Boulder briefing doesn’t sway Thompson, Jenkins

Presentations on waste alternatives do nothing to persuade two Republican commissioners against incinerator

‘‘I’m still leaning toward waste-to-energy,” Thompson said in an e-mail. ‘‘All things considered, particularly the financial and environmental factors, it remains the least undesirable of the alternatives.”

Jenkins holds a similar position following the July 17 presentations.

‘‘I don’t know if I saw a whole lot new,” he said. ‘‘I learned about the mindset of the folks out there and the programs and such, but we already do a lot of that at our landfill ... I haven’t made a final decision yet, but I’m leaning toward waste-to-energy.”

Jenkins said he saw similar recycling programs to Boulder’s on his trip with Commissioner David P. Gray (R) to Seattle, Wash., last year.

This is the first time Thompson and Jenkins have publically commented on the June Boulder trip, which has been talked about for weeks in e-mails and in online discussions.

Commissioner Kai J. Hagen (D), Gray, Frederick Mayor W. Jeff Holtzinger (R) and Kevin Demosky, deputy director of the county’s Division of Utilities and Solid Waste Management, briefed Thompson, Jenkins and Board President Jan H. Gardner (D), on what they saw in Boulder. They used pictures, video and a power point presentation to better explain what they learned.

‘‘I thought it was an informative trip and very worthwhile,” Holtzinger said.

The briefing also included an audience of about 40 residents. Most have been following the debate to build an incinerator and came in hopes of convincing commissioners to adopt Boulder’s extensive recycling programs instead.

‘‘I’m very much in favor of [Boulder’s recycling],” said Mary Antosca of Rosemont. ‘‘I don’t truly know enough, but I compost, I recycle and I hang my clothes outside on the line. But the opportunity isn’t there [in Frederick County] to do as much as we want ... I’m really ticked when I see what we throw away.”

Jenkins contends that the county’s recycling program is doing more than just burying trash, including accepting more items to recycle at the Reichs Ford Road landfill. ‘‘Our landfill is not just a landfill,” he said.

Thompson was not impressed with Boulder’s goal to generate ‘‘zero waste.”

Zero waste means diverting almost all trash away from the landfill by recycling, composting and manufacturing.

‘‘...While Boulder’s goal to become a zero waste community is laudable, it needs to be pointed out that they haven’t yet attained that status,” Thompson said.

The board is still considering an incinerator; no decision has been made.

Hagen is now organizing a volunteer ‘‘team” of people to research and formulate a written proposal for an alternative to building an incinerator. They will present their findings to commissioners in September.