EDITORIAL: Effective government crafts long-term not short-term solutions

SAN JUAN ISLANDER EDITORIAL

EDITORIAL: Effective government crafts long-term not short-term solutions

Mandatory curbside pickup possible with Sutton Road alternative

By Sharon Kivisto

posted 03/27/2009
Government is not the enemy. It is not a business. It is an entity organized in a civilized society to benefit the public good, to serve the needs of everyone.

Public education is paid for by all citizens whether they have children or not. All of society benefits from an educated citizenry. Roads are paid for by everyone - through property taxes (renters pay through their rent), gasoline taxes, motor vehicle taxes, etc. and used differently by individuals. Taking care of solid waste is another duty of government.

San Juan County has a sorry record in this area and the present council appears to be ready to continue the trend. Rather than listen to the citizen advisory committe composed of representatives from each island or the recommendation of the Public Works staff, they are being swayed by mis-informed people shouting in their ears.

In San Juan County tipping fees are much higher than most places. The reason: Tipping fees are the sole source of revenue for the Solid Waste Division. Other places including the Town of Friday Harbor, have a fee or tax which is independent of the tipping rate which is used for capital. For example, all town residents and businesses pay a flat fee whether or not they have garbage pickup. Then they pay a per can fee for garbage pickup. The flat fee covers the town's cost for the garbage truck, employees etc.

The county Council and the Board of County Commissioners in the past, have ignored repeated requests by the SWAC and the PW Dept. for a a source of funding for infrastructure and capital costs. County Councilmember Howie Rosenfeld complaining on March 24 to the Public Works staff about the lack of capital and the high tipping fees was akin to blaming a battered wife for her own injuries.

If there was a flat fee which could be used for capital, the tipping fees wouldn't need to cover capital. Planning for repairs, maintenance and replacement of equipment could actually take place.

The lack of dealing with the financial realities is only one way the issue of solid waste handling has been mishandled in the county. The need to move the San Juan Island Transfer station is another one. The process has been going on for more than eight years.

The current facility operates at 185 percent capacity. It is unsafe. It is located on town-owned property. The town has been dumping asphalt, concrete, fire hydrants, plastic, and other items in the woods and burying it in violation of the town's own regulations and state law. Most of the property is covered by the closed landfill which can not be built on. Part of the property which the county tried to use as a staging area for recycling turned out to be landfill which wasn't covered.

The idea that the county council would seriously consider purchasing and building a new transfer station on this site is incredible. How can six legislators who have a fiduciary responsibility to their citizens purchase contaminated property?

SWAC members recommended 6-3 Beaverton Valley as the top choice with Sutton Road the third choice. The three people who did not want Beaverton Valley were two neighbors and the representative from San Juan Sanitation. If the Sutton Road property is used, the likelihood of mandatory curbside pickup is increased. Island residents have been adamant they want to keep self-hauling.

Information has been given out saying curbside pickup is less expensive than self-hauling. That is disingenuos. Most self-haulers do not pay by the per can fee. They pay be weight which is a much cheaper way to pay. If they paid a per can fee, curb-side would be cheaper. However they would still need to haul in their own recycling. If there was mandatory curbside pickup, there would be a charge for recycling pickup.

Both SWAC and the PW Dept. recommend the transfer site be located on the Beaverton Valley site. The garbage and recycling dropoff will be located in enclosed buildings. There is room on the site for composting of yard waste. No one has ever suggested composting garbage. There is room for a hazardous waste collection facility. Room for collection of construction debris. Room for a thrift house if one is desired.

For a county which allegedly places a high priority on environmental protection, lack of a facility for proper disposal of hazardous waste is a major problem. The pollution program officer for the county has said business owners repeatedly have told him they want such a facility.

Storing the waste for months until the annual or semi-annual round-up is unworkable. How much ends up in the ground or in the storm drain? If we want to protect the environment, we need to provide the infrastructure that makes it possible to do so.

Providing room for yard waste composting is providing for the future needs. Already Friday Harbor residents cannot burn yard waste. How long before burn bans are extended to other areas? Providing the space for composting is wise.

Construction debris ends up in the waste stream now. If there was a place to store it and allow people to go through it and use it, there would be less waste. Consignment Treasures on San Juan Island provides a place for some windows and doors to be recycled, it can't serve all the needs.

Everything doesn't need to be built all at once. The county could build just the recycling, garbage facility now and do the rest as funds become available. It makes much more sense to think long term and do it right then is does to make decisions based on faulty logic and short-term thinking.

editor@sanjuanislander.com

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EDITORIAL: Effective government crafts long-term not short-term solutions