Commission approves landfill expansion

WILLIAMSBURG — The Regional Environmental Improvement Commission of Iowa County accepted a bid of $1.4 million for the first part of an expansion of the landfill, Tyler Marshall told the Williamsburg City Council last week.

Marshall, a Williamsburg city councilman and member of the commission that governs the county landfill, said the Commission knew a year ago that the landfill was running out of room. The initial expansion will give the county an extra four years, Marshall said, but the county can build on that, making the landfill viable for another century.

The first phase “is gonna be through the roof,” said Marshall, but there are layers to the project, he said.

The C6-Zero fire last year generated a lot of contaminated soil which the company pays $150 a ton to send to the landfill, said Marshall. That’s a $650,000 windfall for the county and will pay for half the expansion, he said.

The landfill commission has discussed having Iowa County’s trash hauled to Illinois. “They’re giving really favorable rates now,” said Marshall. But the commission wasn’t sure how much rate would raise in the future and opted instead to expand the existing landfill in Iowa County.

With Linn County losing its landfill, Iowa County might be able to bring in some revenue by taking Linn County waste, said Marshall. The commission looked into financing through a commercial loan and approved opening a line of credit in case it needs additional funding.

The commission will probably have to increase rates as well, Marshall said.

The Regional Environmental Improvement Commission, which manages the Iowa County landfill, has members from each community it serves: Brian Ward of Ladora; Adam Rabe of Marengo; Earle Hall of Millersburg; Jim Reinhart of North English; Jared Dohndt of Parnell; Marshall of Williamsburg; John Gahring, Alan Schumacher, Keith Stanerson, Gary Boland, Dale Faas and Ethan Morford, appointed by Iowa County; and Randy Von Ahsen, appointed by the board of health.

The landfill is supported financially by a per capita fee and rates paid for waste disposal and recycling services at the landfill.