Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Solid Waste Management topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Stearns County board approves expanded household hazardous waste hours and outreach
Summary
The Stearns County Board approved extended hours for the household hazardous waste facility and authorized outreach spending, with the site now open Monday–Saturday to improve resident access.
The Stearns County Board of Commissioners voted to approve longer hours and modest outreach spending for the county household hazardous waste drop-off, and staff said the facility has been open under the new schedule since Jan. 2.
Commissioner Persky moved to approve the consent item updating the household hazardous waste operating hours and associated outreach; Commissioner Clark seconded. The motion passed by voice vote.
Shelley Benson, Environmental Services director, and other staff told the board the facility is operating Monday–Saturday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. "It is open as of January 2. We have been following the schedule of a Monday through Saturday, 7 to 05:15PM," a staff member said during discussion. Commissioners said Saturday hours will make the service more convenient for working residents and for neighbors who travel from other counties.
Board members also discussed outreach. Commissioners asked staff to send confirmed hours and promotional materials so commissioners can amplify the message via their channels and suggested social media and radio placement. Commissioners noted some promotional funding will come from SCORE (Select Committee on Recycling and the Environment) dollars that the state allocates to counties; county staff confirmed the county received increased SCORE funding last year and is using part of it to promote the new hours.
The board recorded no formal public comment during the item. The motion on the consent agenda item was moved by Commissioner Persky and seconded by Commissioner Clark; the board adopted the item by voice vote.
Board members said they will follow up by sharing county-produced social media and radio messaging and asked staff to email the confirmed schedule and outreach plan to the commissioners so they can repost locally.
