SPECIAL CALLED MEETING OF THE ZERO WASTE ADVISORY COMMISSION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2026, AT 6:00 P.M. AUSTIN ENERGY HEADQUARTERS/MUELLER ASSEMBLY ROOM 1111A & B 4815 MUELLER BLVD AUSTIN, TEXAS 78723 Some members of the Zero Waste Advisory Commission may be participating by videoconference. The meeting may be viewed online at: http://www.austintexas.gov/page/watch-atxn-live Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely via telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once either in-person or remotely and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation by telephone. To register to speak remotely, contact Gustavo Valle, 512-974-4350, Gustavo.Valle@austintexas.gov. CURRENT [BOARD MEMBERS OR COMMISSIONERS]: Gerry Acuna, Chair Ian Steyaert, Vice Chair Melissa Caudle Michael Drohan CALL TO ORDER Caitlin Griffith John L. Harris Ali Ishaq Iris Suddaby AGENDA Seth Whaland Miriam Athmer Vacant PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The first 5 speakers signed up prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three- minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. 2. Approve the minutes of the Zero Waste Advisory Commission Regular meeting on June 10, 2026 Approve the minutes of the Zero Waste Advisory Commission Special Called meeting on July 29, 2026 DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 3. 4. Approve a recommendation to authorize a contract for construction services for the 10108 FM 812 Leachate Connections for Austin Resource Recovery with Cedar Hill Construction, LLC in the amount of $1,154,941 plus a $115,495 contingency for a total contract amount not to exceed $1,270,436. Funding: $1,270,436 is available in the Capital Budget of the Austin Resource Recovery. Approve a representative of one ZWAC commissioner for the Joint Sustainability Committee for the 2026 calendar year. STAFF BRIEFINGS 5. Staff briefing on the status of Austin Resource Recovery Operational and Administrative projects by Wendy Riggins, Assistant Director of Austin Resource Recovery. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ADJOURNMENT The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. For assistance, please contact the Liaison or TTY users’ route through 711. A person may request language access accommodations no later than 48 hours before the scheduled meeting. Please call or email Gustavo Valle at Austin Resource Recovery Department, at 512-974-4350 or email Gustavo.Valle@austintexas.gov to …
To: From: Date: Zero Waste Advisory Commission Wendy Riggins, Assistant Director, Austin Resource Recovery August 19, 2026 Subject: Director’s Monthly Report to the Zero Waste Advisory Commission Annual Shopping Cart Corral On August 29th, from 8 to 10 a.m., Austin Watershed Protection, Shoal Creek Conservancy, and volunteers will convene at several locations across the watershed to remove hard-to-reach shopping carts from the creek. For several years Austin Resource Recovery (ARR) has partnered with Shoal Creek Conservancy during their annual Shopping Cart Corral. During last year’s event in July 2025, ARR collected 3,340 pounds of debris from seven (7) sites. This volunteer event helps remove and prevent material from entering area creeks. Collected recyclables are also diverted from disposal at area landfills whenever possible. For example, shopping carts that cannot be returned to retailers are recycled through a third-party contractor that strips off plastics and rubber wheels, then melts down the metal to form new steel products. Old tires are shredded and turned into playground and recreational surfaces or repurposed for community projects. These efforts continue to increase our zero waste goals. Circular Economy: Connect and Share (District 1) On September 2, a full day, free annual summit for Austin entrepreneurs, nonprofits, and business leaders working to build a more circular economy will be held at 1520 Rutherford Lane. Attendees can expect to work with peers to develop new solutions to incorporate the circular economy into business models. The event will also feature a panel of local circular business leaders on how they incorporate community building into their business models. Register and get more info at https://www.austintexas.gov/resource-recovery/events/circular- connect-and-share September 19: Fix-It Clinic (District 1) A Fix-It Clinic will be held on September 19 at the Robert Turner Recreation Center from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Residents can bring broken household items and learn to fix them with guidance from skilled coaches. There will be a drop-off period the week leading up to the clinic, for those who need something fixed but are unable to attend the event. Learn more, volunteer or register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/september-2026-fix-it- clinic-tickets-1994021426765 MoveOutATX 2026 Recap (District 9) MoveOutATX took place July 25-31, 2026. This event, a partnership between Austin Resource Recovery and the University of Texas at Austin, sets up temporary donation stations to help students living off-campus keep gently used items out of the landfill during the end-of-July move-out period. The event had 4 donation stations in …
COUNCIL DATE: September 24, 2026 Posting Language Authorize a contract for construction services for the 10108 FM 812 landfill to provide leachate connections for Austin Resource Recovery with Cedar Hill Construction, LLC in the amount of $1,154,941 plus a $115,495 contingency for a total contract amount not to exceed $1,270,436. Funding: $1,270,436 is available in the Capital Budget of the Austin Resource Recovery. Lead Department Austin Financial Services Managing Department Austin Resource Recovery Amount and Source of Funding Funding is available in the Capital Budget of Austin Resource Recovery. Procurement: Austin Financial Services issued an Invitation for Bids solicitation IFB 6100 CLMC1077 for these services. The solicitation was published on September 22, 2025, and closed on May 14, 2026. Of the two offers received, the bid submitted by the recommended contractor was the lowest responsive offer bid received. A complete solicitation package, including a log of offers received, is available for viewing on the City’s website. This information can currently be found at https://financeonline.austintexas.gov/afo/account_services/solicitation/solicitation_details.cfm?sid=141205 MBE/WBE This contract will be awarded in compliance with the City Code Chapter 2-9A (Minority-Owned and Women- Owned Business Enterprise Procurement Program). For the services required for this solicitation, there were no subcontracting opportunities; therefore, no subcontracting goals were established. Prior Council Action: N/A For More Information Contact: Direct questions regarding this Recommendation for Council Action to Austin Financial Services – Central Procurement at: FSDCentralProcurementRCAs@austintexas.gov or 512-974-2500. Respondents to the solicitation and their Agents should direct all questions to the Authorized Contact Person identified in the solicitation. Council Committee, Boards, and Commission Action: N/A Additional Backup Information: Austin Resource Recovery manages a closed landfill and is responsible for ensuring compliance with TCEQ regulatory post-closure care requirements, including proper leachate management. Leachate is wastewater generated when stormwater percolates through landfill waste materials. Currently, leachate is pumped into holding tanks and then manually transferred into tanker trucks for transport to an approved disposal location. The existing process is labor-intensive, operationally inefficient, and vulnerable to service disruptions during Revised 04/2025 significant rainfall events. If holding tanks are not emptied promptly, elevated tank levels can impair pump operations and increase operational risk. Additionally, the aging leachate collection system requires comprehensive upgrades, and this project represents a critical first step in the overall system modernization effort. This project will install a permanent pipe conveyance system connecting the leachate holding tanks directly to the wastewater line. This improvement will eliminate the need …
