Tim Walker
AMR Reporter
Pocahontas County Solid Waste Authority met April 24 and approved its budget for 2024-2025. After receiving a gloomy report for the upcoming fiscal year, a budget which predicted that expenses will exceed income by $84,167.76, the members voted 4 to 1 to increase the annual Green Box fee by $5, with member Jamie Walker the only one voting against raising the fee. The current fee is $115 per year, but, starting July 1, it will go to $120. It was pointed out that when the 4,200 Green Box account holders each pay the additional $5, it will raise about $21,000 for the authority. The members said that there will still be a $3 discount offered to those who pay their annual fee on or before September 15.
Mark Smith, the authority’s accountant, reported on the state audit of the 2023 Solid Waste Authority’s operations. He summarized the report by saying the full audit indicated it was a clean opinion and favorable, and that, on the short term, the authority is financially heal-thy, but on the long term not so much because of the looming costs of closing down the landfill and because of the long-term financial post closure responsi- bilities.
Smith pointed out that if the Public Service Commission approves the increase in the tipping fee the authority applied for on March 8, that would also help reduce the projected loss next fiscal year. He said they are still waiting for the PSC’s decision about this rate increase, and now the “ball is in their court.” The authority is asking the PSC to authorize them to raise the tipping fee from the current $72.75 per ton to $95 per ton. It was noted that Greenbrier County’s landfill charges a tipping fee of $61 per ton.
There was also a discussion about construction debris being deposited at the landfill. Landfill Manager Chris McComb said they have recently been receiving a lot of construction demolition debris from Snowshoe.
Walker remarked that after the recent county commission’s pre-bid meeting for the demolition project of the old Board of Education Building in Marlinton, he overheard several of the prospective bidding companies say that since it takes an extra four hours to drive the demolition debris to the Pocahontas County Landfill, which would have to accept it.
Walker, who is also a county commissioner, asked what would happen if they were to do that. PCSWA administrator Mary Clendenen said it would close the landfill well before the county was ready to implement a transfer station.
Authority Chairman Ed. Riley reported that the toxicity report on the landfill was basically good.
During a recent special county commission meeting, the commission agreed to purchase the landfill from the Fertig Family Farm on behalf of the Solid Waste Authority, who will build a transfer station on it so that waste collection can continue after the landfill closes. The commission and the Fertig Family asked the Solid Waste board members to approve building a fence along the left side of the access road to the landfill. At this solid waste meeting, the Fertig family also asked for them to build an additional 356 feet of fence along the right side of the road, saying the authority had already offered to do that during previous negotiations. After much discussion, the authority members voted to build the 1,864 feet of fence on the left side of the road from Route 28 to the second cattle guard at the top of the hill, and they also agreed to build the 356 feet of fence along the right side of the road from Route 28 to the first cattle guard. In return the Fertig Family Farm agreed to allow the authority access to the stream water on their property through two 10-foot sectional gates. The authority will also provide additional gates, and the family will maintain the fences.
The county Prosecutor is reportedly preparing the deed so the sale can be completed.