from Ed Sutton
Nearly 50 concerned citizens met at the Eastsound Fire Station on Monday evening to hear a presentation on the Orcas Transfer Station by the local non-profit Orcas Recycling Services/The Exchange. That group had previously submitted a proposal to the County to operate the solid waste facility on Orcas as an alternative to Cimmarron Trucking.
The County Council was scheduled to discuss a recommendation of its Vendor Selection Committee at its regular meeting on July 24. The Selection Committee is chaired by Lisa Byers and includes Patty Miller, Russ Harvey, Jeff Struthers, and Steve Alexander.
The presentation by Pete Moe, President of the Board of Orcas Recycling Services/The Exchange, and others reviewed the comparison of the current method by which solid waste is shipped from the island and the proposed alternative by Orcas Recycling Services. The concern of the local group was that insufficient opportunity had been provided by the selection committee for ORS to amend its proposal to correct deficiencies in its proposal, a change which had apparently been offered to Cimmarron Trucking.
Members of the audience said the evident difference between the two proposals seemed to be that the ORS model would allow for more local control, more local jobs, and better ability to meet the County’s stated goals of recycling and reuse of the waste stream. Numerous questions were asked by the audience for clarification of this complex issue. Council candidates Rick Hughes and Scott Lancaster were both in attendance and each participated in the discussion.
The meeting concluded with an appeal to everyone to email Council members and lobby for a delay in the decision to select a new vendor for operation of the Orcas Transfer Facility until the public can be made more aware of the consequences of the decision. It was anticipated that a sizable contingent would journey to the Council meeting in Friday Harbor on Tuesday, the 24th.
Tuesday July 23 3 pm County Council receives the vendor selection committee report, live streaming at the Orcas Public Library, or online at sanjuanco.com (click Council, video, then LIVE)
So sorry, it’s today, Tuesday July 24, at 3 pm
We did it. We delivered more time and an equal hearing with Cimarron. We did this for Orcas and could not have done it without your kind and generous support. Thank you!
Tremendous thanks to each member of the San Juan County Council — I was so impressed with their intelligence and commitment to the wellbeing of our entire county. We, Orcas Recycling Services, intend to prove that we are worthy of the contract award, and to reliably deliver vital forward-thinking services, to our people who so richly deserve them, and to our beautiful island where we serve as stewards.
Thanks to those who emailed the commissioners, to those who were able to go to Friday Harbor today, to those whose comments share the news that the commissioners are listening and willing to give ORS a chance, and to Margie for this forum for the immediate news that I was waiting with anticipation to hear.
A decision will probably be made in 15 yrs. If more folks write to the county council we can hopefully have an opportunity to create an Orcas culture focused on recycling & composting which makes top soil created here cheaper vs buying it on the mainland. Paying Cimmaron to carry garbage can piles filled with yard and grown food waste & recycable near Seattle where it’s put on a train and taken to Eastern Oregon increases an Orcas culture less focused on the environment and recycling. Generic Email for the council is: council@sanjuanco.com