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Umatilla County board tables proposal to set curbside recycling fee for unincorporated areas
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Summary
Commissioners heard hours of questions about an $8/month residential and $24/month multifamily curbside recycling rate tied to Oregon's Recycling Modernization Act, then voted to table the measure pending clearer definitions of multifamily service and which unincorporated areas would be charged.
Umatilla County commissioners on March 18 heard a presentation from Bob Walter, the county's community development director and staff to the Solid Waste Advisory Committee, on a proposal to establish curbside recycling rates to implement Oregon's Recycling Modernization Act. Walter told the board the two franchise haulers recommended an $8 per month residential rate for every-other-week curbside recycling and $24 per month for every-other-week multifamily service, with an effective date targeted for July 1, 2026.
The proposal, Walter said, reflects startup capital provided through producer funding administered by the Circular Action Alliance and the Department of Environmental Quality, which pays upfront costs for trucks, carts and depot improvements. "That's why you see the reduction in the actual monthly rate versus what it would be," a franchise representative, Kevin Maricole, said, explaining the producers pay for initial equipment while haulers cover ongoing maintenance and labor.
Commissioners pressed the presenters on two points that proved central to debate: whether unincorporated areas outside urban growth boundaries (UGBs) should be included and how "multifamily" would be defined in the order. One commissioner said they did not support charging residents outside UGBs who would be required to move two cans to a main road for pickup; another asked whether a duplex or a fourplex would be assessed the multifamily rate. Franchise representatives said multifamily meant three or more units and that landlords who purchase one larger container would be charged the multifamily rate while individual tenants paying separate utility-style bills would pay the residential rate per household.
Board members also debated whether producer funding was a one-time upfront payment or an ongoing source. Franchise and county representatives replied that the RMA includes multiple funding mechanisms: an upfront capital contribution and ongoing producer fees for transportation and contamination reduction, while certain upfront grants are finite.
After extended discussion, Commissioner Dan Doern moved to table the item and seek additional clarifications — including a clear definition of multifamily service and confirmation of whether the proposal would apply to unincorporated areas outside UGBs — until the board had more information. The motion to table carried.
What happens next: Staff and the Solid Waste Advisory Committee will return with clarified language and additional details on cost allocation and implementation before the board acts on the proposed rate structure.
