Talks start up again on Solid Waste Agency’s dissolution
It’s gone back and forth for about two years.
City and county officials are back in discussions on operation of the Southwest Solid Waste Agency, and a possible agreement to dissolve it and divide the assets.
And, once again, the city is pursuing sole operation of the transfer station, construction and demolition (C & D) site, tree pile and recycling center.
City council member Doug Gaswick reported on the discussions at Monday night’s council meeting.
He spent about an hour at each of the last two county commissioner meetings on the subject, Gaswick noted.
His suggestions to the commissioners have come from the parameters he’s gleaned after talking with his fellow council members.
He has suggested to county officials that the agency be done away with, the city buy out the county’s interest and the city take over the operations.
“The best route was to figure out an equitable calculation” of assets, he said.
That involved taking the balance sheet of the agency, he said, and adjusting it for fair market values on the real estate and larger equipment.
According to that balance sheet, the new calculations result in a 75/25 split with the city realizing 75%.
That’s the same split the now-inactive solid waste agency board used when making payouts to the city and county.
His calculations on its real estate and equipment is valued at just under $1 million.
Using that split and adding in the value of a couple pieces of county-owned equipment (a dozer and semi-tractor), $250,000 would buy the county’s interest out, he said.
On top of that dollar figure, Gaswick said he presented an agreement between the city and county that would accommodate both party’s interests.
Gaswick reviewed some of the major aspects that agreement would include:
1) Continue operations there as they are today;
2) Rate charges would be the same for city and county residents;
3) After city use, the county roads department