Park County Commissioners Board on May 3 approved a proposal from the Public Works department to lower landfill rates from the current $74/ton to $65/ton, as well as several special funding requests.

The Powell City Council had initiated discussions with the county to begin hauling garbage to the Park County Regional Landfill. The city currently hauls its solid waste to Billings, as its tipping fees were so low that, even with transport costs, it was cheaper. Rising tipping fees as well as increased fuel costs have negated most of the savings Powell received since it began hauling trash to Billings in 2014, prompting negotiations with Park County.

With Powell on board, the county is able to lower its tipping fee. This makes Powell’s commitment pivotal to the lower rate. 

“After we ran through our numbers with [Powell], we’re at a point of $65 a ton,” Brian Edwards, Park County engineer, told commissioners. “Quite frankly, they’d be bringing 5,000 tons of garbage, which lowers the costs and would pass savings to county recipients.”

In order to make the lower tipping fee financially feasible, Edwards said, the lower rate is contingent on Cody and Meeteetse signing eight-year contracts, and “solidifying” volumes with Powell. Since Cody and Meeteetse currently use the landfill at a higher rate, Edwards said it’s likely the towns’ councils will agree to the proposal. 

“Lock them in for an eight-year deal at $65 a ton,” Edwards said. “At the end of the eight years, we’d need to talk.”

Edwards also noted the landfill would be able to handle the increased volumes from Powell. 

“We do have inventory in our landfill,” said Edwards. “And by inventory, I mean space.”

Commissioner Joe Tilden moved to lower county landfill rates to $65 per ton, contingent on Powell coming on board for at least eight years. Board members voted 5-0 to pass Tilden’s motion.

“You could lower citizens [garbage-collection rates] during an election year,” Commissioner Scott Mangold quipped.

Special funding requests approved

In other actions, the county commissioners:

Approved a $10,000 Special Funding Request (SFR) from Norma Riley of Meeteetse Senior Citizens Center to help offset increases in food costs and remodeling expenses. The board agreed that a portion of the funds could be used for community functions including elections-polling activities.

Approved a $50,000 SFR from Becky Ransom of Yellowstone Behavioral Health Center for mental-health services, particularly for children and youth. The money is necessary, Ransom said, due to a decrease in private donations and a 10% reduction in state funding. “This is the new world that we’re living in, where mental health is becoming more of a problem because of COVID-19,” said Ransom. “These are the services that keep people out of the hospitals, out of the jails.”

Approved a $3,500 SFR from Elfriede Milburn of the Powell animal shelter. “We get no food anymore,” said Milburn, who noted Walmart has significantly decreased the amount of animal food it used to donate to the shelter. She pointed out the city of Powell allocated $3,500 to the shelter, which relies heavily on volunteers to take care of stray animals.