Kootenai County reports near-complete landfill expansion, spring opening for Ramsey self-service drop-off and rural site plans

John Phillips, director of Kootenai County Solid Waste, told the Board of County Commissioners on Jan. 14 that major infrastructure work and operations across the county are proceeding with only a few remaining items to finish.

Phillips said the Phase E3 expansion at Fighting Creek Landfill, awarded to Celine Construction after a December 2023 bid, is nearly complete. "The only work that remains ... is finishing up the leachate pumping station and the electrical components," he said, adding a final inspection with the engineer and contractor is scheduled for Jan. 22, 2025. Phillips said the final contract price looks to be approximately 3% over bid because of change directives, but that the project remains under the budgeted amount.

At the Ramsey transfer station, staff described a planned self-service drop-off area that would let small-load customers bypass the scales and dump into new dumpsters. Phillips said county crews placed and compacted rock base material last summer, recovered side slopes with topsoil and installed erosion control. The county…