County debates raising tipping fees
NORWICH – As the new chair of the Chenango County Public Works Committee, City of Norwich (Wards 4,5,6) Supervisor Linda E. Natoli, said she is committed to “taking everything off the levy” that can be.
That could represent the impetus the committee has needed to raise tipping fees at the county’s landfills, and by doing so, to take the approximately $150,000 annual recycling budget off of taxpayers’ plates.
In the past, and despite the former committee chairman’s objections, Public Works has referred resolutions proposing modest increases of $2 a ton and 25 cents a bag at the landfills. The amount raised, they say, would be enough to operate the recycling department and pay its six employees’ salaries and benefits without levy support. The funds would furthermore build a buffer against fluctuating prices for recyclables, fuel, equipment, and construction of future landfill cells. A fourth cell at the Pharsalia Landfill will be needed in about nine years, at a cost of $3.5 million, including the closure costs of cell three.
Committee members have been adamant through the years that the recycling department was never meant to be part of the levy when the Pharsalia landfill was built 13 years ago. They have also pointed out that tipping fees, at $55 and $1.25 per bag, haven’t been raised since 1997.
Though the full Chenango County Board of Supervisors’ vote has come close on a couple of occasions, the increases haven’t received enough votes to pass. Supervisors have, for the most part, voted along party lines with the Democrats voting for it and the Republicans against.
Natoli said on Friday that she could argue for or against raising tipping fees. She said she was “dumbstruck” to find out last year that former Bainbridge supervisor Rick Chase paid $4.65 a bag at a landfill in Delaware County.
“It’s going to come up for a lot more discussion. The fact is I’m open-minded. It’s one of those things that I think more people need to be educated about, have the facts before them, and then move forward,” she said.
Chenango County Department of Public Works Director Randy Gibbon has suggested relieving the levy by moving two employees from the recycling side of the budget to the landfill operations budget.
In his department’s report to the committee, Gibbon reported recycling revenues were up in January compared to the same period in 2009. He said all of the materials left over from last year have been sold at better prices, an indication, he believes, that the economy is improving. Tonnage is also up.
While overall garbage tonnage at the landfill is up, too, boosted, in part, by the new burn barrel law, revenues lag. Gibbon said less alternative cover was taken in for the sludge. Committee member Peter C. Flanagan, D-Preston, warned that the department could be looking at a further reduction in revenues because the bid accepted to contract with the supplier of alternative cover was lower than in years past. He also pointed out that 30 percent of the garbage taken in at the Pharsalia landfill is from one large manufacturer who has a special discounted contract rate of $40 a ton. He suggested that Gibbon contract with more businesses.
“Not all haulers want to commit, because they would have to bring all their tonnage to us,” Gibbon said, adding that, in some cases, commercial haulers have contracts for $28 a ton.
Flanagan suggested a flow control ordinance that would require trash haulers to deliver all waste generated in the county to the county’s landfill facilities.
In other landfill news, Gibbon said approximately $300,000 in funding may be available through Congressman Michael Arcuri’s office to upgrade the Brisben transfer station next year. The Chenango County DPW would develop the plans in house and contract out for the construction. The upgrade would eliminate an out-dated and inefficient trash compactor at the station, he said.
And, unfortunately for town highway departments, the Jan.y 25 flood event hasn’t been declared an official disaster. Gibbon said the county wouldn’t be able to recoup Federal Emergency Management Agency relief. He estimates approximately $280,000 was spent on damages and clean up. Crews worked for three days cleaning out culverts on county Rt. 32 and the heavy rains and flooding damaged roadways in Afton, Coventry, Greene, Preston, Smyrna and McDonough.
That could represent the impetus the committee has needed to raise tipping fees at the county’s landfills, and by doing so, to take the approximately $150,000 annual recycling budget off of taxpayers’ plates.
In the past, and despite the former committee chairman’s objections, Public Works has referred resolutions proposing modest increases of $2 a ton and 25 cents a bag at the landfills. The amount raised, they say, would be enough to operate the recycling department and pay its six employees’ salaries and benefits without levy support. The funds would furthermore build a buffer against fluctuating prices for recyclables, fuel, equipment, and construction of future landfill cells. A fourth cell at the Pharsalia Landfill will be needed in about nine years, at a cost of $3.5 million, including the closure costs of cell three.
Committee members have been adamant through the years that the recycling department was never meant to be part of the levy when the Pharsalia landfill was built 13 years ago. They have also pointed out that tipping fees, at $55 and $1.25 per bag, haven’t been raised since 1997.
Though the full Chenango County Board of Supervisors’ vote has come close on a couple of occasions, the increases haven’t received enough votes to pass. Supervisors have, for the most part, voted along party lines with the Democrats voting for it and the Republicans against.
Natoli said on Friday that she could argue for or against raising tipping fees. She said she was “dumbstruck” to find out last year that former Bainbridge supervisor Rick Chase paid $4.65 a bag at a landfill in Delaware County.
“It’s going to come up for a lot more discussion. The fact is I’m open-minded. It’s one of those things that I think more people need to be educated about, have the facts before them, and then move forward,” she said.
Chenango County Department of Public Works Director Randy Gibbon has suggested relieving the levy by moving two employees from the recycling side of the budget to the landfill operations budget.
In his department’s report to the committee, Gibbon reported recycling revenues were up in January compared to the same period in 2009. He said all of the materials left over from last year have been sold at better prices, an indication, he believes, that the economy is improving. Tonnage is also up.
While overall garbage tonnage at the landfill is up, too, boosted, in part, by the new burn barrel law, revenues lag. Gibbon said less alternative cover was taken in for the sludge. Committee member Peter C. Flanagan, D-Preston, warned that the department could be looking at a further reduction in revenues because the bid accepted to contract with the supplier of alternative cover was lower than in years past. He also pointed out that 30 percent of the garbage taken in at the Pharsalia landfill is from one large manufacturer who has a special discounted contract rate of $40 a ton. He suggested that Gibbon contract with more businesses.
“Not all haulers want to commit, because they would have to bring all their tonnage to us,” Gibbon said, adding that, in some cases, commercial haulers have contracts for $28 a ton.
Flanagan suggested a flow control ordinance that would require trash haulers to deliver all waste generated in the county to the county’s landfill facilities.
In other landfill news, Gibbon said approximately $300,000 in funding may be available through Congressman Michael Arcuri’s office to upgrade the Brisben transfer station next year. The Chenango County DPW would develop the plans in house and contract out for the construction. The upgrade would eliminate an out-dated and inefficient trash compactor at the station, he said.
And, unfortunately for town highway departments, the Jan.y 25 flood event hasn’t been declared an official disaster. Gibbon said the county wouldn’t be able to recoup Federal Emergency Management Agency relief. He estimates approximately $280,000 was spent on damages and clean up. Crews worked for three days cleaning out culverts on county Rt. 32 and the heavy rains and flooding damaged roadways in Afton, Coventry, Greene, Preston, Smyrna and McDonough.
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