assembled. 00:32:21.020 --> 00:32:27.970 So she's wondering if assembling and testing the Baylor to determine if it actually functions would be eligible for the grant program. 00:32:28.810 --> 00:32:29.760 Absolutely. 00:32:29.770 --> 00:32:30.420 And I would. 00:32:30.430 --> 00:32:42.220 I would hope that as you apply for that that you would also look at the bigger picture of what it will do once it's working and and make it all part of the application process. 00:32:43.030 --> 00:32:43.740 You know what I mean? 00:32:43.750 --> 00:32:47.420 It's like we've had people say, well, we want to set up a school compost operation. 00:32:47.890 --> 00:33:01.140 We actually are lowest one we've ever paid $345.00 was a community garden in South Paris that said they wanted to just set up some composting of the vegetative material that's generated after they weed out their gardens and things. 00:33:01.380 --> 00:33:06.180 And it's a it's a garden that is seen by people from all over the world. 00:33:06.630 --> 00:33:11.380 And for $347, they wanted to buy like 3 or 4 compost units. 00:33:11.650 --> 00:33:21.400 I mean, that's the kind of stuff that we as a group we look at that proposal and we immediately like how can you say no, you know, I mean of of the impact for that little bit of money. 00:33:21.410 --> 00:33:32.710 So we are human and we do love a great story and if we can see how your project is gonna benefit many food pantries, things like that, they haven't applied. 00:33:32.720 --> 00:33:34.620 Food pantries are super eligible. 00:33:34.900 --> 00:33:37.070 That's another one that's near and dear to my heart. 00:33:37.080 --> 00:33:42.420 So I think that you just need to think about a project that you'd like to do. 00:33:42.600 --> 00:33:49.700 Think about the impact that it could have and then ask about the nuts and bolts of it in your proposal and and. 00:33:49.590 --> 00:33:51.680 Right, refrigerated storage for food. 00:33:51.690 --> 00:33:52.700 I think that would be. 00:33:54.450 --> 00:33:55.010 Yep, Yep. 00:33:52.760 --> 00:33:55.560 That's been something's been talked about as a need to rescue more food. 00:33:55.570 --> 00:34:01.480 That would definitely be a great thing that would love to to see applications for more food. 00:34:00.710 --> 00:34:01.530 Absolutely. 00:34:01.490 --> 00:34:01.990 Rest there. 00:34:03.590 --> 00:34:04.040 So really. 00:34:07.150 --> 00:34:07.770 Yep, Yep. 00:34:03.650 --> 00:34:09.030 I've also seen some community refrigerator projects not in Maine, but I've seen presentations about community refrigerator projects. 00:34:09.040 --> 00:34:10.960 It's another great, great option. 00:34:11.750 --> 00:34:22.940 Well, one of the coolest things that I've seen in recent years is I went to the the town at Cornville to one of their schools and they actually had a refrigerator in the center where all the kids hang out. 00:34:23.130 --> 00:34:31.660 And if you were in the cafeteria and you had your meal and you didn't drink your milk or you didn't eat this or that, you can put it in that refrigerator. 00:34:31.670 --> 00:34:42.790 And it was a common share refrigerator that anybody could take stuff from it anytime during the day or if they were going home and they were food insecure and they didn't want people to see them. 00:34:42.800 --> 00:34:57.890 They could wait till the end of school, fill up their backpack and go and Speaking of backpacks, the backpack program where where kids that that are food insecure, they're identified, but they're not labeled, they're not called out and a backpack is ready for them full of food. 00:34:58.180 --> 00:35:03.400 That project is awesome, and getting that instituted throughout the state absolutely cool. 00:35:08.650 --> 00:35:10.780 We want to give money away and we wanna. 00:35:10.790 --> 00:35:13.640 We wanna make these projects really help the state of Maine. 00:35:13.650 --> 00:35:14.630 That's our two goals. 