Supervisors hear concerns from local can redemption center during regular session

by Bob Beach

During its regular meeting Tuesday, January 21, the Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met with Dillon Dietrich, owner of Waukon Redemption and Ice, and his bookkeeper, Jane Regan, who explained that the can and bottle redemption center is losing money and will be forced to close if a way to generate more revenue can't be found. Regan explained that the redemption center receives only six cents per can and must pay out five cents per can.
She said that one cent per can is not enough to pay employee wages and other expenses and that the redemption center is losing approximately $8,000 per year, which does not include the hours that Dietrich works at the redemption center or the volunteer hours put in by members of his family. She suggested that a one cent per can "sorting fee" might help to make the business profitable, but was uncertain if charging such a fee would be legal.
Allamakee County Attorney Jill Kistler said that while the law states that five cents per can must be paid, it does not specifically prohibit charging an additional fee, adding that violation of that section of the law is a simple misdemeanor and that she doesn't believe that any magistrate would be likely to enforce it under the circumstances. "If something doesn't give, we won't have this service anymore," she said. She also said that there are grant programs in place to help can and bottle redemption centers and suggested that Dietrich look into applying for those grants.
Supervisor Sherry Strub said that she does not think it would be unreasonable to charge a fee for sorting and for dirty containers. Supervisor Dennis Koenig said that the redemption center provides an important service and that it has to be profitable. Chairman Larry Schellhammer said, "If you're looking for our blessing to charge a fee, go ahead."
Dietrich said he would try charging a one cent per can sorting fee and see how it goes.
The Board also met with Gene Tinker of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, who gave a presentation on regulations regarding confined animal feeding operations. He explained that participation in the Master Matrix gives the County more regulatory authority regarding the construction of larger facilities, which includes a scoring system for design elements that reduce the environmental impact of the operations. He said that the system is "not perfect, but does raise the standard." The Board signed a construction evaluation resolution January 14 to participate in the Master Matrix.
Allamakee County Assessor Anne Burckart presented the Board with a listing of commercial property owners who had applied for a five percent stat property tax rollback. Burckart said that applications for the rollback were sent to all owners of commercial property in the county and that 80% of the applications were returned, including 523 properties. The Board approved the listing of allowed and disallowed rollbacks as presented.
The Board also received funding requests from Northeast Iowa RSVP, Allamakee Economic Development, Northeast Iowa Food and Fitness Initiative and Northeast Iowa RC&D, all of which will be considered over the coming weeks as the Board works on the County's budget for the coming fiscal year.
In other business, the Board reappointed Bill Moody to a five-year term on the Conservation Board; Betty Howe to a three-year term on the Board of Health; and Patrick Cota and Jean Brink to the Veterans Affairs Commission for three- and one-year terms, respectively.  The Board also accepted the levy for Drainage District Number One and accepted and placed on file the quarterly reports from the Treasurer and Relief Office.