June 10, 2021 at 1:12 p.m.
County Commissioners express support for solid waste disposal facility
The commissioners will send this addendum to Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
Currently, Cass garbage gets processed at the transfer station north of Pine River, then under a contract it is transferred to a landfill at Elk River. Cass County's garbage has been hauled as far away as North Dakota.
Environmental Services Director John Ringle said Cass could save as much as $70,000 per year in transportation costs if the state approved a disposal site to serve several counties in this area including Cass.
Bill Keegan, an owner of Dem-Con at Keewatin in Itasca County, presented his company's proposed plan develop one option the board might consider.
Dem-Con currently operates an MPCA-approved manufacturing waste and demolition debris landfill at Keewatin. They are seeking MPCA approval to expand into municipal solid waste or household garbage and recyclables, Keegan said.
Cass commissioners' action Tuesday does not commit the county to using Dem-Con, but would enable Cass to accept bids from them in addition to other vendors should MPCA approve Dem-Con's expansion. MPCA approval is expected to take up to two years.
Ringle obtained county board approval to spend up to $25,000 to match a $25,000 commitment Leech Lake Reservation has made toward demolishing and disposing of an abandoned church and parsonage in Cass Lake.
Storlie Construction presented a low bid of $28,792 to demolish the church building. Bieniek Abatement Services presented the low $13,480 bid to abate hazardous materials in the two buildings.
Leech Lake Band owns the property, which will be restored and, Ringle said, likely redeveloped for reservation housing.
The county board in May 2014 designated $5,000 to remove abandoned buildings and $10,000 for junk and refuse removal.
ESD spent $1,772 on nuisance cleanups this year in Bena, Wilderness Park and Barclay Township. Another $163.62 was spent in June 2013 on a cleanup in the unorganized townships.
In 2014, the county spent $3,348.21 to clean up seven sites, $5,764 (with financial help from Leech Lake Band) to clean up four abandoned trailers and $4,778 to clean up sites in the unorganized townships and Wilderness Park.
In 2015, ESD spent $3,316.03 to assist with cleanup projects in Pine River Township Pike Bay Township, Shingobee Township, Bigwater Addition and for Northland Community School hazardous waste cleanup assistance, plus waiving disposal tipping fees for 5.05 tons of tires and 2.05 tons of demolition debris.
Cass spent $12,300 to demolish old buildings and restore the land on three county tax forfeited properties in Cass Lake this year, Ringle reported. Additionally, the land department regularly pays to demolish and abate abandoned structures on several tax forfeited properties each year before those go on the county land sale.
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