Truly Concerned

Dear Commissioners,

I watched your BOC meetings of March 31, 2026, and April 28, 2026. I have some observations concerning these meetings.

In the March meeting Steve Mokrohisky demonized Sanipac and Waste Connections for being a “multinational” corporation and Commissioners Buch, Trieger and Farr, you continued to do the same thing in your comments. It was claimed that they don’t care about their customers and are gouging in their consumer rates. This has sent a very clear vision to all companies who are or would like to do business in Lane County, you can be very critical.

You do not have any administrative control over Sanipac or any other garbage hauler in Lane County. I know that you are talking about possibly beginning franchises for haulers in rural areas, but you currently have nothing like that in place. You and Mokrohisky hammered the fact that it cost $1 more in Springfield versus Eugene. I know the reason why and it was easy to find that out. Springfield and Eugene have contracts with Sanipac for their respective cities and the rates charged are the cities’ concern and not the County’s.

Mokrohisky wants to audit Sanipc to verify whether, or not, they are paying the System Benefit Fee. Again, you have no administrative control over any of the garbage haulers in Lane County. Why wouldn’t you just look at the County’s own financial books. If you get a check, you log it in, simple.

I also disagree with Mokrohisky’s comment that the solid waste system is on the “brink of collapse”. I looked at the Solid Waste Budget, and the System Benefit Fee has held fairly steady since the 2022-2023 budget. Waste Connections/Sanipac have been hauling to Dry Creek Landfill since 2023. I acknowledge I don’t know what the current budget trend indicates but Mokrohisky has never said how much money the County is short and none of you asked him that question.

Mokrohisky stated that he and County Council have been negotiating with Sanipac/Waste Connections. Mr. Bovett and Mokrohisky recommended that the County tipping fee be reduced from $112 per ton to $100 per ton. This was recommended to entice Sanipac back to Short Mountain by aligning Lane’s rate with Dry Creek Landfill. Really? This is a slap in the face of Lane County residents because you have been raising rates for the past several years to pay for CleanLane, and now you don’t need it. The optics are that you really didn’t need the extra money.

In the April meeting, Mokrohisky stated that Sanipac/Waste Connections have not come back to negotiation table concerning coming back to Short Mountain Landfill and that they won’t return his phone call. No Kidding. After your rants against them in the March meeting I wouldn’t want to talk with the County either. I believe you have upset them.

Commissioner Buch, you asked about the $11 million it will cost to operate CleanLane annually. You asked if that money could be used for Law Enforcement. I know that you can’t but where is that “new” money coming from? If you can get “new” money for CleanLane, why can’t you get “new” money for the Sheriffs Office? That is what people are asking.

Mokrohisky did state that it will cost $11 million annually to operate CleanLane and it costs $6 million to operate Short Mountain Landfill. It seems he was trying to indicate there isn’t much difference between the two. Short Mountain isn’t going away or closing so with the two facilities operating you will be paying $17 million annually.

The bottom line to all this is that you signed a contract with Bulk Handling Systems, a “multinational” corporation that stipulated they would get 120,000 tons of compacted garbage at CleanLane for processing. You began raising tipping fees and transfer station rates which then caused Sanipac/Waste Connection to haul their garbage to Dry Creek Landfill in White City, which they own. Several months ago, Dan Hurley was giving a presentation on the loss of garbage going to Short Mountain. When asked about the shortage by Commissioner Farr and how short they were, Hurley just said, “we are close” and that answer was accepted. Remember the old saying, close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. He should have replied in tons short, not “close”. 2 tons, 10 tons, 25 tons or more, what is the answer?

Bottom Line.

Mokrohisky is in a panic. He proposed renewing Intergovernmental Agreements with Springfield, Creswell and Cottage Grove, that would have those cities contracting with their local haulers to transport the city’s garbage to Short Mountain. All 3 of those cities said no, Now, you are going after Sanipac for the System Benefit Fee that you “think” they haven’t paid to the County. Garbage has been hauled out of the county for years and not just by Sanipac and now you are concerned about this. Garbage created by citizens and businesses is not your resource or property as Commissioner Farr has stated in the past.

I am very disappointed with the recent comments made by Commissioners Farr, Buch and Trieger along with Mr. Mokrohisky regarding a local business in Lane County. Sanipac/Waste Connections have been doing a great job with their different operations here. You even awarded a contract to Sanipac for providing garbage service to all Lane County facilities and parks.

Your backs are against the wall, and I urge you to stop the CleanLane project before more damage is done, both financially and relationship wise.

Paul Carbaugh

Saginaw