00:35:19.620 --> 00:35:21.110 Just I think, OK. 00:35:19.450 --> 00:35:21.220 I made Ellen and presenter, yes. 00:35:25.210 --> 00:35:29.560 So Ellen just unmute yourself and then we'll be able to hear you. 00:35:40.890 --> 00:35:42.840 Ellen Poe from Southwest harbor. 00:35:43.150 --> 00:35:58.770 I'm wondering if you have any wisdom for towns that are part of MRC and looking forward to the Hamden plant coming online with their diversion technologies. 00:35:59.960 --> 00:36:03.070 And as you know, we cannot divert organic waste. 00:36:03.610 --> 00:36:09.530 So it's kind of a large question, but there are 115 towns of as you know. 00:36:10.010 --> 00:36:17.430 So any thoughts that you could share would be helpful for us to craft our best proposal. Thanks. 00:36:16.710 --> 00:36:32.960 I can tell you that I actually have worked with the MRC in schools doing doing school operations, school compost setups where they're concerned without getting too far out on a limb, which I've been known to do. 00:36:33.330 --> 00:36:42.930 They're concerned with large scale amounts of organics taking away from a guaranteed annual tonnage that they that they have promised to the facility. 00:36:44.200 --> 00:36:52.230 But I understand that that is also residential municipal type material. 00:36:52.740 --> 00:36:56.790 So I do not know if that impacts commercial as well. 00:36:57.350 --> 00:37:06.320 So I'll just say that as a question mark, there's a guy in Hamden who's starting a compost called Earth first or First Earth. 00:37:08.780 --> 00:37:09.030 Uh-huh. 00:37:06.330 --> 00:37:14.790 Either it's one way or the other, and he's actually reaching out to businesses in the Hamden area, so I'm not trying to stir anything up. 00:37:14.880 --> 00:37:24.390 I can just tell you that they have given me permission over time to work with schools, and I actually did, an MRC supported school compost operation so. 00:37:27.540 --> 00:37:27.990 Thank you. 00:37:28.000 --> 00:37:28.860 I appreciate your thoughts. 00:37:29.600 --> 00:37:30.390 Absolutely. 00:37:30.400 --> 00:37:31.350 I can't go any further. 00:37:45.460 --> 00:37:54.240 How would we if if I wanted to just gauge this audience about how many would propose an organics program and how many would propose something else? 00:37:54.440 --> 00:37:56.530 How could we do that and see it on here? 00:37:56.820 --> 00:37:57.150 Do you know? 00:37:59.920 --> 00:38:01.420 Just have everybody put it in the chat. 00:38:01.430 --> 00:38:01.990 What they would do? 00:38:03.790 --> 00:38:05.830 Yeah, you could go about it that way. 00:38:05.920 --> 00:38:13.570 Or if you can get a good read on reactions, you could just ask them to give you a thumbs up. 00:38:18.170 --> 00:38:18.860 OK. 00:38:13.580 --> 00:38:19.810 But I think the chat would be the best way to get that information. 00:38:18.930 --> 00:38:20.080 I I'm just always it. 00:38:20.470 --> 00:38:35.760 I'm always interested in what you folks are thinking and so if you don't mind, just type in the chat organics, recycling, repair, reuse, whatever you think you might like to do, because that gives us an idea of kind of what the interest is out there. 00:38:38.310 --> 00:38:38.750 Umm. 00:38:35.770 --> 00:38:39.210 And Megan and I are always looking to see what that looks like. 00:38:39.730 --> 00:38:40.230 All right, cool. 00:38:41.090 --> 00:38:47.230 And I would just suggest if you do organics, if you could specify if you want to do food rescue or if you want to do composting. 00:38:49.820 --> 00:38:50.570 Or both. 00:38:50.660 --> 00:38:51.360 Both is better. 00:38:48.470 --> 00:38:58.080 Or both because there are groups that have applied for the food collection and then to to compost it at the transfer station, which is totally cool. 00:38:58.620 --> 00:39:01.870 So looks like Recycling's winning Megan. 00:39:02.730 --> 00:39:03.050 OK. 00:39:02.940 --> 00:39:03.440 So far. 00:39:16.070 --> 00:39:17.370 Wow, that's awesome. 00:39:19.740 --> 00:39:22.960 Oh, Mark, did you see Laura's comment about limited space for composting? 00:39:21.710 --> 00:39:23.950 I Laura. 