A preview of SWANA WASTECON keynote Session: Paying for Waste Services During the Downturn

Thursday, January 28, at 3:00 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. EST

Throughout the country, solid waste utilities face direct financial and operational challenges associated with COVID-19 and changing customer needs and behaviors. However, it is important to examine the indirect impacts on solid waste because of the greater economic disruption and its long-term effect on city and county General Funds.

This panel of Paying for Waste Services During the Downturn will include a solid waste utility manager, Public Works director, and municipal finance/economic consultant. Together, they will discuss handling current developments, making near-term projections, and the development of strategic plans with a 5 to 10-year outlook.

The panel will examine how capable and thoughtful administrative leadership can address municipal financial management, revenue diversification, cost recovery, and capital project prioritization.

The session attendees should expect to discuss the following:

Immediate Planning Concerns

• Estimating revenue impacts

• Identifying revenue opportunities

• Policy decisions that impact revenue (e.g., utility charges, taxes, etc.)

• Funding capital improvements

   

  If time allows, the panel will also discuss:
  

  Longer-Term Financial Planning

• Preparing 5-year financial plans and 10-year forecasts.

• Demand projections

• Prioritizing capital projects and other capital/fleet expenses

• Establishing reserve policies

   

  The panel will present options for financing solid waste operations during the economic downturn and planning for the future. 

• Economist Vita Quinn – SCS Engineers
• John Chalmers – Baltimore City Department of Public Works
• Kim Braun – Culver City, CA