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Officials say certified scale, fee changes and enforcement needed to stabilize Transfer Station finances
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Summary
County officials and Ferry Township officials discussed Transfer Station deficits, recent county supplements, the new scale installation and proposed rule changes; Chair Walker said the right fee structure could allow the scale to pay for itself in about eight months.
Ferry Township Supervisor Dave Schmieding asked the board for an accounting of county supplements to the Transfer Station; records cited in committee discussion show the county budgeted $136,000 in 2023 and $247,000 in 2024 for the facility.
Chairperson Robert H. Walker told the Finance & Administration Committee that the Transfer Station scale is being installed and that, if the county adopts an appropriate fee structure and certifies the scale, the installation could pay for itself in roughly eight months. "If the County has the right fee structure, the scale will pay for itself in eight months," Walker said.
Commissioner Joel McCormick urged tighter operational rules, recommending the county stop accepting liquids, enforce dumpster limits (close the site when dumpsters are full), and eliminate a failing backhoe that carries high repair costs. McCormick also noted the substantial cost to grind mattresses and emphasized that mattresses must go in the dumpster, otherwise the county should refuse them when containers are full.
Garry McKeen, Parks Commission chair, raised a related concern during public comment: he warned that increasing Transfer Station fees could lead to more illegal dumping on seasonal county roads. The board directed Administrator Tracy Byard and the Treasurer to advance credit-card payment capabilities at the Transfer Station and to proceed with scale certification work.
Why it matters: The Transfer Station has required substantial county supplements in recent years. The combination of a certified scale, revised pricing policy and enforcement measures are presented as the county’s route to financial sustainability for the facility.