00:39:23.960 --> 00:39:27.810 Laura, let me tell you what that is true, but it's not true. 00:39:28.220 --> 00:39:47.150 I I'm actually I've worked with the island of Vinyl Haven and what we have done is we've taken used toters the ones that they put the salmon in the the 1 cubic yard insulated toters and we've actually put PVC piping in the bottom with holes drilled in it. 00:39:47.400 --> 00:40:03.590 And then we have the pipe come out of the back of that and it attaches to a blower and they've created aerated composting bins that they use on the island to compost their food scraps, along with carbon from the storm debris that falls down. 00:40:03.600 --> 00:40:06.360 They have that ground up and it turns it into carbon. 00:40:06.680 --> 00:40:13.820 So being an island community means you do things a little differently, but you still have the same capabilities. 00:40:33.790 --> 00:40:34.010 There. 00:40:33.710 --> 00:40:34.020 Umm. 00:40:34.070 --> 00:40:34.970 Laura asked if there was. 00:40:35.750 --> 00:40:36.360 Yeah. 00:40:36.370 --> 00:40:39.080 So I saw the the answer is there is not. 00:40:39.350 --> 00:40:50.720 I believe that I actually have a PowerPoint slide I put together of the whole operation, so if you wanna shoot me an email I can, I can. 00:40:50.760 --> 00:40:52.420 I'll send you that PowerPoint slide. 00:40:52.430 --> 00:40:53.680 It's it's pretty cute. 00:40:53.690 --> 00:41:08.660 It's actually the lady whose husband designed it actually has three bins connected by one PVC pipe in the back, and there's little twists on it that shut off each one to allow the most air flow to go through. 00:41:08.670 --> 00:41:15.280 Just one of them and the blower is actually on a solar panel timer and it's just. 00:41:15.290 --> 00:41:23.480 It's a really cool operation and island communities, especially Coastal Island communities, have lots of these toasters kicking around. 00:41:23.680 --> 00:41:26.870 Some are in bad shape that just need a little time to put back together. 00:41:27.980 --> 00:41:28.920 Spent oil from. 00:41:31.380 --> 00:41:31.730 What's? 00:41:31.740 --> 00:41:32.520 What's that question? 00:41:32.530 --> 00:41:33.590 You read that one, Jessica. 00:41:33.920 --> 00:41:34.140 Umm. 00:41:33.600 --> 00:41:34.530 The spent oil. 00:41:36.420 --> 00:41:36.940 Go ahead, Megan. 00:41:38.690 --> 00:41:46.100 So they're wondering about collecting spent oil from the public and using it in a waste oil burner for their water treatment plant. 00:41:47.290 --> 00:41:50.220 I think that's awesome that that's that's A and. 00:41:50.230 --> 00:41:54.460 And so the idea would be, are you looking to set up a collection system? 00:41:54.470 --> 00:41:56.780 Are you looking to purchase a waste oil burner? 00:41:57.210 --> 00:42:04.750 What do you look cause cause that's actually taking waste oil and using it in that manner is very much in tune with the waste of urging grant. 00:42:10.830 --> 00:42:12.180 I think she's typing an answer. 00:42:12.890 --> 00:42:13.350 OK, cool. 00:42:21.040 --> 00:42:21.520 Purchases. 00:42:23.970 --> 00:42:24.230 OK. 00:42:20.980 --> 00:42:26.810 They would be looking to purchase a scrubber for the burner and a collection they would be doing a collection system and purchasing this forever. 00:42:28.180 --> 00:42:29.560 Are there any of the burner? 00:42:29.570 --> 00:42:29.900 Yeah. 00:42:29.910 --> 00:42:31.650 So they're just be mitigating emissions. 00:42:27.650 --> 00:42:32.750 I I think, yeah, I mean, do you agree? 00:42:34.370 --> 00:42:36.520 Yeah, I think I think that would be eligible. 00:42:37.030 --> 00:42:38.240 Yep, absolutely. 00:42:38.950 --> 00:42:49.780 And just remember I'm I'm saying yes to a whole bunch of stuff, but as the applications come in, I have a team of three of us who all really love everything. 00:42:50.170 --> 00:42:53.440 And then when we get together, we we may score some really high scores. 00:42:53.890 --> 00:42:57.810 And the problem is that we may score more than we have money now. 00:42:57.820 --> 00:43:05.560 That's not necessarily a bad thing, because sometimes if we have more good projects then we have money available. 