Orcas Recycling Services Invites All Islanders to Public Meetings

Wednesday, Sept. 19 at 5:30 p.m. at the Eastsound Fire Hall

From the Orcas Recycling Services/The Exchange Board of Directors

How do we continue to grow the Reduce, Reuse Recycle and Up-Cycle mission of The Exchange, plus expand and improve upon solid waste and recycling services to the Orcas community?

On behalf of all Orcas citizens and future generations, Orcas Recycling Services (ORS) is now negotiating with San Juan County for a new and economically viable contract for management of the Orcas Solid Waste Transfer Station.

ORS proposes that the County contract with ORS to operate the tipping floor and scales, and contract (or we subcontract) with Cimarron to provide trucking and disposal services, as they have in the past. Backup contracts will minimize any potential risks.

The ORS plan is a long-term, sustainable business model that specifies local jobs and services, lower rates for citizens, all profits reinvested into the community, innovative and efficient processing systems, great service and substantial outreach and education programs.  Over $1 million/5 years stays on Orcas.

At the County Council meeting on September 11 Patty Miller said, “I honestly do think ORS is our best long-term solution, but they’re not ready yet.”  Council member Howie Rosenfeld said, “The transfer station is not a nuclear power plant.  I don’t know why the people can’t come up to speed and operate it.”  (See the full meeting at www.sanjuanco.com, with the ORS/Cimarron discussion beginning at about 6:33:00 on the video stream.)

ORS invites all islanders to two September meetings on Orcas:  Wednesday, Sept. 19, 5:30 PM at the Firehall, for full information and discussion purposes, and Tuesday, Sept. 25, Council Council meeting on Orcas (location tbd).

ORS provides public information on its site, www.exchangeonorcas.org, on Facebook “The-Exchange” and at the Farmers’ Market on September 22.

Orcas Recycling Services requests that all concerned islanders attend the meetings, and call and write all San Juan County Council members, to tell them that locally-run ORS/The Exchange offers the best proposal, for running the Transfer Station and for our Community:

howier@co.san-juan.wa.us;  lovelp@sanjuanco.com; richp@co.san-juan.wa.us; jamies@rockisland.com; pattymiller@centurytel.net; richardf@sanjuanco.com