The competition for the contract to operate the Orcas transfer station may have spurred interest in the county’s Request for Proposals to operate the Sutton Road/Sundstrom property transfer station.

On Aug. 8, five prospective contractors attended a mandatory pre-proposal conference at the Public Works office in Friday Harbor, followed by a tour of the transfer station and adjacent county-owned property. Public Works Director Frank Mulcahy described the turnout as “great” and hopes to receive proposals from all five potential contractors.

Mulcahy emphasized that multiple contracts – for instance, one for recycling/reuse services and one for garbage hauling – is possible under state contracting law.

Cimarron Trucking, the present hauler of solid waste from the Orcas station, and a bidder for the contract to operate the Orcas facility, attended the San Juan Island meeting. Cimarron President Blair Estenson said his attention is currently focused on the company’s bid on the Orcas solid waste transfer station, but that the San Juan Island site “has potential,” even though modifications might be required.

Torrey Lautenbach of Mount Vernon-based Lautenbach Recycling said his company is “somewhat interested.” Lautenbach currently operates out of a recently opened facility next to the Skagit County transfer station, and is already transporting solid waste from Point Roberts for recycling and disposal at its Skagit headquarters.

Waste-to-gas conversion company Kentec Energy USA is “certainly interested,” according to Calvin Mordy, a technical consultant for the Lynwood-based subsidiary of Kentec Energy Korea.

Also checking out the Sutton Road station was Consignment Treasures and Black Family Enterprises of San Juan Island, neither of which responded immediately for a request for comment.

Proposals are due at Public Works by 4 p.m., Oct. 1.

— Steve Wehrly/Journal reporter