Salem City Council to discuss garbage rates, South Salem microshelter site - Statesman Journal

Residents have a chance to speak about proposed increases to Salem garbage rates during Monday's Salem City Council meeting.

Council is considering an 8.48% increase in Marion County for roll cart services and a 10.54% increase in Polk County for roll cart services.

The proposed increase means most residential customers in Marion County will see an annual increase of approximately $32.40, or about $2.70 a month. Polk County customers will see an annual increase of $33.00, or $2.27 a month.

The council is expected to vote on a resolution to increase rates following the public hearing.

The increase would mean the Marion County portion of Salem has the second highest rate among a comparison of Oregon cities, second only to Gresham. Similarly-sized Eugene has a monthly rate of $24.65 while Salem-Marion County has a rate of $34.75 and Salem-Polk County has a rate of $29.05.

The proposed increase was made at the behest of the Mid-Valley Garbage and Recycling Association, a body comprised of the six solid waste management haulers serving residents and businesses in Salem.

If passed, the rate increases would take effect Jan. 1.

Medical waste services, container services and drop box services would also see an increase in cost.

The increase would also coincide with the addition of service every other week and an increase in the discount on trash service provided to senior and disabled low-income customers from 10% to 20%.

The monthly rate for every-other-week service for a 20-gallon container would be $22.10 in Marion County and $17.35 in Polk County starting Jan. 1. The service was added following multiple requests from community members wanting to reduce their costs and cut their carbon footprint.

The 20% discount is offered as part of the city's Utility Rate Relief Program through Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency and is available to residential customers who are 60 and older or disabled, are the named customer on their account and have a household income at or below 60% of the state median income.

Haulers attributed the need for the price hike to inflation, increased labor costs and difficulties in the recycling market.

City officials said they regulate rates to simulate competition and avoid monopolistic pricing.

The city follows an industry-wide practice of targeting a 10% pre-tax return on revenue, and the council sets rates seeking to "balance the cost of service to customers with a reasonable expectation for total revenue to sustain operations for the haulers," city staff said in a report on the increase.

Funding for microshelter village for homeless

Council is also set to vote on whether to direct $750,000 in state sheltering grant funds to fund a microshelter village at Turner Road SE near Church at the Park.

The money was previously allocated to establish and operate a safe park program on Front Street, but staff said the location is no longer cost-efficient.

"Start-up expenses will exceed original projections, leaving less for operations," city staff said in a report to council. "For example, environmentally friendly sanitation services for up to 40 recreational vehicles requires a high level of up-front investment. The lease for the property ends in December 2023. Due to these greater than anticipated costs, investing in the extensive work needed to prepare the site is not recommended."

The Turner Road location was one of three locations Salem City Council approved for microshelters in a Jan. 24 meeting. Another was Front Street. Work is currently underway to relocate the Village of Hope shelter site to the other location approved on Center Street.

The Turner Road location would be the third microshelter village in the city, joining the Village of Hope and a site of families on Portland Road near Catholic Community Services.

Church at the Park's microshelter village in Salem video tour

Church in the Park also will manage another microshelter village approved by the Salem City Council at 1280 Center Street NE across from Safeway.

Abigail Dollins, Salem Statesman Journal

The Church at the Park, a nonprofit organization that already manages the existing microvillages, owns the property on Turner Road.

This expands the shelter's ability to operate services long-term and maximizes start-up funds, city staff said.

"Operating a microshelter village at Turner Road would add this service to South Salem and would end drop-in day services at the location, meeting neighborhood desire for stability and the city's priority of expanding service locations across the city," city staff said.

Church at the Park has $290,000 leveraged in foundation grants and community donations for the site preparation at the Turner Road location, which has lowered the amount of start-up expenses needed from the city.

An additional $225,997 in annual operating dollars is also available for this location, reducing the request to the city for operational dollars.

The villages are staffed 24 hours a day and have security. Trash services, meals, showers, portable toilets and connection to health services are provided on-site.

The microshelter buildings already are funded. A community effort has raised more than $770,000 in donations — enough for at least 154 shelters. Despite having enough funds, the city has struggled to find land to host the villages.

The Turner Road microshelter village would provide up to 40 shelter beds and would focus on helping 18- to 24-year-old people experiencing homelessness.

According to data and research from local government and advocacy groups, almost 7,000 youth are at risk of homelessness in Marion and Polk counties. An estimated 1,540 people ages 13 to 24 are already experiencing homelessness in the region.

More:Local youth offer plan to eliminate youth homelessness

Other council agenda items include:

• Budget addition to purchase ground support equipment for the airport with $540,388 in state grant funds.
• Agreement with the City of Turner to maintain traffic control signals and reader board equipment.
• Agreement with Marion County to connect Gaia Street SE to Culver Drive SE.
• Application for a $400,000 grant from the federal STOP Violence Against Women program for the city's Domestic Violence Response Team.

Explainer: What are the rules around public meetings and public comment in Oregon?

The meeting is at 6 p.m. It is virtual and can be watched on Comcast Cable CCTV Channel 21 or on the Salem YouTube channel in English/American Sign Language and Spanish.

Written public comments on agenda items can be emailed by 5 p.m. Monday to cityrecorder@cityofsalem.net. Or pre-register between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Monday at cityofsalem.net/Pages/Public-Comment-at-Salem-City-Council-Meeting.aspx to speak during the meeting via Zoom. 

For questions, comments and news tips, email reporter Whitney Woodworth at wmwoodworth@statesmanjournal.com, call 503-910-6616 or follow on Twitter @wmwoodworth