County Proposes Solid Waste Assessment Fee Schedule
Author: Linda Kent, MT43News Correspondent
County Proposes Solid Waste Assessment Fee Schedule
Linda Kent
MT43News Correspondent
Broadwater County Public Works Director TJ Graveley presented a draft resolution establishing parameters for setting the number of solid waste assessments county businesses are assigned on their annual property tax bills. The resolution comes in anticipation of the beginning of the county’s budgeting efforts for Fiscal Year 2025-2026.
“This has been a problem for a long time, where people aren’t being assessed properly,” Graveley opened. “You might have a hospital that receives one. You might have a school that receives one. You might have a bar that receives two. There’s no rhyme or reason behind it that I can find.”
A solid waste assessment represents approximately 3,000 pounds of waste collected within the course of a year from a property or business. Single family homes in the county receive one assessment. Each assessment for the 2024 property tax year equaled $265.
Graveley said he would like to see each business have at least two assessments, since businesses typically generate more landfill waste than single family homes.
Using Park and Lewis and Clark counties assessment framework, Graveley drafted a set of 16 preliminary categories, including dwellings and vacation rentals, restaurants and bars, schools and hospitals, wedding and event venues. The complete draft assessment fee schedule is available on the county’s website. Graveley noted he expected revisions based on meetings with the Solid Waste Board and commissioners prior to the March 11 public hearing.
“What’s the criteria for additional assessments,” Commission Chairwoman Lindsay Richtmyer asked. The draft fee schedule lists minimum assessments by category.
Graveley said that since household and commercial solid waste is not weighed at the point of collection, nor does the county have the equipment to make those measurements, additional assessments would be based on an estimate of solid waste generation.
“I think that whatever the criteria is it should be clear and consistent, so people understand what it is,” Richtmyer said.
Commissioner Debi Randolph strongly encourages public review and comment on the fee schedule during the March 11 public hearing.
“We welcome and are open to ideas from the public,” Randolph said.
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