09/14/2009: "New Rates Recommended For Dumps"

The SWAC (Solid Waste Advisory Committee) will go before the San Juan County Council on Tuesday, September 15, 11:00 a.m. and recommend some new ways of charging to use the solid waste sites to dump garbage and drop off recyclables.

The SWAC will recommend a charge be made to enter the facilities. This would be called a "gate fee". It would be a flat fee "paid each time a customer utilizes the solid waste facility for waste
disposal (recycling is exempt)."

There would also be another fee "charged to all parcels within the disposal district. Developed parcels with
a dwelling or business will be charged more than undeveloped parcels."

And there would still be a the current "Tipping Fee…This is a continuation of our current tipping fee but will be at a reduced rate." And then there would be a "Town Capital Fee…This would be a negotiated annual payment intended to equal what town residents would pay if they were part of the disposal district and subject to the parcel fees."

Gate Fee………………………………………….$5.00 per trip
Developed Parcel Fee…………………………..$48.25 per year
Undeveloped Parcel Fee………………………..$24.13 per year
Average Tipping Fee………………..….……...$195.18 per ton ($20 per ton of the tipping fee will be used to support recycling, reuse and reduction programs.)

The SWAC report states "It is the consensus of SWAC that a “gate” fee (excluding recycling) will encourage reduced/consolidated trips to the transfer stations while a substantial tipping fee will encourage reuse and recycling efforts. Since reduced use of the transfer stations and reduced production of solid waste would also reduce the revenue stream, SWAC felt it was critical to assess a parcel fee in order to develop a stable, long-term funding source.

Reduced trips and uses of a transfer station also means the new San Juan Island facility could be built on a smaller scale than originally planned thereby saving substantial capital costs.

It is the further consensus of SWAC that an efficient, workable transfer station is an essential public service and thereby enhances the well being of all county residents and visitors. Therefore, this proposed rate structure, which includes a parcel fee, was developed with the idea that costs for the entire solid waste program are to be shared as equitably as possible."