The Montezuma County Landfill operates under a financial structure known as an “enterprise” operation, a model designed to ensure the facility pays for itself rather than relying on general tax dollars. While most county departments are funded primarily through property taxes, the landfill operates more like a standalone business, with costs covered by fees charged to users.
Under the enterprise model, tipping fees and other disposal charges collected at the landfill support the full scope of its operations. These fees cover day-to-day activities such as staffing, fuel, maintenance and repairs, as well as major equipment purchases and replacements essential to keeping the facility running safely and efficiently. They also cover required environmental protections, regulatory compliance and planning for the landfill’s eventual closure.
This approach promotes transparency and fairness by aligning costs directly with use. Rather than spreading landfill costs across all taxpayers, including residents who may generate little or no waste, the enterprise structure ensures that those who use the landfill pay for it. This user-based funding model also allows the landfill to accept waste from outside Montezuma County without placing an added tax burden on local residents.
One of the most significant responsibilities built into the enterprise model is planning for the landfill’s long-term obligations. Unlike many public facilities, a landfill’s financial responsibilities do not end when it stops accepting waste. Long after the final load is delivered and the gates are closed, the site must be carefully monitored and maintained to protect the surrounding environment.
When a landfill closes, it doesn’t just disappear into the landscape. Buried waste continues to decompose, producing landfill gas and leachate that can affect soil, groundwater and air quality if not properly managed. As a result, state and federal regulations require decades of post-closure monitoring and maintenance. This includes ongoing environmental testing, upkeep of protective systems, and careful oversight to ensure that the site remains stable and safe.
As an enterprise operation, the Montezuma County Landfill must plan for these future costs well in advance. Funds are set aside throughout the landfill’s active life to cover closure and post-closure care, ensuring the financial burden does not fall on future taxpayers. This long-term planning is one of the most critical and costly phases of a landfill’s life cycle, and the enterprise structure helps ensure those obligations are met.
Another key feature of the enterprise model is financial transparency. Because the landfill is accounted for separately from the county’s General Fund, its revenues and expenses are tracked independently. This allows residents to clearly see how landfill fees are collected and how those funds are spent. It also ensures that revenue generated by landfill operations is used exclusively for landfill-related purposes, rather than being diverted to support other county services.
Operating as an enterprise, however, means the landfill must absorb rising costs within its own budget. Regulatory changes, inflation, fuel prices and the need for major equipment replacements can all affect operating expenses. In addition, developing new landfill cells to extend the facility’s usable life requires significant investment. To remain financially stable over the long term, the landfill may periodically need to adjust user fees to reflect these changing costs.
These adjustments are made to maintain the landfill’s self-sufficiency and to avoid subsidizing operations with property tax dollars. At the same time, the landfill actively works to keep costs down where possible. Efforts include selling compost processed on-site ($40/ton, available now), marketing recyclable commodities such as cardboard, office paper, and No. 1 and No. 2 plastics, and offering items with residual value for reuse through the Resale Store. These activities help offset expenses and, more importantly, reduce the amount of waste requiring disposal.
Overall, the enterprise structure of the Montezuma County Landfill is intended to balance financial responsibility, environmental stewardship and fairness to residents. By ensuring that those who generate waste and use the facility help pay for its costs – both today and decades into the future – the Montezuma County Landfill aims to provide a sustainable, transparent and environmentally responsible waste management system for the community.
The Montezuma County Board of Commissioners is Chairman Jim Candelaria (District 1), Vice Chairman Kent Lindsay (District 2) and Commissioner of Deeds Gerald Koppenhafer (District 3).
