There has been a regional solid waste system in Spokane County since 1989, when the city of Spokane and Spokane County entered into an interlocal agreement. That agreement will expire on Nov. 17, and the system will become the county’s responsibility. 

State law requires that counties provide regional solid waste disposal services. Spokane has agreed to be part of the new regional system, and the county will buy the two existing transfer stations and will use the waste-to-energy facility for garbage incineration.

For eight months, we have been inviting the other municipalities within the county to join the new regional system. A unified system is the best option for solid waste management. Consolidation of waste volumes, planning efforts, and regional services, such as education and recycling coordination, leads to an economically viable system, offering the greatest convenience to citizens. The services required by law extend beyond the transfer and disposal of garbage.  

There are substantial costs associated with providing these services independently. If a city enters into an agreement with the county, the comprehensive planning activities and the suite of required solid waste services will be provided.

On April 1, we sent the final version of an interlocal agreement for the new system to all cities. Cities deciding to join the system by April 30 will be included in the new 2014 Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Plan, and their citizens will continue to receive all of the services provided by the current system.

The cities of Liberty Lake, Millwood, Airway Heights, and Deer Park have requested proposals for solid waste services from private companies.  They have requested an extension of the deadline, because those proposals are due on May 8. The County Commissioners granted these cities an extension to May 15.

Concerns have been expressed by some cities regarding fees, governance, and shared ownership of the facilities. It is important to recognize that across the state, interlocal agreements between counties and cities don’t establish solid waste disposal rates, because rates are adjusted up or down over time to account for many factors. One major factor is the volume of solid waste to be handled by the system, which in turn varies according to the level of participation.

Involved cities will appoint representatives to serve on the Solid Waste Advisory Committee. The SWAC will consider a variety of solid waste topics, including fees.  

Regarding ownership, the regional facilities will become assets within the county’s Solid Waste Enterprise Fund. All citizens living in participating jurisdictions will collectively own the facilities. The county is confident that transfer station gate fees will remain close to their current level, or even drop, once the new system is in place. However, this depends heavily on the level of participation. Cities that join will be able to rely on the continuation of reliable solid waste services. All things considered, the decision to join the Spokane County Regional System is the right one.