BRODHEAD - After further review, the Solid Waste Management Board maintains a flat rate just won't work for the county's transfer station.
The board met Thursday to discuss ongoing negotiations with the city of Monroe. Board members expressed disapproval of Monroe's proposal that the transfer station assess a fixed monthly rate rather than the current fluctuating one.
If a city or township were to pay based on its tax parcels, as Monroe has proposed, "some of smaller townships would be paying a lot more than they are bringing in," board chairman Rich Vogel. Thus, he said, Monroe's request for a fixed monthly rate would be unfair to townships that produce less garbage. He said board members reviewed the transfer station numbers to come to this determination.
The current fee structure is based on the percentage of garbage each community brings to the transfer station. Therefore, monthly charges fluctuate every month. But Monroe has argued the fixed rate is a better way to assess fees, as each community would know what it will be paying every month.
Vogel added Monroe, the largest community in the county, has the most garbage coming to the transfer station.
"Monroe needs (the transfer station) more than anyone," he said, adding if Monroe were to go elsewhere, it would be paying a higher tipping fee.
"(The proposal and transfer station) is the cheapest option," Vogel said.
The transfer station, located a few miles west of Brodhead, is the dumping point for trash collected throughout the county before being hauled for permanent burial in Janesville. A new, 5-year contract with Janesville passed unanimously. The agreement includes a tipping fee of $28 per ton that will increase to $30 in 2020. The contract also establishes a Department of Natural Resources fee of $13 per ton.
In January, the city of Monroe withdrew its membership from the transfer station after an ongoing dispute over how much the city pays. The city continues to send its trash to the transfer station but is no longer under contract at $45 per ton, plus the fluctuating operating fee. Instead it pays the non-member rate of $52 per ton.
By county ordinance, nine of the 11 members of the solid waste board are appointed by the county board chairman. The two other seats are set aside for the president of Monroe's Common Council and the chairman of its Monroe Board of Public Works. If either representative cannot fill that spot, Monroe's mayor appoints a member to fill the vacancy.
The current Monroe representatives are Brooke Bauman and Charles Koch.
Since February, the board has tabled a motion to ask the county board to remove the two seats for Monroe because the city is no longer a member. On Thursday, the board voted 7 to 3 to keep the two Monroe seats. Bauman was absent from the meeting.
But that could change at some point. While the majority of the board voted in favor of keeping Monroe on the board, many felt that if there is no resolution soon, they will consider removing Monroe from the board.
"It's not something we want to do," Vogel said, "but it may have to happen if we don't come to an agreement.
The dispute between Monroe and the board over how much the city should pay has been simmering for more than three years with little progress.
Last month, the board rejected Monroe's proposed contract saying the city's proposed contract won't help meet monthly bills needed to keep the gates open.
While Vogel stresses the importance of keeping cost low for townships with lower amounts of garbage, Koch said the city's biggest problem is that it is subsidizing commercial haulers.
"Why (is Monroe) paying for private contractors?" he asked.
Vogel said if transfer station switches to a fixed monthly rate, townships will begin to look elsewhere to dispose of trash. He added that the fixed rate will also drive up the tipping fee which it currently sits at $45 per ton.
"Monroe has to realize that membership fees will have to increase" if the transfer station operates on a fixed monthly rate in order to make up for lost revenue, Vogel said.
The current tipping fee rates for members are $10 up to 500 pounds; $23 between 501 and1,000 pounds; $34 from 1,001 to 1,500 pounds, $45 for anything beyond 1,501 pounds.
A new non-member tipping fee has been established at $55 per ton, an increase of $3.
Koch said Monroe is looking into sending its trash straight to Janesville but hasn't been too serious about it yet.
"We're hoping to come to an agreement soon," he added.
But Vogel said the issues isn't coming to an agreement with Monroe, it's finding the revenue to keep the gates open.
He said if the transfer station cannot find revenue to keep the gates open, it may have to close, run on a skeleton crew, or only accept recyclables or plastics.
"Otherwise," Vogel said, "we'll need to look into getting out of the garbage business."
He said if the transfer station goes out of business, there will be less competition among landfills. That could be the stepping stone for a monopoly which could drive up prices to dump trash or get a Dumpster.
"We need more of Monroe's garbage," he added because Monroe paying their dues will help provide a more solid income.
Vogel and other board members will meet with Koch, Bauman, and other Monroe representatives before its Aug. 13 meeting in hopes of reaching an agreement.
