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Public works and solid waste brief council on dredging, paving priorities and proposed landfill fee increases
Summary
County public works staff described three new engineering positions to reduce outsourcing costs, a recalibrated paving plan tied to a KCI assessment, dredge-management cost reductions and proposed landfill tipping-fee increases to $94 (July) and $100 (January) to shore up landfill finances; staff proposed outreach to haulers before council action.
Public works and solid waste officials gave the Wicomico County Council a broad FY27 briefing that covered engineering staffing, dredge‑management bids, paving priorities and a proposed two‑step increase in landfill tipping fees.
Engineering. Staff proposed adding three positions in the engineering division—a professional land surveyor (or licensed surveyor role), a survey technician and a CAD technician—funded for three quarters of FY27 so the county can move more surveying and plan preparation in‑house and reduce third‑party professional‑service costs. The administration estimated outsourced survey and design work last year ran into the low hundreds of thousands; officials said bringing work in‑house could reduce delays and recurring vendor costs.
Forward funding and dredge management. Finance and engineering staff described a forward‑funding plan to borrow once for a larger facility rather than borrowing twice across years; administration said it will bring borrowing details to council in November if council approves the concept. Dredge‑management capital for FY27 was revised down from $4.1 million to $3.1 million after bids came in lower than earlier estimates. Staff outlined work with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on an upland disposal site near Sharps Point and said pumping instead of hauling could reduce costs for some phases.
Paving and KCI assessment. County staff said they reduced next year’s paving number to align to recent run rates and availability of contractor time, pending the final KCI pavement assessment due in July. That KCI work will provide a prioritized, data-driven list for mill‑and‑overlay versus slurry or chip treatments, staff said, and will inform future multi‑year paving decisions.
Solid waste and tipping fees. Solid waste leaders reported that the operation’s average cost to run the landfill in fiscal 2025 was about $94/ton. To move toward fiscal sustainability, staff proposed a two‑phase increase in tipping fees—targeting $94/ton in July and $100/ton in January—and recommended communicating the proposal to major haulers before council action. Staff said gasification and other revenue projects can help reduce shortfalls but will not fully close the funding gap; they also explained post‑closure federal requirements require cash and investments be held aside for long‑term costs.
Outreach. Officials committed to sending a letter to major haulers and to holding a listening session for haulers before the council votes on any fee change, to reduce surprise and let businesses flag contract escalation issues. Council members asked staff to provide comparison data from neighboring jurisdictions and more detailed billable‑vs‑total‑tonnage breakdowns; staff said they would provide a solid‑waste breakdown and follow up with additional materials.
The session did not produce a formal vote on tipping fees; the proposal will be part of the FY27 budget and any ordinance or rate change will require subsequent council action.
