Posted: 2/22/05
Commissioners will meet about garbage contract
In the reports part of last weekís county board meeting, commissioners voted 4-0 to have an attorney look over a contract amendment with La Crosse County Solid Waste Disposal System.
The current Solid Waste Disposal Agreement lasts until 2008. La Crosse and Houston Counties have have been meeting for more than a year to negotiate an amendment and extend the agreement to June 30, 2023.
Commissioners Kevin Kelleher and Dave Corcoran expressed some reservations about an amendment that would have La Crosse County represent Houston County if it is named as a party as a result of any air pollution or contamination from the garbage burning facility
La Crosse County board chairman Steve Doyle sent a letter to Houston County chairwoman Ann Thompson on February 7 asking Houston County commissioners to review and approve the new agreement. Kelleher said he didnít want to do that until attorney Dick Nowlin could review the contract and talk to the board. ìAre we going to enter into something (for) 15 years that weíre liable for again?î Kelleher asked.
Board member Dave Corcoran agreed. He said he had read about noise issues with Xcel Energy ìI want some guarantees that weíre not going to get stuck with another upgrade,î he said.
Kelleher added that Xcel Energy had gone to burning railroad ties at its refuse derived fuel facility. ìDo we want to have liability for whatever Xcel does?î he asked.
Commissioner Larry Graf said the issue needs some closure. He compared Houston County as the dance partners to the leading party.
Commissioners should be fired as elected officials if they donít look at the contracts carefully, Kelleher responded.
A meeting with Nowlin has been set for Tuesday, March 1, at 10:30 during the regular board meeting. Nowlin and the board will then meet with La Crosse County officials that afternoon.
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