Item Description:
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Neg four agmts with various cities for organics drop-off grants, 11/06/25-11/05/27, combined total NTE $29,500
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Resolution:
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BE IT RESOLVED, that the County Administrator be authorized to negotiate the following agreements during the period November 6, 2025, to November 5, 2027, with a total amount not to exceed $29,500:
• PR00007831 with the City of Bloomington for an organics drop-off grant, not to exceed $15,000;
• PR00007830 with the City of Hopkins for an organics drop-off grant, not to exceed $6,100;
• PR00007829 with the City of Robbinsdale for an organics drop-off grant, not to exceed $5,000;
• PR00007832 with the City of Greenfield for an organics drop-off grant, not to exceed $3,400; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that following review and approval by the County Attorney’s Office, the County Administrator be authorized to sign the agreement on behalf of the county; and that the Controller be authorized to disburse funds as directed.
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Background:
Expanding access to organics drop-off sites is a priority in the county’s plan to reinvent the solid waste system and the Solid Waste Management Plan. Studies continue to show that organic materials comprise about 25-30% of trash. Organics recycling is our biggest opportunity to make further progress toward our zero waste and climate action goals.
Organics drop-off sites fill a service gap for residents who do not have access to city curbside organics recycling programs. For people who live in multifamily buildings, organics drop-off sites may be the most accessible option for recycling organic waste.
The City of Bloomington will provide an organics drop-off at either Wright’s Lake Park or Smith Park. This will be the third drop-off site in Bloomington. The site will include an enclosure that is easy for residents to use while discouraging illegal dumping. The city will cover ongoing hauling, maintenance, and outreach. The city expects about 150 households to participate.
The City of Hopkins will provide an organics drop-off at Downtown Park, a location with a high density of multifamily housing nearby. Hopkins does not currently have an organics drop-off site, which means that their multifamily residents do not have an organics recycling option. Funding from this grant will be used to purchase collection carts, outreach materials, and supplies. The city expects about 300 households to participate.
The City of Robbinsdale will provide an organics drop-off site at 3933 West Broadway. Robbinsdale does not currently have a drop-off site for organics and this site is located near dense multifamily housing. The city will use grant funds to build an enclosure, provide signage, promote the site, and incentivize participation by providing supplies for program participants, including compostable bags, countertop pails, and informational materials. The city expects about 100 households to sign up and use the site in the first two years.
The City of Greenfield currently has an organics drop-off site located at City Hall. Greenfield does not have curbside organics collection, and this drop-off is the only option for residents to participate in organics recycling. The city will use grants funds to help subsidize hauling costs, promote the site, and purchase organics pails and bags to incentivize residents to sign up to participate. Greenfield expects to add around 40 new households to participate.
Current Request:
This request seeks authorization for the County Administrator to negotiate the following four agreements with cities for organics drop-off grants during the period November 6, 2025, to November 5, 2027, with a total amount not to exceed $29,500:
• PR00007831 with the City of Bloomington, not to exceed $15,000
• PR00007830 with the City of Hopkins, not to exceed $6,100
• PR00007829 with the City of Robbinsdale, not to exceed $5,000
• PR00007832 with the City of Greenfield, not to exceed $3,400
Impact/Outcomes:
These funds will establish four new organics drop-off sites in the county and increase access to organics recycling, especially for residents who live in multifamily units not served by city programs.
Organics drop-off grants support the county’s disparity elimination efforts by increasing access to organics recycling for underserved residents who live in multifamily housing units that do not have curbside service. One of the county’s highest impact zero-waste actions is to ensure every individual has equitable access to zero-waste tools to accelerate a zero-waste future.
recommendation
Recommendation from County Administrator: Recommend Approval