Cedar Rapids, Linn County both open to restructuring waste board

MARION — A re-imagination of the Cedar Rapids/Linn County Solid Waste Agency governance model is getting closer to fruition after a plan to do so received two additional rounds of municipal approval.

A memorandum of understanding to form a working group to look into the matter received approval this week at separate meetings held by the Linn County Board of Supervisors and the Cedar Rapids City Council. The Marion City Council approved the measure last week.

“This is a really exciting development not just for the county, but for the region itself,” said Linn County Supervisor Sami Scheetz. “I think this is a really good example of us working together as a region with some of our colleagues across the county.”

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The agreement calls for the Board of Supervisors to appoint between seven and nine people to a regional working group to research and recommend a revised governance structure for the waste management agency.

The stated goal is to increase regional representation on the agency’s governing board as it continues working to meet the area’s evolving waste needs. As such, any proposal will result in a structure in which “no single entity shall constitute a majority or a controlling voting interest.”

The working group also will establish expectations of governing members, any proposed term limits and rules for meeting attendance and participation.

The agreement “does not commit the county, the Solid Waste Agency or other entities to pretty much anything” other than the working group, said Scheetz, who is also vice chair of the Cedar Rapids/Linn County Solid Waste Agency board. “It’s a framework for us to discuss next steps and bring (everyone) to the table.”

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Working group to deliver findings by end of month

County supervisors are expected to appoint members to the working group at an upcoming meeting. To ensure a “diverse membership,” it will include representatives from area elected officials, agency staff and technical experts, among other stakeholders.

Its recommendations shall be finalized by Feb. 27 for subsequent presentation to the county and the cities of Marion and Cedar Rapids. All three would need to approve any suggested changes prior to enactment.

The group also will be tasked with identifying planning and operational metrics for the landfill at 1954 County Home Rd., in Marion with measurable, future-facing performance targets around waste management and diversion.

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Solid Waste Agency board chair and Cedar Rapids City Council member Tyler Olson this week commended the solid waste agency for its efforts in those areas thus far, but said even more work will be needed in the years to come.

Diversion is of particular interest, he noted, given estimates that the landfill could fill up by 2036 — eight years ahead of schedule.

“Controlling our own landfill options keeps costs about half (as) low than if we have to start transferring waste out of the area,” Olson said. “Space is really a precious commodity.”

This agreement between stakeholders identifies a way for those conversations to continue with a focus on regional collaboration.

Approval marks step toward possible expansion

The agreement also requires approval from the Solid Waste Agency’s current board of directors. The nine-member board includes one representative from the city of Marion, two from Linn County and six from the city of Cedar Rapids.

The board will host a special meeting to vote on the matter at 9 a.m. Friday. It will be held virtually, although public attendance and participation is welcome.

The board initially met Wednesday to vote on the matter, although the meeting needed to be rescheduled given an issue with the posted Zoom link that prevented public access.

Agreement by all three municipalities and the board is a prerequisite for the City of Marion to consider allowing a limited expansion of the landfill via a 450-foot reduction in the current 1,800-foot setback. Doing so would effectively return the landfill’s capacity back to its original 2044 projection.

As a condition of Marion’s agreement to consider the limited expansion, the memorandum states the Solid Waste Agency also will agree to pay Marion a “reasonable host fee” to “ease the direct environmental, infrastructural and economic burden that an expanded landfill” would place on the city.

Should a new governance structure not be implemented in alignment with the working group’s recommendation, the city of Marion would not be required to reduce the setback nor would the host fee take effect.

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