Final Talks Trash Report: The Benton County Talks Trash Solid Waste Workgroup will be delivering its final report to the Benton County Board of Commissioners on June 13.
Benton County Board of Commissioner Pat Malone said, “This important document will guide the Commission’s deliberations for the future of Solid Waste and Sustainable Materials in Benton County.”
A release from the County said, “At the heart of the workgroup’s objective was the Board of Commissioners’ commitment to transparency and collaboration on a complex and potentially contentious topic encompassing solid waste management and the Coffin Butte regional landfill.”
Currently, the Coffin Butte landfill serves a significant portion of the Willamette Valley. An application by Republic Services to expand the landfill met with public controversy last year, and was withdrawn by the company. It is widely anticipated that they may refile.
Those wanting additional information can email pioinfo@bentoncountyor.gov..
JSIP Phase 2: The Benton County Board of Commissioners got an update on the Justice System Improvement Program at their June 6 meeting following the failure of the $110 million dollar bond measure to fund a majority of the project.
“Phase 1 is underway. Phase 2 was the bond measure. The commissioners made it clear they want feedback from the community before deliberation and decision determining what the next version of Phase 2 will be,” said Cory Grogan, Public Information Officer for Benton County.
Projects already funded in phase 1 include the Benton County Crisis Center, which is scheduled to open in Summer 2024, and a Community Safety and Justice Campus which is scheduled to open in 2025. Funding for these projects has already been secured.
As it stands, the campus will include a new courthouse and district attorney’s office.
“State and federal funds have been used to support the project, and it is not solely dependent on community funding,” said County Commissioner Pat Malone.
What About the Jail and Sheriff’s Office: Voters rejected the county’s $110 million proposal for a new jail and sheriff’s office by a margin of 13% – the fourth time voters rejected a proposal for a new jail.
But, according to Commissioner Pat Malone, JSIP will find a way forward, “This is a setback, but we still have needs and will move forward. The County has worked and will continue to work to find alternate sources of funding.”
The consensus for commissioners is to listen to the community and be thoughtful moving forward to understand where the opposition for the project is coming from.
Fleet Team: Also at the June 6 meeting, the Benton County Board of Commissioners paid recognition to the Benton County Fleet Team for being awarded 4th place in the 2023 National Association of Fleet Administrators (NAFA) Fleet Management Association’s 100 Best Public Fleets competition.
Benton County Sustainability Coordinator Sean McGuire said a key component of the Benton County Fleet program is its role in helping achieve the county’s sustainability goals.
“Learning that Fleet Services are a Top 5 program came as no surprise, as their dedicated staff has consistently been a champion of sustainability principles. Fleet Services pushes the envelope to purchase alternative fuel vehicles and cleaner infrastructure to achieve the county’s aggressive climate action goals,” McGuire said.
The NAFA recognizes excellence in public and commercial fleet operations. Benton County achieved 9th place in 2022, showing consistent improvement as one of the top fleets (out of thousands) in North, Central and South Americas, according to a release from the county.
By Jennifer Warner
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