Assembly Fails Fee Waiver Amendment Based on Misinformation

The Mat-Su Borough Assembly voted to waive landfill fees for two weeks for residents this fall. Stephanie Nowers of District 2 offered an amendment that would make the program more fair for all residents. Yundt said that he thought his idea would be more fair for residents, incorrectly stating that dumping at transfer stations was already free in Districts 1 and 7.

Tipping fees will be waived September 16 through September 30 as part of this pilot project. Assemblymember Yundt noted the high cost of sending out the eight-dollar coupons this year, a total of about $100,000. However, the program he proposed and the one that was approved will cost the Borough nearly $400,000.

Borough Solid Waste Manager Jeff Smith noted that the estimated $400,000 did not include hauling from transfer sites or increasing staff or overtime. Smith also says the amount might increase if the volume is higher than expected. He says the free programs the Borough offers to residents, such as hazardous waste and brush disposal, cost the Borough about $300,000 each year.

Nowers said that this program might lead to the Borough taking out a loan to fund the landfill costs since they operate at near-zero or in the negative income at this time. 

Yundt continued to justify the pilot program by stating the existing solid waste program was unfair, incorrectly stating that transfer stations were free. 

In addition, Yundt incorrectly stated that residents could dump unlimited trash at the transfer stations in those districts. No Assembly members or staff corrected Yundt. 

Smith clarified over a phone interview that the fees also will be waived at transfer stations and that the limit would remain at five cubic yards. He said the pilot is only supposed to be for trash and junk. It will not include scrap metal, construction debris, hazardous materials, appliances, mattresses and other items.

He said the Borough currently has two drivers and two trucks to handle the 13 transfer stations. There is not yet a plan in place to increase staff or collection days for the transfer stations, but Smith noted that he will be working on that soon.

The current fees of two dollars per bag, with a limit of five bags per day, still applies to Upper Valley residents outside the pilot project timeframe. Fees for other items can be found on the Borough website.