Franklin County transfer station reopens after repairs; scale software mis-set minimum weights for fees

Franklin County transfer-station staff reported Oct. 29 that the facility resumed operations after a temporary shutdown for repairs and maintenance, but an update to the scale/pricing system left minimum-weight thresholds inconsistent with the intended fee schedule.

Transfer-station staff said the tonnage-rate change produced a converted minimum-weight value lower than intended: the trash minimum was reading as 360 pounds rather than the intended 400 pounds; the C&D (construction and demolition) minimum was reading as 420 pounds rather than an intended 500 pounds. Staff said the difference currently changes customer charges by roughly $1.00 for a 400-pound load on the trash side and $1.25 on the C&D side.

Technicians from Cardinal Scale have worked on the system and are continuing to consult their engineers. Staff reported that if Cardinal cannot adjust the configuration, a software rewrite may be necessary and the vendor may charge for that work. County staff said the transfer station is open and operating with the current readings while the vendor continues to troubleshoot. Staff indicated they could post the temporary minimum-weight thresholds if a quick software fix is not possible.

Commissioners asked clarifying questions about how customers are charged during the discrepancy; staff explained that a 400-pound load currently would scale to an $11 minimum under the system as it now computes rather than the intended $10 minimum. Staff said they would continue to work with the vendor and update the commission if further changes are required.