Commissioners received updates Aug. 29 on two facility items: financing options for a new recycling trailer and the possibility of relocating some county office space to an underused county building.

On recycling, staff described a seasonal financing option offered by a vendor that would allow the county to use leftover 2025 recycling funds as a down payment and repay the remainder from the 2026 recycling budget. Staff asked whether the commission wanted them to pursue that option; commissioners asked staff to continue discussions and to check for possible EPA or USDA grant opportunities for recycling equipment.

Separately, Public Works staff proposed moving some offices (Road & Bridge, Noxious Weed and related staff) to a county-owned building that currently has unused space. Commissioners said they were open to the idea but asked for a written plan that outlines costs, utilities, phone/internet arrangements (IdeaTek was mentioned as the current provider at the building), impacts on other departments and any needed upgrades such as heat or wiring. Commissioners recommended a formal list of pros/cons and an implementation timeline before making a decision.

No formal vote or budget allocation was taken on either item; staff were tasked to return with specific cost estimates and a plan for commission review.