County considers withdrawal from regional solid waste authority
Marion County Commissioner Dan Holub questioned the necessity for Marion County to be a member of the Regional Solid Waste Authority.
The discussion Monday was a result of the commission being asked to approve changes to the regional solid waste plan. In the end, the commission approved the changes, 2-1, with Holub voting against.
The approved changes will allow more than one operation and different forms of disposal options within the region which includes Marion, McPherson, and Harvey counties.
David Brazil, county sanitarian and transfer station manager, said Harvey County is considering incineration as a form of disposal.
Holub asked Brazil the amount the county pays to belong to the authority. Brazil said the county has paid $5,000 every two to three years for publication of public notices of meetings, mailings of minutes from the meetings, and consulting services of Jack Chappelle.
Repeatedly, Holub asked Brazil the benefits of belonging. Brazil said he was caught off-guard and wanted sufficient time to respond.
Eventually, it was determined the county became a member when landfills were being closed by Kansas Department of Health & Environment and officials believed groups of counties were stronger than individual counties.
When Marion County joined, Dickinson County also was a member. Since that time, Dickinson County has pulled out of the group but commission chairman Bob Hein, who serves on the authority with Brazil, said the county may return.
Brazil said the individual counties have the ultimate authority of determining the county's plan and how trash is disposed but the authority has the responsibility of how refuse is handled.
"The authority is needed for future disposal options," said Brazil.
The three solid waste plans from the individual counties are "dove-tailed" or blended into the regional plan, he said.
Brazil also cited additional expertise on the board with his counterparts from McPherson and Harvey counties providing valuable information.
Brazil suggested the commission approve changes to the plan and then consider withdrawal from the group in 2006.
Commissioner Randy Dallke said he wanted to see future benefits with the region.
