February 16, 2024 |
Photo – Rawlins Landfill – Courtesy City of Rawlins
Residents in Rawlins will see increased fees when disposing of construction debris and motor oil at the city landfill.
On January 30th, Rawlins officials met to discuss the current rates of city provided utilities and services. Along with the water and sewer funds, City Manager Tom Sarvey informed the council about the financial situation at the landfill and recycling center.
Sarvey said in 2019, the landfill was $800,000 in the negative. The city manager said a rate increase instituted at the time slowly brought the landfill fund out of debt.
During the subsequent four years, the landfill fund grew, until in June of 2023, it contained more than $1.3 million.
Sarvey said the landfill fund is healthy enough to not require a rate increase. The city manager said commercial garbage and municipal solid waste, or MSW, tipping fees should also stay the same.
Sarvey said the price to dispose of construction and demolition materials should be raised. To cover the cost of fuel, the city manager suggested the landfill increase the fee for concrete, wood, and other construction debris by $20 a ton.
Currently, residents are not charged to drop off 35 gallons or less of used motor oil at the Rawlins landfill. Sarvey recommended instituting a $1.50 per gallon fee on any amount of oil. The city manager said the expanded rate will help offset the price of disposal.
Sarvey said the landfill should also begin charging to take manure. The Rawlins landfill currently accepts manure for free, even though disposal costs the city $35 a ton. The city manager said residents in the Glenn Addition, where livestock can be housed within city limits, already pay an additional fee for their animals. Sarvey recommended taking the existing fee into account when creating the new manure charge.
Municipal solid waste collected at the Rawlins landfill is taken to Casper for disposal at the cost of $35 a ton. Sarvey said the city of Casper recently raised its tipping fees, from $45 to $65 a ton. The city manager said based on the average amount of waste hauled to Casper, Rawlins would have to pay an additional $126,000 a year.
Mayor Terry Weickum said Rawlins provided $500,000 towards the creation of the Casper landfill. Mayor Weickum said the city was guaranteed a lower rate for its financial contribution. The mayor suggested Interim City Attorney Pinita Maberry-Nave review the city’s contract with Casper to see if Rawlins can use a different regional landfill.
Sarvey then addressed the city’s recycling center fees. Sarvey said last year’s $3 monthly rate increase was sufficient to turn the recycling center fund around.
Sarvey did not recommend any additional rate increases for the recycling center.
Mayor Weickum said the city will hold another public workshop before instituting any rate increases.
