BRODHEAD - Call it Plan B. There is no Plan C.
Last month, the Green County Solid Waste Board approved the wording of a one-year contract agreement that recently was sent out to participating transfer station users.
"If (the City of) Monroe doesn't sign with us, we will close the gates a year from now," station manager Randy Thompson said this week.
In the past, agreements between the county solid waste transfer station and municipality users were for five-year terms.
But the board has no guarantee that the City of Monroe will be on board with the other users, as it has been since the inception of the county landfill agreements.
All the trash from Monroe used to contribute more than 50 percent of the county transfer station intake. But that was before Veolia Environmental Services, turned to hauling to its commercial and private customers' trash to its own transfer station near Delavan early in 2012.
The county's transfer station was forced to lay off one employee and leave a second position vacant in January for lack of work after an estimated 70 percent of the trash it usually received from Veolia was bypassing it for the private station in Delavan. That loss has now been reduced slightly, as some municipalities have required Veolia to deliver its trash to the county station, as per their agreements.
The board determined the transfer station could run for possibly one more year without Monroe, by using its set-aside funds - mainly the equipment replacement funds - according to Thompson.
"That's why we haven't been buying any new equipment," he said.
At a board meeting Thursday, Dec. 13. Thompson described his most recent equipment failure: A hand control that operates the hydraulic lines of a 1981 Case 688 excavator is worn out, and Thompson can't find parts to replace the damaged ones. He has "pieced it together using washers," he said.
"But it could go tomorrow," he added.
Fourteen user agreements are due to expire in the spring. Thompson said the municipalities have 180 days to sign the new agreement. Most of their old contracts are due to expire in May. Any intent to make a change in the terms of the agreement require either party to inform the other party 180 days prior to the termination of the contract.
The City of Monroe had already sent a letter this fall indicating its desire to change their contract agreement with the county station. The city's five-year agreement ends in early April.
So far, five municipalities - Jefferson, Mt. Pleasant and Spring Grove townships, Monticello and Brodhead - have signed their one-year agreements with the county station.
Other municipal users that had not yet signed agreements as of Thursday were Albany, New Glarus, and the townships of Albany, Decatur, Avon, Clarno, and Monroe.
Thompson said he has tried twice to get on the Monroe city agendas to discuss their future agreement. He also sent a letter in November to remind the city of its services to Monroe.
"I've been denied twice," he told the board. "They said they aren't ready for us yet."
The city attorney is in the process of drafting a proposed new agreement with the county station, according to City Administrator Phil Rath. Talks with the county will begin "soon," Rath added.
The County Solid Waste Board said they have no idea yet what the city may wish to change in the agreement. Thompson said all the municipal member users are offered the same agreement. Charges are based on usage according to weight.
"I suppose there are a couple things we might be willing to negotiate, if they want to negotiate," said Nate Klassy, board chairman.
The board also directed Thompson on Thursday to turn down a request for proposals from a private company, Advanced Disposal, which is now the parent company of Veolia Environmental Services Solid Waste. Advanced Disposal was asking the county for quotes for receiving and hauling loads of waste to its station in Delavan - about twice as far as the county now hauls to Janesville.
"We don't have the equipment or the labor to do that," Klassy said.
Even if the county transfer station were in a position to know if it was staying open beyond 2013, board members said they'd like to see a 10-year contract for such a service.
The county transfer station will be open from 7 to 11 a.m. on Dec. 24 and Dec. 31, according to Thompson, particularly to receive Monroe's residential trash on those regular pick-up days.
Last month, the Green County Solid Waste Board approved the wording of a one-year contract agreement that recently was sent out to participating transfer station users.
"If (the City of) Monroe doesn't sign with us, we will close the gates a year from now," station manager Randy Thompson said this week.
In the past, agreements between the county solid waste transfer station and municipality users were for five-year terms.
But the board has no guarantee that the City of Monroe will be on board with the other users, as it has been since the inception of the county landfill agreements.
All the trash from Monroe used to contribute more than 50 percent of the county transfer station intake. But that was before Veolia Environmental Services, turned to hauling to its commercial and private customers' trash to its own transfer station near Delavan early in 2012.
The county's transfer station was forced to lay off one employee and leave a second position vacant in January for lack of work after an estimated 70 percent of the trash it usually received from Veolia was bypassing it for the private station in Delavan. That loss has now been reduced slightly, as some municipalities have required Veolia to deliver its trash to the county station, as per their agreements.
The board determined the transfer station could run for possibly one more year without Monroe, by using its set-aside funds - mainly the equipment replacement funds - according to Thompson.
"That's why we haven't been buying any new equipment," he said.
At a board meeting Thursday, Dec. 13. Thompson described his most recent equipment failure: A hand control that operates the hydraulic lines of a 1981 Case 688 excavator is worn out, and Thompson can't find parts to replace the damaged ones. He has "pieced it together using washers," he said.
"But it could go tomorrow," he added.
Fourteen user agreements are due to expire in the spring. Thompson said the municipalities have 180 days to sign the new agreement. Most of their old contracts are due to expire in May. Any intent to make a change in the terms of the agreement require either party to inform the other party 180 days prior to the termination of the contract.
The City of Monroe had already sent a letter this fall indicating its desire to change their contract agreement with the county station. The city's five-year agreement ends in early April.
So far, five municipalities - Jefferson, Mt. Pleasant and Spring Grove townships, Monticello and Brodhead - have signed their one-year agreements with the county station.
Other municipal users that had not yet signed agreements as of Thursday were Albany, New Glarus, and the townships of Albany, Decatur, Avon, Clarno, and Monroe.
Thompson said he has tried twice to get on the Monroe city agendas to discuss their future agreement. He also sent a letter in November to remind the city of its services to Monroe.
"I've been denied twice," he told the board. "They said they aren't ready for us yet."
The city attorney is in the process of drafting a proposed new agreement with the county station, according to City Administrator Phil Rath. Talks with the county will begin "soon," Rath added.
The County Solid Waste Board said they have no idea yet what the city may wish to change in the agreement. Thompson said all the municipal member users are offered the same agreement. Charges are based on usage according to weight.
"I suppose there are a couple things we might be willing to negotiate, if they want to negotiate," said Nate Klassy, board chairman.
The board also directed Thompson on Thursday to turn down a request for proposals from a private company, Advanced Disposal, which is now the parent company of Veolia Environmental Services Solid Waste. Advanced Disposal was asking the county for quotes for receiving and hauling loads of waste to its station in Delavan - about twice as far as the county now hauls to Janesville.
"We don't have the equipment or the labor to do that," Klassy said.
Even if the county transfer station were in a position to know if it was staying open beyond 2013, board members said they'd like to see a 10-year contract for such a service.
The county transfer station will be open from 7 to 11 a.m. on Dec. 24 and Dec. 31, according to Thompson, particularly to receive Monroe's residential trash on those regular pick-up days.