York County supervisors hear VPSA overview, raise questions about compost facility costs and measurement

The Virginia Peninsula Public Service Authority, which provides regional solid-waste and recycling services for York County and nine other localities, briefed the York County Board of Supervisors on April 8 about its programs and the VPSA FY26 budget.

VPSA representative Jennifer Wheeler told the board VPSA is “a regional government organization. We’re a political subdivision of the state, and we serve 10 cities and counties,” and outlined services that include a regional compost facility, curbside and drop‑off recycling, household hazardous‑waste events, and debris‑management contracts used after major storms. She said VPSA’s budget for each participating community is set by the VPSA board and that jurisdictional participation is optional for each program.

The nut of the discussion was the compost facility in York County, which VPSA said handled about 18,170 tons of yard debris in FY24 and that York County accounted for roughly 63 percent of incoming tonnage. Wheeler said sales of processed materials (mulch, soil blends and similar products) offset operating costs and noted VPSA is not a for‑profit operation: “Any revenue at all coming into our facility is used to help reduce the cost to residents.”

Supervisors pressed VPSA staff on several budget and operational points. Board members questioned how incoming tonnage is measured at the compost site, noting many residential drop‑offs are not routinely weighed. A supervisor said of his own visits, “I’ve never seen anything weighed back there … I’m really skeptical of the true number.” VPSA staff replied they would provide additional measurement data to the county.

Board members also sought detail on personnel and compensation. VPSA presented a compost facility personnel budget that aggregates salary and benefits; supervisors asked for a detailed breakout after noting the facility’s listed salary and benefits total and that VPSA reported several current vacancies. Wheeler said VPSA is conducting a compensation study and that some positions are currently under market.

Material sales and pricing were a second area of debate. Supervisors raised concerns that VPSA sells processed material at below‑market rates and that those sales can undercut private businesses that produce and sell mulch. Wheeler and others said VPSA’s primary purpose is processing and permit compliance — to keep yard debris out of landfills and maintain the facility’s DEQ permit — and that the board could change pricing or distribution policy if VPSA’s member jurisdictions vote to do so.

Other details discussed: VPSA charges each member a base administrative fee (Wheeler said $11,000 per jurisdiction), household chemical collection events are offered regionally on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon, and curbside recycling contracts are administered regionally (VPSA said the current curbside contract is a five‑year extension that began July 1). VPSA also noted that debris‑management contracts (used after storms) are pre‑negotiated so jurisdictions can quickly activate them for FEMA‑reimbursable cleanup.

Wheeler said VPSA pays York County host fees tied to compost facility tonnage (about $1.60 per ton) and a lease payment; she estimated the combined revenue back to York County from those items at roughly $170,000 for FY26. VPSA told the board it would provide requested back‑up: detailed measurement reports, a personnel breakout for the compost budget, and clarification on material‑sales revenue and pricing.

Supervisors asked VPSA board representative Rob to carry concerns about measurement, pricing and staffing back to the VPSA board. VPSA staff said any structural changes to allocation or sales policy would require a VPSA board proposal and a vote of the member jurisdictions.

The board’s discussion closed with supervisors asking county staff and VPSA to return with the requested data so the supervisors could decide whether to seek changes for FY27.