Regional Solid Waste master plan presented to Tamarac; facilities agreement and costs expected soon

TAMARAC, Fla. — A representative of the Broward County Solid Waste Authority on March 11 briefed the Tamarac City Commission on a countywide master plan meant to increase recycling, harmonize services and reduce the long-term trajectory of disposal costs.

The presenter, identified during the meeting as the mayor of a partnering municipality, said Broward generates about "4,900,000 tons" of solid waste annually and that the option the regional consortium selected would raise Tamarac’s effective recycling rate from the high 30s into the low 60s — the speaker cited an estimated 62% under the plan. He framed the effort as a 40‑year horizon and emphasized economies of scale from coordinated countywide contracting.

The authority representative said two documents are coming: the final master plan (already distributed as a draft) and a facilities agreement that will lay out the costs, tipping‑fee methodology and the form of municipal commitments. He asked the commission to review the facilities agreement when it is published (anticipated within days of the meeting) and to place that item on a future agenda for consideration within about 60 days. "This is not a problem where we can flip the light switch," he said; "we can take a real step forward to be able to resolve this problem."

Commissioners asked about cost allocation and timing. The presenter declined to commit to a fixed city cost in the public briefing — saying the facilities agreement would provide that detail — and clarified that a previously budgeted contribution (an $85,000 item related to sustaining the ILA/planning phase) is distinct from the facilities agreement, which could impose a separate implementation cost depending on the level of municipal participation.

Next steps recorded at the meeting: staff will circulate the facilities agreement when available, the commission will review it, and the commission asked staff and the city attorney to prepare the item for a timely agenda placement so Tamarac can make an informed decision before the ILA expires in August 2026.