By Randy Sanne
Two meetings are scheduled this month that may be critical to the future of the CCSW, a facility approved by the voters and owned by the taxpayers and that provides services we need to protect. The Coos County Solid Waste facility located at Beaver Hill has been under siege since 2009 when Waste Connections recognized its value and submitted an offer to take it over and turn it into a transfer site.
Since June of 2009 attempts to undervalue CCSW and/or misrepresent its life span and maintenance costs have been led first by former commissioner, Kevin Stufflebean and now the structure advisory committee and its liaison, Fred Messerle. CCSW employees and concerned citizens have proven again and again that the facility has a long life span and pays for its maintenance and upkeep.
Shortly after his appointment to the commission I met with Cam Parry on several occasions provided him with statements from Bill Richardson, Site Manager for Waste Connections, that identified the percentage of garbage collected by them that should be delivered to the CCSW and suggested at that time that the county should either enforce the negotiated conditions agreed to by Waste Connections in exchange for their exclusive rights to operate in given areas or institute a “System Benefit Fee”.
The order and stipulation signed by Waste Connections and Coos County Commissioners in 2003 clearly states, “the acquisition ownership of Les’ County Sanitary Service, Inc., by Waste Connections, Inc., is approved, subject to the following stipulated condition: Franchisee, Les ‘ County Sanitary Service, Inc., following such acquisition of ownership by Waste Connections, Inc ., shall continue to deliver the prior three (3) years ‘ rolling average tons of acceptable solid waste, adjusted for growth , collected from unincorporated areas of Coos County to t he Beaver Hill solid waste disposal facility for so long as the Beaver Hill facility is owned and operated by Coos County;”
Since Waste Connections’ offer to purchase or take over the Beaver Hill facility was rejected in 2010, the company has begun transferring Coos County waste to a Lane County landfill, reducing the mandated tonnage by half, a clear violation of the agreement. All other haulers continue to dump historical tonnage, only Waste Connections has reduced its usage depriving the facility of agreed upon revenue. While I applaud Mr. Parry’s support of the CCSW’s purchase of metal separation equipment, and his negotiations with Douglas County’s overflowing landfill to allow CCSW to generate additional revenue and incinerate Douglas County garbage, no attempt has been made to enforce the order signed between Waste Connections and the county. Parry has referred to the implementation of a “system benefit fee” to protect the taxpayers’ investment as “punitive”.
The first meeting is a work session on January 11 at 1:30pm at the courthouse, reportedly called to discuss the viability of the CCSW. The next is the first public meeting of 2012 for the Coos County commissioners on January 12 at 8:00am at which they will choose a new chair and possibly re-assign liaisons. It is imperative that these commissioners know how important the CCSW is to the county and its residents. Even though these meetings are being held at a time that makes it nearly impossible for most people to attend, for those who can I hope you will, and for those who can’t please call or e-mail your commissioners and tell them to enforce the contract and keep the CCSW owned and operated by the county.
Contact Cam Parry at: (541)396-3121 ext. 281 or by e-mail at: cparry@co.coos.or.us
Contact Bob Main at: (541)396-3121 ext. 770 or by e-mail at: bmain@co.coos.or.us
Contact Fred Messerle at: (541)396-3121 ext. 247 or e-mail at: fmesserle@co.coos.or.us
It is the responsibility of your commissioners, elected or appointed, to act in the best interests of all the citizens of the county not special interests or corporations. I believe this commission should act immediately to enforce the contract with Waste Connections.
UPDATE The January 11 meeting has been postponed until January 23. Details when they are available.
No matter how much they’re exposed, and opposed, its apparent that a move is in process to sell the beaver hill facility to waste connections. That’s what Jon does, he sets up these deals for his customers, and he’s using all his resources(favors) to get it done. Including making promises of political support for younger versions of his friends. LNG,coal,ORC, log exports,large construction projects(port business), county reconstruction,(all involving large amounts of public dollars) all have the hand of Jon Barton stirring the mix, right in front of our eyes. Proving how broken the system is, when we can watch it happen on video, and see and hear the manipulation in progress, and nothing can stop this subversion of America, the bilking of public resources in plain view, money owns the press, and the press manipulates public opinion. Its because of things like this that the 99% are pissed
Thanks for your coverage of this matter.
This is a copy of the letter I sent to the commissioners:
I believe that it is in the best interest of the citizens of Coos County to continue to maintain our own solid waste disposal facility. It is our responsibility to dispose of our own waste and we have proven that it can be done economically and possibly with a small profit with proper management and maintenance.
As I understand it, Waste Connections, Inc., has a contract with the county in which it is in violation of and which the County Commissioners are not enforcing. This undercuts the viability of our facility.
If the Beaver Hill facility is allowed to decline or even be sold, you can bet that the citizens of Coos County will bear the burden of added costs that will inevitably follow.
I am a strong supporter of this facility and voted for it’s upgrading when I first moved to the area some twenty years ago. It would be criminal to not hold and continue to upgrade this facility for the residents’ benefit.
Please keep this facility operating for the public benefit.
Properly utilizing our solid waste stream could be a potential money maker for the county. Here is an example of that –
http://onlinecpi.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Miramar-Landfill-benefits-factsheet.pdf
Unfortunately our Commissioners are not listening to this kind of wisdom. They are listening to SCDC folks and people who are part of the reason the county is in the shape it’s in. The Blind leading the Blind.