SAN JUAN COUNTY SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT

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Should solid waste be separate department

Solid waste remains part of Public Works

posted 06/27/02
County Commissioner John Evans couldn't convince either one of his fellow commissioners that the county's Solid Waste Division should be a stand-alone department. "Communication is filtered through another manager," he said. "Something is lost in the process. It would be beneficial if this department reported directly to the BOCC. It would provide status and profile to the director that that individual deserves."

County Commissioner Darcie Nielsen praised the work the Solid Waste Manager Jon Shannon has done but disagreed with the Evan's rationale. "Jon has done a fantastic job, he deserves a raise. But we don't need to create all these separate fiefdoms. If there is a communication problem, we can access our middle managers," she said.

County Human Resource Manager Becky Rusnak presented her report about the pros and cons of creating a separate department. None of the 13 comparable counties had separate solid waste departments she said. Of the 39 counties in the state, only five had stand-alone solid waste departments. Rusnak said financially having a department head rather than a manager would mean a $10,000 increase in pay. Since the county is conducting an overall salary analysis of all management positions the pay difference may be irrelevant she said.

Referring to Nielsen and Evan's desire to give Shannon a raise, Commissioner Rhea Miller noted the county does not give merit raises. "If we started to, it would be a huge issue. It needs to go through the classification survey," she said.

No decision on Solid Waste Department

posted 05/22/02

At their May 21, 2002 meeting, the county Commissioners directed Personnel Manager Becky Rusnik and Public Works Interim Director Lou Haff to to report back to them in a few weeks on the financial impact if the Solid Waste Division became a separate department. County Commissioners will consider whether to move the county's Solid Waste Division out of the Public Works Department and make it a separate department.

Solid Waste may become separate department

posted 05/2002 County Commissioners will consider whether to move the county's Solid Waste Division out of the Public Works Department and make it a separate department. Solid Waste Manager Jon Shannon says the move would eliminate one layer of bureucracy. Instead of reporting to the Public Works Director, Shannon would report directly to the BOCC. Solid Waste has been run as a separate entity. It is the county's only enterprise fund meaning it operates like a business. Revenue must cover expenses. The BOCC will discuss the move at a 3:15 p.m. worksession on May 21, 2002.

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