Staff writer
Marion County Transfer Station Director Rollin Schmidt asked Marion County Commission about changes to the recycling bin program established in the county.
Schmidt said northern cities in the county — Pilsen, Lost Springs, Tampa, Durham, and Lincolnville — are not using the bins enough to warrant the $110 monthly fee paid by the county to Waste Connection by the county for each bin. The cities that have bins do not pay anything to the county or Waste Connection.
Schmidt said there are about 13 bins in use. The 7-yard bins in Goessel are filled weekly and bins in Florence and Burns are heavily used. The bins in the northern part of the county are currently filled to a quarter of their capacity on a weekly basis. All of the bins in the county are picked up every week, Schmidt said.
Before possibly eliminating bins, Schmidt offered reducing pickup to once a month in the northern part of the county and twice a month for Goessel and Florence. He said if the bins were eliminated it might discourage recycling in those cities.
However, Schmidt added that curbside recycling is the most convenient option, like what Peabody residents pay just over $2 a month to receive. Goessel voted against curbside pickup because of increased cost.
No action was taken Monday and the commission requested looking at the matter further in July.
Septic tanks
Marion County Environmental Health Director Tonya Richards said that septic tanks in unincorporated cities in the county have been a problem.
Residents of Canada, Aulne, and Antelope each have individual septic systems specific for their properties. Richards said three to four systems fail each year because of deterioration.
Residents would prefer a sewer lagoon, but the cost of such a project would be too much for unincorporated cities to afford — the cost of piping, grinder pumps, and gravitational systems being examples.
Richards said she was researching possible grants to address the problem but has not had any luck finding a grant that applies.
In other business:
- A chemical bid was approved for the Noxious Weed Department. A bid from Ag Services for $1,570 for 50 gallons of 2x2.5 won over a bid from Markley, $1,750, and Tampa Cooperative, $1,737.
- The Kansas Department of Health and Environment will conduct a ground water sample for methane gas at the former Marion County landfill 8 a.m. May 9. Richards needed to inform workers to mow around the area because KDHE contractors will not conduct the test with overgrown grasses surrounding the sample.
- The commission approved Richards to attend the National Flood Plain Conference in San Antonio, Texas, in June. She received a $1,200 grant for the trip. She will take care of Certified Flood Manager credits and have an option of 20 different classes for training.