No one wants to witness the demise of West Marin Compost, the public-private partnership that reduces greenhouse gases and wildfire risk by transforming green waste into organic fertilizers and mulches. But there is disagreement about how to keep the financially struggling enterprise afloat.

At its most recent meeting, the Marin Resource Conservation District considered arguments about one proposed solution that was implemented without proper approvals: operating an electric saw to process some of the trees…