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Reno County commissioners vote to remove landfill fee from tax rolls; order study and direct staff to develop hauler-based fee by 2026
Summary
After extended debate, the Board directed staff to remove the landfill user fee from property tax statements effective Jan. 1, 2026, and to work with haulers and (if needed) an outside consultant to design a tonnage-based charging system that will preserve landfill funding while keeping self-haul residential access.
The Reno County Board of Commissioners voted to remove the county landfill user-fee line from property tax statements and instructed staff to develop an alternative funding approach that shifts the operational charge to commercial haulers, while preserving free self-haul access for Reno County residents.
The action grew out of a multi-hour discussion that included landfill staff, local haulers and county commissioners. Megan (Solid Waste Director) told commissioners that the county currently records about $4.7 million from Reno County user fees and roughly $1.4 million from out-of-county tipping fees; KDHE requires the county to maintain sufficient closure and post-closure funds. The director told the commission the landfill currently records about 14,815 tons of material from residents who self-haul.
Consultant proposal and hauler views: County staff presented a quote from SCS (consultant) to study a hauler-based fee model; the quote was reported in the meeting packet. Local hauler Marvin Nisley of Nisley Brothers urged the commission to commission a study, saying the quoted amount (about $35,000 reported by staff) was reasonable relative to total landfill revenues and could help design a workable system. “Let's get somebody to look at it and do the study,” Nisley said.
Commissioner debate centered on fairness, operational risk and legal/regulatory constraints. Some commissioners argued the fee is a user charge that should be removed from tax statements and collected at point of use or through commercial billing; others warned that abrupt changes could leave the landfill underfunded or encourage illegal dumping. Commissioner Sellers and other speakers cautioned that creating a tipping fee for self-haul residents could push more trash into unregulated disposal and trash dumping.
Motion and outcome: Commissioner (identified in the transcript as the motion-maker) moved to direct the county to remove the landfill user fee from tax rolls effective Jan. 1, 2026, with the condition that Reno County residents who self-haul their trash not be charged a tipping fee; the motion directed staff to work with haulers to design a tonnage-based fee for commercial haulers and allowed for staff to use a consultant if needed. The motion carried on a recorded vote with a final tally reported in the meeting as 3–2 in favor (three commissioners in favor, two opposed). The motion included a one-year transition period to develop and implement the replacement charging mechanism.
Staff guidance and regulatory note: Megan and other staff cautioned that implementing a hauler-based tonnage charge will require renegotiation of some long-term hauling contracts and notification to out-of-county customers, and that the county must ensure continued funding levels required by KDHE for closure/post-closure liabilities. Staff advised the board the change would not be instantaneous and that 2025 budgets were already set; commissioners acknowledged the change would require work with haulers and municipalities and potentially a consultant study to design billing, compliance and enforcement mechanisms.
Why it matters: Currently the monthly landfill user fee appears on property tax statements and funds operations and long-term closure liabilities. The board’s direction shifts the visible point of payment away from property tax bills and toward a usage-based approach paid by commercial haulers, which commissioners said better reflects the fee’s user-charge nature. Commissioners also insisted the county preserve the option for residents to self-haul without being charged at the scale point.
Next steps: Staff will work with the county administrator, solid-waste director and county counselor to prepare an implementation plan and, if needed, procure the SCS study or an equivalent consultant scope to design a hauler-based fee schedule and billing/compliance system to be in place by Jan. 1, 2026, or sooner if feasible. The board asked staff to return with specific numbers and a timeline for transition prior to the effective date.
