Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Waste Management topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Staff outlines transfer station plan: vendor change, projected savings and air-burner proposal
Summary
Streets staff described a transfer station proposal that would compact city garbage for landfill haul, noted the city generates ~12,000 tons/year, and said a partial shift to Waste Management (at $45/ton) could reduce disposal costs; staff proposed buying ejector trailers and later an air burner to expand brush processing and recycling revenue.
Lyndon, speaking for streets and sanitation, described the city’s transfer-station plan as a way to compact city garbage, haul it to a regional landfill and generate revenue through tipping fees and expanded services. “We produce 12,000 tons a year and the county produces 10,000,” Lyndon said, adding the county diverts roughly 2,000 tons annually through recycling.
Lyndon told the committee the city currently pays about $55.89 per ton to the incumbent contractor (CWS), which translates to roughly $700,000 annually for disposal. He said testing a switch to Waste Management at $45 per ton could yield significant savings; after accounting for hauling, maintenance and gas, Lyndon said the net benefit in the first year would be roughly $100,000 and that the plan could ultimately increase the transfer station budget by about $300,000 annually once fully implemented.
To support increased throughput and commercial tipping, staff proposed purchasing two ejector trailers (capital budget) at under $9,000 each. Lyndon said that investment would allow the transfer station to accept more private and government loads and create revenue that could offset future rate increases for residents.
Lyndon also proposed investing in an air burner to handle brush. He said the burner costs just over $100,000 but could replace a recurring yearly wood-chipping contract and yield biochar that landscapers value. Staff cited a planned grant application this October that could fund the burner. Waste Management had also expressed interest in helping design local recycling, and the county is building a new recycling center with grant support, staff said.
Committee members asked about contamination and the challenges of a recycling program; staff said single-stream drop-offs and later sortation are common and that curbside recycling remains a long-term goal. Staff offered to publish the transfer-station plan and PCI map online for public review. No formal procurement vote to buy equipment was taken at the committee meeting; committee members agreed to pursue the vendor transition and capital planning steps.
