MONROE - The Green County Solid Waste Management Board will be getting a five-year contract offer from Monroe next week that does not include the board's request for a flow-control ordinance.
But that doesn't mean Monroe is against the idea - it just wants more time to take a closer look at its legal and economic aspects.
"If it can be proven that flow control saves the day, then I'm sure the council would likely approve it," Monroe City Administrator Phil Rath said.
Flow control would dictate that all of Monroe's trash and recycling go to the county's transfer station in Brodhead. Currently, only residential waste, which the city handles, is part of the plan, while commercial waste collection must be hired out to private haulers. The three companies that service Monroe happen to use the county's transfer station as well, and in two cases exclusively, but it is not required.
The county has made it clear that without flow control from Monroe, which already provides more than half the tonnage dumped at the transfer station, the site will cease to operate.
The Monroe Common Council Tuesday agreed to return the contract with the word "shall" changed to the word "may" regarding flow control. The board will either accept the terms or reject them at its March 12 meeting.
Further legal consideration for Monroe stems in part from a letter it received last week from the National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA) threatening a lawsuit.
"We have that power" to enact a flow-control ordinance, City Attorney Rex Ewald said, but he noted a public hearing must first take place - as is the case with all ordinance matters. Further, he wanted to study cases where such an ordinance was enacted.
Alderwoman Brooke Bauman, who sits on the county's landfill board, noted both La Crosse and Pierce counties exercise flow control. However, Waupaca County had a ruling against it, according to the NWRA, which had a representative address the council Tuesday. He reminded it of the threat of legal action.
On the economic front, the city still hopes to learn more about whether an ordinance will impact local businesses. Would they see an increase in private hauler rates as a result?
"We just want you to be open and honest about the costs," said Blair Keeter on behalf of Cleaver-Brooks, a national boiler company with a Monroe location. He noted his company had sites around the country that saw huge spikes in collection rates due to flow control.
Advanced Disposal is one of the private haulers serving Monroe businesses, and general manager Dustin Reynolds voiced his opposition to flow control.
"I'd like to see us all work together in a collaborative effort," he said.
While Advanced Disposal does use the Green County transfer station for some of its dumping, it also does so here in town at its 7th Street location and also in Waunakee, where it's headquartered.
Meanwhile, Alderman Michael Boyce wants to see a clearer financial picture of the county's transfer station. He voiced concern over the fact its equipment is aging - specifically its compactor - and worries that a contract with the county would result in Monroe subsidizing its capital needs.
"What is their break-even point?" Boyce asked. "I keep hearing their demise is imminent, that they can't afford to replace their capital equipment.
"Nowhere have I seen any estimated capital costs. We're going to be stuck with that."
He said the city should be paying a private hauler who has to cover equipment costs on its own. Boyce added that he has had conversations with Rocky Thompson, the transfer station's manager, and Mike Doyle, the county clerk, who agreed.
"They said the city of Monroe shouldn't be in the garbage-collection business," Boyce said.
He suggested the contract offer be amended to one year, but no one seconded his motion.
In January, Monroe dropped its membership with the county's transfer station, citing concerns over ongoing variable and unbudgeted costs that exceeded the tipping fees ($47 per ton) it agreed to pay. As a result, rates averaged more than $70 per ton, Rath said. He said the additional charges were a means for the station to balance its books.
As a non-member, the city now pays $52 per ton but is putting at risk the convenience Monroe residents enjoy regarding the ability to dump at the transfer station any items the city won't collect from the curb either at all or without a fee.
But that doesn't mean Monroe is against the idea - it just wants more time to take a closer look at its legal and economic aspects.
"If it can be proven that flow control saves the day, then I'm sure the council would likely approve it," Monroe City Administrator Phil Rath said.
Flow control would dictate that all of Monroe's trash and recycling go to the county's transfer station in Brodhead. Currently, only residential waste, which the city handles, is part of the plan, while commercial waste collection must be hired out to private haulers. The three companies that service Monroe happen to use the county's transfer station as well, and in two cases exclusively, but it is not required.
The county has made it clear that without flow control from Monroe, which already provides more than half the tonnage dumped at the transfer station, the site will cease to operate.
The Monroe Common Council Tuesday agreed to return the contract with the word "shall" changed to the word "may" regarding flow control. The board will either accept the terms or reject them at its March 12 meeting.
Further legal consideration for Monroe stems in part from a letter it received last week from the National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA) threatening a lawsuit.
"We have that power" to enact a flow-control ordinance, City Attorney Rex Ewald said, but he noted a public hearing must first take place - as is the case with all ordinance matters. Further, he wanted to study cases where such an ordinance was enacted.
Alderwoman Brooke Bauman, who sits on the county's landfill board, noted both La Crosse and Pierce counties exercise flow control. However, Waupaca County had a ruling against it, according to the NWRA, which had a representative address the council Tuesday. He reminded it of the threat of legal action.
On the economic front, the city still hopes to learn more about whether an ordinance will impact local businesses. Would they see an increase in private hauler rates as a result?
"We just want you to be open and honest about the costs," said Blair Keeter on behalf of Cleaver-Brooks, a national boiler company with a Monroe location. He noted his company had sites around the country that saw huge spikes in collection rates due to flow control.
Advanced Disposal is one of the private haulers serving Monroe businesses, and general manager Dustin Reynolds voiced his opposition to flow control.
"I'd like to see us all work together in a collaborative effort," he said.
While Advanced Disposal does use the Green County transfer station for some of its dumping, it also does so here in town at its 7th Street location and also in Waunakee, where it's headquartered.
Meanwhile, Alderman Michael Boyce wants to see a clearer financial picture of the county's transfer station. He voiced concern over the fact its equipment is aging - specifically its compactor - and worries that a contract with the county would result in Monroe subsidizing its capital needs.
"What is their break-even point?" Boyce asked. "I keep hearing their demise is imminent, that they can't afford to replace their capital equipment.
"Nowhere have I seen any estimated capital costs. We're going to be stuck with that."
He said the city should be paying a private hauler who has to cover equipment costs on its own. Boyce added that he has had conversations with Rocky Thompson, the transfer station's manager, and Mike Doyle, the county clerk, who agreed.
"They said the city of Monroe shouldn't be in the garbage-collection business," Boyce said.
He suggested the contract offer be amended to one year, but no one seconded his motion.
In January, Monroe dropped its membership with the county's transfer station, citing concerns over ongoing variable and unbudgeted costs that exceeded the tipping fees ($47 per ton) it agreed to pay. As a result, rates averaged more than $70 per ton, Rath said. He said the additional charges were a means for the station to balance its books.
As a non-member, the city now pays $52 per ton but is putting at risk the convenience Monroe residents enjoy regarding the ability to dump at the transfer station any items the city won't collect from the curb either at all or without a fee.