Supervisors review Recycle Center operator agreement after landfill access suspended for lessee

The Van Buren County Board of Supervisors reviewed an updated draft operator agreement for the county Recycle Center during its March 9 meeting, and debated whether the county-owned compactor should be included in the new contract and who would be responsible for its maintenance.

Chairman Robert Waugh reported he had received a call from a representative of the Great River Regional Waste Authority saying the current lessee of the county Recycle Center "is no longer allowed to bring garbage to the Ft. Madison Landfill because the lessee's charge account isn't being paid." The board did not take final action and tabled further discussion on the agreement until its March 23, 2026 meeting.

The discussion covered operational responsibilities and asset inclusion in the proposed operator agreement but did not record a staff recommendation or a formal motion adopting specific language. No alternative operator or enforcement steps were recorded in the minutes.

The board’s next regular meeting on March 23 will include further consideration of the draft operator agreement, including whether the compactor will be provided under the operator arrangement and which party will bear maintenance costs.