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Worland Mayor Dave Duffy surprised at new tipping fees; expresses frustration to Washakie County solid waste board
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WORLAND — At its regularly scheduled meeting Monday, the Washakie County Solid Waste Disposal District (WCSWDD) Board discussed the impact of the newly approved tipping fees with Worland Mayor Dave Duffy.
Duffy advised the board that the Worland municipal government was surprised that that Solid Waste Board passed the fees. Before Sept. 1, the landfill was funded through three Washakie County levies. The city pays the county to use the dump.
“We had no budget for this and no warning this was coming,” Duffy said.
The city anticipates spending $594,000 on the new fees during the remainder of the fiscal year.
On average, the city transports six to seven truckloads of trash to the dump daily, according to Worland Landfill Manager Gene Cliame.
Duffy said Worland City Attorney Kent Richins sent the landfill board a letter requesting funding figures. The meeting then went into closed session.
WCSWDD Board Chairman Travis Filler said his board has received the letter, but declined to comment on it during open session Monday.
“At this point, I ought not comment,” Filler said.
During a work session last Tuesday, Sept. 8, Richins said he wanted to request a copy of the district’s board minutes and records, noting he had not seen any notice in changing rates. He had stated that he believed the district needed to hold a public hearing before changing or adding rates. If that were in deed the case, it could open up the city to contesting the fees.
At the Sept. 8 meeting, Richins said, “I’m not comfortable with the fees. They need to be substantiated.”
Cliame said Washakie County Attorney John Worrall is looking over the letter. Worrall was out of the office Tuesday and unavailable for comment.
Ultimately, both entities hope to work together on the matter.
“There are going to be growing pains for each side,” Filler said.
At press time, it remains unclear if the city intends to take legal action. The council did recess into a closed session to discuss “the potential for litigation” during Tuesday’s meeting; however, it is uncertain, if the potential litigation was related to the landfill. The council took no action upon returning to open session.
