June 23, 2023 |
Photo – Old Kentucky Fried Chicken Building off of Higley Blvd in Rawlins – Courtesy google maps
Two business owners in Rawlins have requested that the city council waive the landfill fees for their operations.
During Tuesday’s Rawlins city council meeting, Councilwoman Jacquelin Wells motioned to extend the landfill fee waiver for the St. Thomas Episcopal Church’s thrift store, Choir Loft, for a year. The waiver would allow the store to forego paying landfill fees of up to $1,064 for large items that it brings to the city dump. Choir Loft volunteer Shane Glassburn said the thrift store often receives large donations that can’t be resold or put in the garbage. Glassburn said those donations must be taken to the dump.
Mayor Terry Weickum said the city offered Choir Loft the landfill waiver last year not expecting the store to need an extension. Mayor Weickum asked Glassburn if he could solve the thrift store’s disposal issue by next year. Glassburn said he would try, but if he couldn’t come up with a solution he would return and ask for an extension. Mayor Weickum told Glassburn he didn’t want that to happen.
Councilman Chris Weisenburg expressed his support for the waiver extension. Weisenburg said he wanted to assist noncommercial charity agencies in the city.
The council unanimously voted to extend the Choir Loft’s landfill fee waiver until June 30th, 2024.
Next up, Councilwoman Tonya Lewman motioned to approve a landfill fee waiver for Garry Goergen. Goergen is demolishing the old KFC building, located at 1915 East Murray Street. The waiver would be used to cover the cost of removing demolition debris from the site. Community Development Director Lou Lascano said Goergen encountered unexpected costs related to the removal of hazardous materials.
Councilwoman Lewman asked what Goergen was planning to do with the empty lot. Goergen said he didn’t know. He just wants the eye-sore gone.
Goergen said he had hired a company to process hundreds of tons of concrete off-site, which would keep the material out of the landfill. He said he was surprised by the actual cost of tearing down the building. Goergen asked the council to help him by waiving the landfill fee.
Councilwoman Wells thanked Goergen for removing the blighted building. Wells said it improved that entire part of the city. She asked how much landfill fees the city had waived for past projects. Mayor Weickum said he has seen up to $2,500 waived. Councilman Weisenburg amended Councilwoman Lewman’s motion to limit the fee waiver to $2,500. The motion unanimously passed.
