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County seeks smaller Ecology litter-cleanup grant as staffing recovers
Summary
County staff told commissioners they will renew a Department of Ecology community litter cleanup grant at a reduced amount this cycle because limited crews cut last cycle’s output; officials said they plan to increase staffing to restore previous coverage and will ask the state for additional funding if work justifies it.
County staff told commissioners Tuesday that the county will pursue a reduced renewal of its Department of Ecology community litter cleanup grant this biennium because past staffing shortfalls limited how much work the litter crew could complete.
The program is the fifth renewal of the county’s community litter cleanup grant from the state Department of Ecology. “This is our, fifth renewal of the biennial, community litter cleanup program grant that we get from the ecology,” a staff member said, adding the award is smaller than in prior cycles.
Staff said the cut reflects the crew’s reduced capacity last grant period. The presenter said the county expects to increase litter-crew staffing to roughly 2½ to 3 full-time equivalents over time and to target “hot spots where there's some litter and dump sites.” If the crew’s numbers come back up, Ecology allows mid-grant adjustments and staff said the county can request additional funding during the grant period if the work justifies it.
Commissioners asked about disposal logistics for junk recreational vehicles and where the county can temporarily store seized or derelict RVs. The presenter said local storage providers had limited space. “We did increase, our lease space, I believe, in the last contract for that purpose. But, I think within just 2 to 3 months after, updating last year's lease, we had filled the capacity,” the staff member said. The county estimated annual costs for handling derelict vehicles at roughly $4,000–$5,000.
No formal vote was taken at the work session. Staff said the agreement will be placed on the board’s regular meeting agenda for formal consideration.
Why it matters: the litter-cleanup program pays for staff time and supplies to remove roadside trash and illegal dump sites; reduced grant funding paired with plans to rebuild crew capacity could affect how quickly the county clears problem sites this year.
The county will return with the agreement at its regular board meeting for final action.
