Landfill bid awarded, commissioners start closure process
The Holmes County commissioners will invest $2.18 million to close the county landfill for good.
Commissioners on Monday, Jan. 30, awarded a $2,183,478 contract to cap and seal the landfill to Ryan Incorporated Central, a Wisconsin-based firm specializing in landfill construction and closure. Ryan’s bid was the second lowest of 13 bids submitted for the job and includes a $14,820 option to dredge a silt pond at the landfill.
Also Monday, commissioners made good on their promise to permanently close the landfill, passing a resolution to follow closure procedures as per EPA requirements.
“There will never be another landfill run by the county in the county,” Commissioner Joe Miller said. “The EPA does not issue permits (for county landfills) anymore.”
Fechko Excavating, Inc. of Medina submitted the lowest bid at $2,014,321. The bid amount does not include the option to dredge the silt pond.
Miller said commissioners went with Ryan’s bid because it reflects the “lowest and best” bid. Ryan has more experience with landfills than Fechko, Miller said, and experience outweighs whatever advantages might be had with the lower bid.
“We don’t want anyone thinking we are doing this lightly, going with a bid $150,000 higher,” Miller said. “We felt we needed to go with Ryan. All they do is landfills. They have built and closed landfills all over the U.S. Fechko is a good company who have worked in Holmes County and I’m sure they will again. What we’re trying to do is close this right, the first time.”
The silt pond is listed as additional work and is optional. The commissioners may decide whether or not they want the work done.
Ron Zitek, with North Pointe Engineering, has recommended the pond be dredged. Zitek said the pond is “dripping silt” and is so full it resembles a marshland, rather than a containment pond. Putting it off will result in problems down the road, Zitek said.
If all goes as planned, the county will have approximately $416,000 of the $2.6 million bond left over for North Pointe’s engineering services and post-closure costs. The county will be responsible for groundwater well monitoring for 30 years after the landfill is closed.
Miller said the county’s post-closure costs are expected to run anywhere from $50,000 to $75,000 per year. That adds up to $1.5 to $2.25 million over the next 30 years.
Miller said he expects trash generation fees charged on haulers operating in the county to cover the post-closure costs. For every ton of trash collected in Holmes County, the county charges a $9 fee. Of the fee, $4 goes toward post-closure costs. The fee also funds recycling services.
The county upped the fee from $7 per ton last year, specifically to use in closing the landfill.
The $2.6 million bond will be paid off over 30 years at annual payments of $166,000 per year.
Commissioner Rob Ault said closing the landfill for good is the best decision for the county financially while also meeting the wishes of county residents.
“Operating the landfill would not be feasible without accepting outside trash and that was something the public doesn’t want,” Ault said.
Ryan is ready to begin on the cap and closure as soon as weather permits, Ault said.
The landfill opened in 1982. It has gone through periods of dormancy over the last 30 years when it ceased accepting waste but was never officially closed.
Commissioner Ray Eyler said the landfill was an ill-fated venture from the beginning.
“Holmes County is now officially out of the landfill business,” Eyler said. “We never should have been in the landfill business.”
Miller said the EPA’s guidelines for closing the landfill will be strictly adhered to.
“We will close this by EPA standards, but more importantly, to our standards,” Miller said. “Our standards are going to be higher because we live here.”
In closing the landfill, Ryan will correct trash piled over the allowable airspace height at the landfill, a violation of its permit, by pushing the over height trash into an unused section. Ryan will improve slopes and cover the landfilled areas with an 18-inch, compacted clay cap, covering the cap with a polyurethane barrier. The cap is to be covered with 30 inches of soil, and the soil seeded with grass.
No trespassing on the landfill site will be permitted once it is capped and closed, Miller said.
Commissioners on Monday, Jan. 30, awarded a $2,183,478 contract to cap and seal the landfill to Ryan Incorporated Central, a Wisconsin-based firm specializing in landfill construction and closure. Ryan’s bid was the second lowest of 13 bids submitted for the job and includes a $14,820 option to dredge a silt pond at the landfill.
Also Monday, commissioners made good on their promise to permanently close the landfill, passing a resolution to follow closure procedures as per EPA requirements.
“There will never be another landfill run by the county in the county,” Commissioner Joe Miller said. “The EPA does not issue permits (for county landfills) anymore.”
Fechko Excavating, Inc. of Medina submitted the lowest bid at $2,014,321. The bid amount does not include the option to dredge the silt pond.
Miller said commissioners went with Ryan’s bid because it reflects the “lowest and best” bid. Ryan has more experience with landfills than Fechko, Miller said, and experience outweighs whatever advantages might be had with the lower bid.
“We don’t want anyone thinking we are doing this lightly, going with a bid $150,000 higher,” Miller said. “We felt we needed to go with Ryan. All they do is landfills. They have built and closed landfills all over the U.S. Fechko is a good company who have worked in Holmes County and I’m sure they will again. What we’re trying to do is close this right, the first time.”
The silt pond is listed as additional work and is optional. The commissioners may decide whether or not they want the work done.
Ron Zitek, with North Pointe Engineering, has recommended the pond be dredged. Zitek said the pond is “dripping silt” and is so full it resembles a marshland, rather than a containment pond. Putting it off will result in problems down the road, Zitek said.
If all goes as planned, the county will have approximately $416,000 of the $2.6 million bond left over for North Pointe’s engineering services and post-closure costs. The county will be responsible for groundwater well monitoring for 30 years after the landfill is closed.
Miller said the county’s post-closure costs are expected to run anywhere from $50,000 to $75,000 per year. That adds up to $1.5 to $2.25 million over the next 30 years.
Miller said he expects trash generation fees charged on haulers operating in the county to cover the post-closure costs. For every ton of trash collected in Holmes County, the county charges a $9 fee. Of the fee, $4 goes toward post-closure costs. The fee also funds recycling services.
The county upped the fee from $7 per ton last year, specifically to use in closing the landfill.
The $2.6 million bond will be paid off over 30 years at annual payments of $166,000 per year.
Commissioner Rob Ault said closing the landfill for good is the best decision for the county financially while also meeting the wishes of county residents.
“Operating the landfill would not be feasible without accepting outside trash and that was something the public doesn’t want,” Ault said.
Ryan is ready to begin on the cap and closure as soon as weather permits, Ault said.
The landfill opened in 1982. It has gone through periods of dormancy over the last 30 years when it ceased accepting waste but was never officially closed.
Commissioner Ray Eyler said the landfill was an ill-fated venture from the beginning.
“Holmes County is now officially out of the landfill business,” Eyler said. “We never should have been in the landfill business.”
Miller said the EPA’s guidelines for closing the landfill will be strictly adhered to.
“We will close this by EPA standards, but more importantly, to our standards,” Miller said. “Our standards are going to be higher because we live here.”
In closing the landfill, Ryan will correct trash piled over the allowable airspace height at the landfill, a violation of its permit, by pushing the over height trash into an unused section. Ryan will improve slopes and cover the landfilled areas with an 18-inch, compacted clay cap, covering the cap with a polyurethane barrier. The cap is to be covered with 30 inches of soil, and the soil seeded with grass.
No trespassing on the landfill site will be permitted once it is capped and closed, Miller said.
Published: February 1, 2012
