Operator cancels Round Mountain landfill contract; county weighs in-house operation or new bidder

County public‑works officials told commissioners on June 17 that the private contractor operating the Round Mountain landfill gave 30 days’ notice of cancellation. The contractor had held a five‑year contract; the county said the notice means the county must decide whether to arrange alternate contractor coverage, take the operation in‑house, or rebid the service.

Public Works director Tom Bowling told the board he contacted the second‑place bidder from the original procurement. That vendor has not responded to repeated outreach; its bid price was roughly $278,000 per year, about $74,000 higher than the current contractor’s annual price of $204,000. Bowling said the county’s in‑house option — hiring one or more staff and purchasing a loader — would likely cost less than the higher bidder in the long run because the capital purchase is amortized over several years.

Commissioners asked for more detailed cost projections and for staff to provide a breakdown showing the first‑year capital need and five‑year operating comparisons. Bowling said county staff are preparing numbers for the board’s next meeting and that the landfill must remain open because regional users depend on it. The board directed staff to return with firm estimates on costs for an in‑house model (personnel, equipment purchase and maintenance, fuel, and overtime coverage) as well as responses from available contractors and a schedule for rebidding if necessary.

Public comment during the meeting emphasized avoiding service interruptions and minimizing rate impacts to residents. County staff noted that hauler licensing and the rate adjustments the commission adopted earlier this year are already beginning to generate additional revenue that will help cover operational needs. Commissioners did not make a final decision at the session and scheduled follow‑up information for the next meeting.