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Waste vote for Brooks Postponed

CRYSTAL BOLNER

Statesman Journal

May 3, 2005

A vote on whether to increase the amount of out-of-county medical waste that can be incinerated at the Brooks burner will be delayed a couple of months.

The Marion County Board of Commissioners decided Monday to send the recommendation to raise the medical-waste cap back to the Solid Waste Management Advisory Council.

The commissioners said they found minor mistakes in the procedures used by the council in voting on the item.

The person who brought the item to a vote didn't include information in her motion to forward the recommendation to the commissioners.

"We'd like to get all of this out of the way before we go to the question of whether to raise the medical-waste cap," said Commissioner Sam Brentano. The committee will be asked to re-vote on the issue.

The commissioners also requested more information on the evidence that the council considered when forming its opinion.

They asked the council to provide the health and safety issues studied with the pros and cons for each issue and any scientific data that was considered.

No date has been set on when the proposal may return to the commissioners. County staff members said it could take a few months for the committee to gather the requested information.

Susann Kaltwasser, an opponent to raising the medical-waste cap, said she was pleased that the proposal was sent back to committee.

Kaltwasser was critical of how the solid-waste council handled its discussion of the issue in the first place.

"I think there's been a real lack of professionalism amongst the staff (on the committee) and poor leadership on the part of the (committee)," Kaltwasser said. "I think if they open up their process and work with the people in the community, we can get where we need to be."

Michael Clark, the chairman of the Solid Waste Advisory Council, said his committee would have no problem rehashing the medical-waste issue.

What's next

The Marion County Solid Waste Management Advisory Council will reconsider raising the cap on out-of-county medical waste accepted at the Brooks burner at its next meeting, set for 6:30 p.m. May 24 at Courthouse Square, 555 Court St. NE, Salem. Call (503) 588-5169, Ext. 5992.

cbolner@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 589-6967