City, county closer to SWA agreement

    City of Imperial councilman Doug Gaswick continued discussions Oct. 27 with the Chase County Commissioners over the future of the Southwest Nebraska Solid Waste Agency.
    Gaswick said everyone on his end is still interested in the city taking over SWA and, after several months of discussion, asked if the county was prepared to make the city an offer.
    An audit was performed 11 months ago by the state’s Auditor of Public Accounts. The city has suggested a 75/25 division of SWA, but the auditor determined the division to be 63.45% to the city and 36.55% to the county.
    According to those numbers, a buyout of $300,000 was suggested for the city to pay the county. The county would also like to keep its bulldozer. The transfer station would remain open to all county residents.
    Gaswick wanted a chance to review the financial numbers as of Sept. 30 and would present the offer to the city council.
    The council didn’t meet for its last two meetings due to COVID-related quarantines in the city office. Clerk/Administrator Jo Leyland said their next meeting is scheduled Nov. 16.
    In other business, work on the county road to Imperial Beef was discussed. Concrete work was supposed to start Oct. 29 and take 11 days.
    The next commissioners’ meeting will be Nov. 10.