City wants input on recycling center

In regard to Karen Kassey's editorial in the August 10 issue of The Nugget ("Recycling Center in peril") I would like to offer some perspective and invite the community to further comment. The recycling depot was designed to operate on a "self-service" basis as Ms. Kassy puts it. As such, she implies the depot should not be costly to operate. The depot has always required significant funding to cover operational costs, including staffing and hauling.

In 2008, when the city was faced with a need to increase garbage rates, High Country Disposal (HCD) made a proposal to be the city's franchisee for solid waste services. HCD offered to provide more service, including curbside pick-up for yard debris and recyclables (except glass and motor oil) for the about the same rate that was being considered by the city. Today, city residents receive improved service, and the city's worker injury claims have decreased. HCD also introduced curbside recycling for areas outside the city limits. Both of these decisions lessened the amount of recyclables coming into the depot which has helped reduce the cost to operate it.

As Ms. Kassy points out, there are markets for recyclables. The markets fluctuate widely, and an economic return isn't always guaranteed, meaning the cost of staffing and hauling to market is not always offset. According to HCD, glass is not economical to recycle. It is heavy and has not proven to be an easy material to make into a new product. Therefore it does not produce a sustainable revenue source to offset costs.

The depot was relocated after the city sold the land where it was located to the fire district for the new fire hall. It was old and dilapidated; requiring more and more maintenance as the public left more than recyclables there, including household garbage, mattresses, appliances, hazardous materials and other non-accepted items. The city received justified calls demanding the center be better-maintained or moved. In the design of the new depot, staff considered adding a guard shack to better monitor it; but the extra cost was prohibitive. Deschutes County stepped in with the funding to make it possible. This all occurred before the recession hit. Revenue projections were optimistic.

As the effects of the recession began impacting local government budgets, county officials determined they could no longer afford to support community-based recycling facilities around the county, including the Sisters depot.

As the county intends to continue operating the N.W. Transfer Station on Fryrear Road, it is the county's position that this facility is available instead.

The reduced operating hours for the depot were intentionally set to coordinate with the transfer station.

It is open when Fryrear is not.

The county has agreed to help operate the depot for one more year, until June 2012.

Without the county's assistance, there is simply not enough funding to operate the depot past this date.

In light of this development, the city is considering future options for the depot. Options include keeping it open and increasing fees to offset operational costs, closing the depot entirely along with introducing curbside pick-up for glass and oil, or "recycling" the depot itself for another use.

We would like to hear from the community about these or other options. Cities the size of Sisters are not required to provide recycling services. But it is the right thing to do for the environment. Ms. Kassy's editorial was well timed to kick-start this dialogue. In the coming weeks, city and HCD staff will be developing a mechanism to survey citizens on how to provide the best possible direction for the future. In the meantime, please continue to contact the city with your comments and questions. We will share your feedback with the city council, the county and HCD.