00:43:05.730 --> 00:43:09.770 I can go to management and try to get a little bit more money added to the tail. 00:43:10.360 --> 00:43:16.200 So and then otherwise, if something happens where we can't do that, then we have to make hard decisions. 00:43:17.250 --> 00:43:24.150 But in most times we have not ever had a situation where we couldn't fund the ones that we had selected. 00:43:27.120 --> 00:43:30.810 I think the most we ever gave was 212,000. 00:43:30.820 --> 00:43:34.480 Maybe in one round somewhere that, yeah. 00:43:33.040 --> 00:43:35.110 Sounds about right, something right? 00:43:35.120 --> 00:43:36.380 Just over 200,000. 00:43:45.470 --> 00:43:46.660 So any other thoughts? 00:43:48.450 --> 00:44:37.210 I I I had the pleasant river person with Sugarloaf on and I have been working with bee from Sugarloaf on setting up a series of 30 cubic yard roll off containers that can be used as compost bins where you put horse manure and food scraps in and then you generate compost from the product the the roll off can be picked up with a truck and moved anywhere you want and one of the neat things is this morning I had a phone call from the Superintendent of the Golf Club up there asking me for any places where he could find compost locally as the cation exchange capacity of his soil is at an all time low and it's not able to hold on to nutrients to let the grass grow as pretty as it should. 00:44:37.690 --> 00:44:46.250 So I mentioned to him a whole bunch of places, and then I also talked about this waste of version grant and some of the synergy that's happened on the mountain already. 00:44:46.440 --> 00:44:52.550 So it sounds like maybe the four of you ought to get together and come up with a project that might be possible for us to look at. 00:44:58.440 --> 00:44:59.550 Yeah, that would be. 00:44:59.680 --> 00:45:00.650 That would be wonderful. 00:45:00.760 --> 00:45:07.000 Uh, B actually has transitioned in her role at Sugarloaf, and her replacement is on the call. 00:45:07.930 --> 00:45:08.540 And, oh, sweet. 00:45:08.550 --> 00:45:08.860 OK. 00:45:07.060 --> 00:45:09.520 Heidi. Yeah. 00:45:08.870 --> 00:45:11.820 Well, well, I'll have to come up and visit you guys. 00:45:12.150 --> 00:45:18.780 I so let you know I was actually part of the original compost facility that was built by Kimberly Truskowski. 00:45:19.110 --> 00:45:28.040 She was one of the first students at my compost school when we had it at the widow farm up at Orono, so she was a graduate for the main compose school, very first class. 00:45:33.780 --> 00:45:35.650 So we have all the experts to tap into. 00:45:36.430 --> 00:45:36.760 Uh. 00:45:36.770 --> 00:45:38.280 She she's awesome and she's still around. 00:45:42.720 --> 00:45:44.210 I'm not sure though. 00:45:44.690 --> 00:45:45.880 Yes, from Heidi, there we go. 00:45:46.120 --> 00:45:50.780 Awesome, because she got busted up in a mountain bike accident and I was hoping that she was OK. 00:45:59.550 --> 00:45:59.880 All right. 00:45:59.890 --> 00:46:00.360 Awesome. 00:46:00.470 --> 00:46:01.420 That's that's good to hear. 00:46:01.430 --> 00:46:02.320 I was there the other day. 00:46:02.330 --> 00:46:17.950 I I took several people from the department that are new on a tour and and just showed up some couple sites and we checked out the Earth earth tubs and I could see that one is broken and one looks like it's not to be added to but the other one was doing really well so. 00:46:22.300 --> 00:46:28.660 To any other questions, I feel I feel like I just had this meeting without Jessica. 00:46:28.670 --> 00:46:29.650 A few minutes ago so. 00:46:36.930 --> 00:46:37.250 How many? 00:46:36.860 --> 00:46:41.580 I think opening opening up the chat really helped to get some more dialogue and. 00:46:41.890 --> 00:46:42.250 We're good. 00:46:42.260 --> 00:46:42.400 We're. 00:46:42.410 --> 00:46:51.840 Let's ask this how many people on this call that are left are are gonna submit an application or are are seriously considering submitting an application? 