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Park County approves higher tipping fees at county landfills to rebuild reserves
Summary
Commissioners voted to raise county landfill tipping fees for contract customers to $71.22 per ton and to $80 per ton for the general public, citing rising operating costs and the need to rebuild enterprise fund reserves for closures and monitoring.
Park County commissioners voted to raise municipal and public disposal fees for county landfills, approving a resolution that sets a contract customer tipping fee at $71.22 per ton and a general public rate at $80 per ton. County Engineer Brian Edwards told the board the change responds to years of flat or declining rates while neighboring jurisdictions increased fees to cover inflation, equipment and capital costs. “With the escalating costs, inflation, operating costs, materials, equipment, labor…we find it necessary to…raise our rates,” Edwards said. He said the county has made substantial capital investments in recent years — closing cells, building a new cell and buying equipment — and needs to restore the landfill enterprise fund so it can pay for long‑term obligations such as final closure and 30‑year groundwater monitoring.
Commissioner (speaker 3) cautioned that sharp increases in tipping fees historically prompted illegal dumping and strained municipal‑county relations, but said the negotiated process and stakeholder work sessions made the current proposal acceptable. Commissioner (speaker 4) moved to approve the adjustment; the motion was seconded and carried. The resolution as read for the record referenced contract customers including the City of Cody, City of Powell and the Town of Matisse. Staff said special waste fees listed in the resolution were unchanged.
