Buildings and grounds director outlines transfer station construction, waste programs, fairgrounds and facility needs

Buildings and Grounds Director Scott Kling updated the Valley County Board of Commissioners on March 24 about a cluster of facilities and operations issues, including transfer station construction, household hazardous‑waste planning, stump grinding, fairgrounds logistics, a failing boiler and laundry equipment needs for the jail.

Kling said the county received a notice to proceed for the transfer station last Monday and has begun purchasing steel. He said the county plans to run construction through the summer and that the work will preclude a spring free‑dump day because construction and the resulting congestion would create safety and traffic issues. Kling said there is a fall free‑dump day scheduled and that the county will monitor construction progress to see whether spring activities could be rescheduled later in the year.

On yard and woody debris, Kling said the county intends to schedule grinding in June — possibly twice this year — because piles are already close to capacity after last fall’s grinding. He specifically urged attention to a growing pile of stumps and said crews are coordinating with Terry (the contractor/manager referenced in the meeting) to address the issue.

Kling raised household hazardous waste (HHW) as a significant recurring expense, saying the county’s recent HHW event cost about $50,000 and served roughly 200 cars, which he characterized as about $200 per vehicle. He recommended holding HHW events every other year, combined with broader public education about safe paint disposal and battery drop‑offs. He described simple guidance the county can promote: pour paint on cardboard or use kitty litter to solidify paint so it can be disposed of outside HHW events.

Kling also reported on fairgrounds planning. He said staff have discussed improving loading/unloading access to the scales and creating an alleyway from the south end of the hog pans to make animal loading easier. He emphasized the need to coordinate with the market sale committee and the fair board on any permanent changes and noted concerns about safely loading steers and containing pigs in temporary pens.

Kling said the mechanical room at a county facility needs a replacement boiler; the present unit is non‑repairable and likely exceeds the county’s CIP threshold. He recalled a boiler installed three years ago cost about $45,000 and said a new unit will likely again exceed the county’s set CIP limit. Commissioners and staff discussed procurement threshold amounts that are changing July 1; participants noted uncertainty about the exact new limit.

On jail laundry equipment, Kling said the county is evaluating commercial 50‑pound washers and dryers. He said a 50‑pound unit may require gas hookups and larger vents and that some commercial suppliers and reps are out of area; Kling expressed caution about buying equipment that is hard to service locally.

Other items Kling raised included replacement of a north sidewalk (noting poor concrete batches on the north side of a building), transfer‑site drainage and salting concerns, reusing or reallocating old conference tables and chairs, and work to locate inspection records for trailers and scales. He also said the county is exploring property near Sula for a future road department site and plans to discuss potential acquisition in executive session when appropriate.

Kling asked commissioners to let him know whether to move forward with certain budget items and said he would meet with mechanical contractors and the clerk’s office to confirm funding and procurement processes.

Quotations and attribution: direct quotes and paraphrase in this article come from Scott Kling, identified in meeting introductions as the buildings and grounds director. No formal motions or votes were taken on the items Kling presented; several items were noted for future budget or operational decisions.