00:46:53.790 --> 00:46:54.200 OK. 00:46:54.210 --> 00:46:54.900 Eastport, yes. 00:46:54.910 --> 00:46:55.070 Cool. 00:46:55.790 --> 00:46:56.010 OK. 00:46:56.990 --> 00:46:57.280 Uh. 00:46:57.290 --> 00:46:59.300 George Kemper just put his hand up her carper. 00:46:59.310 --> 00:46:59.640 I'm sorry. 00:47:00.320 --> 00:47:00.980 I'll go grab a. 00:47:01.630 --> 00:47:02.000 OK. 00:47:02.610 --> 00:47:03.150 All right, good. 00:47:08.800 --> 00:47:09.410 All right, awesome. 00:47:11.450 --> 00:47:13.140 The words you could speak to us when you're ready. 00:47:17.500 --> 00:47:17.830 I'm. 00:47:18.180 --> 00:47:18.710 I'm sorry. 00:47:18.720 --> 00:47:19.400 Can you hear me now? 00:47:20.150 --> 00:47:20.550 Yes, Sir. 00:47:21.050 --> 00:47:26.960 Yeah, we're probably gonna submit an an application right now. 00:47:26.970 --> 00:47:43.440 The only thing we do is some compost thing with an outside agency, but we used to go in with Belfast and recycle a lot of cardboard and and whatever tin cans and stuff. 00:47:44.150 --> 00:47:46.020 But that's falling through. 00:47:46.030 --> 00:48:02.700 So right now we're looking at getting another, uh, compactor a second compactor for all recyclables, and then sending that down to Eco main and have them, you know, go through the recycling on that. 00:48:04.290 --> 00:48:10.240 But it wouldn't cost if we just put a a bucket up there to receive the recyclables. 00:48:10.390 --> 00:48:16.450 It would cost us too much to actually send it down there, so that's why we're looking for a compactor. 00:48:17.030 --> 00:48:25.010 Uh to do the to do the work for us and compact it and then send it down to eco main for a recycling. 00:48:25.950 --> 00:48:40.710 OK, so this relationship with Belfast that that went S is there any chance that you could talk with them about some potential collaborative activities between your group that we could fund with the waste of version grant? 00:48:42.420 --> 00:48:45.290 Yeah, there's a the chance we can talk with them. 00:48:45.300 --> 00:48:48.480 Uh, I doubt it'll it'll raise anything. 00:48:48.490 --> 00:49:07.820 We had problems with Belfast and the schools and once there was a a school that took care of both Sears port and stocked and in Belfast and and that kind of fell through, sometimes they just don't wanna listen or or talk to us unfortunately. 00:49:08.890 --> 00:49:09.260 Yeah. 00:49:09.270 --> 00:49:15.070 The whole consolidation of school districts definitely made some bad blood, and in a lot of ways. 00:49:16.040 --> 00:49:38.550 Umm well if if I can help with that relationship, especially if you're interested in any organics collection or composting, I wouldn't mind coming down and and kind of talking to the groups to see if there's any commonality that we can kind of work with that's kind of what I do for my job is setting up community based composting and food collection and diversion. 00:49:38.980 --> 00:49:43.870 So just keep me in mind if you feel there's an opportunity I can come down and help out. 00:49:44.930 --> 00:49:46.700 No, I really appreciate that. 00:49:46.710 --> 00:49:49.270 Yeah, I will definitely do that. 00:49:48.470 --> 00:49:54.500 I wonder when should one other thing for the recycling to the compactor? 00:49:54.660 --> 00:50:11.200 You mentioned that being less expensive than putting up a large container for single stream that doesn't compact, but the other option would be if you could get just gaylords to start your transfer station and collect source separated materials like just just number one, cardboard #2. 00:50:11.520 --> 00:50:26.220 Some of the things that you might be able to or #2 plastic, cardboard, paper, the things that you might be able to to broker directly, that could be another, cheaper way to be able to offer some recycling and probably significantly less cost. 00:50:26.230 --> 00:50:27.160 But just something to think about. 00:50:27.870 --> 00:50:29.580 Yeah, that's that's a good point. 