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Writer's pictureCharlene Sims, Journal staff

Commission to work with cities, lakes on trash compactors

Updated: Jun 18

By Charlene Sims, info@linncountyjournal.com


MOUND CITY – The Linn County Commissioners decided on Monday, June 10, to work with cities and lake communities and develop contracts for trash compactors that would be agreeable to the county and the site locations.


After much discussion, the commissioners agreed to have the cities apply for their own solid waste permits but the county would help them with the application and pay the fees for the permits. The commissioners decided that while a resolution would be made on the agreements across the board, each city would have a different contract related to hours of service and possibly other items.


Commission Chair Danny McCullough has been the official pushing to get contracts made. At first he was in favor of each community taking on more financial responsibility for their buildings.


McCullough had also been upset that after a meeting where the county asked for input from the cities on their ideas for the compactors no city had contacted the commissioners with ideas.


McCullough complained that this process of developing contracts with the cities had been going on for over a year and a half with nothing happening. At last week’s meeting, it was discussed that the either the commissioners, or County Counselor Mark Hagen, or both should meet with each city to discuss their concerns or ideas about the contract with the county. No one had set up a meeting with the cities as of June 10. 


At this week’s meeting, Commissioner Jason Hightower spoke up and said, “I’m still not looking to push added things off (on the cities). I want the agreements to work for both the county and the cities, and I want to make sure that we are doing things that are going to allow for county residents to be able to dump at the sites.”


“I do feel that we are dumping something on the cities . . . that is a countywide operation,” Commissioner Jim Johnson said. And I’m in the country, and I can still go dump there. I live in the country, so how can we force it upon the cities really to be in charge.”


McCullough said he didn’t care how they did it, he just wanted to get some kind of agreement with them.


After much discussion, the commissioners decided to put the permitting of the site in the hands of the cities, but the county would pay the $500 permit fee. 


Shaun West, county public works administrator, will help cities and lake developments with filling out the application. This would allow the compactor sites to have the hours, location, and employees they choose. 


The county will provide the container and be responsible for emptying the container.

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