Colfax City Council approve new landfill agreement

Jasper County Supervisor Brandon Talsma paid a visit to the Colfax City Council to receive authorization for the landfill agreement.

The agreement, which serves all county residents who live outside of incorporated communities, previously allowed free trash disposal to these residents. But due to abuse of this system by some, the new agreement requires residents to pay to dump their trash.

“Last year it cost the county around $268,000 to provide this service, and if we keep letting people abuse the system that number will continue to grow,” Talsma said. “My board would’ve had to budget about $300,000 from our budget this year to continue this program for free.”

The county argued many residents have dumped several tons of waste at the Newton Landfill, claiming it as household trash.

“I’ve worked in construction and I know how much waste a project produces,” Talsma said. “People are definitely abusing the system.”

The council voted unanimously to approve the new landfill agreement and thanked Talsma for his presentation.

City administrator Wade Wagoner presented preliminary plans to the council for Timberline Acres, a new housing development that will be located on North League Road.

The development will be broken into seven separate plots. No major utility lines will have to be installed and no opposition has yet been voiced against the project.

“These are seven great lots in a great location,” Wagoner said. “We’re hoping to see official construction plans by this winter.”

Wagoner’s only recommendation to council was to request the developer change the project’s name to avoid confusion with Timber Hill, another similarly named development in Colfax.

Wagoner went on to give his two cents on the ongoing livestock discussion, saying more and more small communities are embracing urban farming projects. These ordinances from other communities usually allow chickens, goats and a limited amount of horses, he said. Wagoner emphasized roosters are universally banned by cities due to noise.

The other big issue with the ordinance – which Wagoner acknowledged will require more council discussion – is on the subject of honey bees.

“The rules surrounding bees are all over the place,” he said. “Some towns allow them with very few restrictions and others ban them outright.”

Colfax Main Street Executive Director Stuart Patterson also gave his organization’s report to the council at its meeting.

“We are definitely in our busy season,” Patterson said. “Soon we’ll have back-to-back events until the end of the year.”

Patterson said more than 800 people attended the Downtown Halloween Walk, and Main Street received a lot of compliments about the event.

Looking to the future, Patterson said every Tuesday until Christmas several downtown Colfax businesses will be extending hours until 8 p.m. to allow for more local gift shopping.

Patterson also announced Main Street will be going back to pre-COVID guidelines for the Colfax Country Christmas on Dec. 4.

Finally, the Colfax Police Department’s report was given by chief Andy Summy. His only major item within his report was the progress of the department’s “Shop with a Cop” program.

Summy said the police department has already received more than $4,000 in donations already and is still accepting donations from the community until the program begins on Dec. 11.

In other business, the Colfax City Council:

• Approved an amended Quarry Springs concession agreement.

• Appointed Dennis Lester to the Colfax Library Board.

• Approved the final reading of the new fireworks ordinance.

• Approved street closures for Colfax Country Christmas.

Contact Abby Knipfel at 641-792-4687 ext. 6531 or aknipfel@shawmedia.com