08/28/2010: "Council Serious On Making Decision On Solid Waste?"

( County Council meeting file photo)

The County Council will hold a Special Meeting Tuesday to review, discuss, and allow public comment on a Survey Report and a summary of the recent solid waste survey questions (now closed) that had been sent out to 9,000 randomly selected households.

If there is one thing the Council members have shown they are good at, it is receiving reports from the Public Works Solid Waste Department, and discussing options to solve the problems of the department. What they are not so good at, is deciding what to do about it.

The survey is just the latest expenditure of money for a new “tool” to help guide them in giving direction to Joh Shannon’s solid waste department. Critics have pointed out there has been a great deal of money already spent on a seemly endless number of workshops, focus groups and consultations attempting to determine “what does the public want?” and “How much is the public willing to pay?” to get rid of their garbage.

Steve Alexander is the Solid Waste Manager of the Public Works Department, and he explained the need for the survey as an “opportunity to listen to voices representing opinions from a cross section of the community, especially those who may be under-represented at public meetings."

Of the 4,000 sent out, only a little over a quarter (26.3%) were returned, but the survey author, Nina Rook states “the combination of random sampling and high response rates assure results for the core sample that are broadly representative of the entire community.”

How it can be determined from the survey who is being represented is unclear, but it is fair to say it is most likely those who have strong enough opinions about the department that they were willing to take the time to answer the questions and fill out the boxes provided for comments.

Given the make up of those who live in San Juan County, it is not surprising to find the survey results contain page after page of submitted comments .

As for the The top five issues from the analysis of the written comments were:

* Consistent/ longer hours/more days
* Frustration (with SW management, Council, lack of decisions)
* Curbside garbage/ recycling pick-up
* Privatize
* Education

Should be an interesting discussion, and hopefully some positive action will come out of it? Well maybe not: On September 22, Solid Waste planner Elizabeth Anderson will begin a whole new series of public meetings on the survey results and what the next steps should be

Information about participating in these meetings is available from Anderson at 360-370-0531.

The survey discussion begins a 8:30 a.m. (Leg Hearing Rm), and then at 11:00 a.m. the Council will take up a “Focus on Decisions Agenda,” See below: