Maverick County Solid Waste Authority Trash Collection Revenues Decrease
By: Jose G. Landa, Copyright 2014, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc.
The Maverick County Solid Waste Authority (MCSWA) Board of Directors held their regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, April 29, 2014, at the Commissioners Courtroom in the Maverick County Courthouse in Eagle Pass, Texas, tackling several items of business including a mid-year report showing a decrease in trash collection revenues.
One of the Agenda items discussed was the decrease of revenues at the Maverick County Landfill during the first six months of the 2013-2014 Fiscal Year due to a decrease of waste tonnage disposed of at the county landfill.
MCSWA General Manager Mike Castillo presented the Maverick County Landfill’s 2013-2014 Mid-Year Fiscal Year report to the Board of Directors, noting that there has been a decrease in waste tonnage collected at the Maverick County Landfill due in part to less trash being furnished by the City of Eagle Pass and other customers. Castillo reported that the total revenues collected for the first six months of the 2013-2014 Fiscal Year is at 40% of the projected revenues, a 10% decrease of the projected revenues according to the 2013-2014 Fiscal Year Budget.
Castillo advised the MCSWA Board of Directors the reasons for the the current shortfall of revenues at the County Landfill. “After speaking to the City, I asked them why was less trash coming in. What they told me is that they had projects that had been going on that were producing greater amounts of trash such as the Overpass, Luby’s, Tractor Supply, the Casino Expansion but that these construction projects had been completed. Therefore, resulting in a decrease in trash being collected and being brought in to the Landfill,” said Castillo.
Board of Director Benny Rodriguez expressed his concerns as to the amount of money being spent in comparison to the revenues being collected, asking Castillo if at the end of the fiscal year would the revenues surpass the expenses or even out. “We have $4.7 million dollars in projected revenues going out. Do we expect $6 million dollars, $7 million, or $3 million dollars to come in in revenues?” asked Rodriguez.
Castillo replied that at the present time the revenues were a little lower than expected but that at the end of the fiscal year it should balance out. “We budgeted for $4.7 million in projected revenues and in the first six months we have used up $2.1 million. We are at 45% of our actual budget. We will have funds left over in other things that we are at less than 50% used from what was budgeted. We will have money left over. Last year we also had money left over from our overall budget that was not used,” said Castillo.
Castillo proceeded with his mid-year 2013-2014 Fiscal Year Report presentation. Castillo advised the MCSWA Board of Directors that during the first six months the sales tax revenues collected are at a healthy 52% of the proposed revenues projected.
Castillo added that “Tipping fees, we are a little bit lower in the tipping fees that were projected at the beginning of the fiscal year. One thing to keep in mind with the tipping fees is the County/City agreement for the amount of $57,600, which is credit that is given to the City of Eagle Pass. It’s $9,600 per month. Also the non-tipping fee revenues, we had projected $1,000 in revenues through these fees but have multiplied and at present time have collected over $10,000,” said Castillo. Non-tipping Fees are revenue funds created but were not projected in the budget, such as plastic and scrap metal salvage that is then sold to be recycled, explained Castillo. “These fees are multiplied. There is a charge for the disposal and also creates extra revenues once sold as recycled material,” said Castillo.
Castillo presented the MCSWA Board the various percentages of expenses used during the first six months of the projected 2013-2014 Fiscal Year Budget. Regarding automotive fuel, the amount spent is 42% of projected budget, vehicle manintenance is at 35% used, wages and benefits are at 39% used from what was budgeted for the 2013-2014 fiscal year, education and seminar budget is at 16%, attorney fees is at 50%, contract services is at 19%, TCEQ annual fees budgeted are at 48% used up, regulatory compliance 18%, ground water monitoring 37%, professional fees is at 33%, utilities are at 24%, landfill facility maintenance is at 51%, County/City settlement is at 58%, landfill debt service is at 50%, debt service for the whole Catepillar tractor is at 54%, Cell 2 construction loan is at 50%, and transfer to the County General Fund is at 50%.
The MCSWA Board of Directors discussed certain details pertaining to the percentage amounts on different areas of the 2013-2014 fiscal year budget for the Maverick County Landfill, clarifying certain amounts in order to further understand the Mid-Year 2013-2014 Budget Report presented by General Manager Mike Castillo. After further discussion, the 2013-2014 Mid-Year 2013-2014 Fiscal Year Budget Report was accepted by the MCSWA Board of Directors.
Also on the Agenda for discussion in Executive Session was the debt owed to the Maverick County Water Control and Improvement District No. 1 (MCWCID) for use of their water without payment for it during the past Administration, estimated to be over $60,000. The MCSWA and the MCWCID differ on the total amount owed for use of the MCWCID water by the Maverick County Landfill and have not been able to resolve their differences.
Former MCSWA General Manager Hector Daniel Chavez, Jr. resigned from the MCSWA in January of 2013 and shortly thereafter was indicted by a federal grand jury for theft of public funds, which Chavez plead guilty to in federal court in Del Rio, Texas.
Another item on the Agenda discussed in Executive Session were the fees of MCSWA Auditing firm of Martinez, Rosario & Company, LLP. The MCSWA and Milo Martinez, CPA, of Martinez, Rosario & Company have a difference of opinion on the fees owed on the Maverick County Landfill’s audit. Martinez, Rosario & Company is also the auditing firm for the County of Maverick.
Upon returning from Executive Session into Open Session, the MCSWA did not take any action on the water fees owed to the MCWCID and the fee dispute with Martinez, Rosario & Company for the audit of the Maverick County Landfill.
