Calling the closing of the Grantsburg Transfer Station a “bad thing,” Village Trustee Roger Panek said, “We had to shut it down. We couldn’t afford it.”

Panek and other trustees seemed excited to hear Jeff Hansen of Northwest Disposal of Alpha indicate a desire to operate a similar garbage disposal service at the site of the old transfer station.

“We’ve given approval for Waste Management to operate a recycling center there,” said Village President Mark Dahlberg.

Hansen indicated he’d talked to Rick Schneider of Waste Management and was relieved there was a plan to collect recycling. “That’s a good idea,” said Hansen.

He indicated his company would operate with a large trailer for collection and would NOT use a compactor. He also said the Department of Natural Resources will frequently inspect the site and that a tarp would be used to cover the debris.

Hansen also said, “We’ll pay 25 percent of the trailer load income to the city.”

Village trustees didn’t seem that concerned about income as long as they don’t have to run the facility themselves.

“Can you make it work?” asked Dahlberg. “I think we can,” said Hansen.

Hansen will need to carry liability insurance and he will draft a proposal to the village to be reviewed at the December meeting.

“We won’t use a scale. The fees will be so much per load,” said Hansen.

“I’m sure the townships are going to love it,” said Panek. “We’re going to love it,” he added.

Dahlberg suggested Hansen should operate under a one-year agreement.

The return of a transfer station for refuge will come as a relief to Grantsburg-area residents, who have had to travel to other community sites to make dumps.

And the fact the transfer station and the recycling center will be on the state site on the west edge of Grantsburg just off Benson Avenue should be convenient for area residents.