Ephrata to improve recycling center

EPHRATA - Ephrata may improve its current recycling program and examine curbside recycling in the future.

The city council discussed the results of a curbside recycling survey and staff research during a recent meeting. 

City Administrator Wes Crago said the council had four options moving forward with recycling in the city: do nothing, improve the existing recycling facility, create a curbside recycling program for public comment or use an existing program as a model for a program.

"When staff looked at these and came up with these four, we also spent quite a bit of time evaluating some of the other things that affect recycling," he said. "One of those is the revenue situation at the city is very limited. We don't have surpluses ... to push at a problem and that our community's resources at the moment are also limited by the economy and what's going on around us."

The city staff also looked at the city's mission statement, using it to prioritize the projects, Crago said, adding the city's master plan and 10 year goals set by the city council are part of the mission statement.

"It might be a personal observation, but we've always had a philosophy, I think, in Ephrata to lead change rather than force change," he said. 

Crago said the city has other projects, which will require tax or fee increases, and city officials can only ask citizens for so much money.

"Is this recycling, if you want to call it, going from voluntary recycling to mandatory curbside recycling, is that the number one project for the city to pursue?" Crago asked. "That's what the staff really came down to, and we looked at our master plan and all those other factors and considered them and I guess given the situation, given our evaluation of the facts of what's going on. The staff's recommendation unanimously was the pursue option number two."

The option is to put resources into the existing recycling facility. The facility is being used by people wanting to recycle, Crago said. They also recommended waiting three to five years to examine the issue again.

"One of the things that was clear in the survey was we had people at both ends of the spectrum commenting," he said. "Curbside recycling, even with that, fell somewhere in the middle even by the people who were the most passionate for recycling in general and were willing to pay for it. When it was put in comparison with other projects, curbside was six out of 12."

Councilmember Heidi Schultheis disagreed with the staff's recommendation, saying she felt the staff was directed to come up with a plan for curbside recycling. 

"It appears as though (options) three and four match that request," she said. "I believe that (options) one and two are saying, 'We really don't think it's very important right now. There are other things that we think where the money is better spent.' That is not what council has requested."

Schultheis added the survey showed 98 percent of the people responding were in favor of recycling.

"Depending on how you set it up, you just have to figure out your rate structure, so that it is revenue neutral," she said. 

Crago said the residents would pay more for a curbside recycling program. Staff examined other cities' programs and spoke with the contractor.

"It was in the survey. It was between $2 to $16 a month more to accommodate a curbside program whatever the different options were," he said. "We can't do a curbside program without charging the residents more money."

Other councilmembers agreed with the staff's recommendation. Councilmember Mark Wanke said it would be nice to have the recycling, but to get by for now he wanted to enhance the current recycling center.

"If we were located closer to Spokane or Seattle where we could use certain things, that would be one thing, but we're out here, and until then I would like to maybe enhance our recycling center that we have now," he said.

Councilmember Tony Mora asked if there were other cities comparable to Ephrata in size with curbside recycling.

Crago answered the only city close to Ephrata's population is College Place, which is adjacent to Walla Walla and has a recycling center closer than Ephrata.

"I was surprised how few cities did any recycling, having the recycling center is relatively unique," he said.

Councilmember Bruce Reim said they were trying to balance the need to how much people would be willing to pay.

"The big part is can we meet the need," he said. "I'm sure there are people out there that really don't like to invest more money into recycling. They're probably pretty happy with number two, that we have our little recycling center there, which is great, and I'm a big fan of that."

He said the survey the city did seems questionable, and could be read any way.

"I agree with Heidi that it would be wonderful to be able to step in and say, 'All right, you're all going toward this. It's going to cost you the same amount. You're now getting two cans. You're getting a smaller of these and a smaller of these and it's going to cost you the same money,'" he said. "That would be great, but I've got a funny feeling that we can't do that. There's going to be an extra cost."

Reim said he wasn't comfortable starting a program right now, but he wanted to look at it again next year.

Councilmember Stephanie Knitter also felt the city couldn't start a program and charge residents the same amount. She supported expanding the existing recycling center. She also supported looking at it every year or every other year.

Councilmember Kathleen Allstot suggested starting a citizen's commission to examine the issue, echoing Reim's concerns about the survey results.

Councilmember Ben Davis agreed with Crago, saying at some point the city is going to need to raise fees or taxes for a project.

"When we do that, we better make sure there is something that we can't live without as a city and the citizens are on board with that same fact," he said. "So, if recycling is not on top of the list ... then I have to say (option) two and maybe a combination with three may be the best thing to pursue right now."