By PHYLLIS ZORN

Staff writer

County transfer station director Bud Druse told commissioners Monday that a national tariff on imported steel, put into effect March 23, has hiked the cost of recycling bins the county earlier agreed to purchase with help from a state grant.

“There’s been a big increase in metal because of the tariffs,” Druse said.

The overall cost of the project to add four recycling bins at locations around the county will increase $3,100, Druse said.

“Five hundred dollars apiece is what they went up on the bins,” he said.

Freight will run $1,100, Druse said.

Kansas Department of Health and Environment in November approved a $17,302 grant to pay 75 percent of the total cost.

Druse said the state grant is already set and he cannot increase the amount the state will provide.

“I would like to go ahead and proceed with this and get the bins coming,” Druse told commissioners, who voted unanimously to proceed with the plan.

Druse said locations for the bins might be changed, but for now he plans one for Peabody, two for Hillsboro, and one at either the county park and lake or nearby his office in mind.

In other matters, commissioners:

• Approved tire and transport fuel bids for the road and bridge department.
• Accepted a $3,881.24 bid from Landmark Electric to install electrical service for the stage at the county park and lake.