Now is the time to show your support for the Exchange on Orcas Island!
The County Council is making important decisions that will affect the cost of dumping garbage and recycling at the Orcas transfer station and your access to and the continuing viability of the Exchange.
In response to reduced income from garbage tipping fees and a long standing lack of capital funding the Council is cutting services at the Orcas transfer station (closing on Fridays starting Feb. 26th) and devising a new fee schedule. The fee schedules under consideration increase the cost of self hauling and may include a “gate fee”to enter the transfer facility.
The “Take-it-or-Leave-it”on Lopez and the Exchange on Orcas depend on self haulers to bring and take reusable materials that would otherwise be exported as waste. Any fee increases that further shift the costs of county waste programs to self haulers are contrary to the goals of the county’s Solid Waste Management Plan, which call for an aggressive waste reduction program.
The County Council must find a funding formula for solid waste to encourage waste reduction not penalize it.
The County Council is meeting at 10:30, Monday Feb.8th at the Eastsound fire hall, the day before they have another workshop on solid waste rates. This might be the last chance for supporters of the Exchange to influence their thinking in person.
I’m asking you to attend, to stand up and be counted in support of the Exchange.
Sincerely,
George Post, Founder of the Exchange and 20-year member of the Solid Waste Advisory Committee
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