Caledonia Argus

Recycling coordinator position cut

Posted: 12/30/03

By Shannon McKinney
Argus News Reporter

The Houston County board approved restructuring the recycling department as part of an effort to save Houston county taxpayers between $50,000 and $70,000 in 2004.

At their December 23 meeting, commissioners approved eliminating the position of the recycling coordinator effective February 1, 2004.

The position has been held by Nick Nichols since 1990. He took over for Kevin Kelleher, who resigned after he was elected District Two Houston County Commissioner.

Dwindling markets for recyclables and decreased funding from the state has caused the county to look at more cost effective ways of recycling its materials. ìWeíre suppose to do more with less. I think weíre doing a good job here,î Kelleher said of the restructuring. ìRick (Frank) and I helped develop that program with some citizens. Itís hard to change.î

He said that laying off an employee is even harder. ìI hate to mess with peopleís lives, but thatís the way it is.î

The board also approved a three year contract with Waste Management to haul its recyclables to La Crosse. This contract will take effect in La Crescent in January, with the rest of the county being phased in over the next two months.

ìOur goal is to have this switched over probably by March first,î Frank said.

His department will hold a public education campaign to tell them about how recyclables will be collected.

The big changes will be what Frank calls a ìtwo-sort waste stream.î With this system, all fiber products like cardboard, magazines, and newspapers, will be put in one bin, and rigid items like plastic, glass, aluminum, and tin will go in one bin.

The same items that are accepted now will be accepted in the new program.

ìAll weíre changing is the processing model. Itís a minimal amount for this year,î said Kelleher.

New job descriptions

Also related to the restructuring, the board approved a new work flow plan effective January 1, 2004 for what is now called the environmental services department, formally known as the zoning and solid waste department.

Rick Frank, recycling and solid waster director is now the environment services director. He will deal primarily with solid waste and recycling issues.

His zoning duties will be handled by Bob Scanlan, zoning administrator, formally known as assistant zoning administrator and feedlot officer. Some of Scanlanís feedlot duties will be handled by the soil and water conservation districtís office.

The county currently contracts with Woodland Industries for hauling waste and for laborers to sort recyclables. Frank noted that adjustments in the amount of work needed may decrease as the final restructuring phase unfolds. There are three drivers being utilized and there may only be a need for two in the future.

Frank noted that there still is a lot of discussion that needs to take place with the restructuring plan. ìThereís a lot of equipment that we eventually want to sell,î he said.

Levy set for 2004

The county board set the levy for 2004 at $5,481,253, which is $170,253 more than last year. Houston Countyís Agriculture Credit Aid (HACA) decreased by $500,000 this year. Last year the county received $1.2 million and in 2004 is scheduled to receive $706,535.

The county is spending and receiving less money this year compared to last year. Total revenues were set at $19,037,775 and expenditures were set at 19,119,153. This means the countyís revenues will be over its expenditures by $81,398.

In 2003 the county budgeted $21,522,786. In 2002 it was $17,418,309.

County approves wish list

The county approved a recommendation from the airport committee of a wish list of improvements for the airport.

The list will be incorporated into an Airport Layout Plan (ALP) that will be designed with the help of an aeronautics engineer. An ALP will cost about $70,000, but the county, with the help of state or federal aid, will only have to pay 10 percent of the bill. The ALP is necessary for the county to tap into funding improvements to the airport.

Some of the desired improvement to the airport include: runway extension grading and base, mill and overlay of runway, and arrival and departure building with bathrooms. The 16 suggestions were estimated at costing $1,417,500. The costs would be less to the county if funding was subsidized by the state or federal government.

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