SOLID WASTE OPERATIONS IN SAN JUAN COUNTY

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Comments made during the worksession
on the Waste Management Inc. contract

posted 03/18/02
The San Juan County Commissioners worksession on the proposed county contract with Waste Management Inc. for processing and hauling of recyclables and transporting of munical solid waste lasted 6½ hours over two days -- March 12 and 13. Following is a sample of comments made during those sessions.

County Commissioners:

Darcie Nielsen: (In response to Thomas Felber) We've been unloading our problems on others since the 1980s. My long range plans are to divert as much as we can locally and educate . It will take us at least 10 years to come up with sustainable programs.

(In response to questions about holding a public hearing) Personally I have been in a lot of public hearings. There were 1000 people who signed petition. Thirteen thousand didn't sign petition. i believe i was elected to represent the community as a whole, this is a operational technical issue.

We need to influence people's behavior so they aren't so wasteful. The whole system has changed immensely. In the 80s the decision was made to close the landfills and to send to solid waste to the mainland. I lived in Oregon and was frankly astounded citizens up here made the decision to send out our garbage so someone else can deal with it.

One of the things that concerns me -- public hearings. I've been lectured about how important. it is that we make tough decisions. That is what we are elected to do. There is nothing in the solid waste plan that says source separating is mandated. I've been sitting around in Olympia with politicians who cannot make a decision. Boy that impacted me. I don't want to go down that path. It amazes me what is happening. This is government by initiative. My job is to do that (make decisions) Every four years you guys get to do that.

There are political agendas at work here. Look at it closely. Bale and haul.system is obsolete.

(Responding to Ake Stroede's proposal): I looked at this proposal, I can't imagine how they arrived at these numbers. Quite frankly laughable. Balers are on the market because they are obsolete. Bale and haul facilities at the county level are not where we're headed.

SWAC (solid waste advisory committee) will be working on diversion, that is where citizen energy needs to be put.

John Evans: The volume of waste that we have is always a problem. We are a smaller supplier of recycled materials. It doesn't make sense to invest a lot of money in equipment and have it remain idle for a long period of time. Operating balers is very expensive. Labor, utility, depreciation is expensive. There is a succinct advantage to let someone operate a facility twenty four hours a day, seven days a week.

I had opportunity to talk to your staff. They are not only very supportive about possibilities of MRF, they think it will be more efficient for them.

I would not know someone from WMI if they ran over my foot with a truck. Up here there is no undue influence being applied.

All of this stuff gets taken very seriously. What is it about this that is so complicated. The contract we are talking about is continuation of the MSW contract. .The largest part is hauling garbage...what we've been doing last 7 or 8 years. A small part hauling recyclables. We're talking 1,332 tons. The issue is not the contract. iThe issue is whether or not we are ethically, responsibly dealing with recycling. We are looking for a contract with WMI to provide service. It is in their interest to provide it in a high quality manner. As far as the contract is concerned, I am confident it will do what we expect it to do. It is a vehicle. I am trying to be an effective county commissioner. We have a largely broken solid waste program. By getting our finances in order we will be independent. I'd like to see an effective hazardous waste program year round. I'd like to see an effective , expanded recycling program. Most communities that have gone this way have seen increases in recycling rates. When you are broke, you're broke. No discretionary money.

I believe in the zero garbage principle - reusing, reducing. Solid waste has been breaking even. The problem is debt accumulated. There has been no financial risk assessment or cost benefit analysis. tipping floors and Z walls are necessary for this to work as designed - $200,000 to 400,000. The compactors used cost $250,000. I honestly don't believe we can make these weights. This seriously erodes any possibility for freeing up capital funds. I didn't know about new containers at the San Juan Island transfer site. I don't believe we will have access to capital funding to work as design.

I am very concerned about flow control section of the contract.

An alternative proposal is available. This contract only saves $20,000 per year.We lose local control with this contract. Reducing cycle time is dependant on site expansion. A plan presented months ago allows us to expand and create model plants on both Orcas and San Juan Island.

The system is changing on Lopez. It has never been publicly acknowledged. There is no substitute for a public hearing. I don't understand why we can't have one. Signing this without a financial analysis will kill public sentiment for courthouse expansion. Si Stephens and Gary Franco signed this petition, it is a bi-partisan request.

