Rural residents of Kimball County will be paying more for landfill fees starting Jan. 1, 2010. The new rate will be $12 per month, with one month free when 11 months are paid in one lump sum in advance. Otherwise it is $12 per month with a $2 additional charge for any month delinquent.The increase is brought on by a landfill rate increase by the City of Kimball. In the city, rates were raised from old rate of $7.20 per month up to $10 per month.The decision to raise the landfill fee for rural residents was made by the Board of Commissioners at their Dec. 1 meeting.Kimball City Administrator Harold Farrar said the landfill has been a big savings to the city and county. The alternative would be trucking waste to some out-of-county location.A financing agreement for the recent purchase of two used freight liner trucks at a total cost of $63,800 was approved. The interest rate will be 1.4 percent.The proposed membership roster for the Kimball County Emergency Planning Committee was the subject of considerable discussion. Current members of the committee are: Kimball Mayor James Schnell, City Manager Harold Farrar, Commissioner Rick Soper, Dix Official Linda Rasmussen, Bushnell Official Don Luehr, Emergency Management Mike Schadegg, Deputy Dwayne Murdoch, Fire Chief Dewey Moore, Police Chief Doug Provance, Dix Fire Sam Gingerich, Bushnell Fire Todd Parson, Health Services Linda Price, Ambulance Service Jim O’Brien, Road Superintendent Jerry Robbins, NRD Rod Horn, Media Patrick Cossel, Clean Harbors Jared Hunsaker and Community Rev. Roger Gillming. These members will meet and decide if more members are needed to represent any other critical areas of emergency management. Kimball Economic Development Director J. P. Komorny reported that Auto Lock will be opening up for business at the intersection of 3rd and Oak Street in about 30 days. They will manufacture safety firearms and will employ about seven people.High Point small arms ammunition manufacturer will start construction at the old PolyPipe location in the very near future. High Point expects to begin operations about March and employ 25 people.Komorny also announced he is lobbying members of the Monitoring Committee to recommend purchase of electronic equipment for use by area first responders in emergency management situations. Funding could come from a fine to be paid by Clean Harbors for some environmental violations. Partial funding is available through a Verizon grant. Komorny also invited the commissioners to an Economic Development retreat to be held the evening of Dec. 7. Key players in the Kimball area have been invited to attend and participate.In the morning opening Board of Equalization session, Assessor Alice Ryschon announced the aerial photo work to be done over about 12 sections of land in and around Kimball will cost $12,500 instead of the original figure of $10,000. Remote location and limited scope of the photo shoot were given as cause of the higher price.Next meeting of Board of Equalization and Board of Commissioners will be. Dec. 15. Next year’s Organization Meeting will be held Jan. 5 at 9:30 a.m.