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Public and legislators press county on transfer-station fees; DPW recommends rescinding MSW increase, keeps C&D rate
Summary
Public commenters and private haulers criticized county tipping fees and enforcement letters; DPW said the planned July MSW increase will be rescinded and the MSW rate will remain $1.37 per ton while C&D stays at $1.50, and the department plans operational and consolidation studies.
Public comment and committee discussion focused on transfer-station operations, tipping fees and future waste-management strategy, with vendors and residents urging lower fees and a transparent decision-making process about consolidation and diversion.
Several private haulers and business owners criticized the county—or higher tipping fees and the recent issuance of certified letters to haulers. "Our customers should not have to pay the highest tipping fee in the state because of government mismanagement," Reber Karting owner Brandon Reber told the Legislature. Another hauler said quicker payment methods and higher bond limits would help private operators and suggested administrative improvements at the transfer station.
Representatives of Sustainable Sullivan urged the county to prioritize waste diversion and to form a transparent advisory or decision-making body led by DPW with scientists and engineers providing technical analysis. "Decisions around waste management are too fraught to be made by elected officials," a Sustainable Sullivan speaker said, urging delegation or an independent process to evaluate options such as reuse, recycling, composting and alternative technologies.
DPW reported operational details and recent performance: cardboard at about $70 a ton (107 tons in May), single-stream recyclables at about $51 a ton (157 tons in May) and hauling costs of roughly $40 $50 per ton to transport recyclables to Beacon. DPW said a recent household hazardous waste event served 239 cars and that landfill hours were changed to 7 a.m.
On rates, DPW staff told the committee the previously planned increase to the municipal solid waste (MSW) rate scheduled for July would be rescinded and the MSW rate would remain $1.37 per ton; construction and demolition (C&D) disposal would remain at $1.50 per ton. DPW staff said the county is studying consolidation of transfer stations, potential closures and other operational changes to save taxpayer money.
Why it matters: Vendors said higher tipping fees force private haulers to pass costs to customers; sustainability advocates urged long-term planning to reduce waste and reliance on landfill disposal. DPW described short-term operational fixes (billing, hours, bids for hauling and scrap steel, scale repairs) and longer-term planning and DEC interactions on the county—inal solid-waste management plan.
Quotes and figures are taken from public comments and DPW testimony recorded in the committee meeting transcript.
