MANKATO — The Blue Earth County Board will continue discussions Tuesday on the future of waste management in the area.
The county now contracts with a refuse-derived fuel facility on property owned by Xcel Energy. That facility’s lease ends in 2027, and the county is discussing what the future of waste looks like in the county. It’s a discussion that has seen its fair share of pushback.
The main source of resistance comes from LJP Waste Solutions President Kent Harrell, whose facility the county currently contracts for RDF and who plans to build their own RDF facility following the end of their lease with Xcel Energy.
Harrell argues that residential property garbage rates could go up “by 50% for homeowners, while rates for businesses could triple.”
However, Blue Earth County Property and Environmental Resources Director Michael Stalberger argues it is too early in the process to know exactly how much rates would increase by.
The work session will follow the County Board meeting on Tuesday. Scheduled to speak are Stalberger, Jared Graham from Xcel Energy and Mark Manderfeld, Blue Earth County deputy director of property and environmental resources.
According to the work session agenda, the Property and Environmental Resources Department plans to provide the board with an update on the work they’ve been doing since their last meeting, including ongoing discussions with three interested waste management partners.
The board also will hear an update on a proposal to withdraw from the current joint powers board surrounding All Seasons Arena. This move is coming, as the agenda puts it, “since the County is looking to reduce staffing and non-mandated services, it would be appropriate to consider potential reductions in community support funding, including ASA.”
The board would need to give 12 months of notice before leaving the joint powers board, which would mean if the board decides to move forward, a proposal would need to be approved at a County Board meeting prior to the end of the year.