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Bonner County commissioners seek to shift tire‑disposal costs to users, consider limited free disposal days
Summary
During the solid‑waste budget review, commissioners and staff agreed in principle that tire disposal costs should be charged to users (rather than absorbed by county taxpayers) and discussed a possible program of limited free tire‑drop days to help residents manage costs.
Bonner County commissioners and solid‑waste staff agreed there's a clear budgetary case to shift the ongoing cost of tire disposal from the county general subsidy onto the users who dispose of tires, and they discussed options for a limited free tire‑drop day to help residents who cannot afford per‑tire charges.
At the budget meeting, staff said county tire disposal is costing the county roughly $85,000 a year and that third‑party disposal vendors charge rates typically in the range of $5–$6 per passenger tire; county policy currently allows up to four passenger tires per household without additional fees, with higher charges and limits for larger truck tires and rims. Commissioners and staff said the current arrangement spreads disposal costs across all taxpayers and recommended moving toward a pay‑per‑use model to make the line item budget neutral.
The group discussed operational challenges for a free disposal day — some transfer sites have limited bunker capacity or only trailer service and cannot accept a large single‑day surge. Staff proposed piloting a free or discounted tire‑drop program at select larger sites (for example, Idaho Hill or DuFort), staggered across the season, or offering a limited number of free tires per household on a scheduled day.
Board members also suggested reviewing recent tonnage and vendor invoices to set an appropriate per‑tire charge and recommended staff present a recommended fee schedule that aligns with third‑party disposal costs so the county does not subsidize private disposal. Commissioners noted enforcement and practical collection are manageable when fees are charged at the gate or through billing accounts, but that small outliers and illegal burning remain enforcement risks.
Next steps: staff were asked to provide a cost breakdown (recent tonnage, vendor per‑tire charge by size, and estimate of annual county expense) and to return with a recommended fee structure and an operational plan for a pilot free‑drop day at sites that can handle the volume.
