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Committee approves landfill monitoring contract with option for annual renewals through 2035
Summary
The Municipal Services Committee voted 5-0 to award a 2026 operation, maintenance and monitoring contract for the closed Appleton landfill to SES Engineers for up to $79,950 and authorized annual extensions through 2035 amid questions about the nine-year option and single-source procurement.
The Municipal Services Committee voted unanimously to award a 2026 contract for operation, maintenance and monitoring at the closed Appleton landfill to SES Engineers not to exceed $79,950, with authorization for annual contract extensions through 2035.
Committee members sought clarity on the nine-year option and the decision to continue with a single consultant. Deputy Director Neuberger said sticking with the same consultant has benefits because “they get to know the landfill in a way — it's like a living organism,” and that the city would review pricing each year through single-source quotes and could pursue a new procurement if performance or staffing changed. Neuberger added that the contract does not lock the city into a fixed price for the nine years: staff would negotiate annual scopes and prices as conditions change.
Director Youngworth emphasized that while the monitoring work is an expenditure, owning and operating the landfill yields citywide savings because the city can haul certain materials there rather than paying external tipping fees. Youngworth said those savings help offset monitoring costs.
Committee members pressed staff on regulatory oversight and technical details. Neuberger said the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) governs permitting for hauling low-hazard waste to the site and that permits are evaluated case by case; he said monitoring wells and maintaining the soil cap are the main ongoing responsibilities and that a previous project required bringing in a clean-soil cap. On capacity, Neuberger estimated there could be “room for another 100,000 yards of material” before approaching adjacent roadway elevations, but said internal policy decisions would determine acceptable height and slopes.
Alder Schultz and others signaled caution about long single-source arrangements but accepted staff’s explanation that annual reviews, budget approvals and the option to solicit a new RFP provide checks. The committee approved the contract and authorization for annual renewals by voice vote, 5-0.
The item recorded the committee’s recommendation to proceed with the contract award; no further committee direction was recorded in the transcript.
