Avery County commissioners adopt amended tipping-fee ordinance; attorney says second vote required

Avery County commissioners voted Aug. 4 to adopt amendments to the county’s Tipping Fee Ordinance, setting the tipping fee at $62.00 per ton and eliminating language related to credits.

County Attorney Michaelle Poore told the board the ordinance was originally adopted in 1998 and that the amendments reflect current operational costs and language changes. “This does eliminate the language for the credits also,” Poore said during the meeting. She advised the board that because the full five-member board was not present the adoption will require a second vote at next month’s meeting.

The board approved the resolution to amend and restate the ordinance by unanimous vote of the three members in attendance. The resolution references authority to adopt ordinances under N.C. Gen. Stat. §153A-45 and the county’s authority to impose disposal facility fees under N.C. Gen. Stat. §153A-292. The record shows the motion passed 3-0, but Poore’s procedural note means the amendment is not yet final until the required subsequent vote occurs.

The change was presented as a technical update to reflect increased costs of operating the disposal facility since the ordinance was adopted in 1998. The transcript does not include additional detail on the expected revenue impact, a start date for the new fee, or how the county will apply the removed credit language; those items were not specified in the meeting record.

The board made the motion and carried it unanimously; the county will hold a follow-up vote at the next regular meeting to finalize the ordinance.