UMATILLA COUNTY — The Umatilla County Board of Commissioners approved a 2.6% increase in costs of services for county customers of Pendleton Sanitation Services, Inc., on Wednesday, June 17. 

This is the first rate increase from Pendleton Sanitation Services since 2017, although sanitation services have the right to increase rates each year in accordance with increases in the regional consumer price index. The rate increase for county customers matches one approved for customers in the city of Pendleton earlier this year. 

While still higher than rates for Pendleton customers, Mike McHenry, president of Pendleton Sanitary Services, said county customers’ costs are no more than 5% higher than their city counterparts. 

“And the only reason the county rates are higher because we do have additional travel and distance involved, he said. 

“The biggest issues we face of course is labor increases,” McHenry said. “But the biggest impact recently has been the recycling markets.”

McHenry said the company’s recycling revenue was down 38% in 2019 due to markets and prices, and has been compounded by the implementation of the corporate activity tax. 

“This increase will in no way, shape or form cover those two items but it’s a means to get us where we hope to be,” he said.