With an expansion to make more room, Auburn is on track to stay in the landfill business for a few more years.

The Auburn City Council on Thursday will review the bids for the city-owned landfill's expansion and consider bonding for $6 million to fund the project.

In fall 2005, council agreed to finance the design of an additional cell to the landfill, which currently has three cells for solid waste. At that point, estimates totaled $4 million for the undertaking and the council agreed to bond for $1 million.

On Thursday, council will decide whether to bond for an additional $6 million on top of the $1 million the group agreed to two years ago. The estimated costs of the current bids amount to nearly $6.1 million. Officials aim to pad the bonded amount in case the project expenses exceed expectations.

City officials opened the bids on Nov. 28. The Auburn City Council will review those bids Thursday, and likely will award them next week.

The construction estimate has risen over the years as the price of materials and fuel have increased.

For more on this story, read Wednesday's edition of The Citizen.