Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Waste Management Composting topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council approves three-year commercial composting agreement with Greenbox Compost
Summary
Fort Atkinson council approved a three-year partnership with Greenbox Compost to operate the city's compost site, accept food scraps, and return up to 500 cubic yards of finished compost to the city annually; staff said the arrangement should reduce city staffing needs and landfill tonnage.
The Fort Atkinson City Council voted on June 2 to approve a three-year commercial composting agreement with Greenbox Compost, authorizing the city manager to execute the contract and to host Greenbox’s operations at the city compost site.
Public Works Superintendent Williamson summarized staff’s rationale: the partnership would reduce the city’s staffing burden at the compost site, decrease the volume of material sent to landfills and provide an in-kind return of finished compost for city projects. Williamson told council members the initial agreement would require no monetary rent, noting that if the arrangement proves mutually beneficial the parties could renegotiate terms in future years.
Ben Stanganger, founder and CEO of Greenbox Compost, described the company’s existing operations and its plan for Fort Atkinson. "We do food scrap collection ... We are currently diverting about 55,000 pounds of food scraps per week," Stanganger said, and added that Greenbox expects to mix collected food scraps with the city’s yard waste to produce higher‑quality Class A compost more quickly. Under the proposed agreement Greenbox would provide the city with 500 cubic yards of finished compost annually; staff estimated that volume’s realized value at roughly $40–$60 per cubic yard.
Greenbox said the operation would run in segregated areas of the compost site, leave current public drop‑off hours unchanged, and begin with an on‑site residential drop‑off for food scraps before potentially expanding to neighborhood drop‑off locations. Stanganger described the economics: Greenbox will earn revenue from collection services and by selling finished compost, which allows it to operate the site without paying initial monetary rent to the city.
Council members asked about odors, pests and equipment; Greenbox and staff said the company operates similar sites without resident odor complaints and that composting will be actively managed (daily turning at early stages and secure bins for drop-off). Council members expressed support for the environmental benefits and operational savings.
The council moved, seconded and approved the agreement by voice vote, authorizing the city manager to execute the three‑year initial contract.
