Winnebago County sets public hearing on rural recycling ordinance for July 8

The Winnebago County Board of Supervisors voted to set a public hearing on a proposed rural recycling ordinance for July 8 at 9 a.m.

The hearing was scheduled after board members and staff discussed language that would limit county-operated recycling drop-off sites to “rural residential” use, potential exceptions for small rural businesses, and nonregulatory enforcement measures such as posted guidelines and camera monitoring. Supervisor Derby made the motion to set the public hearing and Supervisor Genswold seconded; the board recorded the motion and the meeting moved forward to publish notice as required for an ordinance hearing.

County staff said the draft ordinance designates county drop-off trailers for household or residential purposes and originally included an explicit ban on commercial or business use. Officials and residents discussed removing that single-line prohibition to allow the county flexibility to address a small number of rural businesses case by case, rather than require a formal ordinance amendment each time the market or hauler services change.

The board and staff discussed operational details rather than expanding the ordinance’s prohibited-list approach. Topics included placing signage at sites, posting guidelines on the county website, asking residents or businesses to notify staff before bringing mass loads so staff can empty trailers as needed, and ensuring cardboard is flattened to conserve space. Staff noted some sites occasionally fill between scheduled empties; commissioners and residents suggested a narrowly focused camera to let the hauler verify when a trailer is full. A board member said the cameras used by some supervisors cost about a few hundred dollars each.

Committee staff also reported non-substantive edits already made to the draft: updated fine levels, a change in a responsible office title from “engineer” to “auditor,” and limiting references to specific towns (Scargill and Rake) where county-operated drop-off sites would be located. The ordinance was identified in the discussion as Ordinance No. 45 for purposes of placing the public-notice ad.

Next steps: the board directed that public-notice requirements be met so the hearing can appear in the newspaper and on the county’s schedule. If the board adopts the ordinance after the hearing, any later changes (for example, to allow or disallow specific commercial uses) would require the standard ordinance amendment process and another public notice.

The board recorded the motion to set the public hearing; formal consideration and potential adoption will follow the hearing process.