Mariposa supervisors reject planned closures of two transfer stations, direct countywide solid-waste policy review

The Mariposa County Board of Supervisors on Feb. 4 voted 5-0 to reject a staff proposal to close the Coulterville and Hornitos transfer stations and to proceed instead with aligning countywide solid-waste fees and changing operating hours at the county landfill while launching a broader policy review of how solid-waste services are delivered.

The vote came after more than an hour of discussion among supervisors, public-works staff and many residents. Public comment included objections from Coulterville-area residents and operators who said closing the stations would increase travel burdens, interfere with recycling and create illegal dumping risks.

Why it matters: County staff told the board the solid-waste enterprise fund is not financially self-sustaining and that several facilities are out of compliance with state standards. Board and staff leaders said those problems require a county-level strategy, not only one-off fixes, because piecemeal changes create inconsistent service levels across districts and raise operational risks.

What the board decided and why: Public Works Director Shannon Hansen and operations staff outlined immediate health-and-safety upgrades needed at sites to avoid ongoing violations, including an estimated $215,000 to enclose and harden the Coulterville transfer…