Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Solid Waste Recycling topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Longtime Jefferson County recycling official announces retirement; successor introduced
Summary
A longtime Jefferson County solid-waste/recycling official announced retirement after 26½ years, credited the board with helping purchase recycling trucks and introduced incoming replacement Reese Malone, who pledged to continue serving county residents.
A longtime county recycling and solid-waste staff member announced his retirement during public comment at the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners’ first meeting of 2026 and introduced his successor.
Don, who said he has worked in county recycling and waste services for 26½ years, told commissioners he had "been very happy to be here" and recalled milestones including the county's purchase of two recycling trucks in 2018 that helped sustain the drop-off program. He expressed concern about funding instability at the state level, saying grant-driven revenues have sometimes been reallocated to other needs.
Don said Jefferson County was fortunate to find a replacement after he decided to retire and introduced Reese Malone, who spoke to the board. Malone thanked the board and said she was honored to join Jefferson County, called the role an important career step and said she looked forward to continuing services for constituents.
Why this matters: The retirement and leadership transition affect the continuity of the county’s recycling program, which county speakers described as reliant on variable state grant funding and local operational choices. The incoming director’s stated commitment to maintain and grow service will shape local recycling operations in the near term.
In his remarks, Don noted the program’s fragility at times and its dependence on grant dollars, saying, "the monies that we do get are all grant driven, and sometimes those funds get borrowed into different areas of need." No county finance official provided an immediate fiscal response during the meeting; commissioners publicly thanked Don for his service. Reese Malone said she looked forward to "holding this foundation" and continuing to serve Jefferson County residents.
The board recorded thanks and applause for Don and noted the personnel change in the meeting minutes. The board’s vote to reappoint Kara Jericho to the Solid Waste Authority and approval of other routine items occurred in the same session but were separate agenda actions.
Provenance: topic introduced at SEG 271; last remarks and applause recorded at SEG 404.
