KERN COUNTY, Calif. (KERO) — The Kern County Grand Jury toured and reviewed waste management facilities that belong to the Kern County Public Works Department and the City of Bakersfield and discovered that all facilities reviewed are running to the best of their abilities. However, the jury also left a list of recommendations for these facilities that the Kern County Board of Supervisors and the Bakersfield City Council must address and respond to within 90 days.
The Grand Jury review found various issues with multiple landfills, ranging from weather to money waste. According to the jury, alternative technologies could give waste management facilities the ability to process over 90 percent of trash in landfills, saving room and easing the economic and environmental burden of landfills.
The jury found that the management facilities are understaffed at both city and county levels, construction site waste materials are sometimes sent to recycling instead of the landfills where they belong, money from potential recycled paper is wasted due to rain exposure at the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) in Bakersfield, and incorrect processing of recyclable items is adding to the cost of waste processing.
There is also the issue of unfunded State Mandates, which are causing financial issues for the local government. However, according to the Grand Jury, the money can be recouped by selling recycled products made from trash. The money would benefit both the facilities themselves and the county.
It was also discovered that the Mt Vernon Green Waste Facility generates mulch and a soil amendment, something the Grand Jury felt the public should be aware of. Mulch is free for the public to take, while the soil amendment is available at the facility for $1 per bag or $20 per yard.
A list of recommendations that the jury left for the Board of Supervisors and the City Council are as follows:
"The Board of Supervisors should direct the Public Works Department to hire sufficient staff for the waste facilities and have the already budgeted positions filled by July 1, 2023."
"The Board of Supervisors should direct the Public Works Department to apply for grants to offset the costs associated with State Mandates by July 1, 2023."
"The Board of Supervisors should direct the Public Works Department to implement technologies that mitigate the financial and environmental costs. This should be underway by Jan 1, 2024, to ensure a more stable waste management system in the future."
"The Board of Supervisors should make a loan to the Public Works Enterprise Fund to finance advanced technologies by Oct 1, 2023."
"The Bakersfield City Council should direct the Public Works Department to provide an appropriate cover for paper to be recycled at the City of Bakersfield MRF by July 1, 2023."
"The Board of Supervisors and the Bakersfield City Council should direct their respective Public Works Departments to issue stickers for both the blue and green cans as a reminder of which items go into each. These stickers should be enclosed with the annual trash pick-up schedule beginning July 1, 2023."
"The Bakersfield City Council should direct the Public Works Department to create a low-cost marketing plan for the distribution of mulch and soil amendment by March 15, 2023."
The county and city's response is legally due within 90 days because of Penal Codes 933(c) and 933.05.
