Beatrice approves Boswell landfill fee increase as bond payments begin

The Boswell board and Beatrice city council approved a fee resolution and related bond-administration changes to cover debt from construction of a new municipal landfill.

The Boswell board passed Resolution No. 77 establishing rates and charges for the Boswell solid waste disposal facility, and discussed the city’s recent $13,100,000 bond issuance to build a new landfill. Tobias, the city administrator, said the new bond produces annual debt service of “roughly $820,000 a year,” and staff calculated a roughly $5-per-ton increase would be needed to cover the shortfall. The Boswell board approved the resolution by voice vote (9–0 at the Boswell meeting).

Nut graf: The increases are targeted to make up an anticipated revenue shortfall because older bond payments were retired while the new bond obligation begins; the council and board also updated fees charged to member communities based on recent census figures.

Details: The resolution takes effect March 31 and includes an across-the-board per-ton adjustment of roughly $5 at the landfill scale. Roll-off container pricing rises $1 per cubic yard; certain C- and D-sized roll-offs rise $2 per cubic yard. Commercial brush hauler rates increase while residential curbside brush remains unchanged. Asbestos handling is proposed to increase by $2 per cubic yard; staff explained asbestos loads require special handling, burial on the liner and additional labor. Exhibit A in the fee packet was updated to reflect new per-capita allocations after the latest census, which raised or lowered partner-community charges (Tobias said most towns’ shares fell; Cortland and Virginia increased).

The Boswell meeting also passed Resolution No. 78 (Boswell) to replace Piper Sandler with Northland Securities as bond underwriter for bond administration related to Boswell; that item passed 9–0 after staff explained the change was required because of publication/affidavit issues with the earlier posting and the need to supply bond counsel an affidavit of publication.

Council-level related items included pay requests for Boswell construction work listed on the city consent agenda: pay request No. 2 to Genesis Contracting Group ($36,000) and pay request No. 2 to Proust Excavation ($137,239.65) for the Boswell South MSW landfill site projects. Those consent-agenda items passed at the council meeting (consent vote 8–0).

Why it matters: The increases and bond-administration changes directly affect municipal waste pricing for households and commercial haulers, and they alter the city’s near-term capital funding obligations. Council members asked staff to monitor unique billing situations (for example, where a private hauler pays Boswell fees on behalf of a town) and to correct any anomalies in the membership list for charging partner communities.

What’s next: The rates go into effect per the resolution; staff will notify contracted communities and commercial haulers, and the city will continue project work at the landfill as listed in pay requests.