Western Placer agency board director retires

The Roseville, California-based Western Placer Waste Management Authority (WPWMA) has announced its longest serving director, Placer County Supervisor Robert Weygandt, is retiring after nearly three decades of service to the agency.

WPWMA staff presented a resolution commending Weygandt for his 28 years of service at the authority’s Dec. 8 public meeting.

“During his time on the board, Director Weygandt has been instrumental in the continued evolution and growth of the WPWMA,” Executive Director Ken Grehm says. “His leadership and vision have helped the WPWMA achieve broad and lasting recognition as a leader within the solid waste community, generate over half a billion dollars in revenue and recover nearly 4 million tons of material for recycling and reuse.”

The waste authority says Weygandt was involved in the completion of construction and initial operations of its original material recovery facility (MRF), multiple retrofits including a major expansion of the MRF in 2005 and finally the WPWMA’s recent plans to upgrade the MRF to comply with the requirements of California SB 1383. 

“We are grateful for how Director Weygandt helped shape the WPWMA’s facility master planning effort that will ensure the WPWMA is able to continue to provide the highest quality, most cost-effective services to the citizens of western Placer County well into the future,” Grehm says.

Weygandt also cooperated with William Jessup University, California State University-Sacramento and Sierra College during his tenure on research and circular economy projects.

The waste agency’s recycling program was recognized for education or collection programs in 2016 and again in 2017 by the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA).

Weygandt is the longest-serving member of the WPWMA board, having served with 17 other directors from the WPWMA member agencies since he started in January 1995.