Brodhead council votes to withdraw from Green County Landfill membership

The Brodhead Common Council voted July 15 to withdraw the city from membership in the Green County Landfill effective Aug. 1, with a 60‑day notice, following a presentation on the landfill’s finances.

Matthew Kauffman, representing the Green County Landfill, told the council the operation has been running “paycheck to paycheck” after roughly a decade without fee increases. He outlined staged increases the landfill plans to impose — a 15% increase in 2024, a 50% increase the next year, and eventual full increases thereafter — to address staffing, aging equipment and capital needs. Mayor Simpson said Brodhead sends about 900 tons to the facility.

Concerned about the fiscal exposure to Brodhead residents, Alderperson Gritzmaker moved that the city withdraw membership as of Aug. 1 with the required 60‑day notice. The motion passed on a 4–1 vote (ayes: Nyman, Burkhalter, Baxter, Gritzmaker; nay: Sauer).

Council discussion cited the landfill’s aging baler and other capital projects and debated whether municipal waste fees or utility charges could be adjusted to cover increased costs. Kauffman said members and non‑members pay different rates (he described roughly $51/ton for members and $71/ton for non‑members) and that the landfill has limited cash on hand for capital outlays.

The council did not adopt an immediate replacement hauling contract at the meeting; members noted previous discussion with private haulers but said no definitive alternative had been selected. The motion to withdraw will require the city to finalize handling of refuse hauling and disposal arrangements before membership termination takes full effect.

Next steps: The city will provide the required notice to the landfill and pursue alternative waste‑handling plans; council members asked staff to return information on cost impacts to residents and possible contractor options.