Mower County is seeking a specialist’s help as it continues work to update how it handles solid waste permits, but the move could mean it will take longer for the county to complete a new solid waste ordinance.

The county board voted Tuesday to approve a $25,000 to $30,000 contract with Tim Kenyon of Leggette, Brashears & Graham Inc. of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, for work on a Statement of Need and Reasonableness — often called a SONAR — to provide background and guidance on the proposed ordinance change.

While he admitted the contract is expensive, Commissioner Mike Ankeny supported the plan because he said the county needs such a study to give the county a baseline and proper information to reference back to moving forward with the ordinance.

Commissioner Jerry Reinartz agreed, noting that the eventual solid waste ordinance could last 25 years.

“We want to get it right,” Reinartz said.

Reinartz also noted that if the county has future landfill requests, this document would help ensure they’re housed on suitable land for such projects.

“We want to get as much information as we can,” Reinartz said.

The work will look at the geology and hydrology of the county for looking at how the ordinance regulates landfills across the county.

The additional work means the board will likely have to extend the moratorium on solid waste requests for up to a year.

“Hopefully we can be done before that time frame,” Oscarson said.

Mower County is updating its solid waste management ordinance, and approved a moratorium on all solid waste requests last May, which was set to expire this spring. The current solid waste ordinance hadn’t been updated since 1992.

That ordinance guides the way the county regulates the storage, transportation and disposal of solid waste. Talks and interest on landfills picked up after SKB Environmental acquired neighboring Veit Solid Waste Facility. SKB Environmental has said it’s looking into adding mixed municipal solid waste — or household garbage — and possibly recycling services to its Austin site.

To update its ordinance, the committee has been working with officials from Sherburn County and others to discuss ideas and options for the final plan. They’ve touched on liners, land use issues, setbacks, runoff and a host of other subjects.