by TaLeiza Calloway
news@thenewsleaders.com
City staff is trying to figure out how to handle potential abuse of the city’s compost site.
St. Joseph City Administrator Judy Weyrens said there have been indications of the sharing of permits and/or non-city residents purchasing permits under someone else’s name.
Weyrens said while the compost site is monitored by staff, they do not know everyone who is using the site. St. Wendel Township residents are ineligible to use the compost site.
“It’s difficult,” Weyrens said. “We’re trying to handle it internally.”
The city previously did a sewer study for Pleasant Acres, a development about two miles north of the city. The township still has an outstanding expense of $10,000 that St. Wendel Township has yet to pay as part of the study, Weyrens said.
The city is working with them to resolve this issue but, in the meantime, the township is not eligible to use the city compost site.
“The city would like to be made whole,” Weyrens said. “It’s one of those hard things. We all believe in composting. We’re tying to work to resolve this issue without upsetting (anyone).”
The city’s compost site is open 2-8 p.m. Wednesdays; 4-8 p.m. Fridays; and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays. The compost site is open only to city residents and St. Joseph Township residents.
Permits can be purchased at St. Joseph City Hall. The city’s compost site is west of town on Stearns County Road 75; the entrance is just east of Millstream Park.