Board approves transfer of used wastewater equipment to solid waste; TSO closure to end next week

The Madison Board of Public Works and Safety on Sept. 15 approved Resolution 2025-46b to record the transfer of a wastewater-department piece of equipment to the solid waste utility for $20,000, staff said.

City staff said the piece of equipment being replaced in the wastewater department is suitable for use at the transfer station (TSO). The resolution formalizes a previously approved intra-city transfer and the $20,000 consideration was described as already agreed by the departments.

Chris Hale, who updated the board on the transfer station modernization project while on the agenda, said the TSO construction is progressing and crews had poured concrete and worked on structural steel. He told the board the project is “ahead of schedule” and that concrete curing and strength tests were imminent. Because of the closure, recycling collections were suspended for the week and large-items and large limbs were not being accepted; the city is continuing normal trash pickup routes, but residents were asked to have trash out by 7 a.m. to accommodate altered routing.

“We will be back open fully for business on Monday,” Hale said during the meeting; later in the discussion staff clarified they expected the transfer station to reopen the following Monday and were limiting disruption to approximately one week.

Hale described the TSO modernization as the final phase of a multi-year program to standardize collection containers, modernize trucks and update the facility. He said the project aims to reduce manual handling of refuse that previously exceeded 7,000,000 pounds per year and to address workplace safety concerns.

A board member moved for approval of the resolution and a second followed; the resolution passed by voice vote.