MONROE - Interest in forming an intergovernmental commission to sustain the county's waste management facility appeared to be mounting, even while more questions about the arrangement came to light, at a meeting Thursday, Aug. 22, hosted by the City of Monroe.
"It shakes down to dollars," said Ken Goodman, board chairman for the Town of Cadiz.
Howard Ward, president of the Belleville village board, wants the new arrangement, if it becomes a reality, to be farsighted.
"We need to look at 10 years and 20 years down the road," he said. "There might not be any landfill in Dane or Rock County. They may all be in Illinois."
Cadiz is not a member of the current transfer station agreement; Belleville has become a non-using member.
Municipal officials from both member-users and non-members of the Green County transfer station filled the city's council room to understand more about a concept being put forth by Monroe city administration and Mayor Bill Ross.
The proposed agreement creates a commission entity modeled after business concepts; gives member-municipalities added legal rights and a voice in making decisions for the membership; implements a requirement for members to direct all its solid wastes to the membership's facility; and clarifies that ongoing maintenance of the county's closed landfills are not part of the new agreement, but remain the responsibility of only those municipalities that used them.
Many people asked questions about how the current facility operates.
Others were interested in answers to "what if" scenarios concerning the proposed agreement. The only questions, Ross, City Attorney Rex Ewald and City Administrator Phil Rath could not answer were about the anticipated costs and how much trash the new arrangement would have to process at its station to maintain its existence. Those answers may lie within the financial records of the current facility, which Nate Klassy, chairman of the county Solid Waste Management Board, said could be accessed.
One hiccup in the proposed plan may be the Town of Decatur, which stands ready to keep the current faculty running, according to Steve Stettler, a Decatur resident and business owner. But if changes in management or ownership come into play, an operating permit from the township will be required, and the township may want some compensation for "having them in their backyard."
By the end of the meeting, several attendees expressed a positive interest in looking into the possibility of moving forward with Monroe's proposal. Ross also said changes to the agreement would be considered, to attract as many members as possible.
The City of Monroe is working its 2014 budget with the intent to remain a member of the current facility for at least another year, Ross said. He believes next year would be used to "work out these questions," and to develop interest and commitment to a commission-style management for solid waste management.
The Green County Solid Waste Management Board is in the process of developing a three-year business plan to sustain itself.
A majority of the Monroe Common Council members voted to keep the current county facility running in a straw vote, which Ross said he took Tuesday. However, Monroe's biggest concern is finances, he added.
Problems in the current structure for financial responsibilities at the transfer station came to light, he said, when a private waste disposal company in later 2011 decided not to use the local transfer station, Ross said.
"Everybody's cost rose," he said.
"It continues to be a concern with the city here," he added.
Ross said the city and other members should have more input in the management of the facility. Board members for the facility are currently chosen by the chairman of the county board of supervisors.
"We make this investment in the landfill and want to have a voice in it - how the money is spent, more involvement there," he said.
"It shakes down to dollars," said Ken Goodman, board chairman for the Town of Cadiz.
Howard Ward, president of the Belleville village board, wants the new arrangement, if it becomes a reality, to be farsighted.
"We need to look at 10 years and 20 years down the road," he said. "There might not be any landfill in Dane or Rock County. They may all be in Illinois."
Cadiz is not a member of the current transfer station agreement; Belleville has become a non-using member.
Municipal officials from both member-users and non-members of the Green County transfer station filled the city's council room to understand more about a concept being put forth by Monroe city administration and Mayor Bill Ross.
The proposed agreement creates a commission entity modeled after business concepts; gives member-municipalities added legal rights and a voice in making decisions for the membership; implements a requirement for members to direct all its solid wastes to the membership's facility; and clarifies that ongoing maintenance of the county's closed landfills are not part of the new agreement, but remain the responsibility of only those municipalities that used them.
Many people asked questions about how the current facility operates.
Others were interested in answers to "what if" scenarios concerning the proposed agreement. The only questions, Ross, City Attorney Rex Ewald and City Administrator Phil Rath could not answer were about the anticipated costs and how much trash the new arrangement would have to process at its station to maintain its existence. Those answers may lie within the financial records of the current facility, which Nate Klassy, chairman of the county Solid Waste Management Board, said could be accessed.
One hiccup in the proposed plan may be the Town of Decatur, which stands ready to keep the current faculty running, according to Steve Stettler, a Decatur resident and business owner. But if changes in management or ownership come into play, an operating permit from the township will be required, and the township may want some compensation for "having them in their backyard."
By the end of the meeting, several attendees expressed a positive interest in looking into the possibility of moving forward with Monroe's proposal. Ross also said changes to the agreement would be considered, to attract as many members as possible.
The City of Monroe is working its 2014 budget with the intent to remain a member of the current facility for at least another year, Ross said. He believes next year would be used to "work out these questions," and to develop interest and commitment to a commission-style management for solid waste management.
The Green County Solid Waste Management Board is in the process of developing a three-year business plan to sustain itself.
A majority of the Monroe Common Council members voted to keep the current county facility running in a straw vote, which Ross said he took Tuesday. However, Monroe's biggest concern is finances, he added.
Problems in the current structure for financial responsibilities at the transfer station came to light, he said, when a private waste disposal company in later 2011 decided not to use the local transfer station, Ross said.
"Everybody's cost rose," he said.
"It continues to be a concern with the city here," he added.
Ross said the city and other members should have more input in the management of the facility. Board members for the facility are currently chosen by the chairman of the county board of supervisors.
"We make this investment in the landfill and want to have a voice in it - how the money is spent, more involvement there," he said.