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Jasper County sets one-ton commercial minimum for landfill tipping, delays residential fee changes
Summary
The Board adopted a one-ton minimum by weight for commercial landfill tipping at its Sept. 8 meeting and asked staff to return with average-weight and pricing data before changing residential fees.
The Jasper County Board of Commissioners adopted a one-ton minimum for commercial landfill tipping at the Sept. 8 meeting and delayed any residential minimum while staff gather data on incoming loads and pricing.
Public Works Director Michael Walsh told commissioners that many commercial customers claim residential status and that smaller vehicles and trailers often carry a few hundred to about a thousand pounds, making policing difficult.
"Most of the commercial customers are paying the residential prices because they live in the county and claim it as residential," Walsh said, describing enforcement challenges.
Chairman Bruce Henry suggested as an example a $60 commercial minimum, but the motion that commissioners approved (moved by Steven Ledford, seconded by Asher Gray) set a one-ton minimum by weight and did not specify a fee amount in the motion text. Commissioner Gray and others said they wanted more data before imposing a residential minimum, and the board asked staff to compile average incoming weights and pricing comparisons for review in October.
County Manager Mike Benton said commissioners had expressed concern that lowering landfill fees could lead to faster fill rates for cell four before cell five is opened; commissioners emphasized the need to cover operating costs.
The board's action was recorded as a unanimous voice vote by the four commissioners present. Staff will return with additional information for a future vote on residential minimums.
