July 2, 2003 Ogden, Weber may merge compost New deal allows county to take over city's green waste drop-off site By JESUS LOPEZ JR. Standard-Examiner staff OGDEN - Weber County and Ogden hope to get dirty together by pooling their compost piles. The Weber County Commission Tuesday voted to take over the compost duties from Ogden's green waste drop-off site on Monroe Boulevard. The move will add a dump truck and a new county employee to drive between the city and county green-waste-disposal sites. "We're always looking for ways to work smarter and cheaper," Ogden's Public Works Operations Manager Dan Grigsby said. "It's just one of those things that makes sense to do." The merger will give the county's compost facility, at 2618 W. Pioneer Road in Marriott-Slaterville, about 40,000 tons more green waste a year. It will also allow Ogden City to cut one po-sition. Last year, the county's compost program broke even, selling reused green waste products. Residents will still be able to drop off their grass clippings and hedge trimmings at the city's Monroe Boulevard site, but will have to buy compost at the Marriott-Slaterville site, which opened five years ago. The facility sells compost, lawn-and-garden mulch or four different colored decorative chips including red, black, brown and blonde. The county is also considering selling compost at the Waste Transfer Station, 867 W. Wilson Lane. "I guess you call that a win-win-win situation," Grigsby said. "It's cheaper for our operation and still there for our residents." Weber County Solid Waste Director Karlene Linford said the proposal is a good deal. "I think it's good that we will have extra. Plus, it helps us all by not having the green waste put into the landfill." Shipping less green-waste trash to southern Utah means less cost to taxpayers, Linford said. The Ogden City Council still needs to approve the takeover. Grigsby hopes to have it in place by July 14. Other cities in Weber County, except North Ogden, already send green waste to the county site, Linford said. Although Ogden's drop-off site will stop making compost, Grigsby said it will continue to sell compost until it runs out. Compost is not the only thing the county and city have worked together on. The recycling facility next to the transfer station is also a joint effort. "Who said we couldn't come to an agreement with the city," Commissioner Greg Burton said. Reporter Jesus Lopez Jr. can be reached at 625-4239 or jlopez@stan-dard.net. Marriott-Slaterville A dinner will be held tonight at 7 at Slaterville Park, 250 N. 200 West. Breakfast will be served at Marriott Park, 1150 S. 1200 West, as well as Slaterville Park, at 8 a.m. Friday. At 11 a.m. the parade will begin and will be followed by lunch and games at noon. July 3, 2003 City's Festivities Begin