Rice County Commissioners Meeting October 7,2025
Present: Malacha, Peters, Hoisington, Purfeerst, Underdahl
Environmental Services: Julie Runkel
Landfill Life Cycle Analysis and Fee Review- Environmental Services Funding through user fees, solid waste fees, state money. There are reserved funds and some unrestricted money in that fund, along with restricted money. Interest from the reserved fund transfers to the general fund.
Life Cycle of the landfill analysis- looking ahead to requirement for synthetic liner- in the next 10 years. (MPCA). All new landfills are required to be lined; existing landfills will have three options to get the areas lined; suggest looking at 8-year transition. Expected life of current landfill is 2041.
Numerous tables included in the analysis, available via the county site. Analysis includes expenditures such as equipment replacement, maintenance/upgrades/growth of site and buildings, capitol projects, projects costs.
Recommendations from Analysis: Consider timeline for fees, possible increases. Establish clear timeline for projects. Increase residential and commercial assessment fees, last increase 2014. (Covers a lot of the single sort recycling, for example). Align rates throughout the county, all haulers. Working to be sure weighing and tracking is as accurate as possible.
Attorney’s Office: Brian Mortenson
Updates- recent Supreme Court ruling regarding restitution. Several successful cases regarding drug dealers, sexual assault, and murder in the past year.
Rise 25 is national conference treatment court, attended. He is on a
statewide mental health committee to improve response to mental health in justice system.
Next month is Domestic Violence Month.
Shout out to the two interns who worked with the department this summer, not named.
Adjournment
