Landfill Is For Sale As Are All In State

The Jasper County Commissioners approved a resolution to form a Solid Waste Authority when they met last week, however the resolution was not available for review by the press or public until after last week’s paper was published.

The resolution says that within 30 days of adoption of the resolution, which was March 16, the commission would appoint seven members to the authority. All seven must be residents of Jasper County, and at least three of whom shall be members of the Board of Commissioners.

The authority is “directed to explore methods by which the present Construction and Demolition Landfill operated by Jasper County may be operated at less or no cost to the citizens and taxpayers of Jasper county including, but not limited to, the acceptance of regulated amounts of qualified Construction and Demolition Waste from a broader geographic area than is presently permitted….”

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Commission Chair Gene Trammell said this week that household garbage cannot come in; the landfill is only licensed for construction and demolition waste. He said there is a contractor out of Buckhead who would like to come in and use it for his waste. He said every landfill in Georgia is for sale, including this one.

The landfill is considered an enterprise fund which means it is supposed to stand on its own, without supplement from the general fund. The landfill has lost money for the last 20 years, according to information presented by the county manager at the meeting.

A citizens’ group is being formed because of concerns of the landfill becoming a regional landfill, and it will meet on Thursday, April 2, at 7 p.m. at the Piedmont Fire Station on Smithboro Road.

Commissioners will name residents to the committee at their next meeting which is scheduled for Monday, April 6, at 6 p.m. at the Courthouse.