Alpena County delays vote on bond authorization for regional recycling facility

The Alpena County Board of Commissioners on a motion by Commissioner Kozlowski tabled consideration of a contract and a bond authorization related to a proposed regional Material Recovery Facility (MRF) operated by the Northeast Michigan Recycling Authority (NEMA). The motion was seconded by Commissioner Fournier and carried on roll call, postponing final action until the board’s next meeting on March 25, 2025 (date in meeting materials not specified).

NEMA representatives told the board the project’s capital cost is about $5.165 million and that roughly 75% of that amount is currently committed from a mix of grants and other sources. Rachel (presenter) told commissioners the authority expects to rely on a mix of EGLE infrastructure grants, corporate grants (Carton Council and Food Service Packaging Institute), a $2,700,000 congressionally directed USDA allocation that must be released after all other funding is secured, a recent $50,000 Besser Foundation grant, and a quarterly MOA landfill allocation of $0.50 per delivered cubic yard up to $75,000. Rachel said the household surcharge authorized under Public Act 138 (now set at $25 per household) is part of the revenue model that will support operations and debt service. She said the project team has reduced the budget by roughly $500,000 through design changes (for example moving office space to a trailer and…