00:50:29.990 --> 00:50:41.990 Eco Main does at the end of the year figure out how I guess how much they made and and they do kick that back to to the the municipalities that they serve. 00:50:42.750 --> 00:50:59.070 Uh, I think it amounted to costing no 30 some dollars a ton at the end of the year as opposed to a perk which was, which was 86 or something like that at time. 00:50:59.960 --> 00:51:01.110 That's very good, yeah. 00:51:01.980 --> 00:51:02.510 Yeah. 00:51:02.320 --> 00:51:02.820 That is. 00:51:02.520 --> 00:51:14.000 So that's why we thought, you know, going with Eco main and they would take care of all the contacting outside agencies, you know, to to recycle what they had. 00:51:15.020 --> 00:51:15.330 Umm. 00:51:15.030 --> 00:51:21.620 Uh, the only problem was there in Portland and we have to move the the merchandise to to Portland. 00:51:21.970 --> 00:51:24.580 And like I said, an open container. 00:51:25.130 --> 00:51:49.770 You know it, it just isn't worthwhile and and to have somebody to put on an extra help to, to try and get someone to go out and figure out where we're gonna send different items like the cardboard and all ohm starts to get pretty expensive because you're now you're paying another employee umm, but that that's just thought. 00:51:51.530 --> 00:52:05.420 The other thing too is this past Brown, we actually had the town of Montville who had lost their recycling transport system and and they wanted to continue with the recycling program. 00:52:05.430 --> 00:52:12.380 They actually applied for a truck and we helped supply the funds to help them purchase a truck. 00:52:12.490 --> 00:52:15.870 So they could continue with their recycling efforts so. 00:52:15.420 --> 00:52:16.390 Yeah, I saw. 00:52:16.460 --> 00:52:17.220 I saw that. 00:52:18.970 --> 00:52:19.100 And. 00:52:17.230 --> 00:52:20.150 Yeah, yeah, I looked at some of your past. 00:52:20.160 --> 00:52:20.830 You're right. 00:52:21.060 --> 00:52:29.560 Look at some of your past the people that have, you know, addressed this or filed for an RFP. 00:52:30.230 --> 00:52:30.510 Uh. 00:52:38.700 --> 00:52:38.820 Yes. 00:52:30.790 --> 00:52:39.100 In fact, we were talking to Scrap Dog, which you gave not you, but I mean which should the state gave some money for composting. 00:52:40.790 --> 00:52:42.060 Several times. 00:52:39.780 --> 00:52:42.110 Uh, in about 2 years ago. 00:52:42.530 --> 00:52:43.170 Yeah, Dwight. 00:52:42.620 --> 00:52:48.230 Yeah, except the problem with them is they didn't wanna come this far north. 00:52:48.980 --> 00:52:53.050 Umm, so we're looking at another outfit, chickadee. 00:52:53.060 --> 00:52:53.640 Compost. 00:52:54.770 --> 00:52:56.590 No, no. 00:52:56.600 --> 00:52:56.970 Did you? 00:52:54.090 --> 00:52:57.660 Yep, we gave them a grant as well. Set. 00:52:58.800 --> 00:52:59.380 Yep, Yep. 00:52:57.040 --> 00:53:11.570 I I didn't see that one, but yeah, we're talking to her and and she's willing to put some containers at her transfer station and and then I think when we get like a containers fill, she'll she'll pick them up. 00:53:11.870 --> 00:53:16.570 But yeah, to get to get that food scrap, that's unbelievable. 00:53:16.580 --> 00:53:21.910 The amount of weight that, that, that is the food scrapped in, you know. 00:53:23.240 --> 00:53:23.530 That. 00:53:23.020 --> 00:53:32.130 So if we can get that out as a start and and then go with the eco main, you know we'll we'll be doing a lot. 00:53:32.220 --> 00:53:37.540 And then I think down the road, maybe we can get some swap shops open. 00:53:37.550 --> 00:53:39.100 You know, it's a transfer station. 00:53:39.810 --> 00:53:51.360 Uh, but I'd like to get rid of the food scraps first and and we're in talk with like I say with with her and then and then the other compostable things. 00:53:52.310 --> 00:54:01.230 And I'm sure like everybody else, we're getting a lot of Amazon boxes more so, you know, since the pandemic. 00:54:01.240 --> 00:54:05.400 More so than than a lot of other things, really. 00:54:06.110 --> 00:54:12.090 And that's really clogging up the the compactor as far as sending stuff to perk and all. 00:54:13.320 --> 00:54:14.390 Well, absolutely. 