Rivanna Solid Waste Authority

The Rivanna Solid Waste Authority (RSWA) was formed in 1990 as a political subdivision of the Commonwealth of Virginia to handle solid waste disposal and recycling activities in the City of Charlottesville and the Albemarle County. It serves a combined population of 114,200 people.

Facilities

The RWSA operates three facilities in addition to its main office.

• the McIntire Road Recycling Center,
• the Material Utilization Center, and
• the Paper Sort Facility.

Board of Directors

RSWA is governed by a seven-member Board of Directors, which consists of the City Manager and the Director of Public Works for the City of Charlottesville, the County Executive and the Director of Engineering and Public Works for Albemarle County, and a Chairperson selected jointly by the City Council and County Board of Supervisors. In 2009, the RSWA charter was changed to add one City Councilor and one member of the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors.

The current board consists of:

• Michael Gaffney, Chairman
• Mark B. Graham, P.E., Director of Community Development, Albemarle County
• Judith Mueller, Director of Public Works, City of Charlottesville
• Gary O'Connell, City Manager
• Robert Tucker, County Executive
• David Brown, Charlottesville City Councilor
• Ken Boyd, Albemarle County Supervisor

RSWA Citizens Advisory Committee

The Board is supported by a Citizens Advisory Committee of three representatives from the city, three from the county, two from the University of Virginia, and a Chairperson selected jointly by the City Council and Board of Supervisors.

• Jeff Greer, Joint City of Charlottesville / Albemarle County Representative, Chairman
• Kim Blatz, City of Charlottesville Representative, Vice Chairman
• Vacant, City of Charlottesville Representative
• Kevin O. Martin, City of Charlottesville Representative
• Stephen Kirkup, Albemarle County Representative
• Reed Muehlman, Albemarle County Representative
• Teri Kent, Albemarle County Representative
• Elizabeth Bowling, University of Virginia Representative
• Todd Marshall, University of Virginia Representative

Staff

• Thomas L. Frederick, Jr. P.E. - Executive Director
• Lonnie E. Wood - Director of Finance and Administration
• Mark Brownlee - Manager, Ivy Site Operations
• Bruce J. Edmonds - Recycling Operations Manager
• David Atkins - Environmental & Safety Manager

Employee Safety Committee

Health and Safety are administered, policies developed and recommendations made to Executive Management by this committee which is a joint program between the Rivanna Solid Waste Authority and the Rivanna Water & Sewer Authority. Members serve two-year terms and are approved by the Executive Director. The committee is charged with maintaining and improving our safety consciousness as well as improving the safety rules and safety education.

Current members are as follows:

• David L. Atkins - Environmental & Safety Manager
• Guy Maupin - Chairman - Water Department
• Jim Heller - (co-chair) - Sold Waste Department
• Debra Hoyt - Secretary - Laboratory
• Michael Webb - Vehicle Safety - Water Department
• Mike Ralston - Maintenance Department
• Brian Haney - WWT Operator - Wastewater Department

Legal issues

In 2001, the RSWA settled with 15 Albemarle County landowners that had filed a suit claiming the Ivy Landfill leaked, poisoning their water supply. As part of the terms of the settlement, the landowners were not allowed to publicly criticize new construction at the landfill. To protest, many of them attended a City Council meeting wearing gags.

2009 strategic plan

RSWA is undergoing a strategic planning process to examine solid waste and recycling services in Charlottesville and Albemarle County. The goal is determine a new focus for the area's solid waste management system.

External links

RSWA website