The Chautauqua County Legislature is looking at increasing some of the rates at the county landfill for the second year in a row, although not all lawmakers are in support, nor is the city of Dunkirk.

During a meeting of the legislature’s Public Facilities and Audit and Control committees, a resolution was approved increasing a number of fees. Those include:

TRANSFER STATION FEES

Construction and demolition — cubic yard and scaled weight from $64 to $65 per ton;

Municipal solid waste — cubic yard and scaled weight from $45 to $46 per ton;

LANDFILL FEES

Asbestos — non-friable from $43 to $44 per ton;

Construction and demolition — from $43 to $44 per ton;

Contaminated soil — from $28 to $30 per ton;

Industrial waste — from $30 to $32 per ton;

Municipal solid waste — from $31 to $32 per ton;

Sludge — municipal — from $28 to $29 per ton.

SURCHARGE FEES FOR PROBLEMATIC WASTE LOADS

Contains tire on rim, each — from $15 to $25

Contains mattress/box spring, each — from no charge to $10.

There were no increases for individual trash bags.

The higher fees, if approved by the full county Legislature, would go into effect Jan. 1.

Aaron Gustafson, county landfill manager, appeared at this week’s county Legislature’s Public Facilities Committee meeting to discuss the resolution.

The landfill is funded by user fees, not taxes, but any changes to its budget must be approved by the county Legislature.

During the committee discussion, Gustafson said the increases were needed to “meet the demands and services that we provide for.”

Legislator Susan Parker, D-Fredonia, noted that the landfill had a surplus of $394,000 and Gustafson is requesting an increase of $512,000. She believes they can simply use their surplus and eliminate the increase to transfer station fees.

Gustafson said they are projecting the higher fees based on the lower volume they are currently receiving. “I see an estimated volume of 13,000 tons less this year than last year. The trend has been going down so we’re trying to compensate for the lack of volume coming in,” he said.

Gustafson added that the recycling market is very low, wages and benefits have increased with the newly approved contract, equipment and parts are more expensive, and federal and state regulations changes have added more cost to the landfill. “We’re trying to match the needs we have and the services we provide without overstretching the users,” he said.

Gustafson also said they have a negative fund balance and the $394,000 will go to help improve that. Overall, they have an $8 million budget.

Last year the county Legislature approved an increase to the landfill fees as well. Parker noted that those fees impacted the cities more than the municipalities that are closer to the landfill.

She said originally there had been talk in the county to install two landfills, but the decision was made for there to be only one landfill, and create transfer stations to transport the waste. “The idea was to spread the cost. … The landfill was not supposed to be cheaper for one area than for another area and that’s really what it is,” she said.

Parker argued that Dunkirk, in particular, was impacted more this year with the higher fees and would be impacted more again next year as well. “To put in an increase that is going to directly again impact the cities is not the right way to go,” she said.

Gustafson said the Jamestown BPU transfers its own waste to the landfill and added that Dunkirk could do the same if they wanted to avoid paying the higher fees at the Fredonia transfer station. “It (transfer station) is not the final destination of the waste. It costs us money to take it from there and then dispose of it in the landfill,” he said.

Parker said while she understands Gustafson’s reasoning, she doesn’t believe that is fair. “I don’t think that was the intent of landfill services,” she said.

Legislator Bob Scudder, R-Fredonia, responded that the landfill was built in the 1970s. “The intent was different than the actuality of what today is,” he said.

He notes that gas prices and wages were much lower back then than today.

Also, Scudder said he believes that the landfill accepted trash for free from individuals, where today there is a charge. “We went from not charging to charging, and that’s the biggest increase you can have,” he said.

Parker agreed but said she still doesn’t believe some municipalities should be charged more than others, and those that use transfer stations do pay more than those that don’t.

When the time came to vote, Parker was the only committee member to vote against the resolution.

Legislature Chairman Pierre Chagnon, R-Ellery, recommended Parker bring these type of questions to the Landfill Commission, which was created last year, where they can be debated in more detail.

Last year Parker was one of five legislators who voted against creating the Landfill Commission.

The resolution was passed by the Public Facilities Committee on Monday. On Tuesday, the Dunkirk Common Council discussed the landfill resolution at its meeting.

Afterward, Mayor Willie Rosas sent an email on behalf of the council to the county opposing the increase. “The proposed increases will likely necessitate another round of increased charges for our residents and businesses,” he wrote.

On Thursday, Chagnon acknowledged the letter during the Audit and Control Committee meeting.

During Thursday’s discussion at Audit and Control, it was stated that both the cities of Dunkirk and Jamestown were notified about the proposed rate increased before it was brought before the county Legislature and they apparently did not object.

It was also stated during the Audit and Control Committee meeting that the Landfill Commission has backed the higher fees as well.

Chagnon said the landfill has an additional expenses of $590,000 for pension, $33,000 for retirement, and still has around $200,000 in fund balance deficit. “I still support the resolution as presented for the rate increases,” he said.

The Audit and Control Committee unanimously backed the rate increase.

The full legislature will vote for final approval during its meeting Wednesday.