Solid waste department proposes 4% operating increase, trims capital amid fee, invoicing changes

Angela Fusier, business and finance manager for the county Solid Waste Department, presented the department’s proposed FY27 budget to the Kootenai County Board of Commissioners on June 12, 2026. She said operating costs are expected to increase roughly 4 percent while the overall capital request is lower than FY26 because unfinished FY26 projects will carry forward.

Fusier framed the budget by describing the department’s decision process: “we're really looking at the budget through the lens of beans versus wants,” she said, explaining managers review equipment replacement plans and sometimes delay purchases when feasible. She told commissioners she factored a January 2025 fee increase into revenue projections and that the department expects higher receipts as those property-tax–based fees come fully into effect.

A key discussion centered on how the Sheriff’s Office will be charged for services at rural collection sites. Commissioners and staff discussed a Sheriff proposal to invoice solid waste based on tracked hours at an approxiate rate discussed in the meeting (cited in the presentation as $63.17 per hour). Fusier said the department had budgeted roughly 700 hours for FY27 and would follow up with the Sheriff’s proposed invoice format. A commissioner asked for clarity on how the Sheriff would calculate and document the hours; Fusier said she would obtain the email proposal and circulate it to the board.

Fusier also outlined a personnel request: the department seeks to add a fifth environmental systems technician to support an RO unit and other monitoring and hazmat duties at transfer stations and the landfill. She said the department currently runs four technicians and that the RO unit’s maintenance needs make an additional full‑time technician necessary; the requested personnel cost was included in the B budget materials presented to the board.

On capital, Fusier walked through several project items that reduced the FY27 request versus FY26: video surveillance upgrades for smaller sites, a software replacement for long‑running billing and scale‑house functions, a passenger van, Ramsey facility improvements, E4 engineering for new landfill cells, and several equipment items (including transfer trailers). She said many capital costs are timing‑driven and will use FY26 carryforwards because procurement or construction often crosses fiscal years.

The board pressed whether the department could absorb operating increases without raising user rates; Fusier said revenues as currently projected should cover those increases and no rate change was required at this time. The presentation closed with discussion of improving online payments and AR management through a new billing system to reduce mailed statements and credit‑card fees.

Next steps: staff will supply the Sheriff’s proposed invoice language and the department will return with any follow‑up adjustments. No formal vote or adoption occurred during the June 12 presentation.