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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1.14.25 SWAC Memo MEMORANDUM To: Jefferson County Solid Waste Advisory Committee From: Al Cairns, Solid Waste Manager Date: January 15, 2025 Re: Recycling Service Revisions/Low-income Tariff Rate Background/Update At the July 7, 2024 and September 26, 2024 SWAC meetings, the SWAC discussed staff’s recommendation to replace the current recycling drop box program with a curbside-only collection program and discontinuing the subsidy for the drop-box program that comes from tipping fee revenue. At the September 26, 20254meeting a poll of SWAC members on whether staff should advance this recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners found support equally divided between “agree” or “strongly agree”. Staff discussed the recommendation with the Board of County Commissioners at a workshop on November 12, 2024 and a Letter of Intent was delivered to Waste Connections to allow them to begin developing a proposed rate structure for review by the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC). Staff has also apprised the UTC of these efforts and SWAC’s engagement. Curbside Collection Low-income Discount Proposal Waste Connections has proposed the establishment of a low-income discount for curbside collection service and staff has been working with Waste Connections to identify a means of identifying qualifying curbside customers. Ideally Waste Connections would utilize a list created by another State or County agency which has vetted low-income residents. Two such lists have been found: 1. the Jefferson County Assessor’s Office maintains a list of low-income seniors who qualify for reduced property tax assessments. In December, 2024 this list included an approximate 1,200 residents 2. the Jefferson County Public Utility District maintains a list of low-income power customers who receive a credit on their monthly electrical bills and as of early January, 2025 this list included an approximate 1,600 residents A low-income rate within a UTC tariff would be the first of its kind in the State and has the support of the UTC, the Department of Ecology (ECY) and Public Works staff. Consistency with Solid Waste Management Plan The institution of a low-income senior citizen discount is listed as “Alternative B” in the Solid Waste Management Plan (SWMP) in Chapter 6: Waste Collection, section 6.4. ALTERNATIVE WASTE COLLECTION STRATEGIES. SWAC’s Role The vetting of this proposal is a good example of the role of the SWAC in assisting Public Works with the continued evolution of the solid waste program. At the January 23rd, 2025 meeting, the SWAC’s first response to this proposal is to show their agreement or disagreement with a simple show of hands. The results of this poll will be recorded in the meeting minutes. If the proposal is found to have majority support with the SWAC, then the next consideration is whether this would constitute a “minor” change to the solid waste management system, in which case it could move forward without the need to go through a formal SWMP amendment process, as discussed in the SWMP in Chapter 10, section 10.14. PROCEDURES FOR AMENDING THE SWMP. If there is consensus that the change is minor, then staff will submit a letter to the UTC indicating that the County desires a low-income citizen rate in the tariff. Waste Connections would then submit a request for a tariff revision to allow for this new rate along with the financials that would be reviewed by the UTC. If there is not consensus that the change is minor, then staff workload dictates that the proposal be tabled until such time as it can be vetted as part of the SWMP plan revision process, scheduled to begin sometime in the first half of 2025. Level of Service Ordinance Note that in section 6.4. of the SWMP there is mention of the need to adopt a level of service ordinance to affect this discount rate. This may have been a requirement when the SWMP was adopted in 2016 but the UTC now only requires a letter from Public Works and SWAC meeting minutes that record our discussions. However, in furthering the discussion with the BoCC about the larger recommended revisions to the recycling program, staff is presently developing a draft Level of Service Ordinance and the attendant Code revisions that would be the vehicle for affecting these changes. Staff would include in the low- income rate in the Ordinance.