News from Hughes: County Ends Solid Waste Management

— by Margie Doyle, Updated May 2 at 10 a.m. —

Council Member Rick Hughes

County Councilman Rick Hughes recently updated Orcas Issues on work he’s been doing with the San Juan County Council.

Last week, the County Council signed off on the third and final transfer of its solid waste operations: the San Juan Island Transfer Station to Lautenbach Industries. This agreement was negotiated by a land lease from the Town of Friday Harbor and solid waste operations to Lautenbach Industries.

“The County is fortunate to have three unique solutions to provide the best service at affordable prices,” says Hughes. “This completes the privatization of the solid waste industry in the county,” a shift that voters authorized by their 2011 vote to discontinue funding, through a solid waste user charge, the collection and disposal of solid waste. Solid waste operations, formerly overseen by County Public Works at a deficit, are now managed by the non-profit Orcas Recycling Services on Orcas Island, and by the Lopez Solid Waste taxing district on Lopez Island.

One aspect of the change in disposal operations is that San Juan Island’s site is now equipped to handle construction recycling, which will create more materials for renewable uses, and less for dump sites.

The Council also agreed to remove “flow control” regulations which, since 1996, have required that all garbage collected in San Juan County must be disposed of at a San Juan County facility. Upon passage of this ordinance, solid waste may be taken to the mainland to disposal at other waste operations. This ordinance is scheduled for approval at the May 20 County Council meeting on Orcas Island.

“I don’t like laws that say we can’t do something, like the flow control laws,” said Hughes. “I hope we maintain the same structure to keep waste disposal revenues locally.”

Hughes also said that the solid waste excise tax, which has been levied to pay off old debt from the county solid waste system — currently at 16 percent — is expected to be lowered three to six percentage points.

The County is considering immediate rental of this ferry landing building, now vacant. Contact Rick Hughes or County Manager Mike Thomas.

In other news:

• Hughes said that the building on the west side of the Orcas Ferry Landing, formerly Russell’s Store, is available for rent to interested business or non-profit parties. “My long-term goal is to have more county services here on Orcas Island, but in the meantime, the site can be rented  at a decent rate.” He asks that any interested parties contact him at rickh@sanjuanco.com or County Manager Mike Thomas at miket@sanjuanco.com.
• Hughes continues to work with the Lummi Nation on improving cooperation and re-opening Madrona Point.
• The County is currently negotiating with Washington State Ferries, local vendors and Homeland Security to bring wireless to the San Juan ferries in the next 12 months.
• County Public Works will soon begin their seasonal chip-sealing projects. Hughes expects that they will start the Prune Alley in late May.
• Other County Councilmen Jamie Stephens and Bob Jarman are working with Mike Thomas to reduce the disruption from the Field Carrier Landing Practice of the “Growlers,” (Boeing EA-18G Growlers, an American carrier-based electronic warfare aircraft) aircraft based at Whidbey Island Air Station.
• Hughes also has been elected to the Skagit-Whatcom-San Juan Opportunity Council’s Board of Directors. His work will emphasize elimination of poverty.
• He continues to see media production, of movies and commercials as an important element in improving the county economy. And he hopes to shift the focus of Public Works from a land base to a marine base and install buoys at county road ends, such as Blanchard Street in Eastsound and Cormorant Bay Road in Deer Harbor.

(Note: Council Member Rick Hughes is expected to speak at the Eastsound Planning and Review Committee’s monthly meeting on Thursday, May 1 from 3 to 5 p.m.)