The Saint Joseph City Council announced on Nov. 12 that it will host a public forum and work session on Dec. 3 to discuss results from an SCS Engineers study of the Saint Joseph Landfill and consider proposed changes to landfill rates.

Presiding official said the staff-recommended proposal would restructure landfill fees into five tiers (tier 1: automobiles; tier 2: pickups with trailers; tier 3: packers; tier 4: roll-off containers/dump trucks/semi-trailers; tier 5: large transfer haulers). Letters were mailed to licensed trash haulers to inform them of the Dec. 3 meeting; council said no vote on rate increases will occur until January.

The subject drew multiple public comments. David Hester asked how a new scale would help the landfill operate more efficiently. Public Works Director Abe Forney (identified during the meeting) explained the third scale would increase throughput by allowing additional trucks to be weighed as they exit, reducing line times; he said the scale is a one-time capital expense and estimated cost described in discussion was approximately $75,000. Forney also said weekly gas and water testing at the landfill is required by the State and that some monitoring contracts are now contracted out.

Terry Peterson, owner of Redgate Disposal, urged the council to consider the operational impact on haulers and warned that proposed increases could force some local businesses out of operation. "We have no idea what to put on those statements right now," Peterson said, referring to customer billing and the short lead time. Aaron Armstrong, a resident and trash-hauler stakeholder, said higher rates could damage local haulers and the city's broader trash collection market.

Council members acknowledged the concerns and said the Dec. 3 forum is intended to allow public review of the SCS findings and staff recommendations. The council said it will not adopt rate changes until after further deliberation and directed staff to present the technical findings and proposed rate tiers at the forum.

Earlier in the meeting the council approved a work order (Resolution 26) not to exceed $66,702.40 with Stearns, Conrad & Schmidt for gas and water compliance readings at the landfill and a $76,400 equipment purchase (Resolution 27) for a Rice Lake scale. Both actions were approved as consent/resolution items during the meeting prior to the public comments that followed.