Bonner County approves Solid Waste contracts, carries forward capital funds and adopts revised fee schedule with clerical fixes

The Bonner County Board of Commissioners on Nov. 4 approved a set of Solid Waste contracts, carried forward capital funds into fiscal 2026 and adopted a revised disposal fee schedule effective Dec. 1, 2025, after staff corrected typographical items and agreed to confirm one line about household hazardous‑waste eligibility.

The board approved a contract with Pacific Steel & Recycling for removal of metal piles at Dickensheet, Colburn and Idaho Hill that pays Bonner County $101 per ton and approved Grey Mar’s contract to collect, transport and dispose of residential household hazardous waste from Oct. 1, 2025 through Sept. 30, 2026. Commissioners also awarded a wood‑grinding, transportation and disposal contract to Wood Solutions LLC at $49.50 per ton after the vendor inspected on‑site conditions.

The board approved three separate carryover resolutions to move unspent FY25 Solid Waste capital funds into FY26 for ongoing projects: $16,000 for a Colburn culvert installation; $500,000 from fund 0239480 for capital improvements; $390,000 from 0239470 for land improvements; and $60,000 from 0237530 for repairs and maintenance. In each case staff told commissioners the work was underway or complete depending on the item and that the carryovers were to ensure obligated project funds remain available.

A lengthy discussion followed on the proposed Solid Waste fee schedule. Commissioners and staff identified typographical issues and ambiguous lines in the residential fee table — for example the wording under wood/brush that read “over 3 yards” and a line describing household hazardous waste as “no charge up to 10 gallons per event.” Commissioners asked Solid Waste to confirm whether the commemorated household hazardous‑waste exemption was intended to apply only to households that possess current county solid‑waste stickers (replacement vs. extra sticker rules had also changed during the public hearing process). Solid Waste said the proposed schedule reflected policy changes discussed at prior public meetings but staff agreed to verify the precise wording from the public hearing record before final distribution.

Commissioner [motion text recorded in the minutes] moved to adopt the disposal fees resolution effective Dec. 1, 2025 with the noted typographical corrections and to require Solid Waste to confirm whether the household hazardous‑waste wording should be tied to a county sticker; the board seconded the motion and approved it by roll call.

Why it matters: The contracts and carryovers maintain services (metal recycling, hazardous‑waste collection, wood‑waste grinding) and preserve funds for infrastructure projects. The fee schedule change consolidates multiple fee and sticker policy changes approved at prior public hearings; staff confirmation on the household hazardous‑waste line will clarify whether non‑sticker households retain the same small‑volume exemption.

What’s next: Solid Waste will confirm the household hazardous‑waste sticker language and correct typographical errors before publishing the final schedule for public use. Project carryovers will be used to complete culvert and capital projects already in progress.