This county dares to be different. Citizens really participate in the community.

There are already unauthorized changes made including capital expenses without approval. The garbage guru is being sent to flagger school. Each island should have model recycling and reuse program.

What are we doing? Why are we risking in our haste today, what doesn't need to be risked? In order to keep us solvent at all depends on capital expenditures. I believe in this county, I believe in sound fiscal judgment, this contract endangers both.

I do believe this contract is a risk. I have brought the data to the table. I found the mistake. (in the formula to calculate the liquidated damages if the minimum container weight isn't obtained). I just want to tell everybody in this room how grateful I am you are here. It is great to be in a room full of young people with vision. It is great to be in a room with people my age and older who still dream. It is not death we need to fear but deadness.

CITIZEN COMMENT:

Thomas Felber: Lopez and sometimes Orcas) This contract is unacceptable to me and most people in this county. Where is the rush? Where is the democratic spirit, that is vital to the republican form of government, in ignoring strong wish of significant number who desire public hearing. Does this commission remember they are merely the administration of the government of the county?

Leah O'Bryant (Spring Street School Student) I am really proud I am from San Juan County because we don't have big companies like WMI running our lives. Please make sure that is taken into consideration.

Jeff Brash:(resident, property owner and voter for 25 years) This process has to me the unmistakeable feel of prearranged back door fdeal. This is probably the first time I agree with Si Stephens. To not want public hearings and a cost analysis is obscene. This is a personal gain and public loss. When a policitician wants to pass something quickly and quietly they have something to hide. No matter what our $300 per hour consultant has written, loopholes exist. I don't believe containers will make weights.

Ben White:I for one would be willing to pay more (for recycling) if this is totally cost driven. We don't want it co-mingled. This is running directly into island independence... Why are you getting us involved with corporate officials? Why don't you stop it? The gross undemocratic nature shocks me. We are not peons here we are citizens. Given that you can make the decision, why do you not want a public hearing. it's an easy way to disarm before the decision is railroaded through.

Kelan Ross: (Spring Street School Student) The issue is sustainability. Why are we such a hurry to sign a 10 year contract with a global company sends material to a third world country? It seems really lame to me.

Neal Anderson: I wouldn't mind spending more in dumping fees to make facility better... If we don't have alternatives, what do we have to chose from. if we don't do it on a local level, how can we give examples. I am in support of more dialogue. Next time consider having discussion at an hour when people don't have to suffer wage loss to speak.

Larry Hendel:
LARRY HENDEL: I'd like to reemphasize what Si said. I'd like to see Si's financial analysis published in the newspaper. The basic facts and figures presented to the community. Having a public hearing will only make you guys look good. This rush is beyond me.

DAN SILKISS: Thank you for permission to speak. I've involved in corporate industry with giant corporations over the world. This is the first time, I've seen a contract without figures in the contract. It is quite contrary to common practice. This contract could have been drawn up by Waste Management's own attorney. There is more money to be made in garbage. I spoke to other haulers involved. They said, no way has to be something wrong with it (the bid). Shille said it was a correct bid. 'We have other ways of making the money. One is in recyclables. We have good customers in recyclables.' Other bidders will go out of business. Local labor and industry will disappear.

Michael McBrayer: In the presentation, a number of references were made to no-cost change over. How much did new containers now in place cost? Regarding the inadequacy of the current San Juan Island facility. It is woefully inadequate. Recycling containers are placed directly in the path of people. How come employees have been told they were not allowed to make the changes. People talked to me under fear they would lose their jobs. The recycle bins were placed there to block and inflame public opinion. So they say 'whatever it takes.' I make a personal appeal, remove the appearance of a back door deal by going forward and requesting public commentary. You are elected by all the people here. Let them try to help you . I have personally nothing against a MRF if it does what it says.

Ben Smith: We started public comment on this highest price loss of public trust. I'm sorry a process wasn't followed that led to a search for common ground, development of a total plan. It didn't need to end up in confrontational situation. It could be civil and open.

Wendy Shepard. (referring to a grant from the Dept. of Ecology) How can we devise a long term contract without knowing what our resources are?... We can use the years we have left (on the current contract) to do some responsible planning.

List of stories about solid waste operations in San Juan County