LaSalle County staff reported a drop in third-quarter tonnage and host-fee receipts from Land Comp Corporation, attributing the decline to a labor strike in July. The county recorded $94,004.67 in host fees for the quarter and said year-to-date tonnage subject to the host fee is down from the prior year; staff said they will email a direct year-over-year comparison to committee members.

Staff walked the committee through monthly breakdowns in the packet, noting July tonnage was unusually low because of the strike and that tonnage rose again in August and September. The packet shows that once the facility reaches 105,000 tons, the per-ton host-fee rate will increase to $4.82; staff said the county expected that higher rate to take effect in October once the threshold is met.

County staff also reported operational details: six facility inspections during the quarter (two each in July, August and September) with no new violations flagged, and ongoing receipts of C/D (construction and demolition) chips for the year. The committee voted to place the inspection reports on file and approved the quarterly Land Comp report.

Construction work at the landfill continues. Staff said excavation has started for Cell 4 North and contractors were finishing excavation in the fall; crews will place a low-permeability soil liner this fall while weather is favorable, pause for winter, then return in spring to finish upper lifts and install geosynthetics and drainage material. Staff said they will submit the cell-certification package to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and that IEPA review typically takes 60–90 days. If the certification is granted on schedule, the county expects to begin operations in the new cell in late summer (August–September) of next year.

Committee members also asked operations questions: staff estimated removal of yard-waste drop-off bins around November and said they would confirm timing with the hauling contractor. Staff said they would send committee members an updated fee-and-tonnage projection via email.

Why it matters: landfill tonnage and host-fee revenue are a direct source of county operating funds tied to solid-waste activity, and the new cell is a capital project that affects long-term waste capacity and operating costs. The committee recorded no objections to moving the inspection packet and quarterly report to file and approved both items.