Like so many other issues in government and in life, this county’s trash situation, and how to deal with it, is bringing up various unintended circumstances that have no good or pleasant answers.
While the alternative options are being considered at the county level, I began some testing, for comparison’s sake, for the Town garbage options. Knowing the trash and garbage fees are going to rise is a given. We just don’t know how much. Two days of testing indicates a further decision at the Town of Marlinton, which can produce a negative impact at the county level.
On January 7, the Town trash truck was asked to fuel up before going to the county landfill. The driver was asked to return to Town and fuel again before parking for the night. The trip took one hour and nine minutes. The truck used three gallons of fuel, (better than I expected). Fuel, labor and tipping fee (using an average of five tons) at the present $95 per ton rate, totaled $514.80.
On January 9, the driver ran the route and fueled the truck before parking. Councilman Scott Gibb drove to the Greenbrier County Landfill and unloaded, (thank you, Scott). He returned to Marlinton and refueled before parking. The trip took three hours. The truck used 15 gallons of fuel. Fuel, labor and tipping fee (using an average of five-tons) at the Greenbrier County rate of $67 per ton totaled $477.06.
A final decision is difficult to make, (knowing the impact that approximately 1,200 fewer tons per year will have on the newer/ higher rate for Pocahontas County.
The difference this makes for the Town is easy to see. Currently, it is $37.74 cheaper per trip if the Town goes to the Greenbrier County Landfill. If we started tomorrow, this savings could amount to approximately $9,812.40 per year for the Town of Marlinton.
The estimates of an increase to $130 to $140 per ton at our landfill is what will be hard for Marlinton Town Council to swallow.
A tipping fee of $140 per ton would increase our Town’s trash bill by an extra $262.74 per trip. An annual increase of $68,312.40 per year. Nothing is easy anymore.
