HomeMy WebLinkAboutCONSENT Letter of Support re Transfer station JEFFERSON COUNTY
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
CONSENT AGENDA REQUEST
TO: Board of County Commissioners
FROM: Eric Kuzma,Public Works Director
DATE: July 20,2026
SUBJECT: LETTER OF SUPPORT
re: Transfer Station Modernization Project grant/loan application
STATEMENT OF ISSUE:
The Jefferson County Public Works Solid Waste Division is currently finalizing a traditional program grant
application to the Washington State Public Woks Board(PWB)for the Transfer Station Modernization
Project.To strengthen the application under tight state deadlines, staff is requesting a formal letter of support
from the Board of County Commissioners highlighting regional governance backing.
ANALYSIS:
The Jefferson County Transfer Station is currently facing a critical convergence of structural,environmental,
and mechanical liabilities,including an obsolete,40-year-old commercial scale infrastructure operating 15
years past its engineering service life. Additionally, following the catastrophic mechanical failure of the
facility's waste consolidation crane on June 26,2026,material handling capacity has been severely
constrained.
The project aligns with the County's long-term capital planning and fiscal goals.The proposed replacement
scales and scale house structures are proactively engineered as modular,relocatable assets, ensuring that they
can transition directly to a new site if the county executes a long-term facility replacement plan over the next
8 to 10 years,thereby fully protecting public funds. Securing PWB grant and low interest loan assistance is
the only viable path to prevent aggressive tip fee inflation within our enterprise fund,which would otherwise
threaten vital low-income scale house discount programs and regional environmental safeguards.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Solid Waste Division is applying for traditional program state grant and low interest loan funding.The
County is asked to provide a letter of support;there is no direct impact on the General Fund.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approving and signing the attached letter of support for the Jefferson County Transfer
Station Modernization Project grand application.
DEPARTMENT CONTACT:
Justin Miskell, Solid Wate Operations Manager
REVIEWED BY:
Jo�D. Peters,County Administrator Date
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qL1~ Heather Dudley-Nollette,District 1 Heidi Eisenhour,District 2 Greg Brotherton,District 3
SNINGI
July 20th,2026
Public Works Board
Washington State Department of Commerce
P.O. Box 42525
Olympia,WA 98504-2525
RE: Letter of Support for the Jefferson County Transfer Station Modernization Project
FY2027 Public Works Board Traditional Program Funding
Members of the Board,
The Jefferson County Board of County Commissioners endorses the County Public Works Department's
application for Public Works Board(PWB) funding.As the sole solid waste management and processing hub
on the northeastern Olympic Peninsula,the Jefferson County Transfer Station is critical infrastructure upon
which our entire regional economy, environment,and public health depend.
Operating far beyond its original design capacity,our 30-plus-year-old facility faces a critical convergence of
structural, environmental,and mechanical liabilities.The recent catastrophic failure of the facility's waste
consolidation crane has severely constrained material handling capacity. Compounding this,our obsolete 38-
foot commercial scales date back 40 years; from before the current facility and 15 years past their useful service
life, forcing inefficient split-weighing that creates severe traffic queuing hazards on adjacent public roadways.
Furthermore,our aging subterranean leachate containment infrastructure represents an active environmental
vulnerability.
This modernization project is a model for fiscal stewardship and long-term planning. Crucially,the replacement
scales and scale house structures are proactively engineered as modular,relocatable assets. As the County
executes its long-term facility replacement plan over the next 8 to 10 years,these PWB-funded components will
transition directly to the new site, ensuring full useful service life and protecting public dollars.
Furthermore,because our enterprise fund relies on user fees rather than general tax revenues,securing PWB
funding assistance is the only viable path to preventing aggressive tipping fee inflation.Unmitigated capital
deficits would force severe budget reallocation,threatening our vital low-income scale house discount program
and regional environmental safeguards.
This project protects our citizens, secures critical regional municipal solid waste support chains,and remediates
acute environmental and public safety risks.We urge the Public Works Board to fully fund this essential
infrastructure request.
Sincerely,
► Jefferson County Washington Board of County Commissioners
Heather Dudley-Nollette,Dist. 1 Heidi Eisenhour,Dist. 2 Greg Brotherton,Dist. 3-Chair
Phone (360) 385-9100 jeffbocc@co.jefferson.wa.us