Note: Leonard Rydell, former engineer at Riverbend Landfill, has been sharing his thoughts with government officials and the public for several years. Here is his latest take on the dump.
October 4, 2013
Dear Friends,
When I first started my investigations into Riverbend Landfill, I was advised by two people that I respect to be diplomatic and to try to not ruin people's reputation, as people make mistakes in life, and one mistake should not overshadow decades of positive efforts. I took that to heart.
Early on, I tried to do that with Yamhill County Commissioner Kathy George, but once the words "Riverbend Landfill" were mentioned, she declined the meeting. I didn't even try with Mary Stern as it was well known that she had recused herself.
I have tried calling the Commissioners several times, but when "Riverbend Landfill" was mentioned, none would take the call. When I asked them to call back, they didn't. When I e-mailed them on a public safety issue last February, County Counsel left a voice mail requesting that I quit contacting them. I have the recording.
In December 2012, I filed formal written zoning and land use complaints and sent them by registered mail to the Yamhill County Commissioners, Planners Mike Brandt and Ken Friday, and the Yamhill County Planning Commission. Ken Friday did call me and said that he "didn't see a problem." When I started asking specific questions, he stated, "I hope that you have a nice day, a very nice day" and hung up. He has hung up a few times since. I asked a Planning Commissioner if he had received a copy of my complaint, and he said, "No."
I called and talked to the Yamhill County Code Compliance Officer, and he told me that he was instructed to not investigate or respond to my complaint.
I have great respect and am on a first name basis with the Yamhill County Commissioners and the Yamhill County Planning staff. I work with them frequently, find them very knowledgeable, and am proud that they generally represent my best interests. However, with Riverbend Landfill, they are pursuing expansion at any cost and contrary to good engineering judgment and our local planning regulations. Consequently, Riverbend Landfill has evolved from a facility that was to meet our needs for 50 years through the year 2032 and was to be returned to farming, into the present 160 foot high unstable plastic covered pile of garbage. This is not right.
Many of my concerns are planning related, i.e. why is Riverbend Landfill allowed to ignore original approval conditions, setbacks and height limits? Or other engineering and environmental standards such as unapproved mining in the floodway, failure to meet earthquake standards, and unapproved fill in the floodway and flood plain? Why does Riverbend Landfill Company get special treatment when the rest of us have to live by the rules? I see disparities in my engineering practice. This week, I turned down a client who needed a no-rise certificate for a house he built in the flood plain. He probably won't be able to get it. Yet, Riverbend Landfill Company has built a 160 foot high pile of garbage in 40 acres of the floodway and flood plain.
I finally sent an e-mail to the Commissioners on Monday, 30 September 2013 asking them to respond to my past complaints by 5:00 pm yesterday (3 October 2013). As a result, I did receive a couple of phone calls from the current County Counsel Chris Boenisch requesting additional information. I sent him a mass of information including my formal complaints and Riverbend Information E-Mails. However, by of the end of yesterday, I had not received any further communications from him or the Commissioners.
Is it ethical for our elected and hired public officials to ignore public safety issues? Is it ethical for them to unequally apply planning regulations? Is it ethical to not respond to a complaint or even be open to discuss the issues?
Is it ethical for myself, a Professional Engineer in the State of Oregon with professional responsibilities to protect the health, safety and welfare of the public, to not raise concerns when I know that I am right?
I can fully understand that Yamhill County and the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality are already 30 years down the road of endorsing and approving poor practices, and it is difficult for them to admit that they created a problem and are wrong, but is that the right answer and in Oregon's best interests?
When you are in a hole, shouldn't you stop digging?
I would appreciate your comments and questions.
Thank you.
Leonard
Leonard A. Rydell, P.E., P.L.S., W.R.E.
601 Pinehurst Drive
Newberg, Oregon 97132-1625
Home Office: 503-538-5700
Fax: 503-538-9167
Mobile: 503-781-4138
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