MONROE - The Green County Solid Waste Management board is proposing a change to the budget cycle of the Green County Transfer Center to provide more time for municipalities to accommodate either shortfalls or surpluses in their own annual financial plans.
By adjusting the budget cycle to begin on Sept. 1, the board hopes to allow municipalities time to budget for either possibility.
At the board's meeting Thursday, chairman Richard Vogel explained that rather than the monthly billing adjustment each town now pays - either higher or lower each month depending on the financial status of the transfer station - the board would assess a percentage of use after 12 months and bill accordingly.
"If at the end of those months, there's a loss, we would let you know early enough so you can budget it for the next year," Vogel said. "You're not going to see a surcharge because we lost this month, but you're also not going to see your bill cut in half one month because we gained."
Members would then be billed after the first of the next year. Rates would remain the same. If the plan is approved by each municipality and all contracts signed, the process can begin in September. However, each member community has to agree to the terms of the contract addendum.
"If just one member says, "no, I don't like this,' then we have to wait until the first of the year," Vogel said.
A key aspect of the proposal is the change to monthly bills. The percentage billed to members of the transfer station, which is a holding center for area garbage until it is transported to the Janesville landfill, is currently assessed each month based on the transfer station's financial status.
Manager Randy Thompson said some months in 2016 were difficult because the city of Monroe is not a member. Because of the absence of the county's largest municipality, costs have been compensated by reserve funds. However, use of the transfer station by an agricultural plastics company, Revolution Plastics, has helped the transfer station make up revenue.
"It doesn't matter now if Monroe is with us or not," Thompson said.
Gains totaled about $40,000 in 2016, he added.
Despite the lack of opposition to the plan, Thompson expressed unease at the meeting's attendance. He said "less than half" of the members showed up to ask questions. Now board members will have to wait for signatures to be returned in order to assess whether they can move forward with the plan in September.
Under the new plan, board members have left it up to their discretion whether a surplus would be split among members as a refund, or if each member would receive a reduced percentage of the amount while the rest is banked in the reserve fund, which now totals about $150,000. Thompson said ideally, the account should be doubled in the case of an emergency situation.
"We do feel it's important we build up our reserve," Vogel said. "We want to keep ourselves financially strong for the benefit of all of us. We just want to make it simpler and easier for you to budget."
Vogel added that he hoped provide "an open door for more people to come back as members" of the transfer station.
"I do believe we are competitive and provide a good service," Vogel said.
Board member Harvey Mandel supported the proposal, remarking on it as a positive plan for each member.
"It gives stability to all of the municipalities," Mandel said. "This way they've got time to decide what they want to do in their own budgets."
Mandel moved for the contracts to be sent out with policy changes included. Board members voted unanimously in favor of the action.
By adjusting the budget cycle to begin on Sept. 1, the board hopes to allow municipalities time to budget for either possibility.
At the board's meeting Thursday, chairman Richard Vogel explained that rather than the monthly billing adjustment each town now pays - either higher or lower each month depending on the financial status of the transfer station - the board would assess a percentage of use after 12 months and bill accordingly.
"If at the end of those months, there's a loss, we would let you know early enough so you can budget it for the next year," Vogel said. "You're not going to see a surcharge because we lost this month, but you're also not going to see your bill cut in half one month because we gained."
Members would then be billed after the first of the next year. Rates would remain the same. If the plan is approved by each municipality and all contracts signed, the process can begin in September. However, each member community has to agree to the terms of the contract addendum.
"If just one member says, "no, I don't like this,' then we have to wait until the first of the year," Vogel said.
A key aspect of the proposal is the change to monthly bills. The percentage billed to members of the transfer station, which is a holding center for area garbage until it is transported to the Janesville landfill, is currently assessed each month based on the transfer station's financial status.
Manager Randy Thompson said some months in 2016 were difficult because the city of Monroe is not a member. Because of the absence of the county's largest municipality, costs have been compensated by reserve funds. However, use of the transfer station by an agricultural plastics company, Revolution Plastics, has helped the transfer station make up revenue.
"It doesn't matter now if Monroe is with us or not," Thompson said.
Gains totaled about $40,000 in 2016, he added.
Despite the lack of opposition to the plan, Thompson expressed unease at the meeting's attendance. He said "less than half" of the members showed up to ask questions. Now board members will have to wait for signatures to be returned in order to assess whether they can move forward with the plan in September.
Under the new plan, board members have left it up to their discretion whether a surplus would be split among members as a refund, or if each member would receive a reduced percentage of the amount while the rest is banked in the reserve fund, which now totals about $150,000. Thompson said ideally, the account should be doubled in the case of an emergency situation.
"We do feel it's important we build up our reserve," Vogel said. "We want to keep ourselves financially strong for the benefit of all of us. We just want to make it simpler and easier for you to budget."
Vogel added that he hoped provide "an open door for more people to come back as members" of the transfer station.
"I do believe we are competitive and provide a good service," Vogel said.
Board member Harvey Mandel supported the proposal, remarking on it as a positive plan for each member.
"It gives stability to all of the municipalities," Mandel said. "This way they've got time to decide what they want to do in their own budgets."
Mandel moved for the contracts to be sent out with policy changes included. Board members voted unanimously in favor of the action.