CAMARILLO : Oxnard’s Recycling Plan Is Rejected

The Camarillo City Council has turned down Oxnard’s invitation to help build and run a $25-million recycling center.

In a plan to share both the profits and the financial risk of developing the recycling plant, Oxnard has invited seven Ventura County cities and the county to participate in the project.

But Camarillo, the first to consider the proposal, said no.

Camarillo City Manager J. William Little advised the council to turn down Oxnard’s invitation because it might require that Camarillo send all its solid waste, including yard clippings and sludge, to the Oxnard plant.

City officials also said they were concerned about Oxnard’s plan to charge all participating cities $3.75 per ton of waste brought to the recycling center.

And Mayor Charlotte Craven said she didn’t like the idea that Oxnard could raise the per-ton fee every year.

But Camarillo officials did not rule out agreeing in the future to send their city’s recyclable materials to the Oxnard center.

Oxnard officials said Thursday that they will proceed in building the recycling plant even if no other cities sign onto the proposal at this time.

“We can go it alone,” Oxnard Associate Planner Cynthia Daniels said. “But we would prefer not to.”