RANCHO CORDOVA, CA (MPG) - The November 1 Rancho Cordova City Council Meeting descended into trash talking. Organic trash talking.

The Council heard from Public Works Division Manager of Operations Steve Harriman who led a presentation about the Residential Organic Waste Collection Program"'a state mandated initiative (not City as Council Member David Sander wanted made clear) with a goal to reduce landfill disposal of organic waste by 75 percent by 2025.

Land organic waste emits methane gas which is a super pollutant and contributor to climate change. Therefore, starting in 2022, the green bin of Rancho Cordova residents living in single homes up to a triplex green bin will now be an organics bin and will be the receptacle for food waste, food soiled paper as well as yard clippings. As always, the bin will stand next to the basic trash and recycling bins. The city is providing a kitchen pail for food to be transferred from indoors to the outside.

Along with hearing the intricacies of the program, Council and staff discussed two options concerning what extra charges would be incurred by the service. With an eye on keeping costs low or with no increase at all for residents or using monies from the general fund, the Council (led by Council Member Linda Budge) also put forth the idea that by now shifting food waste to another bin (that would be picked up once a week as opposed to every two) could benefit residents’ wallets by allowing for a smaller, cheaper, basic trash bin to be purchased.

They also fielded questions and concerns from the public who wanted to know how the city was going to educate the community on the new process, the possibility of self-hauling of the organic waste and any unpleasant smells.

Next came continued discussion on the reinstatement of the Planning Commission, the once defunct body that will review planning applications for design review, use permits and more leaving the Council to focus on other matters. The breakdown of roles and responsibilities between the Council and the Commission, as well the number of members and term lengths and limits, were discussed with a long stretch centering on how things would play out if either the Council or a developer/applicant questioned the decisions of the Commission.

During public comment, worry that the Commission would be nothing more than a set of “mini-me’s” of the Council was one of the concerns raised. Still, the Planning Commission looked to be largely on schedule to come back to fruition.

Communications and Public Affairs Director Maria Chacon Kniestedt brought a Redistricting proposal from Sacramento County for input from the Council before a meeting the following day where information was to be presented to the Sacramento Board of Supervisors. Sacramento County Board of Supervisor District boundaries must be redrawn every 10 years using U.S. Census data, in order to make the five districts as equal in population as possible, so each member represents about the same number of constituents. Of three maps shown, the Council chose the one that would keep the city within one district.

Finally, the Council ended the night by approving Amendments to the fiscal year 2020-2021 Operating Budget.

At the beginning of the night new Police Chief Brandon Luke was introduced to the city. “I’m excited to join an already proven and demonstrated leadership team with the Rancho Cordova Police Department, Sheriff’s East Division [and] also to work alongside the men and women that have routinely served this community with the utmost professionalism,” Luke stated.

During Council Reports, Councilmember Siri Pulipati put a spotlight on the shortage of bus drivers in Folsom Cordova Unified School District and Elk Grove School District, which has been yielding chaotic running times. Unfortunately, similar news was relayed by Councilmember Linda Budge at her recent Regional Transit meeting.

Councilmember David Sander met with the California League of Cities on homelessness policy and affordable housing. On a broader scope, he mentioned his work with the National League of Cities on transportation policy.

Vice Mayor Donald Terry remarked on his leadership of the resources team focused on homeless and housing at the Cap-to-Cap week-long event.

Mayor Garret Gatewood recounted a touching story from his interviewing of candidates for the soon to be vacant Sacramento Public Library Head position. He also mentioned his continued fight to bring a library within the city’s boundaries.