MONROE - The Monroe Board of Public Works instructed city staff on Monday to put together a proposal for the city to use Advanced Disposal's facility as a transfer center for Monroe's trash.
Members of the board disagreed whether the option to sign an agreement with Advanced Disposal would be in the city's best interest, but did concede that a safer option for city employees would be best. Currently, the city requires employees to haul 26,000 tons of solid waste per year directly to the landfill in Janesville, where the city is charged $35 per ton of garbage.
Alderman Jeff Newcomer said pairing with Advanced Disposal was the right decision from the start.
"This should have been the option from the get-go, a year ago," Newcomer said.
Newcomer pointed out that although there had been some odor complaints in the past, no one has ever designated the Advanced Disposal station on the city's northwest side as the culprit and the use of the local station, even if only in winter months, would be a safer option than having city employees drive trash to Janesville in inclement weather.
Alderman Charles Koch said he was unfamiliar with the "day-to-day" of the waste service operations. He recommended City Administrator Phil Rath and Streets Department Supervisor Tom Boll work with Floyd Leo of Advanced Disposal to come up with a proposal. Rath said the proposal could be brought back to committee in two weeks.
Leo said Advanced Disposal put in a misting system to address the odor issue. The system keeps the garbage wet with a fragrant mist contained over the transfer station. Trash is hauled away to the landfill daily throughout the year unless weather does not permit travel. Discussion remained open-ended during the meeting and talk of the agreement originally submitted by Advanced Disposal for a five-year contract was addressed with promise of lenient negotiation.
"The proposal is simply a starting point," Leo said. "We wanted to offer our place as a place for the city to dump. Nothing is set in stone. We would also work to possibly provide a drop-off point for residents."
Alderman Tom Miller noted the need for the station should be temporary because of the undesirable location and appearance of the facility. He agreed to the need for a safer option, however.
"For a short-term period, I'd be all for it," Miller said. "But if it's for the long-term, I'd vote against it."
With an agreement, the city would potentially pay $50 in tipping fees, the amount charged per ton of trash submitted. Rath said the city would save roughly $32,000 in tipping fees and more than $10,000 in labor costs if it uses Advanced Disposal instead of its own employees.
The city has been taking its trash to Janesville on a trial basis for just over a year after dropping negotiations with the Green County Transfer Station in August of 2015. The county-run facility is located between Monroe and Brodhead.
Members of the board disagreed whether the option to sign an agreement with Advanced Disposal would be in the city's best interest, but did concede that a safer option for city employees would be best. Currently, the city requires employees to haul 26,000 tons of solid waste per year directly to the landfill in Janesville, where the city is charged $35 per ton of garbage.
Alderman Jeff Newcomer said pairing with Advanced Disposal was the right decision from the start.
"This should have been the option from the get-go, a year ago," Newcomer said.
Newcomer pointed out that although there had been some odor complaints in the past, no one has ever designated the Advanced Disposal station on the city's northwest side as the culprit and the use of the local station, even if only in winter months, would be a safer option than having city employees drive trash to Janesville in inclement weather.
Alderman Charles Koch said he was unfamiliar with the "day-to-day" of the waste service operations. He recommended City Administrator Phil Rath and Streets Department Supervisor Tom Boll work with Floyd Leo of Advanced Disposal to come up with a proposal. Rath said the proposal could be brought back to committee in two weeks.
Leo said Advanced Disposal put in a misting system to address the odor issue. The system keeps the garbage wet with a fragrant mist contained over the transfer station. Trash is hauled away to the landfill daily throughout the year unless weather does not permit travel. Discussion remained open-ended during the meeting and talk of the agreement originally submitted by Advanced Disposal for a five-year contract was addressed with promise of lenient negotiation.
"The proposal is simply a starting point," Leo said. "We wanted to offer our place as a place for the city to dump. Nothing is set in stone. We would also work to possibly provide a drop-off point for residents."
Alderman Tom Miller noted the need for the station should be temporary because of the undesirable location and appearance of the facility. He agreed to the need for a safer option, however.
"For a short-term period, I'd be all for it," Miller said. "But if it's for the long-term, I'd vote against it."
With an agreement, the city would potentially pay $50 in tipping fees, the amount charged per ton of trash submitted. Rath said the city would save roughly $32,000 in tipping fees and more than $10,000 in labor costs if it uses Advanced Disposal instead of its own employees.
The city has been taking its trash to Janesville on a trial basis for just over a year after dropping negotiations with the Green County Transfer Station in August of 2015. The county-run facility is located between Monroe and Brodhead.