Milton-Freewater approves RecycleOn Center agreement and seeks CAA-funded trucks to meet state recycling mandate

The Milton-Freewater City Council on May 11 approved a contract addendum with Circular Action Alliance Oregon LLC to host a RecycleOn Center at the 640 County Road depot and authorized staff to apply for equipment funding to start curbside co-mingled recycling.

Public Works Assistant/Project Aide Krista Gannon said the Oregon Recycling Modernization Act separates materials between a Uniform Statewide Collection List and a producer responsibility list and that the proposed RecycleOn Center would allow recycling of glass at the County Road site. She told the council Circular Action Alliance will provide containers and reimburse the city under the addendum; the prior arrangement with Pendleton Sanitary would cease.

Gannon said the city was identified as a Priority A community and is eligible for system-expansion funding to cover startup equipment. "The funding addendum only addresses the acquisition of trucks and containers one-time for start-up and will not cover added staffing costs, replacement, maintenance, or operating," she said. Council members were told CAA plans to contract with the Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative to service containers and that reimbursement rates in the addendum would begin Jan. 1, 2026 and be adjusted annually by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers.

Councilors discussed the practical details the council must resolve before implementation: truck specifications, container sizes and pickup frequency, potential fee impacts on residents with fixed incomes, and whether curbside pickup will be provided in-house or contracted out. Interim City Manager Tim Johnson told the council staff estimate about two years before implementation once trucks are ordered; operating costs such as fuel and insurance would be the city's responsibility.

Councilor John Lyon moved to adopt the Pro Depot/Collection Point Addendum (Resolution No. 2597); Councilor Destiny Jensen seconded and the motion passed unanimously. Later, the council moved to authorize staff to complete and submit an Enroute System Expansion Funding Application to request that CAA fund one side-load truck, one roll-off bin truck and necessary containers; that motion also passed unanimously.

The council asked staff to continue outreach and education about the new service and for staff to meet with the Department of Environmental Quality for compliance questions. The Mill Street recycling depot was reported to remain open while the new RecycleOn Center is established.

Next steps: staff will meet with DEQ, complete the system-expansion application and return to the council with further details on truck specifications, fiscal impacts and a final addendum for the mayor's signature.