Under proposed changes in the Kandiyohi County solid waste fee structure, customers will end up paying slightly more for garbage disposal, starting next year. But the trade-off is long-term — extended life for the county landfill through 2050.
The County Board of Commissioners set a public hearing on a series of proposed amendments to the county’s solid waste ordinance. The hearing is at 11:15 a.m. Oct. 18 at the Health and Human Services Building.
In the meantime, the commissioners have homework ahead of them as they read through the proposed revisions and a raft of supporting documents.
Take some time to get familiar with all the information, County Administrator Larry Kleindl advised them.
“It’s very complicated,” he said.
The proposed revisions are the product of many hours of discussion by county staff and key stakeholders. The last time the county’s solid waste ordinance was amended was in 1998, according to Kleindl.
Among the key changes under consideration:
- A lower disposal fee for waste generated within the county and a higher fee for waste brought to the landfill from outside Kandiyohi County.
- An increase in the environmental service charge, which is collected by garbage haulers through customer billing and paid to Kandiyohi County.
- An increase in the minimum fee charged to individuals who bring their own garbage to the landfill.
Many factors went into the proposed changes but the primary focus is to manage household and commercial waste as efficiently as possible while safeguarding the environment long into the future, Kleindl said.
“We’re looking at what is the best way we can protect our landfill,” he said.
By raising the fee for out-of-county waste, county officials expect a reduced amount of garbage from other counties and less volume overall entering the landfill.
This change alone will add an estimated seven years to the landfill’s life expectancy, said Jeff Bredberg, director of environmental services.
To read the full story, visit http://www.wctrib.com/news/local/4132973-kandiyohi-county-eyes-ordinance-revisions-extend-life-landfill.