by TaLeiza Calloway
The city’s compost site opened this week in a new location and welcomed a few new users.
The city entered a three-year contract with C and L Excavating in St. Joseph to move compost operations from west of town on Stearns County Road 75 to 7939 Ridgewood Road in St. Joseph. City officials signed the contract with the company May 1.
St. Joseph City Administrator Judy Weyrens said the site is open not only to residents of the city but residents of St. Joseph and St. Wendel townships and the city of St. Cloud. Weyrens said because C and L officials had received requests from residents in west St. Cloud to use their site for composting, the accommodation was included in the contract.
C and L Excavating is responsible for maintenance of the site, and the city will oversee the selling and issuing of the permits, according to the contract. The agreement will be reviewed annually.
The cost of permits is $30 for city and St. Joseph Township residents; $60 for St. Wendel Township residents and $45 for St. Cloud residents. The city of St. Cloud allows residents from neighboring cities to use its compost site. Weyrens said the price of $45 is the same cost St. Cloud charges non-residents to use its site.
The compost site will be open 2-7 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and 8 a.m.-noon on Saturdays. Permits can be purchased online via the city’s website, http://www.cityofstjoseph.com/ and in person at city hall, 25 College Ave. N. When purchasing a permit, residents are asked to provide their vehicle make/model and license-plate number. Materials that will be accepted include leaves (separated from branches), twigs and garden waste. No soils, rocks or construction debris will be accepted.