Landfill solid waste disposal rates are rising due to a need, Park County Engineer Brian Edwards said, to keep up with rising costs and refill an enterprise account that has been drained recently to make needed upgrades, such as a new cell in the largest landfill south of Cody.

Park County commissioners Tuesday approved the public works department’s recommendation to raise rates for contract customers — Powell, Cody, Meeteetse, Two Tough Guys and Keele Sanitation — from $65-$71.22 per ton and for residents from $70-$80 per ton. 

Edwards said the changes were determined after discussions with all of the contract customers, a process praised by the commissioners. 

Commissioner Scott Mangold said this was much better than the issues back in 2009 which, when he was mayor of Powell, led the city to withdraw from the agreement and instead ship waste to Billings as a way to save costs. 

Since then the county lowered rates even as other landfills in the region raised rates, and a couple years ago Powell went back to working with the Park County landfills. 

“I think this was really key in getting this resolved, where everyone agreed this should be what it should be, instead of just jumping to $90 and you have to deal with it, so I think this is the best way of doing it, and I think that number comes out perfect,” Mangold said. “I think the city of Powell and Cody appreciated the numbers, and so did the independent contractors. So, I think it worked out really good this time.”

Chair Scott Steward added that even with the hike in rates, one neighboring county still charges double what the county just approved. 

Edwards said these rate changes don’t affect special rates, which were already changed recently. 

The money is needed so the department can continue to make necessary upgrades as have been done recently, including to reduce trash blowing away, especially from the Cody landfill to the Meeteetse Highway. 

“We’re not only covering costs for today, but for other stuff,” Edwards said. “There’s ongoing money that we’ve got to get our enterprise fund built back up. This will help us get back on track.”

Commissioner Dossie Overfield said the public has noticed the improvements, because there’s “no white trash bags on the Meeteetse Highway.”