Tim Walker
AMR Reporter
At the October 25 Pocahontas County Sol-id Waste Authority’s regular meeting, Authority member David McLaughlin said he had spoken to County Commission President Walt Helmick who told him the commission would be willing to meet with the Authority at an open special commission meeting to discuss possible ways the commission could financially assist the authority to perhaps purchase the landfill which they now lease. Authority Chairman Ed Riley indicated he would be receptive to such a meeting.
Following the Solid Waste meeting, the county commission scheduled a special meeting for Wednesday, November 1.
During public comment time, Allen Johnson expressed his opinion.
“I really would favor the board to purchase the current landfill even if filled up, for certain uses since that is a central location,” Johnson said.
He also told them it would be smart for them to be open with the public and limit discussions held in Executive Sessions because it is important for the public to understand what is going on.
Also at the meeting, Mary Clendenon commented on the authority’s monthly financial statement. Clendenen said that, so far this fiscal year, cardboard, paper and plastic recycling has shown a net loss of $731; tire recycling a loss of $892; and white goods (appliances) recycling a loss of $1,249.
Solid Waste Authority CPA Mark Joseph recommended that the authority submit an application to the state to raise its tipping fee from the current $64 per ton to $95. He said, without the rate increase, they will continue to lose more and more money each year. The Authority voted to apply for a tipping rate of $95.
Joseph also said that his company offers a free service which will do the authority’s payroll in an emergency if for some reason the Authority’s administrative personnel is unable to do it, but they need to apply for that service. The members voted to apply for it.
They also said they are being required to add one more downgradient groundwater monitoring well, and they still need West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WV DEP) approval of a location for that well.
Landfill Manager Chris McComb said they need to jet wash and clean some lines at the landfill, and clean out one of the manholes there. McComb also said the commercial trash disposal is about the same this month, but there was a slight decline in trash disposal by the public at the landfill. He complained that the public fills up the closest boxes to the entrance of the green box sites but won’t walk 10 feet further to the next box, but just keep piling it on top of the closest box until trash falls all over the ground, and he has to spend a lot of time and work cleaning up the mess. He also complained that mattresses are being left at the gates.
