Minutes November 14, 2006

Minutes of General Meeting 

Present: Kären Nady, Interim President, Glenn Robinson, Treasurer Cathy Barnette, Don Terry SEEDS Governmental Affairs, Lon Johnston, Utility and Louie Nady, Finance

Absent: Ernest Berger, Membership, Frank Lamb Vice President, Frieda Romanchuk, Beautification

Guests: 14 guests

Guest Speaker: Rob McElroy, Director of Daphne Utilities.

Karen Nady called the meeting to order at 7:03 p.m., welcomed those attending and made brief remarks before introducing Mr. McElroy

Program:  Utility Department and Bio-Diesel

Mr. McElroy began his power point presentation with comments that he has served as director for 1 ½ years.  The department serves approx 10,000 households (18,000 people) and 75 commercial establishments with water, sewer and natural gas.  The Department has 80 employees and 65 trucks.

Mr. McElroy began his comments by linking oil waste and the need for fuel.  Oil and grease in the sewer lines remains a problem.  He used the example of ice cream and that even rinsing a bowl puts grease in the line. If every household in the city puts one teaspoon of grease in the drain a day it will add up to seven 55 gallon drums of grease a month, eventually causing municipal lines to plug.  Energy costs are high and there is a need to have available fuel.  Also, Daphne is located in a delicate environmental area and a solution for grease needed to be found before a major problem occurred.

Bio-diesel has been innovative for Daphne. 

The oil to bio-diesel program has 17 collection site around town for picking up a container and dropping off used cooking oils.  The next goal is to collect from businesses and set standards for grease traps.

Fuel Issues:  The City gas tank holds a 10,000 supply and after Katrina there was concern about availability of fuel for the City vehicles.  Need a source of our own.  The oil recycling program is a year old, pure waste produces a viable fuel   Originally  processed in 55 gal cans, the recycled grease and cooking oil is processed in 1,500 gal propane tanks retrofitted for the diesel process.  The fuel is less toxic, lower emissions and breaks down easier.  It costs about $1 a gal.  The goal is to have 50% of the fleet on diesel in 7 years and supply the city with diesel fuel. 

The 11 emergency generators at water treatment lift stations can be powered by bio-diesel.  We rent the generators and 24 hours of use can cost up to $500 with purchased fuel.

The process from collected cooking oil to bio-diesel produces 90% fuel and 10% glycerin by product. Thus, 1,000 gal of fuel produces 110 gal.of glycerin.  Currently the waste glycerin is made into soap to use as an advertisement for the process.

Reducing Bio-solids: Looking to use anaerobic digestive bugs in a synergistic system to digest glycerin and produce methane.

For the community: the bio-diesel program eliminates disposal costs of grease and oil, creates fewer sewer spills from plugs, cleaner air and creates an less expensive fuel.

Bio-solids, aerobic digestive are used and the effluent is put into Blakeley River. The bio-solids are 7-9-0, do not have a strong odor and can be used as a soil amendment. It is used by sod farmers, bagged and given away at Earth Day and 30 cu yards are produced daily.

Other department innovations and creative partnerships;
The Utility Department has acquired donated plants for landscaping utility  sites throughout the city. One example is transplanting  300 sago palm “pups” from Civic Center plants,  and then re-planting them throughout  the city.  Last year, 400 azaela plants were donated by growers in Mobile at the end of the season.  Recycling plants for use throughout the city.  Also, using grants, the department is working with  Daphne HS on the diesel program as part of environmental education. 

Mr. McElroy brought a solar cooker to demo how the 3^rd world can cook.  He provided plans for the cooker, soaps made by his daughter using the glycerin byproduct from the bio-diesel program and Utility department handouts about the program. Mr. McElroy took questions from the audience.

• Is there state or federal funding for bio-diesel programs?

•  It was suggested that the Utility Department partner with Public Works and deliver 2 plastic oil containers to every home in Daphne. 

• Where do we stand on providing sewers to the entire city?  The department maintains treatment, but does not build the sewers,  that is a City function.

• What are costs to establish gravity sewers versus low pressure grinder pumps.?  Gravity systems are considerably more costly to construct.

• Do bio-solids have an odor? No, till in the soil and mix with wood ash for an 8-8-8 mixture.

New Business:

Architecture and historical preservation was discussed.  Ernie Berger suggested that the pottery kiln next to the City museum needs to be preserved, as well as other elements in Olde Towne.  Cathy Barnette gave an Olde Towne: a new restaurant will open in town and the owner has opened the Camellia Café in the interim. The downtown redevelopment committee would like to have power and phone underground and has formed an architectural review committee for the overlay district. The Olde Towne district boundary is school to school, but there has been some discussion about extending it to the former site of Judge Roy Beans. Al Guarisco commented that The Village Point Park Preserve is closed while Yancey Branch is dredged.  The project is 80%/20% federal/Daphne funds.

Karen thanked Mr. McElroy for his presentation and announced that the Utility Department was selected to receive the OTDA Community Spirit Award for 2006 for its innovation in developing the bio-diesel program.  The award will be given at the December 5^th Council meeting.  Also, she commented that the Bay Buddy program, taught in local schools was originally developed by the Daphne Utility Department.  Our community should be proud of both programs.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:15 p.m.