MAYVILLE – Despite opposition from county Democrats, some fees at the Chautauqua County Landfill will be going up.

During the county legislature meeting, lawmakers voted 15-4 to increase select fees at the landfill. The new fee schedules are as follows:

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.

Before the legislature meeting, Dunkirk Mayor Willie Rosas sent an email on behalf of the city council opposing the fee increases, saying this was the second year in a row the fees have increased and that it is impacting the city’s costs to residents.

His letter was read aloud during the legislature meeting, along with a rebuttal letter written by Legislature Chairman Pierre Chagnon.

Before the vote, Legislator Bob Bankoski, D-Dunkirk, said he was concerned the landfill fees would hurt the city he represents.

“In Dunkirk, there’s a lot of residents that live at the poverty level and a lot of senior citizens,” he said.

He called for a compromise. He proposed lowering some of the fees in half, including the fees at the transfer stations for municipal solid waste and industrial waste.

His proposal was backed by fellow Democrat Susan Parker of Fredonia.

“Last year’s landfill increase put more of the burden on the transfer station in the north county,” she said.

Parker argued that municipalities that live farther away should not pay more than municipalities that are closer to the landfill.

When the time came to vote on the amendment to reduce some of the increases, only Bankoski, Parker, and Democrats Billy Torres of Jamestown and Tom Nelson of Jamestown voted in favor. The other 15 legislators, all Republicans, opposed the move.

After the proposal to reduce some of the fees was rejected, the four Democrats voted against the resolution for the original fees proposed. Again, all 15 Republicans voted in favor of it.

Legislator Dan Pavlock, R-Sinclairville, said the Landfill Commission backed the increase.

“It was in the best interest to adjust the fees to meet some of the rising costs that are occurred at the landfill,” he said.

He also said Dunkirk should look into promoting recycling more and that may help reduce their costs.

The new fees go into effect Jan. 1.