Lopez citizens arise! If you care about the functioning of our transfer station, Take It or Leave It, sorted recycling, or Neil’s job, then you need to know that the County Council is working on two alternative solutions, which will be put to a vote next November. Jamie Stephens, our council representative, is a member of the sub-committee to sort out the county’s solid-waste disaster, which is running a deficit of $25,000 per month and has to borrow money for operations this entire year.

Jamie is doing his job, taking a fresh and critical look at the solid waste problem both from how we got here and what options might be available to get us out of the ditch.  It is an ongoing examination and too early to present any figures or choices we citizens can study.

However, the Concerned Citizens for Solid-Waste, led by Dan Post, a Port of Lopez Commissioner, is exploring the possibility of having the Port assume control and operation of the Lopez Transfer Station.

Dan presented financial data on projected revenues and expenses at a well-attended meeting on March 23, 2011. He believes we can operate the station, using our historical model of self-haul garbage, sorted recyclables, and the increasingly important T/L function in these financially difficult times, in an environmentally responsible, reasonable cost, and fiscally sound manner.

If you care about how our transfer station functions and want to be independent of county council control, you need to express your opinion.

One way to do that is to attend the next Port of Lopez Meeting and tell the commissioners what functions you want, or don’t want, from your dump operator. Only two commissioners will decide if the port will make a serious proposal to the county council to operate the facility.

San Olson

Lopez Island