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Recology presents operations update; Council approves 2.1% CPI rate increase for solid waste services
Summary
Recology of Western Oregon briefed the council on local operations, diversion statistics and improvements to customer service. Council adopted a 2.1% CPI‑based rate increase for solid waste and recycling services, citing the franchise agreement and recent cost pressures.
Recology of Western Oregon gave an annual operational briefing to the McMinnville City Council, highlighting customer service improvements, recycling and composting statistics, local facility services and the state’s Recycling Modernization Act. After the presentation the council approved a 2.1% CPI‑based rate increase required under the city’s franchise agreement.
Dan Blue, Recology’s government and community engagement manager, and other Recology representatives described the company’s valley operations—collection, transfer station and compost facility—and said McMinnville’s transfer site offers extended recycling services including glass, textiles and batteries. Blue noted the Recycling Modernization Act, which took effect July 1, will shift some recycling costs from ratepayers to packaging manufacturers and is expected to reimburse glass processing costs and expand recycling options.
Operational highlights Recology reported for calendar year 2024 included: 56,785 total solid‑waste tons collected and 14,541 recovered tons from route collections for a reported route diversion rate of 20.4%. Recology said these route figures exclude self‑haul yard debris delivered to the compost facility; when self‑haul yard debris (about 15,000 tons annually, 92% from McMinnville) is included, the combined diversion rate rises to about 34.5%. Recology also said it operates a local compost retail yard and that the McMinnville operations include about 80 employees, of whom about 30 are drivers.
Customer service and operations: Recology said it reduced average hold times in its call center by 71% year‑over‑year and recently added bilingual customer service staff in McMinnville. The company also reported new trucks, pavement repairs at the transfer station and pilot community programs including an artist‑in‑residence program that uses reclaimed materials from the transfer station.
Recology asked the council to adopt a contractual CPI adjustment. The franchise agreement provides for routine CPI adjustments; Recology requested a 2.1% increase across all lines of service. Public works staff and the city finance director reviewed the materials and recommended approval.
Council action and impacts: The council adopted Resolution No. 2025‑38 implementing the 2.1% CPI rate increase by a unanimous vote (5–0). Councilor Cunningham moved to adopt the resolution; Councilor Peralta seconded. Staff said the increase would add about $0.67 a month for a typical weekly curbside garbage customer. Recology representatives said they expect some benefits from the Recycling Modernization Act (including glass cost reimbursement and expanded recycling education) and told councilors the company is working with staff to revise the franchise agreement and reporting standards.
Questions from councilors covered call‑center wait times, missed pickups and whether Recology could move toward weight‑based billing using scales. Recology said it has tools to reduce missed pickups and is exploring scale‑based billing as part of franchise agreement revisions.
No code changes or new municipal programs were adopted; the resolution implemented the CPI adjustment permitted under the current franchise agreement.
