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Taos County proposes recycling expansion, flags landfill fee changes and higher collections assumptions
Summary
County staff proposed adding recycling and transfer-station personnel and reported updated landfill fee increases and a 70% collection assumption; a one-time governor-funded recycling allocation was discussed as a temporary support.
Taos County finance and solid-waste staff told commissioners May 27 they expect revenue increases from updated solid-waste and recycling rates and proposed staff additions to expand recycling services, but said some of the growth relies on temporary funding from the state.
County slides showed projected solid-waste and recycling fees and user charges rising after a recent rate study; staff recommended adding a transfer-station attendant and two additional recycling personnel to expand weekend and hub operations. Brent and department staff said the proposed new duties and pay adjustments have not been worked out with HR and that the $206,000 annual personnel cost shown in the packet is a placeholder until HR completes classification and compensation analysis.
Commissioners and staff also discussed landfill tipping fees and billing: staff said a recent rate increase at the Taos landfill produced an $87,000 increase in revenue and that the county is budgeting a 70% collection rate for the new user fees (the budget does not include past-due collections). One commissioner noted that the county’s collection percentage has been much lower historically and that past-due amounts are tracked separately.
The presentation noted approximately $8 million in expected governor funding for recycling operations that would flow through county administration; staff said that funding would help operations in the near term, but that the county will need to determine longer-term allocations next year if the funding is one-time. Commissioners asked staff to coordinate remaining grant details and prepare for an RFP for spay-and-neuter services tied to animal-control professional services lines.
