OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Jacksonville Transportation, Energy & Utilities Committee Meeting – March 17, 2026

City CouncilTuesday, March 17, 2026
BodyJacksonville, Florida
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, March 17, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:27:30

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

It is now 9 30, and I hereby call the uh JEU meeting to order.

0:11

Um, we will have public comments um at the end of our meeting.

0:16

Um, only matters that are on the agenda today.

0:21

Um we will have everyone introduce themselves, and then we will start our agenda, and we'll start to my left, Mr.

0:31

Delaney.

0:32

Good morning, Bill Delaney, Mayor's Office.

0:38

Stephen Libby, Council Research.

0:40

Carla Shell, Office of General Counsel.

0:42

Edward Lindsky Council Auditor's Office.

0:50

Jacoby Pittman, District 10.

0:53

Uh Matt Carlucci at large group four.

0:56

Good morning, Tyrona Clack Murray.

0:58

Happy St.

0:59

Patrick's Day.

1:00

I can't believe nobody mentioned that.

1:02

Councilwoman Clark Murray will pinch us all.

1:05

Good morning.

1:05

Rachman Johnson, District 14, the West Side.

1:08

Randy White, District 12, just visiting.

1:13

Michael Boylan, District 6, just visiting.

1:17

Well, good morning, everyone.

1:19

We're gonna go straight to the agenda.

1:23

We have a presentation this morning by the recycling report.

1:30

And I will ask Mr.

1:31

Riker if you would please come up and deliver your report.

1:40

Good morning, Madam Chair, Richard Rikert Administrative Services.

1:44

Happy uh St.

1:44

Paddy's Day.

1:46

Eric's gonna do a presentation for you guys, and um, we're here to answer any questions you may have afterwards.

1:53

Thank you.

1:53

Thank you.

1:56

Hey, good morning.

1:57

Eric Fuller with Office of Administrative Services Solid Waste Division.

2:01

This is uh presentation on the annual recycling report.

2:06

We'll go over the summary of the report, what's required to be in the report, the highlights of the contents of the report, and then our department recommendations for the recycling program.

2:19

The in 2021 council passed a requirement in the code for an annual recycling report due March 1st of every year.

2:27

It's submitted to the council and it's required to be reviewed by the TEU committee.

2:34

Uh the requirements of the report are to include the efforts to establish uh the contents of the recycling program, which materials are attainable, which can be feasibly recycled.

2:47

We're to provide a list of the complaints received, the statistics of the materials that were recycled, our efforts with third parties, relationship to the recycling program, public education efforts, the accounting of the program, the revenues and the expenses, the performance standards by which the program is run, recommendations for improvements to the program, certification that we're using best management practices and any other information that the council requires.

3:22

Summary of our program uh 380 part five of the municipal code makes recycling mandatory of our residents.

3:30

It doesn't require that they uh take part in the city's program, but it does require that they recycle per the code.

3:38

Uh our curbside collections are done by three subcontract areas and the city's uh collection crew, city employees in the core, the historic core area of the city.

3:51

Items that we tick that we pick up, curbside that are ultimately recycled include yard trash.

3:57

We do about 80,000 tons of yard trash per year and uh average year.

4:02

Uh that yard trash is taken to Trail Ridge Landfill where it's mulched up and used in place of soil to cover up the trash, and that counts as recycling.

4:12

Our tires that we pick up, curbside and from the litter crew, those are ultimately taken to a tire recycler.

4:19

Uh the appliances that we pick up, those are uh processed by a metals recycler.

4:25

Then, of course, our uh curbside program recyclables, your metal, paper, glass, plastics.

4:31

Then also our items that are taken to our household hazardous waste facilities are picked up on our uh remote collection events, our e-waste, uh used oil, anti-freeze, things of that nature, those are processed and ultimately recycled as well.

4:48

Just a summary of again a reminder of how uh waste and recyclables are collected in the city.

5:00

You have the city core area, the historic core before consolidation that's picked up by city crews, then the rest of the city is divided into three areas that are bid out and serviced by private haulers through contract with the city.

5:10

Meridian waste has the two areas to the west and the north, and waste pro services the southeast.

