Waste-Pro fee increase approved by Union County Board of Commissioners

Jan. 19—LA GRANDE — The cost of garbage service in many outlying portions of Union County will be rising next month.

The Union County Board of Commissioners voted 3-0 to approve a 7.1% rate increase for Waste-Pro on Wednesday, Jan. 18. The increase, which takes effect Feb. 1, matches one requested by Darin Larvik, the operations manager of Waste-Pro, which provides garbage collection service for much of Union County.

Larvik said the increase was needed primarily because of rising fuel and personnel costs. The good news is the increase is lower than what Larvik initially thought he would have to request. In November, he thought he would have to request a rate increase of between 8.1% and 8.4% but he later lowered it to 7.1% after fuel prices dropped.

He said rising gas prices have had an enormous impact on his cost of doing business, noting that from November 2021 to November 2022 his fuel costs rose by $260,000, a 76% increase.

Waste-Pro has a franchise agreement with Union County to provide service for many of its unincorporated areas. It also serves La Grande, Island City, Imbler, Elgin and Cove. The city councils of all four towns have already approved identical rate hikes of 7.1% for Waste-Pro.

Larvik is finding that people have been understanding about the need for the fee increase because they too feel the pinch of inflation.

"People have been very accommodating with us," he said.

Respite detox center could be on the horizon

Also on Jan. 18, the board of commissioners unanimously decided to have the Union County Opioid Settlement Working Group explore the possibility of establishing a respite detox center where people struggling with substance abuse would have temporary housing and receive care from licensed professionals.

The working group will look into how much it would cost to put a plan together related to the feasibility and expense of creating a respite detox center, according to Union County Commissioner Donna Beverage.

No money would be spent on the initial phase of the exploration process. However, it is possible the board of commissioners could vote to use funds Union County is receiving from a national opioid lawsuit settlement to do planning work for a possible respite detox center.

The opioid funding became available to Union County after the state of Oregon reached an agreement on a national lawsuit against four companies in 2021 for their role in the opioid crisis.

The lawsuit, according to the Oregon Health Authority's website, held prescription opioid manufacturers, distributors and retailers accountable for their role in creating and fueling the opioid epidemic.

The La Grande and Union County Opioid Settlement Working Group is now meeting to determine how the money the city and the county are receiving should be spent.

Union County was given at least $25,780 in 2022 as part of the settlement and the city of La Grande received at least $16,854. The city and the county will continue receiving funding from the settlement for the next 18 years.

The board of commissioners decided to have the working group take an initial look at the possibility of establishing a respite detox center after a presentation by Union County District Attorney Kelsie McDaniel. A member of the working group, McDaniel said it is heart wrenching to try to help people experiencing mental health crises here because often the only places they can be sent are jail or a hospital emergency room.

"Neither are appropriate," she said.

Measure 110 increases need

Commissioner Matt Scarfo noted that establishing a respite detox center would likely cost well over $1 million, far more than what Union County will receive from the lawsuit settlement. Still, he said the money would be very helpful in later doing preliminary planning work. He is a big supporter of getting a respite detox center added someday.

"You can tell the working group that yes, the county is behind you," Scarfo told McDaniel.

Scarfo, who is also a member of the working group, said the need for a respite detox center will be increasing because of the passage of Ballot Measure 110 by Oregon voters in 2020. Measure 110, which took effect in 2021, decriminalized non-commercial possession of drugs that are illegal under the federal Controlled Substances Act.

Dick Mason is a reporter with The Observer. Contact him at 541-624-6016 or dmason@lagrandeobserver.com.