Kosciusko County Solid Waste Management District heard an update on negotiations with GFL Environmental during a board meeting Tuesday.
KCSWMD Executive Director Tom Ganser said he and city attorney Scott Reust met with GFL representatives on Friday. Ganser said the meeting was productive and that GFL had a good understanding about removing language pertaining to zoning matters from the proposed host agreement.
The agreement is related to the county’s landfill, which GFL owns.
“They said their numbers … they thought our increase was going to cost them about 40 percent more each month in their fees, which could be $15- to $20,000 a month,” said Reust. “They were also somewhat concerned about being generally tied to an inflation index, but they were going to discuss with others and get back with us. But they were very courteous with us.”
Reust said what the district is collecting as a host fee is a minimal amount of GFL’s overall cost.
“Their discussion line was, ‘It is going to make us less competitive,'” said Ganser. “Our answer to that is, ‘You’re the only game in town.'”
In other business, the board approved continuing the depot’s amnesty period for collecting recyclable items through 2025.
The board also:
• Heard Leslie Williams, the district’s education outreach and marketing coordinator, has resigned. Williams has found a new job in Marshall County.
• Thanked Board President Brad Jackson for his service to the board.
• Approved the purchase of a new PC for the recycling depot’s garage.