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03/27/2009: "CC Public Hearing On Tuesday To "Consider Possible Alternate Dump Site""

At a work session last Tuesday (3-24-09) with the County Council and Public Works, Councilman Howard Rosenfeld stated “We have a back-ass rate structure, no reserves, we have to up-grade the site to keep it operating -at least temporarily- and we don’t have money for that, and we are still planning this grandiose facility that we have no financing plan for. Where is the money going to come from.. without raising rates?”

Rosenfeld further express his concern that we “already have a high tipping fee” and added that “I don’t understand where the planning has been on this.”

Public Works Director Jon Shannon responded to Rosenfeld that “we have put this very question to all of the Commissioners that came before you since the day I got here. You're right.”

The County Council has scheduled a public hearing (Council Agenda ) at 1:30p.m. on Tuesday to consider a possible alternate location for a new transfer station on San Juan Island. The hearing will be held in the Legislative Hearing Room in the County Legislative building at 55 Second Street (across from the court house).

The Council has been frustrated by the lack of hard numbers on what it will cost to build a new site, or repair and rebuild the existing site at Sutton Road, and so the pressure is on for them to -at the least- decide if they will continue to use Sutton Road, or start a two to five year process to build a new site on one of the other locations that PW and SWAC have recommended; with the Beaverton Valley site at the top of the list.

Adding to the need for some decisions to be made is the continuing unanswered question of will the Town of Friday Harbor close down the current site if the County moves to a new site, or will they say no thanks, it is in the best interest of the town residents to stay with the existing site.