Talking Trash

With Glenn County’s landfill filling up fast, Orland and Willows are being asked to support a  county plan for universal or mandatory garbage service since the county is considering one.

Randy Murphy, deputy director of the Glenn County Planning and Public Works Agency, has gone to each city council asking for support. Murphy hopes to have a draft ordinance before Glenn County supervisors in April, he said, and he’s urging the cities to come on board.

Murphy discussed the idea with Orland council members Monday night, and they directed city staff to create an ordinance for review although nothing is finalized.

Essentially, if the cities approve universal garbage collection, it would mean most local residents would have to subscribe to a garbage service, he said, with some exceptions.

There is a possibility people over 65 years of age and some business owners might get exemptions, Murphy said, since seniors often have fixed incomes, and business people might take their home garbage to their business Dumpster.

“You always have to have some exemptions in an ordinance,” he said. “I don’t know what they’ll be.”

He said the landfill has the capacity to last three to six years and then it might need to be closed at a cost of $12 million or be expanded at a potential cost of $40 million.

Either way, the county needs money to complete whichever option it chooses and that includes borrowing funding, Murphy said.

This means dumping fees at the landfill will need to go up and garbage collection rates will as well. However, Murphy suggested universal garbage service would equalize the costs and make it easier to dispose of garbage.

He estimates most curbside garbage service customers’ bills  could rise by $2 to $8  more per month if universal service is enacted, Murphy said, and the landfill fees are raised.  

Landfill gate fees also could rise from $7 now to $15 or $20 a load to cover loan costs, he said.

In Orland, about 500 additional homes would be affected by universal garbage service, Murphy said, and 600 would be added in Willows. Both cities already have some residents using Waste Management to collect their garbage. The county would have 2,500 residences added to the pool if universal service is enacted.

Murphy estimated 30 percent of Willows residences already have service while 20 to 25 percent have it in Orland and 50 percent of county residences receive it.

He also believes universal service will significantly reduce illegal dumping, and “there is the convenience factor,”  he said, since people won’t have to go to the dump. Besides, “sometimes the landfill is closed,” Murphy said, because it has met its capacity for the day.

The idea of mandatory garbage service did not sit well with some Orland residents at Monday’s council meeting.

Many seniors don’t want mandatory garbage service, said Medina Branzelle, they share garbage bins because they don’t have much garbage.  She added “It should be my choice to subscribe for service or not.”

As for rentals, Murphy said the property owner would pay for universal garbage service to ensure it is utilized, but vacant properties might be exempted for a time.

Orland Vice Mayor Paul Barr said of the increased costs, “It is not local officials’ fault. It’s mandated on us, and we have to live within the rules.”

Mayor Bruce Roundy asked to see options on a proposed ordinance and said public hearings would be held, but it is bound to be controversial.

Contact Rick Longley at 934-6800 or rlongley@tcnpress.com