Broadwater County solid-waste review shows surplus; board approves two roll-offs and authorizes up to $65,000 for tractor

Bill, the presenter of the county—s third-quarter review, told the board the solid-waste program is ahead on revenue and under budget on spending, producing a positive margin moving into the year-end. "You have $399,940 is what we charge for what we expect in the budget. We're already at 93.56% of that," Bill said, noting disposal charges had outperformed expectations (budgeted $50,000, nearly $88,000 realized).

The presentation flagged one notable shortfall: the Equitable Assessment Recovery Program was budgeted at $116,000 but had produced only about $16,000 (roughly 13%). Bill said staff would likely not recommend budgeting that line next year unless collections are codified. On the expenditure side, he said total spending was about 69% of budget at the three-quarter mark (the board would normally expect ~75%), meaning the department had a margin in its favor and could carry a surplus forward.

Board members asked follow-up questions about fuel costs, longer-term operations and potential capital changes. A staff member discussed options for a new transfer station to reduce double-handling and mileage, saying a larger upfront capital investment could pay off over time but would require planning and matches for outside funding.

After discussing equipment needs and market volatility, committee member (S3) moved to purchase two 30-yard roll-off containers with lids at $18,000 each; the motion was seconded and the board voted verbally in favor. "I'll make a motion to, move forward with purchasing 2 30-yard roll offs with lids," S3 said before the vote. The motion passed with a verbal "Aye" from members recorded on the transcript.

Separately, members debated whether to buy a heavy tractor/truck immediately or wait. The board approved a motion authorizing up to $65,000 for a new tractor so staff could proceed with analysis and purchase within that limit. Bill agreed to refresh the equipment-condition analysis to inform the forthcoming budget.

The board also discussed tree-and-grass can service. Staff explained the cans suffered accelerated rot and damage when used for loose grass, increasing replacement costs. Members agreed to continue allowing small amounts of bagged grass in household trash and asked residents with more than about 3 cubic yards to take it to the transfer/compost site; the board did not adopt a new bag fee and will reevaluate the policy in the fall.

The meeting concluded with a hiring update and a confirmation that the next meeting will be Aug. 11 at 6 p.m. Chair (S5) then adjourned the session.

Notes on recordkeeping: the transcript records verbal "Aye" votes and several motion seconds but does not provide a detailed roll-call tally for each vote; where the transcript lacks named roll-call votes, this report cites the motions and the stated outcomes as recorded in the meeting transcript.