County commissioners OK refuse fee increase

by SCOTT SHINDLEDECKER
The Western News | August 18, 2023 7:00 AM

Lincoln County residents will see an increase in the refuse fees beginning Sept. 1.

County commissioners approved the fee increase at the Wednesday, Aug. 16 meeting without any public comment. The money will go to support landfill operations.

“I’ve heard from people about it, but it seems kinda strange to not hear any official comment,” District 1 Commissioner Brent Teske said.

The current fee is $135, but it will increase to $150 per year. The last refuse increase was in 2008. The increase will generate nearly $200,000 in revenue. At the July 12 commission meeting, County Health Department Director Kathi Hooper said Treasurer Sedaris Carlberg confirmed there were 13,150 current refuse assessments.

While the fee increase didn’t seem to generate much discussion, there has been considerable talk about the closing of five green box sites, which commissioners approved at the July 12 meeting.

Hooper said then that Pinkham Creek, Fourth of July, Savage Lake, Glen Lake and a site directly outside the Eureka landfill will be closed some time in the next few months.

The sites that will remain include Libby Creek, Happy’s Inn, Fisher River, City of Troy, Hecla, Yaak Hill, Upper Yaak, Trego, Fortine, West Kootenai and Rexford.

Dumpsters from the closed sites will be moved to the sites that remain open.

According to Hooper, increased costs and budget constraints along with what she called, “continued and frequent misuse and vandalism at sites, have pushed the county to reevaluate the green box sites.”

One of the problems, Hooper said, are people dumping items at green box sites that are only meant for landfills in Libby, Troy and Eureka.

“This budget increase will include personnel, vehicle, maintenance costs and an attendant shack at Libby Creek,” Hooper said. “This is the least increase in cost to taxpayers among the options considered.”

Hooper said if 16 sites were kept open and manned by site monitors, it would cost the county an extra $2 million, doubling the solid waste management budget.