Alleghany County prioritizes transfer‑station upgrade, pursues recycling grants
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Summary
County leaders prioritized transfer‑station capital work, discussed fee structure and tire‑disposal cost increases, and said staff are pursuing a large recycling grant to fund equipment including a tumbler and tub grinder.
Speaker 2, a county official, opened the budget cycle by saying the transfer station is the county’s top capital priority and that staff expect to draw about $1.5 million from the general fund for facility improvements.
The county’s finance staff described the transfer station as an enterprise fund that must generally cover its own costs. Speaker 7 explained primary revenues are a $75 per‑ton commercial tonnage fee and a $98 annual residential availability fee per improved property; additional income comes from state solid‑waste fees and scrap‑metal sales. Staff said the facility typically keeps a fund balance to absorb year‑end variances and that the $1.5 million allocation is being treated as a capital expenditure, not routine operating subsidy.
Board members raised rising disposal and transport costs. Speakers reported an expected increase to roughly $135 per ton for tires effective March 1 and cautioned that contaminated tire loads (dirt, mud) can double per‑ton processing costs. The board discussed limits on free tire disposal—five tires per vehicle under current state practice—with a $2 per‑tire charge beyond that allowance.
Recycling was presented as both cost‑saving and revenue‑generating. Speaker 4 described plans to expand local glass and shingle recycling, including turning crushed glass into “glass mulch” to sell. Staff said an application for a large recycling grant has been submitted (discussed in the meeting as approximately $5,000,000) that would cover startup equipment such as a tub grinder and a tumbler; Speaker 7 estimated the tumbler at about $41,000. County staff said they already have a glass crusher in place and have begun limited collection while pursuing grant funding.
Procurement steps were outlined: staff will review TRC (technical review committee) questions and return materials to county purchasing so the transfer‑station bid can be issued. The board will consider a Republic disposal/transport bid at a future meeting.
The meeting closed this topic with staff committing to return specific budget figures and procurement schedules for board review.
