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Residents, staff raise concerns as county seeks EGLE prepayment to start regional material-management plan
Summary
County staff asked commissioners to approve a request to EGLE for partial up-front funding to begin a multi-county material-management (recycling) plan after the program moved to a reimbursable grant model.
Gratiot County staff told commissioners that a previously anticipated guaranteed grant structure for a regional material‑management plan has changed to a reimbursable model, leaving counties unable to start vendor selection and planning without some up‑front funds.
At the meeting staff said each county had expected $60,000 to prepare the plan and a multi‑county approach would have produced additional per‑capita funding. Instead, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) now requires counties to spend money first and submit costs for reimbursement dating back to Oct. 1, 2024. County staff reported tracking roughly $4,000 in eligible costs so far and asked the board to approve a letter requesting a $10,000 up‑front payment from EGLE to each county in the regional group so planning and an RFP for a vendor can proceed.
Public comment: Robert Baxter, trustee of Fall Township, testified during public comment that townships had received little information during the past six months and that township residents could face limited options under the draft plan — curbside service controlled by a single hauler in some areas or long drives to recycling centers in others. Baxter warned that closures of nearby recycling centers and poor maintenance could undermine the plan’s recycling targets.
Why it matters: The reimbursement model shifts near‑term financial risk to counties and could delay development of a coordinated multi‑county strategy for recycling and materials management. Commissioners discussed that if funds are not advanced some counties will be unable to contract with a vendor or begin public engagement.
Board action: The board voted to approve sending the request to EGLE asking for a $10,000 partial prepayment per county to get vendor procurement and plan writing started; the motion passed on a voice/roll call noted during the meeting.
Ending: Commissioners scheduled follow-up work contingent on EGLE’s response; staff will continue tracking hours and expenditures for reimbursement and plan to begin vendor procurement if advance funding is provided.
