WARSAW — The Board of Directors for the Kosciusko County Solid Waste Management District discussed the 2020 budget and bids for recycling contracts during its meeting on Tuesday, July 23.

According to Kosciusko County Recycling Depot Director Tom Ganser, the depot is looking into bids for recycling contracts and hopes to have a decision made on a contractor by October.

The depot’s current hauler, Borden Waste-Away Service Inc., Elkhart, initially offered to extend its current contract for 2020 but then changed its mind before the district could accept.

“I think that wherever we end up getting a contract with, we as a board should have some language in there to be able to re-negotiate prices on fees as well as what types of items can be taken in,” said Board President Brad Jackson.

The depot’s 2020 budget is also set to increase from last year, but all board members agreed to keep the solid waste fee on property taxes as is.

“We can afford to keep the fee as it is right now,” said Jackson. “That’s why we do the minimum.”

Board members also discussed Waste Management’s recent acquisition of Advanced Disposal. The Packerton landfill, located just south of Warsaw, was formerly one of Advanced Disposal’s assets. Several members expressed concerns about Waste Management potentially removing the landfill and using out-of-county landfills instead.

“When Waste Management takes a truck out-of-county, we see none of the landfill tipping fees,” said Ganser.

“Our whole revenue could disappear in a second if they decided to do that,” said Board Member Cary Groninger. “So this discussion, these thoughts on our revenue, landfills and tax rates, are very important.”

In other business, the board approved a quote from Lake City Awning in the amount of $10,448, for awnings at the Recycling Depot on 220 S. Union Street. Ganser also said a man from the Kosciusko County Work Release program is currently working for the depot as a household hazardous waste coordinator.

“This gentleman is going to be on payroll with us soon,” said Ganser.

“Work release can work out very well for a lot of people,” said Groninger.

Ganser also shared Education and Outreach Coordinator Suzanne Stokes’ report.

“She’s reworking some lessons and she’s also scrapped some,” said Ganser. “And in less than six months, she’s helped bring the depot’s Facebook page from 300 likes to almost 1,000 likes, which is absolutely amazing.”

Ganser said Stokes has also been teaching classes in the Syracuse and Wawasee area.

The board’s next meeting is at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 20.