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Oceana County to stop accepting liquids at Transfer Station, weigh equipment sale and fee changes
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Summary
Following capacity and contamination concerns, the board directed an immediate suspension of liquids at the county Transfer Station, authorized signage and public notices, discussed removal of an oil‑contaminated container, and considered selling or replacing a backhoe and raising mattress disposal fees to $25 with a suggested four‑per‑person limit.
At committee and full board meetings May 22, 2025, Oceana County commissioners directed immediate operational changes at the county Transfer Station to address capacity, safety and contamination concerns.
Commissioner Joel McCormick raised problems with dumpster capacity and compacting that have forced early Saturday closures; he reported the backhoe at the Transfer Station requires roughly $30,000 in repairs while its trade‑in value is approximately $12,000. Commissioners discussed options including repair, sale, leasing or continued equipment sharing with American Classic Dumpster. Commissioner McCormick said the Transfer Station operator, Brian Lenon, noted reduced compacting has led to faster fills.
Chairperson Robert Walker authorized a county effort to remove a container and semi‑trailer with oil contamination, with Safety‑Kleen of Grand Rapids identified as a vendor able to remove oil. Walker instructed the Administrator’s Office to post signs and notify the public through local newspapers that the Transfer Station will no longer accept liquids effective immediately.
Commissioners debated additional measures: suspending acceptance of electronics at the Transfer Station and increasing mattress disposal fees. The board discussed raising the mattress fee from $20 to $25 and imposing a per‑person limit of four mattresses; Muskegon Landfill’s current disposal charge of $20 was cited as the basis for the fee. County staff and the Oceana County Conservation District (represented by Garry McKeen) noted the existing Household Hazardous Waste program (third Saturday in August) accepts oil and electronics via regional partners and may need additional county support if local acceptance is restricted.
Next steps: the board will pursue removal of oil‑containing materials through Safety‑Kleen, evaluate options for backhoe replacement or partnerships with private vendors, and intends to bring a resolution (suspending liquids acceptance) and any fee changes back for formal action at an upcoming meeting. Public notices will be published in Oceana’s Herald Journal and The Oceana Echo.
At the committee meeting, McKeen suggested exploring contacts used by the Road Commission to source used equipment and urged the board to consider increasing county support for the Household Hazardous Waste program to offset reduced drop‑off options.
No formal vote to sell or replace the backhoe was recorded at the May 22 meeting; commissioners asked staff to return recommendations and costs for a decision at the next regular meeting.