Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Solid Waste Landfill topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Park County solid‑waste staff report new lined cell, compactor gains and an enterprise fund bounce‑back; rate pressure flagged
Summary
Park County described completion of a new lined landfill cell at the Cody regional facility with 30+ years of life, said a new compactor has raised in‑place density, and warned the enterprise fund — while recovering from recent capital spending — will likely need rate adjustments to remain sustainable.
Park County solid‑waste officials on Tuesday summarized capital work at the Cody regional landfill, operational improvements from a new compactor and continuing budget pressure that may require rate increases.
The county’s solid waste presentation described the newly completed Phase 2 lined cell at the Park County Regional Landfill in Cody, noting staff expect the combined cells to provide more than 30 years of capacity. Officials said in‑house construction and quality assurance reduced outside professional costs.
Why it matters: the county presented a multi‑year plan for the enterprise fund that showed large prior capital expenditures — including the cell construction and shop — had drawn reserves down but left the county with decades of landfill life and improved operational control. Staff said the enterprise fund is carrying roughly $1.3 million in cash, but about $1.2 million of that is required by state rules for post‑closure care and therefore unavailable for discretionary spending.
Operational detail and efficiency gains: staff said the new compactor has materially increased density in the lined cell; one month of monitoring showed effective density rising from roughly 800–850 pounds per cubic yard to about 1,500 pounds per cubic yard after compactor deployment. That change, staff said, meaningfully extends usable airspace and improves the cost per ton of disposal.
Revenue, rates and contracts: solid‑waste staff presented revenue sources and contracts — the largest customers named were City of Cody, City of Powell and private haulers — and showed the county’s current effective disposal rate at about $65 per ton under existing contracts. The county’s modeling indicated an effective rate closer to $75 per ton would be required to sustain the fund long term if current expense trends continue; staff recommended discussion of rate adjustments and further emphasis on recycling and reuse to offset costs.
Operational choices presented: staff suggested several options to improve financial results or reduce expense, including modest increases to tire handling fees, shifting to a five‑day operating model (the presenter estimated roughly $140,000 in potential savings but said that change could be unpopular and may affect staffing), renting or trialing a tire shredder to lower tire‑management costs, and additional emphasis on re‑use/recycling programs and household‑hazardous‑waste handling. Staff also proposed selling one older track loader and not buying major equipment this year other than essential replacements.
Grants and capital: the sewer‑lagoon project with the City of Cody is underway and funded partly by ARPA and state funds; staff said the county had previously repaid SLIB loans early and that prior investments left the system debt‑free after heavy capital spending.
Commissioners asked about staffing levels, gate‑attendant coverage at smaller transfer sites, the financial impact of routes or contract changes, and next steps for rate negotiation. No formal rate change or budget adoption occurred at the meeting; staff said they will continue to refine projections and bring recommended budget language to the July 1 session.
