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Court debates landfill rates and whether to charge commercial dumpers
Summary
Members reviewed proposed changes to county dump rates, discussed large volumes of construction waste and boats, and debated creating a commercial rate and tire-disposal fees; staff was asked to return with proposals.
Gallatin County Fiscal Court discussed possible changes to dump-site fees and whether to create a distinct commercial rate during its Sept. 12 meeting.
Chair reviewed current 2024 posted rates: small pickup $10, large pickup $15, trailer $20, and noted the county sometimes charges $60–$75 for boat disposal (no motor/fuel). He said fiscal-year dumpster costs were about $49,019 (FY21-22), $68,001.62 (FY22-23) and roughly $63,001.32 (FY23-24), with about $14,000 in grant support for site operations. The chair proposed physical upgrades (concrete jersey barriers and self-service lanes) to reduce staffing costs but warned any upgrades would increase operating expense.
Several members raised concerns that commercial contractors bring repeated loads (shingles, construction debris) and that current resident rates may effectively subsidize business activity. Participants suggested options including a commercial minimum fee plus scale-based charging, a separate commercial rate, or enforcement/prosecution where illegal dumping occurs. Tire disposal practices were also discussed: currently there is no routine fee, the county averages $4,000 a year on tire-related activities and sometimes between $4,000 and $8,000 depending on the year; members proposed a modest per-tire fee (examples cited ranged from $1 to $25 in neighboring counties). Road supervisor Brent Brown and other staff were called on for follow-up research.
No rate changes were adopted Sept. 12; the court asked staff to return with proposals and comparative data from neighboring counties.
