Family business Larry Killian, owner of Killian's Sanitation Service of Staples, is enjoying his first week away from the business after selling the family business that has served Staples and surrounding area for over 50 years. He is pictured with daughter Debbie Goblorsch, left, Carrie Killian and Darlene Hoemberg. The death of Betty Killian, his wife and their mother, earlier this year, is a part of the reason the family is calling it quits. (Staples World photo by Tom Crawford) A locally owned business that has provided an essential service to Staples and the surrounding area for more than 50 years and at least two generations has been sold.

Larry Killian, owner of Killian Sanitation Service, announced on Thursday, Oct. 1, that he had sold his business to Waste Management, Inc. That could leave Waste Management as the only sanitation service serving Staples and surrounding areas.

Carrie Killian last Thursday, confirmed that her 66-year-old father had wanted to retire and that one of his goals was that his four employees would still have their jobs. All four began working that day for Waste Management, which has its area headquarters in Brainerd.

Larry and Carrie explained that Larry's father, Floyd Killian, started the local garbage service in about 1945. Larry started working with his dad as a teenager. "My dad started with the business when he was young and he's 66 now," Carrie said. He took it over from his father at a young age, in the 1960s.

It's become a big business. According to a survey done this spring by the city of Staples in a recycling study, Killian's serviced 1,025 households in Todd County and 180 in Wadena County. That's in the city only. In addition, they also serviced residents in townships surrounding Staples and also serviced Motley and northwest Morrison County residents. The total number of customers, according to the Killian's, is about 2,500. The total varies from month to month and from season to season.

"We have people from Verndale to Cushing to Pillager," Carrie said.

At the same time, the city survey showed Waste Management had 75 Staples customers (67 in Todd County, eight in Wadena).

The biggest blow to the family and the business came when Betty Killian, Larry's wife and the business manager for the family company, died on March 6 2009, following a short illness. Her passing left a huge void - both in the family and the business - and has her family thinking about their future plans. Larry's health has also deteriorated over the past several years and his three daughters all urged him to find a little less stressful lifestyle. Right now, he and Carrie are eyeing a long winter vacation in Arizona.

"With the business, travel or any kind of recreation was just not in the picture," Carrie said.

Larry noted the changes he has seen, such as going from a local private landfill operation to the county-wide solid waste program. Todd County's garbage is all hauled to a transfer station just south of Browerville, where it is processed for possible recycling and then the majority hauled to an incinerator at Perham.

Waste from each county is hauled to that respective county's site. Wadena County waste is hauled also to Perham. "Just this summer we started driving to Perham when they closed the Wadena transfer station," Carrie noted. Waste picked up from Motley and other Morrison County residents is taken to the Morrison County landfill south of Little Falls.

It is not without cost. Tipping fees are set by each county and haulers have seen the fees gradually but steadily increase over the years to cover costs of operation. Tipping fee at Perham is currently $54 a ton, with an increase to $70 expected soon. Tipping fees at each county site vary, but currently are about $15 a yard.

The sale to Waste Management includes the customer list and all the major pieces of equipment acquired over the years by Killian's. That includes three 20 yard compactor trucks, the newest a 2007 model; about 2,500 residential garbage carts, 180

dumpsters for commercial

use and one smaller 'pup' truck. There was no

real estate involved in the transfer of ownership.

"I keep the place, the employees keep their jobs and have benefits, and no interruption of service for our customers. It's a smooth transition," Larry said.

The purchase of Killian's by Waste Management may not mean the Staples area will have no choice in waste pickup. The owners of Long Prairie Sanitary Service have announced intentions of expanding into the Staples area. That firm has applied for a license from the city of Staples and already has routes coming as far north as the Turtle Creek Township area northeast of Browerville.

Killian's customers can expect the same high quality of service from Waste Management, Julie Ketchum, director of governmental affairs for the company, said. "We're excited to be working with Killian's customer and we expect a seamless delivery of service."

She noted that four previous Killian's employees have been hired by Waste Management and are currently undergoing their training program. She noted that they expect to continue to offer both trash pickup and recycling programs in both Staples and Motley.

"Waste Management is the largest recycler in Minnesota, currently recycling more than 250,000 tons a year," she said.

The Waste Management district office in Brainerd will be the local office. People should check the Waste Management Northland web site for telephone contact numbers.