WALKER -- Cass County commissioners approved four new solid waste disposal contracts Tuesday, Aug. 6.
KRD, the county’s former solid waste operations contractor, will continue its services until the new contractors phase in their services over the next two months. The county will pay KRD $50,000 per month for the transition period.
Evan McAllister won the contract to haul solid waste from the county’s main transfer station north of Pine River to disposal sites in the Twin Cities.
Waste Partners won two contracts. They will provide improved containers and oversee the 32 recycling bins throughout the county. Their second contract is to manage the main transfer station and oversee the satellite garbage and recycling sites the county operates north of Hackensack, east of Longville and in May Township.
A fourth contract was created since quotes first were sought. That will go to Grinning Bear Inc. The firm will transport garbage collected at the satellite locations to the main transfer station north of Pine River.
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The new contracts call for the Hackensack site to reopen on Sundays, beginning when summer hours start in April 2020, to accommodate seasonal residents who want to dispose of garbage as well as recyclables on their way home from the lake.
The county processed 13,796 tons of municipal solid waste in 2018, plus 2,738 tons of recyclables, 251 tons of tires, 277 tons of appliances, 502 tons of furniture, 48 tons of electronics and 1,300 tons of cardboard.
About 18.4% of Cass’ recyclables were downgraded at the Twin Cities disposal site due to contamination, costing the county $152.81 per ton in penalties.
There will be an effort in the coming year to improve public education to prevent contamination. If unsuccessful, some recycling container sites will be closed.
Cameras will be installed at the satellite transfer sites and at selected recycle bin sites to monitor use.
In other environmental services business Tuesday, ESD Director John Ringle reported his staff issued 16 more zoning permits the first half of 2019 than 2018.
There were 636 permits issued for new private sewer or new construction, compared with 580 in 2018. Townships where the most new permits were issued were Sylvan in southern Cass (39), Shingobee by Walker (30), Crooked Lake by Outing (24) and Ponto Lake by Backus and Woodrow between Hackensack and Longville (22 each).
Variances rose from 38 to 43 this year. Conditional uses remained about level, with 13 issued in 2018 and 12 issued in 2019.
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Shoreland alteration permits increased from 69 the first half of 2018 to 121 the first half of 2019.
The county board approved a request from William Able to rezone 20.11 acres from Agricultural/Forested to Rural Residential 5 in Wilson Township. The board referred to the planning commission for a public hearing a request from Hope Parsons to reclassify 40.87 acres in Walden Township from Agricultural/Forested to Rural Residential 10.
