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   WALKER — The truth in taxation meeting was held at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 5 with a few members of the public attending the meeting. During the meeting Chief Financial Officer Becky Toso provided a summary of the 2025 budget process and provided proposed 2025 fee schedule changes. After the summary three members of the public shared input regarding the increase in the out of county recycling fee from $107.29 per ton to $300 per ton.

   Drey Loge with Waste Partners, Inc. requested the board reevaluate the increase on the out-of-county recycling fee and have a meeting with the area waste partners to discuss. Loge stated he had just learned of the increase the day before in an e-mail and this would possibly require them to no longer bring in out-of-county recycling. It was also stated currently 90% of the out-of-county recycling comes from Crow Wing County. 

   Tyler Gardner with Pequot Lakes Sanitation and Wayne Harting with Waste Partners, Inc. also provided input agreeing with Loge. Environmental Service Director Jeff Woodford shared some costs that are charged to the County at the landfill site that helped him determine the increase. 

   With this meeting not being the place for this discussion, it was discussed possibly scheduling a meeting between all interested parties for further discussion.

   The 2025 Cass County levy and budget will be discussed and adopted at the next regular board meeting.

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