Lincoln County approves landfill change order and weighs fee increases to cover growing costs

Commissioners approved a change order for the Lincoln County landfill expansion to install trench drains and address unanticipated groundwater conditions, a cost described in the meeting as approximately $112,279.

The change order was introduced by county staff as an addition to work already approved on the liner pond and landfill cell, citing unexpected groundwater that created extra excavation and drainage needs. The board moved to approve the change order and voted in favor.

Why it matters: County staff said the landfill expansion has generated several change orders during construction and that further unanticipated conditions could arise. Commissioners said they need a sustainable funding plan so the county can cover equipment replacement and future cell development without repeated emergency appropriations.

County staff also presented a proposed revision to the landfill fee schedule and annual solid-waste assessment. The key elements discussed were raising the current annual assessment (now $150) to a proposed $160 baseline and applying a 3% annual increase for five years. Staff said that change, together with revised per-load fees (e.g., proposed demolition/un­sor­ted loads at $45 per cubic yard, concrete/rock from $8 to $12 per cubic yard, asbestos-containing material from $32 to $40, stump/brush tiers and tire disposal fees), would reduce the current operating shortfall but would not fully cover an existing green-box contract and additional collection costs.

Chair and staff emphasized enforcement and consistency concerns, particularly for a proposed $48 uncovered-load fee and new definitions for what constitutes an unsecured load. "We need a policy so our gate attendants enforce this consistently," the chair said during discussion.

Next steps: Staff agreed to re-run budget projections at the $160 baseline, include allocated costs and equipment-replacement needs, and return with firm numbers before drafting a resolution and scheduling the required public hearing on any assessment increase. Commissioners indicated they might consider a larger one-time increase plus the 3% annual escalator to more quickly build reserves for cell development and equipment.

Actions recorded: the board approved the landfill change order during the meeting and directed staff to produce detailed budget projections tied to the proposed annual assessment change. The fee schedule itself was not adopted at the meeting; commissioners requested additional analysis before a public hearing.

Clarifying details extracted from the meeting: the change order amount was described in the meeting as roughly $112,279; staff reported three recent change orders exceeding $400,000 cumulatively for the cell expansion; proposed annual assessment change discussed was $150→$160 with 3% yearly increases for five years; staff said fully restoring daily operation of green-box sites and covering the related contract shortfall would require roughly an additional $300,000.

Community impact and context: Commissioners expressed concern that fees must balance affordability for taxpayers with the long lead time and capital needs of landfill cell development; staff noted Lincoln County has been planning this expansion for more than a decade and faces constraints similar to neighboring counties.'