Jeff Weaver wants to increase the fees charged Mower County residents to dispose of tires.

Weaver is the Mower County recycling center coordinator and solid waste program administrator.

He sent a list of the proposed fee adjustments to the Mower County Board of Commissioners Tuesday. The fee hikes are necessary, according to Weaver, because the county's disposal costs are increasing.

A motion was made and seconded and then Richard P. Cummings had an observation. "Boy! We're raising all of the disposal fees big time. I thought we were only raising the big tire fees?"

Weaver had argued for the fee increase because the county is receiving more big tires — i.e., tractor and other vehicle tires — than ever before.

Len Miller, 4th District county commissioner, also had second-thoughts about approving the fee hike. "If we raise the prices too high I wonder if we will have more tires dumped in the ditches?" Miller said.

Ray Tucker, 2nd District county commissioner, also had a concern. "When we increase the cost of disposing of car tires, I would hate to be charging too much more than garages and other private businesses or we're going to have more tires than we can handle."

Weaver estimated it will cost the county an additional $5 per ton ($85 compared to the current $80) to dispose of all the tires it collects

The proposed tire disposal price hikes included, 13-15 inch tires, $1.50 to #2 each; 16-18 inch tires, $2.59 to $4 each; 19-21 inch, $5.50 to $7 each; small tractor tires, $10.50 to $15 each; large tractor tires, $20.50 to $30 each; and off-road vehicle tires, remains $40 each.

townships

are not charged for the tires they collect from roadside ditches in their jurisdictions and that will remain the same, according to commissioners.

However, a closer look at the proposed tire disposal fee hikes caused the commissioners to change their minds.

The motion to approve the changes was withdrawn and

the solid waste committee was directed to study the request and make a recommendation to the county board at a future meeting.

It is unlikely, according to commissioners, that the county will hold a free tire disposal event again.

While the event was a huge success, it resulted in tires coming from Iowa and other places outside Mower County, which overwhelmed local resources

to handle them.