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Vernon County Board approves landfill expansion, greenlights $300,000 loan to fund Plan of Operations
Summary
After public comment and extended debate over PFAS risk and finances, the Vernon County Board adopted Resolution 2023-67 to expand the municipal landfill and approved a $300,000 general fund line of credit (Resolution 2023-68) to develop the Plan of Operations and an RFP for construction.
The Vernon County Board of Supervisors voted on Oct. 19 to authorize an expansion of the Vernon County municipal solid waste landfill and to approve short-term financing to develop the required Plan of Operations.
The Board adopted Resolution 2023-67 to move forward with an expansion of the county landfill (License #3268) after Waste Management Director Stacie Sanborn and Brian Kent of SCH Engineers described the feasibility study submitted to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and outlined the next steps: prepare a Plan of Operations for DNR approval, draft bid specifications and assemble an RFP. Director Sanborn said that, if the County proceeds now, construction would likely not begin until mid-2025. The study prepared recent cost estimates of about $1.5 million for expansion work, based on 2023 prices.
The vote on Resolution 2023-67 passed on a roll call, 14 in favor and 3 opposed (Supv Semke, Supv Meehan-Strub and Supv Olson); 1 member was absent and 1 voted present.
Board members debated environmental risk and the program’s finances before the vote. On environmental risk, Brian Kent told the Board he was "not aware of a subtitle D facility being compromised and/or leaking into the groundwater" but the record shows Vernon County does not test landfill leachate for PFAS and that most leachate is hauled out of county to Sparta or to La Crosse County facilities. Administrative Coordinator Cassandra Hanan also expressed environmental concern and said she knows "firsthand what a devastating effect PFAS has on a local community."
On financing, the meeting record shows disagreement over revenue projections and fund balance calculations. Finance Director Johnson said she could not recommend approval without more vetted financial information and recommended engaging a financial services consultant to model revenues and expenses. Supervisors questioned projected tonnage used in the feasibility study and recalled prior transfers from landfill funds (Supv Yttri noted use of $125,000 in 2008).
Separately, the Board adopted Resolution 2023-68 to create a non-revolving line of credit from the general fund to the Solid Waste Department in the amount of $300,000 to pay for the Plan of Operations and RFP development. The line carries a 5% interest rate, draws may begin after Jan. 1, 2024, and the resolution requires full repayment by Dec. 1, 2025. The motion carried on a voice vote, described in the minutes as "most voting in favor, with a few nays."
