Konnor Kirkpatrick, a local entrepreneur and the owner of Thrift Right Here and the junk removal service Two Guys One Truck, set out to do more than expand his business. His latest effort focused on community service, proposing a nonprofit organization designed to clean up neighborhoods while creating job opportunities for local residents.
The proposal recently received approval from the Josephine County Board of Commissioners as part of an economic grant program intended to support small businesses and community initiatives. The funding was sourced from Oregon Lottery revenues rather than local taxpayers. Under the approved plan, the nonprofit would remove up to 15 yards of trash each month for residents and the city, while also providing new employment opportunities for members of the community.
To carry out the work, Kirkpatrick requested grant funding to purchase a dump truck, which was identified as the essential piece of equipment needed for the cleanup effort. County commissioners voted in favor of the grant, citing the nonprofit’s potential to deliver both environmental improvements and economic benefits. Following the approval, Kirkpatrick complied with the required procedures. He deposited the grant funds into his account and, five days later, purchased the dump truck that had been approved as part of the proposal. The check cleared, and he received a receipt confirming the transaction.
What followed, however, quickly turned the project into a financial crisis. The day after the purchase, a decision was made behind closed doors to rescind the grant. According to Kirkpatrick, no one from the county contacted him to inform him that the funding had been withdrawn. Instead, he learned of the reversal through a call from his bank. The sudden action left him responsible for approximately $68,000 in debt, in possession of a new truck, and without access to local or nearby waste services necessary to operate the nonprofit.
The reversal reportedly stemmed from a phone call by the owner of Southern Oregon Sanitation to the county treasurer. The complaint centered on an existing county franchise agreement, which the company interpreted as allowing only designated dumps to profit from trash disposal. Kirkpatrick further states that he, along with friends and family members, had been barred from using the company’s services for the past five years.
Subsection 2.8.1 of the Josephine County franchise agreement states that licensed contractors are permitted to haul repairable and cleanable items to the dump. Kirkpatrick maintains that this provision applies to his work and that approval of the nonprofit by the county board granted him the legal right to remove such materials and utilize waste services to do so. He also argues that a complaint from a private company owner should not override a formal decision made by the county’s governing body.
The situation has raised broader concerns about accountability, transparency, and trust in local governance. Kirkpatrick followed the established process to create a nonprofit, secured a grant through a public vote, and acted in reliance on that approval. The subsequent withdrawal of funding, without direct notice or a public explanation, left him financially exposed and unable to proceed with the project.
What began as a community-focused initiative aimed at cleaning neighborhoods and creating jobs has instead become a cautionary tale. For Kirkpatrick, the abrupt reversal represents not just a personal financial setback, but a troubling example of how quickly officially approved projects can unravel when decisions are made without clear communication or accountability.