00:54:25.590 --> 00:54:25.820 Umm. 00:54:14.400 --> 00:54:28.410 And and just so you know, a first Earth in Hamden, his wife works on Blue Hill for Maine, a northern Maine light, and and he is partnering with Chickadee. 00:54:29.590 --> 00:54:30.100 Ohh. 00:54:29.350 --> 00:54:37.020 So I suspect that maybe when he comes down through the back way to go to chickadee, he's probably going right by you to pick up stuff. 00:54:38.040 --> 00:54:38.240 Yeah. 00:54:37.470 --> 00:54:38.990 So he's probably your pickup service. 00:54:39.780 --> 00:54:41.830 Yeah, yeah, that's a good idea. 00:54:52.860 --> 00:54:53.650 There will be great. 00:54:53.660 --> 00:54:54.270 She would love that. 00:54:41.840 --> 00:54:54.790 We were thinking too of, you know, be advantageous for us to to run a truck over to Blue Hill and Chickadee, actually, yeah. 00:54:54.960 --> 00:54:55.730 Yeah. 00:54:55.790 --> 00:54:58.700 So we're we're trying to get that straightened out. 00:54:58.710 --> 00:55:18.020 And then, like I say, the next step would be a compactor free domain and and that's probably what we're gonna put an RFP in for this year is for that compactor uh, we'd have to run a new new wiring for a second compactor up at the transfer station. 00:55:18.650 --> 00:55:19.260 Uh. 00:55:19.310 --> 00:55:25.350 And move the fence a little bit to to make room for that second compactor unit. 00:55:26.210 --> 00:55:27.740 Uh, but that's that. 00:55:27.790 --> 00:55:33.230 That's what the recycle Committee uh is is planning to do right now. 00:55:35.870 --> 00:55:36.560 Interesting. 00:55:36.930 --> 00:55:46.820 It sounds like you got a lot of projects and just the movement of food is so important because collecting food is a piece of cake. 00:55:46.900 --> 00:55:49.130 Composting food is a piece of cake. 00:55:53.820 --> 00:55:54.060 Yeah. 00:55:49.180 --> 00:56:11.760 Getting it from point A to point B is the biggest killer of the whole process and and so if you can come up with an economic way to transport that, that's interesting too, because those kind of things help us help other parts of the state when the infrastructure is so far away to come up with options in order to get there cheaply and with the least amount of emissions possible. 00:56:13.320 --> 00:56:15.310 Yeah, that that's great. If that. 00:56:15.380 --> 00:56:22.080 Yeah, the the yeah, people from Hamden coming down that that's a good idea. 00:56:25.540 --> 00:56:25.950 Yeah. 00:56:22.090 --> 00:56:26.780 Yeah, we'll have to talk to chickadee about that too. Excellent. 00:56:26.000 --> 00:56:29.960 Well, I I suspect that's part of her idea is that he just does it on the way through. 00:56:30.530 --> 00:56:31.180 Yeah. 00:56:31.230 --> 00:56:32.340 Excellent idea. 00:56:32.400 --> 00:56:32.790 Thank you. 00:56:33.440 --> 00:56:33.760 Yes, Sir. 00:56:39.900 --> 00:56:40.060 No. 00:56:40.060 --> 00:56:43.550 So what was the final tally of people that that might submit an application? 00:56:43.940 --> 00:56:45.620 Was it was it quite prolific? 00:56:48.520 --> 00:56:51.600 Think it's at least 41234. 00:56:52.090 --> 00:56:52.370 OK. 00:56:56.670 --> 00:57:15.020 Well, we're looking forward to this round because our team is really figured it out and the last round we had everything done within like 3 months, whereas the first time we took this over, it took us almost seven months to get a decision and and people were very concerned. 00:57:15.490 --> 00:57:17.690 So we we've definitely streamlined the process. 00:57:18.840 --> 00:57:19.070 No. 00:57:28.510 --> 00:57:29.020 All right. 00:57:29.030 --> 00:57:29.340 Any. 00:57:29.950 --> 00:57:30.450 Last call. 00:57:29.350 --> 00:57:30.770 Any other thoughts? 00:57:30.990 --> 00:57:35.190 Yeah, we probably ought to because we've we've been trying to pull pull things out of people. 00:57:37.850 --> 00:57:54.980 I appreciate everybody coming and and I I guess I'd ask you if you think this was valuable and we should do it more, just just notify that us in the chat cause the feedback would be really helpful if if this was a waste of your time, let me know that too, because I'm just trying to find ways to reach out to people. 