Landfill fees to City of Worland triple

WORLAND — City of Worland officials were shocked to learn that the Washakie County Solid Waste Disposal District billed them more than they expected.

During its regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday, Worland Mayor Dave Duffy announced that the solid waste district billed the city more than three-times the expected amount. The city expected to be billed about $30 per cubic ton for using the dump. However, the city recently received two invoices for the months of September and October. The landfill charged $92 per ton, more than three times the expected amount.

The City of Worland received a bill for $36,000 for the month of September and $41,000 for October.

Worland City Clerk/Treasurer Tracy Glanz said the increased rates will cost the city about $700,000 per year.

Worland city councilors voted not to pay the bill until the manner is resolved. City Attorney Kent Richins noted that the city passed an ordinance — which was voted on three times — to increase Worland residents’ sanitation fees. The proposed ordinance raised fees to a rate based on an estimated $30 per ton.

“This came with somewhat of an alarm to me, because I believe the discussion was roughly $30 per ton. We drafted an ordinance that was voted on three times,” Richins said, adding, “From a legal standpoint, we had no choice but to raise our fees.”

Richins said he will meet with Washakie County Attorney John Worrall to find a solution to the issue.

Councilor Lisa Fernandez said the increased rate puts the city in a tight position.

“Unfortunately, they have us over a barrel because they (the solid waste district) own the landfill. They can just shut their doors if they want to,” Fernandez said.

Councilor Marcus Sanchez disagreed.

“Nobody has us over a barrel. With the power of the community, nobody is over a barrel,” Sanchez said.

City crews commended

After the first major snow of the year hit during the Thanksgiving holiday, city crews were busy removing snow.

Councilor Keith Gentzler commended city crews for their snow removal efforts this year.

“That city crew – I’d put them up against any city crew in the Western United States,” Gentzler, who last winter was a vocal critic of the city’s snow removal efforts, said.