5:16

The naval bases are responsible for their own collections, as is the beaches in Baldwin.

5:25

So our curbside program is what's called single stream recycling where everything goes into one collection bin.

5:32

Those are city owned carts.

5:34

You can either have a cart of 96 gallons or a smaller one of 64 gallons.

5:40

These are automated collections with the arm where you just have a driver in the truck.

5:45

The haulers all have just a single driver with the arm that comes out and empties the cart into the truck.

5:52

The city areas have what's called city semi-automated.

5:56

We have a tipper on the back of a rear load packer, and the city crews would then take the cart to the back of the truck to empty it.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural████████████████████████████████████████████44%
Waste Management████████████████████████████28%
Environmental Protection█████████9%
Ethics and Governance█████████9%
Public Engagement█████5%
Historic Preservation█████5%
Summary of Proceedings

Jacksonville Transportation, Energy & Utilities Committee Meeting – March 17, 2026

The Transportation, Energy & Utilities Committee convened on March 17, 2026, at 9:30 AM in Council Chambers under Vice Chair Ju'Coby Pittman (Chair Will Lahnen excused). The committee received the FY 2024-25 Recycling Report, amended and approved a land acquisition ordinance, debated and approved council rule changes on attendance and quorum, held public hearings on street naming and right-of-way closures, and deferred several items. The meeting adjourned at 10:58 AM.

Presentation on FY 24/25 Recycling Report

  • Eric Fuller (Solid Waste Division) presented the annual recycling report. The city collected 38,700 tons of recyclables curbside (paper/cardboard 15,600 tons, glass 8,300 tons, plastics 4,100 tons, metals 1,800 tons; contamination 8,300 tons, or 21.5%).
  • Financial summary: Collections $12,321,734; processing fee $3,987,962; contaminant disposal $135,910. Revenue from recyclables (split 50/50 with Republic Services) was $1,860,417. Diverting 30,360.78 tons saved $714,371 in landfill airspace.
  • Glass recycling costs about $50 per ton (negative market value), shared 50/50 with Republic. Council Member Carlucci urged continuing glass recycling despite cost.
  • Complaints: 9,452 total; over half related to recycling cart issues. Additional funding in the current budget reduced the cart backlog.
  • Participation rate estimated at 50–60%. Council Members discussed school partnerships, curricula, mascots, and outreach. Council Member Johnson offered to help develop curricula; Council Member Clark-Murray stressed teaching children early.
  • Council Member Boylan asked about bottle caps – caps of the same material can remain on.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Item 2026-01404 (Renaming Confederate St to Rose Arbor Way): Blake Harper spoke against the renaming, calling it offensive. He was asked to stick to the bill; he continued until time expired. No other speakers. The public hearing was continued to April 7.
  • Item 2026-01415 (JEA right-of-way closure for solar facility): John Nooney expressed support, calling it a win-win. Carnell Oliver also supported but raised conditions unrelated to the bill and was cut off. No other speakers.

Discussion Items

  • Item 2026-01373 – Council Rules Amendment (Attendance & Quorum): Sponsor Michael Boylan explained the bill codifies attendance expectations, limits excused absences to one per standing committee meeting (with medical/military exceptions), sets quorum at five (or four if two excused), and requires committee chairs to announce absence policies. A rules amendment (reducing quorum to four when two excused) was approved 5-0.
    • Council Member Carlucci supported but warned against punitive use of chair authority; he said he would repeal the change if abused.
    • Council Member Johnson questioned the necessity, noting no other studied bodies had similar rules, and expressed concern about rigidity. He voted to move the bill but may offer a floor amendment.
    • General Counsel Carla Schell reminded committee members of Florida Statute 286.012 requiring present members to vote unless conflicted.
  • Item 2026-01362 – New Berlin Rd Land Acquisition: The committee approved an amendment (technical, correcting CIP accounts and scrivener’s errors) and then the bill as amended (5-0), appropriating $3.1 million for five parcels for the New Berlin Rd Improvement Project. Total project cost is approximately $43 million (all funds previously appropriated).
  • Item 2026-01415 – Right-of-Way Closure for JEA Solar Facility: After public hearing, the committee approved (5-0) the ordinance closing and abandoning three unopened right-of-way portions for construction of a solar facility.
  • Item 2026-01887 – Railroad Crossing Closure/Opening: The ordinance was read the second time and rereferred to the committee (no vote taken).

