Newsroom

Be sure to check back regularly to get our latest news updates.

Newly Released Information

SWANN Implementing Out-of-Service Program

As was seen on Chadron Radio; July 26 , 2024 12:46 pm by Jett Rasmussen

The Solid Waste Agency of Northwest Nebraska (SWANN) has recently begun addressing a longstanding issue by implementing an “Out-of-Service” signage program for household and green compost dumpsters. Essentially, the program is designed to help people be more knowledgeable about which items are acceptable and unacceptable for dumpsters with bright and clearly labeled signs on the front of dumpsters. 

SWANN’s Executive Director, Jake Stewart, says this is especially important in the warm summer months when collection and temperatures are at their yearly high. 

Overly large and heavy items or tree branches inappropriately found in dumpsters by Collection Drivers and Community Site Operators will result in a notice clearly categorizing the items that need to be removed before collection.

Photographic Examples of items improperly disposed of included in the article shows pictures of: Branches and Overloaded Dumpsters; Tables/Table Games; Water Heater; Propane Tanks and Car Batteries; Mattresses are shown below.

When talking specifically about green dumpsters- grass and leaves only, means grass and leaves only. But Jake Stewart says that it comes down to one simple factor when deciding what to put into the compost bin.

Along with public knowledge and awareness, the Out-of-Service program is also meant to encourage leadership and guidance within communities as a friendly way of holding each other accountable.

These neighborhood “watch programs” also ease the burdens of city officials and street workers who are not responsible for cleaning out dumpsters. SWANN says it is the duty of residents on a block by block basis. 

For Residents who contact City offices, please let them know they can contact SWANN 308-432-4245 at any time for clarification on what is happening with their local dumpsters. You can also direct these residents to place their large and heavy items to the appropriate location at their nearest community site.

Stewart says that you can also visit SWANN’s website, swannsites.com, for reference and information.

The Out-of-Service program has been successfully used from Harrison to Gordon and SWANN thanks everyone for their cooperation and passing the word along to help street employees.

Please see Chadron Radio link for insightful audio to support content of this information as well as the original article: https://chadronradio.com/swann-implementing-out-of-service-program/

Published to SWANN Website 07/25/24   ________________________________

SWANN Rates Going Up For Second Straight Year

As was seen on Chadron Radio; posted May 17 , 2024 3:25 pm by John Axtell

SWANN, the Solid Waste Agency of Northwest Nebraska, is raising rates for the second year in a row but only the third time in the last dozen years.

The higher rates, which are still among the lowest in Nebraska, take effect with the July bills.

The SWANN board last night approved an increase of $2.30 for residential customers with collection services, bringing the rate to $27.50 per month. That rate had gone up 95-cents last year.

Commercial rates for large dumpsters and collection will go up $8.70 to $80, and rates for rural residents – who pay only for landfill-related costs – are increasing $2.00 to $16.00. Rural rates went up 55-cents a year ago.

SWANN Executive Director Jake Stewart says the rate hike reflects higher costs for such things as equipment repairs and replacement, fuel, utilities, and insurance but also replacing the garbage baler, which is over 60-years old, and the building housing it.

Stewart says the rate increase was figured into how much money SWANN will need to borrow through bonds for the new baler and building as well as related equipment.

The SWANN board also approved the budget for the year starting June 1st. It’s going up $205,000 to $2.1-million dollars, but the figures are a bit misleading.

When the current year’s budget was adopted, Stumph Sanitation handled trash collection in Crawford. The company dropped its contract later in the year and SWANN took over collection services just as it does in its other member towns.

The new budget now includes both the collection costs and revenue from Crawford – a wash in budget terms, but one that increases both sides of the ledger by equal amounts.

Please see Chadron Radio link for audio and article: https://chadronradio.com/swann-rates-going-up-for-second-straight-year/

Published to SWANN Website 5/17/24   ________________________________

SWANN Moves Closer To New Baler And Building

SWANN, the Solid Waste Agency of Northwest Nebraska, moved closer last night to getting a new garbage baler and a new building to house it.

The following information is article posted on Chadron Radio. Link is provided below. The SWANN board held a required public hearing on the proposal and passed a resolution declaring the need to replace the existing baler as an emergency, allowing it to skip competitive bidding and go with a Colorado firm.

SWANN Executive Director Jake Stewart says the 1960s model baler originally purchased by the city of Chadron and the building it’s in have both reached the end of their useful lives and only extraordinary repair efforts are keeping the baler running.

SWANN has been working and negotiating with Altitude Recycling Equipment of Denver, the baler manufacturer closest to Chadron. Stewart says even with the prior input, it will be at least 7 months before a new baler would be ready for installation.

Tyler Francis of Altitude told the SWANN board the lead time for the baler is likely 35-to-40 weeks with the price changing as the price of metal goes up, explaining the company’s costs have risen 40% in the past 2 years. Francis said there’s a baler of the same model SWANN will get currently in use in Omaha while Kearney and Greeley, CO, use a slightly smaller one. He put the expected lifespan at 15 years, but said it could easily be 25 depending on multiple factors. 

Jake Stewart says the new baler will be considerably larger than the current one because of the ever increasing volume of waste coming into the baler. Stewart says the baler’s longer conveyor belt will also make it easier to pull out recyclables, but also means the new building needs to be bigger, too. The new baler building will be across the street from the current one and north of the SWANN offices, 

The Chadron City Council has given unofficial approval to the idea of providing the land for the building, but no decisions have been made on the exact amount of land or the terms of a lease or transfer.

See Chadron Radio link for audio and article: https://chadronradio.com/swann-moves-closer-to-new-baler-and-building/