Brown County commissioners authorize bids for landfill addition, set April bid dates and Nov. 1 completion

Brown County commissioners voted to solicit competitive bids for an addition and related site work at the county landfill, authorizing staff to advertise the project, set bid deadlines and a contract completion date.

The vote, taken at the commission meeting, authorized advertising the design and construction package for the landfill addition and related work — including a parking/pad area for semi trailers, additional base rock on the west side of the building for loaded-semi circulation, and a concrete apron at the tipping floor — and set April bid dates and a November 1 completion deadline.

"This that I gave you is the packet that I made up for the proposed new addition out of the landfill," the presenter said while walking commissioners through an aerial plan and floor drawings. The plan submitted to the commission included a new addition attached to the existing building, changes to traffic flow for semis, and a concrete pad in front of the tipping floor to reduce wash-in and improve equipment access.

Why it matters: commissioners and staff said the pad and rock work are intended to reduce safety risks when semis are weighed and staged on A Hundred and Ninetieth Street, to protect the tipping floor from erosion and heavy wear, and to allow crew equipment to operate without repeatedly driving on washed-out dirt. Staff also described operational needs tied to the county's C&D (construction and demolition) pit, which must be covered about every 120 days; commissioners discussed options to stockpile and haul dirt to meet that obligation.

Key project details discussed at the meeting include: - Concrete pad: staff proposed a vehicle apron in front of the tipping floor; the commission asked for 15 feet of concrete width (60 feet long was discussed) after earlier discussion of a 10-by-50-foot pad. An estimate mentioned in the meeting put a 10-by-50-foot pad at "just under $5,000," though no final contract price was given. - Access/rockwork: commissioners discussed widening and adding base rock on the west side of the building and creating a one-lane rock drive-around to allow loaded trailers to circulate without blocking traffic; staff said roughly a 12-foot working lane and a parking pad area sized to accommodate trailer dollies would be required. - Tipping floor: staff explained that dirt washing onto the concrete creates a 4-inch lip that makes it difficult for heavy equipment to push loads; they recommended extending the concrete apron so backhoes and trucks can operate on continuous concrete. - C&D pit cover and dirt hauling: staff requested access to a county dump truck or coordination with road crews to haul stockpiled dirt for regular cover operations; commissioners discussed a rotating haul schedule among road crews or staging a larger stockpile during dedicated collection days.

Bid and schedule decisions: the commission set the procurement schedule the meeting discussed: advertise for bids, accept sealed bids through April 11, open bids on April 14, and require substantial completion of construction by Nov. 1 (the commission discussed 90–120 days as a construction window but set November 1 in the bid timetable).

Procurement and contract notes: staff said the bid packet will include detailed floor plans and door sizes, drainage and a wash-bay plan (to avoid routing washwater to the septic system), and that the concrete pour will likely be staged so the facility can remain operational. The presenter noted the new addition will be insulated and that spray-foam insulation had been discussed with contractors.

Commissioners moved and seconded the motion to advertise for bids with the adjustments discussed. The motion carried on a voice vote and the commission authorized staff to finalize and publish the bid package.

Following the vote, staff said they would take the agreed specifications (including the added concrete apron and access rock) and produce the official bid packet for advertisement, and return with responses when bids are opened.

Ending: The commissionauthorization advances a planned landfill building project intended to improve worker safety and operations; staff will return with bid results after the April opening and with contract recommendations if bids align with the budget and specifications.