Key Outcomes

  • Approved (5-0): 2026-01362 (New Berlin Rd land acquisition) as amended.
  • Approved (5-0): 2026-01373 (Council Rules attendance/quorum amendments) as amended.
  • Approved (5-0): 2026-01415 (JEA right-of-way closure).
  • Public hearing continued to April 7, 2026: 2026-00051 (Honorary street designation for Cedric Burrell) – deferred due to noticing requirements.
  • Public hearing continued to April 7, 2026: 2026-01404 (Renaming Confederate St to Rose Arbor Way) – deferred due to noticing requirements.
  • Deferred at request of JTA: 2026-01466 (JTA budget amendment).
  • Read 2nd & Rereferred: 2026-01887 (Railroad crossing agreement) – no vote.
  • The next regular meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 7, 2026.

Meeting Transcript

It is now 9 30, and I hereby call the uh JEU meeting to order. Um, we will have public comments um at the end of our meeting. Um, only matters that are on the agenda today. Um we will have everyone introduce themselves, and then we will start our agenda, and we'll start to my left, Mr. Delaney. Good morning, Bill Delaney, Mayor's Office. Stephen Libby, Council Research. Carla Shell, Office of General Counsel. Edward Lindsky Council Auditor's Office. Jacoby Pittman, District 10. Uh Matt Carlucci at large group four. Good morning, Tyrona Clack Murray. Happy St. Patrick's Day. I can't believe nobody mentioned that. Councilwoman Clark Murray will pinch us all. Good morning. Rachman Johnson, District 14, the West Side. Randy White, District 12, just visiting. Michael Boylan, District 6, just visiting. Well, good morning, everyone. We're gonna go straight to the agenda. We have a presentation this morning by the recycling report. And I will ask Mr. Riker if you would please come up and deliver your report. Good morning, Madam Chair, Richard Rikert Administrative Services. Happy uh St. Paddy's Day. Eric's gonna do a presentation for you guys, and um, we're here to answer any questions you may have afterwards. Thank you. Thank you. Hey, good morning. Eric Fuller with Office of Administrative Services Solid Waste Division. This is uh presentation on the annual recycling report. We'll go over the summary of the report, what's required to be in the report, the highlights of the contents of the report, and then our department recommendations for the recycling program. The in 2021 council passed a requirement in the code for an annual recycling report due March 1st of every year. It's submitted to the council and it's required to be reviewed by the TEU committee. Uh the requirements of the report are to include the efforts to establish uh the contents of the recycling program, which materials are attainable, which can be feasibly recycled. We're to provide a list of the complaints received, the statistics of the materials that were recycled, our efforts with third parties, relationship to the recycling program, public education efforts, the accounting of the program, the revenues and the expenses, the performance standards by which the program is run, recommendations for improvements to the program, certification that we're using best management practices and any other information that the council requires. Summary of our program uh 380 part five of the municipal code makes recycling mandatory of our residents. It doesn't require that they uh take part in the city's program, but it does require that they recycle per the code. Uh our curbside collections are done by three subcontract areas and the city's uh collection crew, city employees in the core, the historic core area of the city. Items that we tick that we pick up, curbside that are ultimately recycled include yard trash. We do about 80,000 tons of yard trash per year and uh average year. Uh that yard trash is taken to Trail Ridge Landfill where it's mulched up and used in place of soil to cover up the trash, and that counts as recycling. Our tires that we pick up, curbside and from the litter crew, those are ultimately taken to a tire recycler. Uh the appliances that we pick up, those are uh processed by a metals recycler. Then, of course, our uh curbside program recyclables, your metal, paper, glass, plastics. Then also our items that are taken to our household hazardous waste facilities are picked up on our uh remote collection events, our e-waste, uh used oil, anti-freeze, things of that nature, those are processed and ultimately recycled as well. Just a summary of again a reminder of how uh waste and recyclables are collected in the city.

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