The board met Thursday to discuss ongoing negotiations with the city of Monroe. Board members expressed disapproval of Monroe's proposal that the transfer station assess a fixed monthly rate rather than the current fluctuating one.
If a city or township were to pay based on its tax parcels, as Monroe has proposed, "some of smaller townships would be paying a lot more than they are bringing in," board chairman Rich Vogel. Thus, he said, Monroe's request for a fixed monthly rate would be unfair to townships that produce less garbage. He said board members reviewed the transfer station numbers to come to this determination.
The current fee structure is based on the percentage of garbage each community brings to the transfer station. Therefore, monthly charges fluctuate every month. But Monroe has argued the fixed rate is a better way to assess fees, as each community would know what it will be paying every month.
Vogel added Monroe, the largest community in the county, has the most garbage coming to the transfer station.
"Monroe needs (the transfer station) more than anyone," he said, adding if Monroe were to go elsewhere, it would be paying a higher tipping fee.
"(The proposal and transfer station) is the cheapest option," Vogel said.
The transfer station, located a few miles west of Brodhead, is the dumping point for trash collected throughout the county before being hauled for permanent burial in Janesville. A new, 5-year contract with Janesville passed unanimously. The agreement includes a tipping fee of $28 per ton that will increase to $30 in 2020. The contract also establishes a Department of Natural Resources fee of $13 per ton.
In January, the city of Monroe withdrew its membership from the transfer station after an ongoing dispute over how much the city pays. The city continues to send its trash to the transfer station but is no longer under contract at $45 per ton, plus the fluctuating operating fee. Instead it pays the non-member rate of $52 per ton.
By county ordinance, nine of the 11 members of the solid waste board are appointed by the county board chairman. The two other seats are set aside for the president of Monroe's Common Council and the chairman of its Monroe Board of Public Works. If either representative cannot fill that spot, Monroe's mayor appoints a member to fill the vacancy.
The current Monroe representatives are Brooke Bauman and Charles Koch.
Since February, the board has tabled a motion to ask the county board to remove the two seats for Monroe because the city is no longer a member. On Thursday, the board voted 7 to 3 to keep the two Monroe seats. Bauman was absent from the meeting.
But that could change at some point. While the majority of the board voted in favor of keeping Monroe on the board, many felt that if there is no resolution soon, they will consider removing Monroe from the board.
"It's not something we want to do," Vogel said, "but it may have to happen if we don't come to an agreement.
The dispute between Monroe and the board over how much the city should pay has been simmering for more than three years with little progress.
Last month, the board rejected Monroe's proposed contract saying the city's proposed contract won't help meet monthly bills needed to keep the gates open.
While Vogel stresses the importance of keeping cost low for townships with lower amounts of garbage, Koch said the city's biggest problem is that it is subsidizing commercial haulers.
"Why (is Monroe) paying for private contractors?" he asked.
Vogel said if transfer station switches to a fixed monthly rate, townships will begin to look elsewhere to dispose of trash. He added that the fixed rate will also drive up the tipping fee which it currently sits at $45 per ton.
"Monroe has to realize that membership fees will have to increase" if the transfer station operates on a fixed monthly rate in order to make up for lost revenue, Vogel said.
The current tipping fee rates for members are $10 up to 500 pounds; $23 between 501 and1,000 pounds; $34 from 1,001 to 1,500 pounds, $45 for anything beyond 1,501 pounds.
A new non-member tipping fee has been established at $55 per ton, an increase of $3.
Koch said Monroe is looking into sending its trash straight to Janesville but hasn't been too serious about it yet.
"We're hoping to come to an agreement soon," he added.
But Vogel said the issues isn't coming to an agreement with Monroe, it's finding the revenue to keep the gates open.
He said if the transfer station cannot find revenue to keep the gates open, it may have to close, run on a skeleton crew, or only accept recyclables or plastics.
"Otherwise," Vogel said, "we'll need to look into getting out of the garbage business."
He said if the transfer station goes out of business, there will be less competition among landfills. That could be the stepping stone for a monopoly which could drive up prices to dump trash or get a Dumpster.
"We need more of Monroe's garbage," he added because Monroe paying their dues will help provide a more solid income.
Vogel and other board members will meet with Koch, Bauman, and other Monroe representatives before its Aug. 13 meeting in hopes of reaching an agreement.