00:58:00.360 --> 00:58:03.680 Looks like we have some positive feedback, yeah. 00:58:03.590 --> 00:58:03.740 No. 00:58:05.610 --> 00:58:07.820 I mean we we do this because we love it. 00:58:08.550 --> 00:58:08.880 Umm. 00:58:07.870 --> 00:58:10.580 I mean, this is a good part of our job there. 00:58:10.590 --> 00:58:15.240 There are lots of parts of our job that aren't necessarily awesome, but this is an awesome one so. 00:58:15.440 --> 00:58:18.080 Definitely agree this is such a great project. 00:58:19.350 --> 00:58:19.710 Umm. 00:58:28.940 --> 00:58:30.640 Alright, just do you want to tell them? 00:58:30.650 --> 00:58:32.720 Sort of, when they might expect the. 00:58:34.190 --> 00:58:37.380 Recording and transcription will be done and those kind of things. 00:58:38.050 --> 00:58:38.400 Yeah. 00:58:38.410 --> 00:58:45.540 Turn around is no no more than two weeks and I'm assuming that we're gonna have a link. 00:58:47.230 --> 00:58:54.660 Are you gonna make kind of like a folder of information in which you'll include this recording and the transcription? 00:58:54.670 --> 00:58:58.310 Are you planning to have a link available on the programs website? 00:59:01.790 --> 00:59:02.030 OK. 00:59:07.020 --> 00:59:07.220 Cool. 00:58:59.690 --> 00:59:11.850 I'm gonna have it on the program's website and the RFP press release when David sends it out, I'm gonna embed that in there and I'm going to check with purchases to see if I can embed it in the RFP. 00:59:12.120 --> 00:59:15.810 But they're very specific about stuff and and that's the other thing. 00:59:15.820 --> 00:59:39.050 The reason why we have all these wonky rules that I can't talk to you at any time after you submit things and the written comment period is done, it's because purchases has dealt with so many RFP and and other bid processes all these years and there's just so many places where things go awry and there's a party that gets impacted that results in lots of conflict. 00:59:47.270 --> 00:59:47.420 OK. 00:59:39.420 --> 00:59:48.410 So they have very, very strict provisions on what they do so that we do not have any appeals at the end of the process that everybody feels well served. 00:59:48.620 --> 00:59:55.940 So that's why we wanted to do this so that we could give people a chance to kind of just get all their anxious questions out of the way and go from there. 00:59:57.120 --> 00:59:57.310 Cool. 01:00:02.490 --> 01:00:03.420 OK, I dropped. 01:00:02.580 --> 01:00:04.350 All right, I get so good. 01:00:03.670 --> 01:00:05.550 I dropped a link to the website. 01:00:05.810 --> 01:00:06.170 Oh, cool. 01:00:05.910 --> 01:00:10.680 The programs web page, I think that's I got the right one. 01:00:20.800 --> 01:00:22.080 Oh, that's on the purchases. 01:00:24.750 --> 01:00:25.070 OK. 01:00:22.140 --> 01:00:26.960 But so that's on the actual RFP, but it's the purchases website where they keep all those stored. 01:00:27.930 --> 01:00:29.630 And it is linked to from that. 01:00:27.590 --> 01:00:30.420 OK, so I didn't share that link. Ohh. 01:00:30.110 --> 01:00:31.140 It is linked from that page. 01:00:30.070 --> 01:00:32.230 Yeah, that link is is within the. 01:00:33.680 --> 01:00:35.340 On the on the waste divergent page. 01:00:33.720 --> 01:00:36.410 OK, OK, cool. 01:00:37.840 --> 01:00:38.980 So they'll find it all there. 01:00:39.570 --> 01:00:39.770 Yeah. 01:00:40.840 --> 01:00:41.360 All right. 01:00:42.240 --> 01:00:43.690 OK, I'll stop the recording now. 01:00:44.500 --> 01:00:45.010 OK. 01:00:45.630 --> 01:00:45.880 Right. 01:00:45.070 --> 01:00:48.050 I guess at this stage we we shall bid you all ADO. 01:00:48.420 --> 01:01:01.610 Thanks for coming and we will probably be doing this again in the spring and in that way we're going to do 2 rounds a year, spring fall and hopefully we'll see you in this round and if not, we'll see you in the spring. 01:01:03.000 --> 01:01:05.550 So all right, awesome.