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Bourbon County commissioners approve landfill-fee waiver for towns under 400 residents
Summary
The commission adopted a resolution to waive landfill fees for incorporated Bourbon County municipalities with populations under 400 that follow condemnation and removal procedures; debate centered on fiscal impact and whether contractors or cities should qualify.
The Bourbon County Board of Commissioners voted to waive landfill fees for incorporated towns with populations of 400 or fewer if those municipalities follow their own condemnation and removal processes and provide proof to the county commission.
The resolution, read into the record and debated at length, says incorporated municipalities that follow their codes for condemning structures and pay for teardown and transport to the county landfill may have landfill fees waived. The resolution requires showing proof of condemnation and the tear-down process to qualify.
Supporters said the waiver would help small towns remove dilapidated structures and spur redevelopment. One commissioner said the measure “encourages new housing development” and noted smaller towns often lack the tax base of larger cities.
Opponents and several commissioners pressed for limits: they argued many small towns hire private contractors to perform demolitions and that waiving fees for contractor-hailed loads could shift substantial untracked cost to the county’s landfill and related public‑works budgets. Commissioners and staff discussed existing practice exemptions for clean fill (rock, concrete and mortar) and whether waivers already applied in some cases.
Landfill and public works staff noted inconsistency in past fee application and recommended tracking loads and receipts if a waiver program is adopted. Commissioners asked that municipalities require contractors to submit landfill receipts or a city letter certifying the load origin so the county could track use of the waiver.
After extended discussion, the commission moved, seconded and adopted the resolution. The board also discussed that similar arrangements — such as a reduced-rate agreement already in place with Fort Scott — exist and that any waiver would exclude individuals hiring contractors for private demolitions unless the municipality did the work itself.
Commissioners asked staff to monitor the fiscal effect and to return any suggested clarifications or recordkeeping steps to the commission.
