Solid waste program buys used water truck to support new grinder; reuse center moved 411 tons last year

Hubbard County solid waste staff told commissioners the county has begun operating a newly purchased horizontal grinder and sought approval to buy a used water truck to support grinder operations for dust control and processing.

The board approved staff’s recommendation to buy a locally available used 1975 Chevrolet water truck from Flying W Gardens (Park Rapids) for $5,000. Solid waste staff described the truck as fitted with a 2,500‑gallon tank and said comparable tanks alone can cost $3,000–$6,000 while new water trucks can exceed $20,000.

Solid waste staff described initial operations with the new horizontal grinder (a Rota Chopper machine) and said staff logged a day or two of testing and training. They reported one track issue on the grinder that appears to be a manufacturer defect and that parts are being sourced. "We got off to a good start, and I think it was a good couple days of training," the presenter said.

The department also presented its annual recycling (score) report. Staff said their reuse center moved 822,000 pounds of material during the previous year — about 411 tons — after the reuse center was started last year. Staff reported a residential recycling rate of about 32% and an overall county recycling rate (including commercial material) of approximately 63%.

Commissioners approved the water‑truck purchase and asked staff to monitor whether a larger tanker will be needed in the future or whether a regional approach to water supply is more cost‑effective.