County auditor Billie Jo Hoskins reported to the county supervisors at their July 21 meeting that 17 contractors attended a walk-through of the building last week. BBS said there may be other contractors doing their own walk-throughs this week. Bid opening for the project is Wednesday, July 30, at 2 pm.
The dissolution of the Greene County Recycling Agency hasn’t been without hitches. County engineer Wade Weiss reported that the cities of Scranton, Grand Junction and Churdan have not yet signed 28E agreements with the city of Jefferson to pick up recyclable materials in those towns. Those towns asked the county secondary roads department about locations outside the city limits to put the dumpsters. The county is now paying the city to recycle materials for county residents, but each incorporated city is expected to cover the cost of recycling by its residents.
Supervisor Dawn Rudolph said she received a phone call from someone in Churdan saying the city of Jefferson plan is “high”, and that Scranton would see its recycling cost double from what it had been paying a private hauler. (That hauler, however, didn’t collect on a regular basis as was agreed to.)
Supervisor Dan Benitz said there may be “a learning curve” as towns figure out recycling. Scranton is trying to “work out something with their current guy” Rudolph said, and Churdan is looking into getting its own dumpster and trailer.
Weiss said Churdan and Rippey are the only towns with secondary roads buildings aside from Jefferson, and that there isn’t a place at either one for a recycle bin. Weiss suggested the supervisors consider finding a centrally located place where residents who don’t live in a town could take their recyclables.
“Those towns (that didn’t sign a 28E agreement) are going to end up dealing with it,” Benitz said.
“That’s the problem. They don’t, and then we end up dealing with it in the ditches,” Weiss answered.
Weiss said he’d continue conversation with Jefferson public works director Dave Morlan about the issue.
Attorney Thomas Laehn said he’d look at the 28E agreement, but that it includes dates by which the county needs to be notified of what it’s costs would be in the next fiscal year.
“This has been an ongoing thing for a while,” Rudolph said. “Trying to find the right solution is difficult.”
Weiss said he’s received complaints from Dana residents about motorists speeding as they go through Dana on the Hwy 30 detour. He will work with law enforcement on placing speed cameras and additional signage.
The supervisors served as drainage trustees in discussing reclassifying part of DD 20 near Churdan as a wetland. The reclassification would lead to improved water quality n a portion of the district, and better drainage in the other portion. County conservationist Jacob Fernholz said the state generally pays the cost of developing the wetland. A 28E agreement would need to be in place between DD 20 and the state.
The supervisors/trustees agreed to proceeding with the change.
The supervisors approved the hiring of Larry Rogers as a fulltime deputy sheriff’s deputy effective July 23. His starting annual salary will be $76,000, with a $5,000 increase when he completes his certification. Hoskins briefed the supervisors on discussions at a department head meeting about changes to the employee handbook. The changes being looked at are primarily on how unused sick leave transfers to paid time off.
