John Scarffe, Nederland. The Nederland Board of Trustees approved a proposal to reduce the use of bags in Nederland during the regular meeting on Tuesday, May 5. The item was initially listed as a discussion item, but Mayor Pro Tem Peter Fiori made a motion to move it to an action item and the Board agreed.

In April the Nederland Board of Trustees considered an ordinance mandating a 10-cent fee on disposable bags (paper and plastic) at all retail stores. However, true to its grassroots spirit for problem-solving, the Nederland community expressed a preference for a non-regulatory solution to decreasing local use of disposable bags.

Town Intern Alexander Armani-Munn presented a document to the Trustees providing details on the Nederland community’s unified approach to diminishing local dependence on disposable bags. This multi-faceted program will bring together local government, businesses, and community organizations to engage Nederland residents and visitors in a collective effort to reduce the use of disposable bags and to shift local consumers to reusable alternatives.

The program will be administered June through September, and a final report including quantitative data and qualitative outcomes as well as a recommendation for next steps will be presented in September.

According to the ordinance, “For each disposable bag (paper or plastic) provided to a customer, Retail Stores shall collect from customers a Disposable Bag Fee of $0.10, according to the program. Retail stores shall record the number of disposable bags provided and the total amount of Disposable Bag Fees charged on the customer transaction receipt.

“A Retail Store may retain 50 percent of each Disposable Bag Fee collected up to a maximum amount of $100 per month. …

“The Retained Percent shall not be classified as revenue for the purposes of calculating sales tax.  The amount of the Disposable Bag Fee collected by a Retail Store in excess of the Retained Percent shall be paid to the Town and shall be used only to mitigate the effects of Disposable Bags in Nederland….”

After Fiori moved to make it an action item, he also moved to strike everything past “a retail store may retain 50 percent.” Trustee Charles Wood said it is not appropriate to move this to action. The public wasn’t notice that it would be an action item and the members of the public aren’t here to discuss it.

Fiori said Alex’s proposal states clearly that the previous ordinance failed. It was an action item and the Board took public comment. “We should vote on it,” he said.

Subsequently, the Board approved moving it to an action item, with Fiori’s recommendation of cutting off the fees after $50 per month. During public comment, Nederland residents Ron Mitchell and Barbara Hardt objected to changes being made without public comment. “It’s very unfair to move forward without public comment,” Hardt said.

Trustee Randy Lee said: “I’m uncomfortable with a rush and I’d like to see that given a chance.” Trustee Topher Donahue pointed out that bags were invented 30 years ago.

“It’s a way to pay for our waste,” Donahue said. “I see it as a continuation from last time. Now we need to vote.”

Trustee Kevin Mueller said, “It’s a no-brainer to me. Fort Collins did a three-prong study on just plastic bags. This was implemented in other places and had a dramatic impact from plastic bags.”

Wood said the fees from last meeting were a pretty small amount. Armuni-Munn said it’s hard to tell how much the Town would make. Ace Hardware gives 30 to 50 bags per month. He said $500 would be administrative costs to start out. It’s highly unlikely that the fee will do more than support the initiative. Data could be compiled over the next three months.

Mayor Joe Gierlach said he went to the Nederland High School last week, and students said if you do a survey and most people are for it shouldn’t the Board pass it? He said Alex did a great job and put together a decent plan and put together a survey.

“I think we could do a blended program,” he said. Trustee Kristopher Larsen said: “I think we can do something better and I like Alex’s proposal to work collaboratively with businesses.

“A bag fee is not going to change their behavior,” Larsen said.

Wood said that people want to do the right things. “You will get a reaction. A lot of towns similar to ours, the three towns that had a public vote rejected it. I think the education program should come first ahead of the fee.”

With three votes against, the motion passed.  The next meeting of the Nederland Board of Trustees will be on Tuesday, May 19, at 7 p.m. at the Nederland Community Center.