Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Waste Management Infrastructure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Torrington approves $453,250 engineering amendment for new landfill transfer station design
Summary
City approved Amendment No. 4 to the Inberg Miller Engineers agreement (not‑to‑exceed $453,250) to design, permit and prepare bid documents for a new transfer station / baler facility at the Torrington landfill; estimated project level cost from a feasibility study was about $5.5 million and construction is planned for late 2026–2027.
The Torrington City Council approved Amendment No. 4 to the professional services agreement with Inberg Miller Engineers on March 4, authorizing design, DEQ permitting, bidding and construction-phase services for a new transfer station / baler facility at the city landfill in a not-to-exceed amount of $453,250.
Public Works Director Jeff Harkin told councilors the amendment follows a February 2024 feasibility study that estimated the total project cost at roughly $5.5 million, including engineering and permitting. Harkin said the city updated its sanitation ordinance and adopted rates on Jan. 1, 2025, intended to fund the new facility. He outlined a tentative schedule in which engineering and permitting would begin in March–April 2025, final plans would be ready for advertising by September 2026, construction contracts awarded November 2026 and construction beginning spring 2027 with completion hoped for in December 2027.
Consultants from Inberg Miller (Gary Steele and Ryan Vasquez) answered council questions about program capacity and funding. Steele and Vasquez said the study sized a facility to avoid operational bottlenecks — noting a single truck can be roughly 20–25 tons — and added that modern transfer stations typically include a tipping floor to handle truckloads efficiently. Harkin said he planned to meet USDA representatives to explore loan and grant funding for the project.
Council discussion examined capacity: landfill staff reported current baling operations average about 65 tons on a busy day, while consultants discussed design hourly capacities and throughput. Harkin said the feasibility phase included contingency estimates to account for volatility in construction costs; consultants cautioned final construction costs could vary and that their estimate included contingency.
Councilman Kelly moved to approve Amendment No. 4 in the not-to-exceed amount of $453,250; Councilman Diehl seconded the motion and the council approved it by voice vote with no nays recorded.
The amendment remains subject to funding decisions; Harkin said the city will pursue USDA loans and grants and will include the amendment in the sanitation budget for project financing and later construction phases.
