HomeMy WebLinkAboutSWAC Public Comment 2026-01-20Board of County Commissioners Meeting 20 January 2026
Jim Friedman – Quilcene
Regarding the Je#erson County Recycling Center Operation Agreement.
1. There is valuable real estate in front of
the scales included in the agreement.
This land could be used to alleiviate the
line issues at the facility by using a
volumetric means to collect residential
waste from self-haulers.
Benefits include:
- An additional point of service for
residential self-haulers which
makes up majority of customers.
- Self-haulers can be queued in the new collection area reducing the line for the scale on
County Landfill Rd.
- Reduced traNic leads to reduced wear and tear on the expensive scale.
- Reduced traNic leads to higher eNiciency for commercial customers that require the
scale.
- A higher overall throughput
o Collection can occur concurrently with multiple collection locations.
o Volumetric collection is not limited by the slower speed of the scale.
- The volumetric collection model is proven to work at the Quilcene Drop Box.
- A better product and experience for employees and customers.
- Volumetric collection demands a significantly higher per pound collection rate
resulting in high revenue for the facility.
- Collection services for self-haul customers can remain open during upcoming Transfer
Stations Capital Improvements focused on scale replacement, which according to staN
“will necessitate the closure of the transfer station for an extended period to self-haul
customers”
Per the SWAC StaN Report ( Oct 1, 2025 ), StaN is no longer looking for a solution.
Our new motto is “the line is the line” and sta# respond to wait time complaints
with the phone number to call to order curbside service.
2. There were $744,000 for repairs in the next 1-2 years at the Port Townsend Transfer Station
for the Recycling Center’s Roof Replacement, Loading Dock and Stormwater Drain. These
are known maintenance/repair items that the County is “deobligating” itself from. I believe
these should be explicitly itemized and expectations set per contract as they are expensive
known current issues that need to be addressed in short term.
3. The contract is for 10 years. This is an very long contract given the cost and structure of
recycling will change with Senate Bill E2SSB 5284. A 10 year contract greatly limits the
county’s ability to react to these changes.