By MaryHelen Swanson

The East Central Solid Waste Commission, a five-county entity which includes Chisago County, is proposing to adopt an intrastate waste ordinance to keep county garbage at the ECSWC facility in Mora.

Stiff competition from outside landfills, including in another county, means a loss of garbage and loss of income through the haulerís tipping fees.

The Chisago County board has set a public hearing for Aug. 23 to discuss the ordinance.

Chisago County Solid Waste Administrator Gary Noren told the commissioners last week he doesnít believe an ordinance will make a difference in the amount of waste sent to the ECSWC facility.

Still, neither he, nor Environmental Services Director Mary Schmitz were strongly opposed to the ordinance.

However, both are opposed to a hauler collected surcharge, also being requested from the ECSWC.

Noren said itís been tried before and failed and that only one or two licensed county haulers are in favor of it.

In addition, only two of the five counties in the ECSWC are pursuing the option.

He said schools would be taxed much higher and there are questionable results in terms of changing destination of the waste. And, a legal challenge is possible.

Noren offered alternatives: lower the tipping fee in order to meet the competition; organize collection in the county and designate that the waste collected be delivered to the ECSWC and then sell the landfill and facility and recoup county costs.

Commissioner Ben Montzka said he would support the sale of the facility.

Commissioner Bob Gustafson, who sits on the ECSWC representing Chisago County, said ECSWC is in favor of both the ordinance and the fee.

He said if nothing is done, Waste Management will continue to swallow up business in the county and the ECSWC canít control what goes across the border. With the ordinance, he said, there can be some control over the flow of garbage.

If waste is collected in this county, he went on, it should go to the county facility.

Gustafson said if the county ignores this, the taxpayers are going to pay the difference.

If the facility at Mora is sold, he said, there will be no assets for the five counties.

The public hearing will be held in the board room of the Government Center. The meeting starts at 9 a.m.