09/03/2009: "Dumps Still Losing Money -Will Close On Saturday"

Public Works Director Jon Shannon told the Council this the solid waste transfer stations are not only still losing money, they are in fact “going backwards.”

Shannon was referring to how little garbage and re-cycling are coming into the three island facilities, and the corresponding loss of revenue. The fall off in construction material is one of the major losses of revenue, he said.

Shannon said a review of the record indicates the volume received for June and July was the same as in 2000, and the May volume was about the same as in 1998; when the gates were only open one day a on the weekend.

The immediate solution to a cost reduction of running the transfer stations is, Shannon said, to close the San Juan and Orcas stations down on Saturday, and to require Lopez to co-mingle their re-cycling materials, which will result in a $40K savings a year. If "things stay on the same trend, we would look at closing another day" in December on into spring.

Additional savings well result in a savings of overtime pay to staff.

Shannon pointed the material will still be re-cycled, but the separation will be done the operators at the disposal plant on the mainland, as required by the contract between the County and Waste Management.

Ed Hale -Solid Waste Manager for Public Works- said Saturday was picked because most of the use happens on Sunday.