Tipping fees or building fees?

Sullivan considers new waste arrangement

By FRITZ MAYER

MONTICELLO, NY — With the county landfill quickly running out of room, and with the county losing ever more money on the landfill system, lawmakers are examining a new way of paying for the handling of the county’s garbage.

On October 15, John Culbertson, vice president of MSW Consultants, presented a report and a plan to the Sullivan County Legislature that would dramatically change the way garbage disposal is paid for. The proposed system would eliminate the tipping fees of $75 per ton to impose a fee on every building in the county.

For an average home, the bill would be about $180 per year or $15 per month. For a seasonal home, the fee would be half that, or $90 per year.

County businesses would be split into four categories with businesses that create the most garbage, such as fast food restaurants, paying the highest fees, and those that create little waste, such as small offices, paying the least. The fee would also be based on the square footage of the business’s building or buildings.

Various legislators have expressed support for this sort of arrangement in the past because they argue it would spread the cost of waste disposal more equitably among waste generators. Here’s how the argument goes: the county waste system now, with the $75 tipping fee, is losing money; in 2009, the shortfall will be $4 million. The shortfall is covered by money from the general fund, which tax-exempt organizations do not contribute to. Under the proposed building fee structure, every building in the county would be assessed a fee, even those owned by tax-exempt organizations and, therefore, everyone would more equitably share the burden.

Lots and parcels that have no building would not be assessed a fee. There was discussion among lawmakers about how the fee would be collected and there seemed to be a consensus that the most efficient way would be to add the fees to the real property tax bills that are sent out every year.

The building fee arrangement, according to Culbertson’s projection, would also generate enough revenue for the county that the waste collection operation would no longer lose money every year. The system would also result in more waste going through the county system every year, because almost all building owners would use the system. At present, about 25 percent of the waste generated in the county is being disposed of outside the county.

Also under the plan, demolition and construction debris could still be deposited at transfer stations and customers would continue to be charged $125 per ton for disposal.

Culbertson warned lawmakers that there would be a good deal of resistance from county residents as the plan moves forward, and a good amount of public outreach would be needed to successfully implement the change.

In order to spread the word, the county legislature will be hosting a series of informational town hall meetings to educate the public on the changes to the county solid waste system, and legislators will also take the opportunity to discuss the 2010 tentative budget.

County chairman Jonathan Rouis said, “With large issues such as these, it is imperative that we reach out to county residents in an effort to inform and educate them on the proposed changes, and to make ourselves accessible to answer questions. We are all well aware that these decisions will have lasting implications on our county government and our communities, and we are making every effort to allow residents to have their voices be heard.”

The informational town hall meetings will be held on:

• Tuesday, November 24 at the Town of Tusten Town Hall, in Narrowsburg, at 7:00 p.m.;

• Tuesday, December 1 at the Liberty Senior Center in Liberty, at 7:00 p.m.; and

• Wednesday, December 2 at the Mamakating Town Hall in Wurtsboro at 7:00 p.m.

See print newspaper for a table of fees.