At the Jan. 3 meeting of the Crawford County Board of Commissioners, residents, a Kansas Department of Transportation representative and former landfill management urged the county to push for stronger enforcement, tighter commercial hauling practices and a coordinated cleanup plan to address recurring litter on state and county highways.

The discussion came during the public-comment period after Melissa Rhodes told commissioners that volunteers working an ‘‘Adopt-a-Highway’’ route had collected 248 bags of trash on a stretch of U.S. 69 and other roads. ‘‘So far, they've picked up 248 bags of trash on that stretch of road,’’ Rhodes said, and asked whether the county could match a $190-per-pickup stipend used by a private operator to attract volunteers.

Why it matters: speakers said the litter is damaging county and commercial equipment, is a recurring public-safety and aesthetic problem, and may stem in part from out-of-state commercial haulers delivering to a private landfill in Crawford County. County staff provided tipping-fee and contract figures that show the landfill generates substantial revenue for the county, complicating choices about who should pay for cleanup.

Details from the meeting

- Volunteers and incentives: Rhodes and other residents described large, repeated cleanups along a three-mile stretch. Rhodes said volunteers sometimes receive about $190 per pickup from a local operator and suggested the county consider matching or expanding stipends to entice more school, church and nonprofit groups to participate.

- KDOT role and limits: Jeff Fisher, identified as a Kansas Department of Transportation representative from the Pittsburgh KDOT office, told the meeting: "picking up litter along the roadway is really not within the scope of what our maintenance staff does." Fisher said KDOT’s highway crews focus on tasks such as snow removal, drainage and pothole repair. He suggested coordination with other agencies for reporting and enforcement but did not commit KDOT to regular litter pickup.

- Enforcement and secured loads: Multiple speakers pointed to unsecured commercial loads as a source of debris. A county official present said "secured loads is enforceable," and urged stronger enforcement by the sheriff’s department and KDOT for commercial carriers. The meeting included suggestions to increase fines or penalties and to require landfill operators to ensure loads are re-tarped before leaving the facility.

- Landfill revenue and contract terms: A county staff member reported that the county’s tipping fee is $1.75 per ton and provided yearly figures: $570,034.21 in tipping-fee receipts for the current year and $265,924.37 the previous year. The staff member said the county signed a 15-year contract with the landfill operator several years ago and that the contract now has roughly 10–11 years remaining. The staff member linked fluctuating revenue to contracts the landfill holds with outside municipalities.

- Operator participation and history: Scott Crane, who said he was the general manager when the landfill opened more than 30 years ago, urged stronger enforcement at the gate and described how landfill practices and outside contracts changed over time. He said tipping fees primarily support road maintenance to the landfill rather than paying for roadside cleanups.

- Next steps discussed: Commissioners and speakers suggested a multipronged approach: (1) ask the landfill operator (identified in discussion as GFL) to secure loads and consider on-site washout or inspection before trucks exit; (2) pursue enforcement of existing litter and secured-load laws through the sheriff’s office and KDOT; (3) consider matching or increasing volunteer stipends to expand scheduled cleanup coverage; (4) add or replace litter signs in the right of way; and (5) ask state agencies (KDHE) and KDOT to research interstate-transfer rules and other regulatory levers. One commissioner said he would check signage options and look into interstate commerce rules and EPA contacts.

Quoted remarks (attributed to speakers who identified themselves at the meeting)

- Melissa Rhodes, volunteer/adopt-a-highway organizer: "So far, they've picked up 248 bags of trash on that stretch of road."

- Jeff Fisher, Kansas Department of Transportation (Pittsburgh office): "Picking up litter along the roadway is really not within the scope of what our maintenance staff does."

- County staff member (name not specified): "The tipping fee... is a dollar 75 a ton. This year ... tipping fee was $570,034.21. Last year, it was 265,924.37."

- Scott Crane, former landfill general manager: "That was our responsibility... Far as the tipping fee and that $500,000 that you're getting, that's to maintain the roads to get to the landfill. It's not to be out there paying your guys... to pick up trash."

What the meeting did and did not decide

The session recorded no new ordinance or binding county policy change on the issue. Commissioners agreed to pursue multiple follow-up actions (inviting a representative from the landfill operator, checking signage and researching interstate waste-transfer rules) but did not adopt a funding commitment or new enforcement ordinance during the meeting.

Community context and concerns

Speakers repeatedly said the litter problem has persisted for years and that small volunteer efforts, while valuable, are not keeping pace with recurring loads of lightweight plastics and other debris that can damage equipment and pose cleanup hazards (needles were mentioned as one risk). Several speakers also said some trash may originate outside Crawford County and suggested state or interstate oversight could be relevant.

Next steps announced

Commissioners instructed staff to check signage options, to follow up with KDHE and KDOT on interstate transfer and enforcement questions, and to request that the GFL landfill operator meet with the commission. Residents asked the county to consider targeted financial incentives and a more scheduled approach to volunteer cleanup ahead of mowing season.

Ending

Speakers and commissioners described the problem as multifaceted and long-running; the board left the meeting with an agreed set of follow-ups rather than a single solution, and participants said further meetings and outreach to the landfill operator, KDOT and KDHE were expected.