MONROE - The Green County Solid Waste Management Board decided Thursday to send letters to members asking for feedback and to correspond with the mayor of Monroe to discuss how much it would cost the city to become members again.
Board Chairman Richard Vogel said he and transfer station manager Randy Thompson have been discussing sending a letter to member communities, apprising them of the transfer station's financial situation and asking if members would prefer the board continue to use contingency fund money to run the facility. Thompson said in 2015, the transfer station used $9,000 from the fund.
"I'd like to let the new mayor in Monroe know how much it would cost them, too," Vogel said.
Monroe had been members of the Green County Transfer Station, the facility where garbage from throughout the county is taken before it is transported to the Janesville landfill. But after years of unproductive contract talks, negotiations failed between the city and the transfer station in September. Monroe is currently transporting its own trash to Janesville, while other communities in the county continue to use the transfer station.
Thompson said the city "had to be paying more" to self-transport trash to Janesville.
"They're not saving money," Vogel agreed.
The city, however, contends that the yearly cost to transport trash to the landfill cost just under $31,000 while membership with the transfer station cost more than $45,000.
In the past, the Monroe Common Council has been split on whether to continue using the transfer station. City Administrator Phil Rath said unless the final agreement with the transfer station would be more cost effective, it would not be responsible to add costs for Monroe residents.
Following Monroe's decision to officially end negotiations with the transfer station, landfill officials issued a statement that residents of non-member municipalities would no longer be able to take trash to the transfer station as of Dec. 1. Thompson said since then he has to turn away at least two of three people daily who live within the city of Monroe. He said others have tried to use their relatives' names to gain entry.
The letters the board decided to send out to current members request feedback on how to proceed with the contingency fund. Vogel said the letters would include a general outline of how the facility has been operating but members can ask questions and get more specific information. Thompson added that if Monroe had been members, the $9,000 taken from the contingency fund would have been paid as a part of its tipping fees.
Monroe mayor-elect Louis Armstrong had expressed interest in starting up discussions with the transfer station once again during his campaign. Armstrong will be officially sworn in on April 19.
Board Chairman Richard Vogel said he and transfer station manager Randy Thompson have been discussing sending a letter to member communities, apprising them of the transfer station's financial situation and asking if members would prefer the board continue to use contingency fund money to run the facility. Thompson said in 2015, the transfer station used $9,000 from the fund.
"I'd like to let the new mayor in Monroe know how much it would cost them, too," Vogel said.
Monroe had been members of the Green County Transfer Station, the facility where garbage from throughout the county is taken before it is transported to the Janesville landfill. But after years of unproductive contract talks, negotiations failed between the city and the transfer station in September. Monroe is currently transporting its own trash to Janesville, while other communities in the county continue to use the transfer station.
Thompson said the city "had to be paying more" to self-transport trash to Janesville.
"They're not saving money," Vogel agreed.
The city, however, contends that the yearly cost to transport trash to the landfill cost just under $31,000 while membership with the transfer station cost more than $45,000.
In the past, the Monroe Common Council has been split on whether to continue using the transfer station. City Administrator Phil Rath said unless the final agreement with the transfer station would be more cost effective, it would not be responsible to add costs for Monroe residents.
Following Monroe's decision to officially end negotiations with the transfer station, landfill officials issued a statement that residents of non-member municipalities would no longer be able to take trash to the transfer station as of Dec. 1. Thompson said since then he has to turn away at least two of three people daily who live within the city of Monroe. He said others have tried to use their relatives' names to gain entry.
The letters the board decided to send out to current members request feedback on how to proceed with the contingency fund. Vogel said the letters would include a general outline of how the facility has been operating but members can ask questions and get more specific information. Thompson added that if Monroe had been members, the $9,000 taken from the contingency fund would have been paid as a part of its tipping fees.
Monroe mayor-elect Louis Armstrong had expressed interest in starting up discussions with the transfer station once again during his campaign. Armstrong will be officially sworn in on April 19.