Should rural Winneshiek county residents pay a users fee for garbage collection?

Rural resident Paul Hunter has an idea that he hopes can save money for Winneshiek County. Hunter appeared before the Winneshiek County Board on Monday to discuss his proposal for a user fee system to help pay the costs of garbage collection in rural Winneshiek County.

Hunter, who lives in Madison Township, noted that the county pays around $150,000 a year for the cost of garbage pickup at several rural locations around the county. But he told county supervisors "the county's job is not to subsidize garbage pickup."

Hunter says he's not trying to end the dumpster system, he just wants those who use the dumpsters to share in paying the costs of the program. He told supervisors on Monday, "there needs to be some way to institute a user system."

The dumpsters receive around 500 loads of garbage each month. That means even a $50 a year charge would raise $25,000 in revenue for the program.

County supervisor Bill Ibanez agreed with Hunter, saying "it's an issue we should look at." County Board Chairman Dean Darling told Hunter, "You've raised a good issue"--then asked Hunter to come back again with a proposal on how a user fee could be levied.