Gila County delays decision on demolition as landfill expansion timeline tightens

Chair opened discussion on removing a metal storage building that sits on the footprint needed for Russell Gulch Landfill’s Cell 3B expansion. Olivia, a county staff member, summarized two options: advertise an RFP (longer timeline, clearer scope, potential for local bidders) or award a State of Arizona job‑order contract (faster start, less-defined scope, risk of costly change orders).

Facilities and land management director Joseph Dickerson said an engineer’s assessment concluded the building had reached the end of its useful life and should not be resold; staff presented both procurement paths and a timeline that would allow a January award if the RFP route is chosen. Public Works Director Christine Smith warned that every month is critical: estimates project the landfill could reach capacity by March or April, and delays could force costly transport of waste to another landfill.

Supervisor Humphrey and others emphasized the urgency of starting work quickly and favored the state contract to avoid timeline risk. Supervisor Klein and others argued the county should not discard the structure without exploring options to disassemble, salvage, and auction it to preserve public value and potentially benefit local users, including Search and Rescue, or to package removal with the expansion contract.

County staff reported SJ Anderson’s job‑order contract price at roughly $158,000 but said adding a requirement to disassemble and salvage metal rather than cut it would likely require a change order and could raise costs. Staff advised that integrating demolition scope into the expansion solicitation might allow one contractor to remove the building while also performing the Cell 3B work, potentially saving time and coordinating schedules.

After extended discussion about scope, liability, local participation, and the risk of change orders, the board voted to table the item and direct staff to return on December 2 with a broader solicitation package that can be coordinated with the Cell 3B expansion schedule. The vote to table passed by voice vote; no dollar amount was committed at the meeting.

The county will ask Public Works to develop a consolidated scope and consider salvage/disassembly options, pricing and timeline estimates, and whether the expansion contractor can include building removal in its bid package. The board instructed staff to bring more precise costs and contract language back in December.