NEWBERG, Ore. — The Newberg City Council unanimously approved increasing Waste Management fees by 3.74%, to take effect July 1, 2026. The increase will raise standard 35-gallon bin service by $0.96 a month, from $25.88 to $26.84, with other service tiers adjusted accordingly.
Combined with the 8.6% increase from July 1, 2025, Waste Management will have added 12.34% to service fees since June 2025. According to a presentation at the May 18 City Council meeting, the increases are driven by rising operational costs, fuel prices, and employee salaries. Waste Management’s current budget projects $5.7 million in costs for 2026 and approximately $6.2 million in revenue.
Community-supported journalism
This article was made possible by the generous support of Newsberg readers and advertisers. Independent local news takes real resources to produce. If Newsberg is valuable to you, please consider joining us — for as little as $1 a month, or with a one-time gift in any amount.
To achieve a 10% rate of return, Waste Management must collect an additional $229,943 above its current rate, necessitating the 3.74% increase.
Waste Management representatives said the new rates, effective July 1, 2026, will remain lower than those in surrounding areas. Residents in Dundee, Yamhill County, and Clackamas County pay $27.32, $29.50, and $43.35, respectively, for 35-gallon bin service.
The council approved the increase following discussion of service complaints residents have raised about Waste Management’s operations in Newberg. The City of Newberg and Waste Management entered into a franchise agreement Oct. 1, 2012, set to expire in September 2028.
“I understand large-scale corporate organizations and the realities that come with them,” Councilor Elise Yarnell Hollamon said. “Frankly, if you look at the region, the service is not great.”
Yarnell Hollamon said residents have expressed frustration about long hold times and unreturned voicemails. Councilor Mike McBride said a family member waited 2.5 hours in line at the Waste Management-operated Newberg Transfer Station to dump waste.
McBride voted against the 2025 rate increase, citing the size of that year’s percentage increase.
“I really want to see something change with the service [at the transfer station],” McBride said. “We’ve got to get that taken care of.”
The Newberg Transfer Station is currently in a waste permitting process with the Department of Environmental Quality to expand its lot. If approved, the permit would allow the station to potentially add inbound lanes and reduce traffic on Wynooski Road. The station’s receiving capacity would remain the same.
“We’re currently also looking at putting in a compactor, which would help process the material through on the floor quicker,” Waste Management District Manager Jason Wille said. “We go from top-loading trailers to compacting, which would speed up the time it takes to get the floor cleared.”
Wille said he is receiving bids for the compactor and will meet with a contractor soon to examine the site and develop pricing estimates.
“Expressing the urgency of a compactor to corporate management is essential for the upcoming contract negotiation,” Yarnell Hollamon said. “It does us nothing to get that land approved by DEQ and the county if it’s not going to decrease wait times.”
Senior Manager of Public Sector Dave Huber attributed part of the transfer station’s traffic volume to the Woodburn transfer station’s policy of not accepting tip-bed trucks and trailers. Huber also said the closure of an incinerator in Brooks, Ore. has contributed to increased traffic at the Newberg Transfer Station.
Councilors offered to write a letter to DEQ outlining the need for changes at the transfer station and suggested enlisting Sen. Bruce Starr or Rep. Anna Scharf to advance the issue. Mayor Bill Rosacker suggested McBride work with Wille to identify ways the City of Newberg and Waste Management can collaborate to reduce permit processing times and improve efficiency at the transfer station.
“When we get back to negotiations, if [these problems aren’t] fixed, I will strongly encourage consideration to open a bid for ecology,” Yarnell Hollamon said. “I really want to see change.”
Also at the June 15 City Council Meeting
Council Adopts Intent To De-Annex 28-Acre Lot From City Limits
Community Development Director Scot Siegel presented a request from private property owner Del Boca Vista LLC to de-annex four tax lots totaling 28.83 acres from the City of Newberg. The lots, located at 1828 and 1835 NE Waterfront St., are also within Newberg’s Urban Growth Boundary. In 2006, 98 acres — including these lots — were annexed into the city and zoned as an R2 Riverfront District.
The owners are seeking de-annexation in part because of the difficulty of developing the land, which is designated a special flood hazard area. Removal of the property would create a deficit in the Urban Growth Boundary, potentially allowing an additional 28 acres of equal or higher residential density to be added elsewhere. The council unanimously adopted Order No. 2026-0047 declaring intent to remove the property from city limits; a final hearing is scheduled for July 20, 2026.
Street Seats Pilot Program Set For Two-Year Renewal
The Street Seat Program, launched in 2015 and extended three times since, allows Downtown Newberg businesses to apply for a permit to use approved parking spaces as outdoor seating. Aside from a $150 permit processing fee, the program currently carries no rental taxes or other fees.
Councilors voted 4-3 to move forward with a resolution to formally extend the program for two additional years. Discussion included concerns about new businesses being unaware of the program and the demand for downtown parking.
Springbrook Sewer Line Fix Proposed: Drilling Under Sportsman’s Airpark
Sewer lines in Springbrook have overflowed from manholes in recent years, spilling approximately 850,000 gallons across three incidents beginning in December 2023. The overflows stem from the convergence of aging north-south pipes with newer westbound force main sewer pipes, compounded by high water volumes during heavy rainstorms.
City Manager Will Worthey presented a proposal to divert the older Springbrook pipes by drilling a pipeline under Sportsman’s Airpark. The airpark option was identified as an alternative to drilling under a portion of Highway 219, which would require permitting from the Oregon Department of Transportation and likely result in longer timelines and nighttime road work.
Worthey estimated the project cost at $4 million to $5 million. Sportsman’s Airpark has agreed to work toward granting an easement in exchange for $90,000 and two city-owned parcels totaling 0.16 acres. In a 2023 land inventory, Worthey listed the two parcels as having no value.
The council authorized Worthey to pursue a land easement agreement and declare a land surplus to meet the airpark’s parcel request.
Library Internet Policy Updates Advance
The Newberg Public Library presented an updated internet use policy to modernize outdated language and revise its courtesy policy. The update also introduces a tech-help request form for visitors who need more than 15 minutes of technology assistance. The library serves approximately 5,000 public Wi-Fi users annually, ranging from job seekers to residents seeking basic computer skills assistance.
The City Council will vote on Resolution 2026-4043 to adopt the updated policy at its July 6, 2026, meeting.
