Mason County Fiscal Court approves Phase 6 landfill progress; buys $161,876 Caterpillar replacement

Landfill Director Travis Cooley told Mason County Fiscal Court on Nov. 12 that Phase 6 of the county landfill is nearing final inspection and the county is preparing for operational steps once the state approves a construction progress report.

Cooley reported October operations of about 7,112 tons of waste and noted heavy activity for liner inspections and installation of solarizers. He told the court the new cell is projected to provide roughly 38 years of capacity once fully operational.

Court discussion turned to long-term air-permit compliance: county officials said a future Title V air permit could require installation of an active gas-collection system with estimates for that work in the range of $1.5 million. Judge McNeil and landfill staff attributed the estimate to internal consultants and the project team.

Separately, landfill committee members reported rising equipment hours and recommended replacement of a piece of Caterpillar equipment; a state-contract quote totaled $161,876.55. The court discussed financing (committee advised paying cash), moved and by roll call approved the purchase.

Court members also discussed gypsum ("gypsoil") removal and ongoing contractual work to market residual landfill materials; Cooley said the county has executed contracts to move gypsum over coming years, which may provide additional revenue to offset expansion costs.

The court approved the landfill report and the Caterpillar equipment purchase and instructed staff to coordinate procurement under the state contract. Officials said they will return with construction progress documentation and schedule updates once the state completes its review.