Campaign for a Clean Community
Sponsored By: Orange County Voice (OrangeCountyVoice.org) and RENA/CEER (RogersRoad.org)
New Fees Planned for Non-Essential Spending
The county plans to add a third solid waste fee, called a 4R fee. The 4R fee will partially fund the county's five solid waste convenience centers. It will added to property tax bills and cost county households $40 per year and town households $20 per year. Multi-family households will pay $4 per year.
The new fee is part of a county plan which asks for a 40% increase in the convenience center budget (from $1.7 million per year in 2010-11 to $2.4 million per year in 2011-12). The budget increase includes a new program to spend nearly $3 million to pave the centers, add dump ramps, and add compactors. The centers are already funded with property taxes and a fraction of the 3R fee. The new 4R fee provides additional funds for the centers. The fee is expected to be included in the 2011-12 budgets. The county intends to charge only half the fee for the next two years. For the county's plan, click here Solid Waste Convenience Center Improvements Proposal
When hours were cut in 2009, illegal dumping increased near Rogers Road and in rural communities near the centers. Crowding and congestion are a problem especially on busy Saturdays. The county's plan and new fees will not be applied to reinstate the hours or correct any of these issues. The county plan to reinstate 5.5-day per week schedules at Walnut Grove in 2012-13 and Eubanks Road in 2014-15.
Trash and Recycling Fees = $37 + $38 + $40
The new 4R fee is in addition to the following two 3R fees which are already billed on property taxes:
- base 3R fee ($37 per household) for recycling programs
- curbside recycling 3R fee
- $38 per county household for biweekly service
- $52 per town household for weekly service.
County residents will pay the higher $40 fee. This includes the Habitat for Humanity Communities near Chapel Hill and in Efland, which use curbside trash and recycling services.
Based on the plan, the 4R fee:
- can only be used for trash and recycling operations
- cannot fund a shortfall in schools, ambulances, fire service or other priorities
- is unrelated to funding for remediation for the Rogers Road community.
The county plans to phase in the new fee - charging half the fee for the first two years, and the full fee by 2013-14.
For the county plan, see the Solid Waste Convenience Center Improvements Proposal (requires the Adobe Acrobat Reader®).
Is Outsourcing an Option?
Given the uncertainty around landfill closing, and the county may be able to reduce costs and protect staff jobs by privatizing or "outsourcing" convenience centers, recycling programs and possibly even the landfill closing to a private company. The curbside recycling program for town households is already outsourced to Waste Industries and is working well.
Comparisons:
- Wake County
- 11 convenience centers
- 7 days a week, 12 hours a day;
- fully managed by Waste Industries
- funded by taxes
- Chatham County
- 12 convenience centers
- 4 centers operate 7 days a week
- 8 centers operate 6 days a week, including Sundays from 1-7
- staffed with workers from a local security firm
- fully funded by fees (not taxes) with an annual solid waste fee of $91 and a convenience center fee of $34 per year which is waived for residents who use curbside services
Investing in Legacy Infrastructure
Orange County is investing in a legacy infrastructure that's built around a landfill that's scheduled to close in 2014-16. The county recently opened its $4 million solid waste administrative office on Eubanks Road. Plus the county plans to expand its construction and demolition landfill on Eubanks Road.
A long-term plan could involve relocating operations, perhaps making many county investments unnecessary or obsolete. For example, if the county pursues waste-to-energy for the long term, it is unlikely to be sited at Eubanks - but it is likely to force the relocation of all county landfill and recycling operations elsewhere. Plus, it will change the mix, hauling efficiencies, and handling of virtually every waste stream in the county - including sludge and other wastes that are not currently handled by the county solid waste department.
To avoid wasting money on outdated, legacy infrastructure, investments in solid waste/recycling programs and changes to fees or fee structures should be delayed until long-term plans are in place and there has been a full accounting for all current and future obligations.
Call for an Audit of the Solid Waste Enterprise Fund
The county manages the Solid Waste Enterprise Fund separately from the general fund, where property taxes and other county taxes and fees are collected. In addition to funding day-to-day operations, fund reserves are slated to pay for landfill closure and post closure monitoring. Additional funds will be needed for remediation for the Rogers Road community.
- The Solid Waste Enterprise Fund receives over $10 million per year from taxes combined with household and commercial fees.
- The Solid Waste Enterprise Fund pays for Solid Waste and recycling programs, equipment, and overheads - including consultants.
- The county does not report how funds are used or how overheads are allocated to programs and services.
- Over the last few years, landfill fees have been declining and household fees have been increasing.
An audit of the Enterprise Fund would clarify how funds align to programs and overheads, and assure that reserves are adequate to meet expected commitments.
Thank you for your help and support on this important topic.
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