Title
Resolution to Approve the City of Ann Arbor Membership in the Washtenaw Regional Resource Management Authority (WRRMA)
Memorandum
This resolution approves the City's participation as a member in the Washtenaw Regional Resource Management Authority (WRRMA) and directs the City Administrator to take the necessary actions to execute the provision of the resolution on an ongoing basis.
The City first brought Resolution 19-1189, a Resolution to Approve the City's Constituent Membership in the Washtenaw Regional Resource Management Authority, to City Council in 2019. However, the City withdrew the resolution due to Council concerns about potential contract labor terms and membership voting structure. City staff have subsequently participated in WRRMA meetings as non-voting observers and consider that full participation in WRRMA would result in both financial and intangible benefits for Ann Arbor by achieving an economy of scale through participation in a regional authority.
In July 2020, WRRMA adopted a resolution to consider and acknowledge the particular needs and requirements of each member, including but not limited to existing and future labor terms and wage matters, in negotiating and securing any future contracts involving the management of recyclables or for other authorized purposes for WRRMA. Additionally, in July 2020, WRRMA resolved that, in the process of negotiating and securing contracts as the Authority, it will consider amending the WRRMA voting structure to a weighted voting system-to be decided by the then sitting WRRMA Board and subsequently approved by member legislative bodies per the Articles of Incorporation-designed to reflect a voting system linked to the contract costs or the contract tonnages at issue in the contract. WRRMA resolved that no single member community will retain a majority of the voting structure for any contract situation. These actions by WRRMA address the concerns raised by City Council in 2019.
Pending Ann...
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