LaPorte County Solid Waste District votes to solicit bids to clean compost site after fire

The LaPorte County Solid Waste District board voted at its Nov. 6 meeting to solicit bids and develop a financing plan to clean and remediate the district’s compost and mulch site after a recent fire.

An unidentified board member moved that the board focus its next meetings exclusively on estimating the full cleanup cost, soliciting bids and arranging financing; the motion was seconded and passed by voice vote. The board directed staff to advertise for bids with a 21-day solicitation period and return with cost figures and financing options at the next scheduled meeting.

Why it matters: The site has accumulated large volumes of mixed yard waste that staff and residents said contributed to a fire. Board members raised concerns about ongoing safety risks, long-term stockpiling and whether contractor use is increasing the volume of material the district must manage.

Bob Geralt, a LaPorte County resident who spoke during public comment, urged the district to investigate how the fire started and to hold someone accountable, saying, "somebody's gotta be held responsible for this fire." Staff told the board that the district will stop stockpiling material long-term, separate green waste (leaves and grass) from heavier branches and logs, and seek commercial options to remove excess material.

Staff presented one example bid from Homer Tree Service described in the meeting packet as "$95,000 for the section they bid on and $37.05 to haul it off." Board members noted that this represented a single bid and asked staff to solicit multiple proposals, including tub-grinder and haul-away options used by larger neighboring districts.

Sasha Burns, the district’s public outreach educator, summarized practices used in other Indiana districts and said many separate green waste from branches and use annual tub grinders and hauling contractors to avoid large stockpiles. "So that's usually what combusts when you have a fire, is from the green — the nitrogen," Burns said, describing grass clippings and other green materials as a common ignition source.

On insurance and costs, staff said the cost of firefighting will be mostly covered by the district's insurance and that invoices for firefighting are being submitted. Staff reported an approximate insurance-related submission of about $206,000 and said the district’s deductible was small (staff said "like 2,500"). Board members noted some insurer reluctance to cover building cleanup and said they will follow up on invoices and claims.

The board also discussed operational changes to reduce future risk: limiting contractor access (returning to residents-only service was proposed), revising hours (the site will cease Saturday operations after Nov. 15 and operate Monday–Friday), enforcing source separation of leaves, grass, brush and logs, and potentially acquiring heavy equipment. Staff said the district has roughly $50,000 earmarked annually for capital purchases and outlined a five-year lease option for an excavator at about $52,000 per year, but several board members said they preferred to finalize cleanup cost estimates before committing to new equipment purchases.

What happens next: Staff will advertise the cleanup scope and solicit bids with a 21-day notice and report back at the board’s December meeting with bids, cost estimates and financing options. The motion passed by voice vote; the transcript shows affirmative voices but no roll-call tally was recorded.