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County hears landfill monitoring, drone survey and operations update; consultant offers quarterly monitoring and plan support
Summary
An engineering firm described options for quarterly methane monitoring, drone surveys and operations‑plan updates for the county landfill, estimating monitoring costs between $6,000 and $12,000 annually depending on travel and scope; commissioners asked staff to return price comparisons for a contracting decision.
An engineering representative at the Feb. 2 Fallon County work session outlined services to help the county maintain compliance and plan for landfill end‑of‑life. Colton (Speaker 7) said his firm can provide quarterly methane monitoring, assist with updating the landfill operations plan and perform drone survey flights to track material volumes.
"I lead our civil engineering and survey offices in Billings and Bozeman," Colton told the commission, describing in‑state staff who can do quarterly inspections and, when needed, bring national expertise for larger scope updates.
The consultant gave a cost ballpark for quarterly monitoring and reporting — roughly $12,000 in a worst‑case travel scenario but potentially as low as $6,000–$8,000 if trips can be combined with other regional work. Commissioners and staff discussed updating the operations and maintenance (O&M) plan (required annually) and options for accepting different types of waste; the firm said it could assist with rate studies or end‑of‑life projections if the county so desired.
Next steps: commissioners asked the consultant to provide written pricing and a scope so the board can consider the item at an upcoming meeting. The county will evaluate quotes and decide whether to continue with the incumbent provider or contract with the presented firm.
