PENDLETON — Umatilla County customers of Sanitary Disposal have until July 1 before they start paying more for garbage collection.
Waste Connections of Oregon Inc., doing business as Sanitary Disposal, submitted a request Jan. 17 to Umatilla County for a 12.4% rate increase for collection and disposal. The franchise’s service area lies in western Umatilla County. The Umatilla County Board of Commissioners at its meeting Wednesday, April 5, approved the hike on a split vote.
County staff previously recommended the board approve the requested rate hike.
Freshman Commissioner Cindy Timmons of Milton-Freewater during the meeting pressed Sanitary Disposal District Manager Kevin Miracle on the reason for the increase. She asked if he could show the business needed the 12.4% hike.
“Our disposal rate has went up 8%, our labor has went up 7.47, health insurance almost 4, our fuel’s went up 46%, Miracle responded, as he listed other business cost increases.
Timmons said residents have no choice but to garbage service, but she also understood Sanitary Disposal needs to stay in business.
Commissioner John Shafer moved to approve the increase, and board Chair Dan Dorran gave the second.
“As we discussed… There’s probably no appetite from this board at all to look at anything major like this if it passes,” he said, adding the board would want to visit the increase a year from July 1, when it takes effect.
Shafer and Dorran voted in favor of the higher rate while Timmons voting against.
In other actions, the board:
- Established a five-member grant review committee for the County Community and Economic Development Grant Program consisting of city councilors from throughout Umatilla County to review grant applications and make funding recommendations to the board. The county’s community development director will staff the committee. The board appointed Dale Primmer, Pendleton; Wes Koklich, Milton-Freewater; Tammie Williams, Echo; Dustin Schock, Ukiah, and Maria Duron, Hermiston, to serve on the committee, which will meet twice a year during April and October. Committee members are eligible to serve one four-year term. The liaison commissioner to the Community Development Department will serve as an ex-officio member.
- Approved a mini-grant program in the county health department to support tobacco prevention activities. The county received $268,797 in funds from Ballot Measure 108, which increased Oregon’s cigarette tax by $2 per pack, to address commercial tobacco use inequities and developing or enhancing community partnerships. A portion of the funds supported the creation of a prevention equity coordinator position. Umatilla County Public Health Department will use up to $90,000 from the funds for the grant program. Each mini-grant awarded to an organization can be for up to $5,000, paid on a reimbursement process for one-time expenditures.
