The Pocahontas County Solid Waste Authority (SWA) rang in the new year with pay raises for all of its employees.

The board voted 4-1 to approve pay hikes at its January 27 meeting at the County Courthouse. Board member Buster Varner, who participated via teleconference during pay discussions, voted nay.

The board went into executive session to interview all employees individually and then re-entered open session to announce the decisions.

Landfill manager Jody Alderman will receive $16.25 per hour. Charlie Friel will receive $15.75 per hour and Kenny Workman will receive $13.75 per hour. Office manager Mary Clendenen will receive $13 per hour and all part-time employees will receive $8.50 an hour.ﾠﾠ

The pay raises will take effect July 1.

The board voted 4-0 to accept a bid from Kraftsman, Inc. for three recycling cage trailers. The solicitation was originally for one trailer, but the Kraftsman bid was low enough for the SWA to purchase three trailers with available grant money, plus $20 from the general fund.

The board received a $59,250 recycling grant from the Department of Environmental Protection and voted 4-0 to spend $45,000 of that money on a Harmony 1060 recycling baler, which will bale paper, plastic and metal recyclables. The SWA will spend an additional $12,000 for a recycling contract with Pocahontas Recycling and $2,250 for installation of the baler at Pocahontas Recycling.

After reviewing two bids, the board tabled action on selection of an electronic device recycling contractor.ﾠ Afterlife Recycling submitted a bid of seven cents per pound and PC Renewal submitted a flat fee bid of $5,000.ﾠ The board will seek further details from Afterlife before making a decision.

Electronic device recycling will be a one-day collection throughout the county.

Board chairman Ed Riley reported that groundwater monitoring at the landfill during November and December had detected no violations. The groundwater testing was done by Reliance Laboratories.

The board voted 4-0 to approve safety inspection checklists which Clendenen had prepared for use at the landfill and green boxes. The inspections are required by the state Board of Risk.ﾠ

After reviewing an annual operations report prepared by Potesta Engineering, the board voted 4-0 to approve the report and submit it to the state Solid Waste Management Board.

The report showed the county landfill received 13,640 tons of trash during the last year, buried at a density of 1,340 pounds per cubic yard. 42,000 cubic yards of space remains open in prepared cells, which is expected to be filled in 45 months. Space is available for new cell construction which will extend the life of the facility by three years or more.ﾠ

The board elected officers, which it does every January. Ed Riley was re-elected board chairman; Fane Irvine was elected vice-chairman and Clendenen was re-elected board treasurer.

The board approved financial statements for November and December, which reflected $54,540 in payments for November; $42,332 in payments for December; $31,933 in receipts for November and $26,988 in receipts for December.

The next meeting of the SWA board is scheduled for February 24, 7 p.m. at the county courthouse jury room.