C&B Sanitary works with volunteers to continue recycling at no cost to the county
By Debbie Raney
Burns Times-Herald
The future of recycling in Harney County brightened last week, thanks to the efforts of a group of local volunteers and the owners of C&B Sanitary Service.
After months of attempting to work out a plan with 4R Recycling’s manager Wayne Baron, the Harney County Court had given Baron until the Aug. 5 county court meeting to present accurate financial statements and projections. If the requested documents were not produced, the relationship between Baron and the county would be discontinued. As it turned out, the court didn’t have to make this move.
Rodd and Karen Dinsmore, C&B Sanitary Service owners, presented to the court a proposal that would allow recycling to continue, at no cost to the county. C&B will be purchasing two 30-yard recycling drop boxes — one for cardboard and one for co-mingling. The co-mingling would consist of newsprint and computer paper, craft paper, magazines, plastic bottles, tin cans and milk jugs. The drop boxes will be made available at C&B’s site on West Monroe.
The Dinsmores also offered to purchase the county’s share of the baler that 4R Recycling has been using.
To compliment the offer from C&B, a group of citizens have formed a steering committee that is currently forming a non-profit recycling organization. Originally the group had formed to assist 4R Recycling, but Desiree Taylor, a member of the committee, told the court that after having met with Baron, they have decided they are not willing to take on his responsibilities.
Astrid Alexander, another member, explained further, “4R’s 501-C3 is dead. The group will rethink, replan and revamp everything.” Non-profit status will be applied for immediately, and it is hoped that within six weeks the group will be fully functional.
According to the Dinsmores, the drop boxes will arrive at C&B’s site in about three weeks. Until that time, citizens are asked to be patient and stockpile their recyclable materials. Once the drop boxes are in place, all of the recyclable material collected will be donated to the non-profit group.
One of the problems that was brought up at the court meeting was monitoring the products that were deposited into the drop boxes. Harney County Sheriff Dave Glerup offered the help of the community service crews on a limited basis. The volunteers and the community service crews will set up a schedule to assist C&B.
Another question was whether the current county-owned building that 4R Recycling has been operating out of would continue to be available to the new non-profit group. The court agreed that after Baron had cleaned up all of his materials, the building could continue to be used, after the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has signed off on Baron’s cleanup. Baron told the court he would be out of the building in six weeks.
Because the baler is already in place at the county’s building, the Dinsmores offered to bring the drop boxes there for the volunteers to sort and bale. The steering committee and C&B will meet and work out the details regarding hours of availability for drop off at the drop boxes, as well as at the building.
To apply for non-profit status, the committee will need $750 for the filing fee. When the presentations were completed at the county court meeting, members of the audience, along with the commissioners, donated $25 each to help reach the $750 needed. “That’s Harney County at work,” said Commissioner Dan Nichols.
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