County trash program operating at a six-figure loss, officials say

County officials revealed at a recent public meeting that the trash program continues to operate at a significant financial loss, despite recent efforts to stabilize the budget.

County Commissioner Greg Prince addressed the board and audience to explain where the program currently stands, noting that financial records compiled by county auditor Jennifer Hamelman indicated a net loss of just over $148,000 for the year 2023.

“We’ve tried to tighten things up,” Prince said. “When I came on board, one of the adjustments we made was raising the sticker price from 75 cents to $1.50. That helped—but only in specific areas.”

That price increase primarily benefited the SASCO side of the program, which handles the collection of trash, but not the county’s transfer station, where disposal costs continue to rise.

“The collection side is actually doing okay now,” Prince said. “Sticker revenue covers those costs—unless we get hit with additional fines for issues at the drop-off sites, which has happened before.”

However, when combining all aspects of the program—SASCO, hauling, sticker sales, and the transfer station—the county still saw a net loss of $113,599.96 in 2024. Prince had initially estimated a shortfall of nearly $108,000, but further review by Hamelman uncovered additional unaccounted expenses.

He emphasized that the program is still trending toward a six-figure annual deficit, even with increased sticker revenue. “We’ll get a better picture as the year progresses, but I still forecast we’ll end up around $100,000 in the hole by year’s end.”

Prince made clear he wasn’t advocating for or against changes to the program but felt it was important for the public to understand the reality of the numbers.

“This is a service, and services cost money. I’ve worked in state government and understand that,” he said. “But my goal here is simply transparency. Right now, the overall trash program is operating at a loss.”

Board members acknowledged that more discussion will be needed as the county evaluates its options moving forward.