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 station area to prevent bear access and litter, about $18,000 in fall-protection work at Don Pedro, and about $13,000 in site repairs at Hornitos. Sam (Public Works staff) told the board those capital and safety needs would exist whether or not the smaller transfer stations remain open.

Supervisor Manatray moved and the board approved a combined motion that denied the proposed closures of Coulterville and Hornitos effective July 1, 2025; denied the proposed adjustment to Don Pedro's operating hours; authorized an alignment of county solid-waste fee schedules effective July 1, 2025; and authorized a change in solid-waste and recycling facility hours of operation at the Mariposa landfill (the main facility) effective July 1, 2025. The motion passed 5-0.

Public-works case and staff concerns: Hansen said shorter landfill hours were proposed in part to give crew time to secure and clean the site at day's end. Sam said staff are regularly working late to contain litter, empty bins and secure recyclables and that current staffing leaves few or no hours to finish required end-of-day tasks. He also warned that trailers backing up into unsecured edges have caused fatalities elsewhere and recommended engineered wheel stops and other physical improvements to reduce risk.

Resident concerns and alternatives: Residents and community members urged the board not to close North County facilities. Dan Dunkel, a Coulterville resident, said the station provides metal recycling and a place for residents to comply with local codes, and suggested funding options such as a small parcel assessment. Don Pedro-area commenter Mike Gunther told the board he was disappointed by last-minute presentation changes and urged better preparation but supported keeping local service.

Next steps and policy review: The board directed the County Administrative Officer and Public Works to return with a comprehensive policy-level set of options for solid-waste service delivery countywide (including costs and service scenarios) rather than continuing to address transfer-station decisions individually. The CAO said staff will work with Public Works to scope a follow-up report; timelines discussed ranged from 90 days to a year depending on complexity.

Costs and clarifying details: Staff cited the R3 Engineering solid-waste facility study and recommendations from Blue Ridge Services and showed the county spent $186,337.50 on the study. Sam provided the rough project cost estimates that informed the safety and compliance discussion: about $215,000 at Coulterville for an enclosure, regrading and wheel stops; about $18,000 at Don Pedro for retaining-wall fall protection and related work; and about $13,000 at Hornitos for regrading, culvert replacement and gravel.

What the vote means for residents: The board kept the smaller stations open and approved immediate fee-schedule alignment and an operational-hours change for the main Mariposa facility effective July 1, 2025, while ordering a county-level strategy review to address equity, compliance, funding and long-term service design.

Staff and public comment suggested the county will need to identify interim funding to correct existing CalRecycle/local enforcement agency concerns while the broader review proceeds. Sam told the board staff would return with precise budget requests for urgent safety and compliance work.

Larger context: Supervisors said the county needs to reconcile service levels, efficiency and cost-sharing across districts and emphasized the risk that ongoing state and compliance violations could expose the county to legal and environmental liabilities if not corrected.

Votes at a glance: The motion to deny closures and to authorize fee alignment and operational changes passed 5-0 (Supervisors Manatray, Toso, Poe, Menatrea and Kaiser voting aye). The board also agreed to initiate a countywide policy conversation on solid-waste service delivery.