LETTER: Residents have a voice, be sure to use it

To the Editor:

This is what happened with added emphasis and more detail at the Nov 26 meeting regarding the Greene County (GC) Recycling Center. This meeting took over 3 hours and was filled with defense by Commissioners Graves and Michaels and push back from the residents. Nathan Abrams remained silent.

Place: Linton Recycling Building in Linton. Attendees: Include were 35 to 40 members of the general Greene County public, 3 Commissioners and 5 district municipal representatives of the board, as well as 2 county attorneys, an accountant and Ron Wallace, Wallace Transfer and Disposal LLC owner, and a GC Daily Reporter.

Key points made by Commissioners:

Stated: the existing GC Recycling Center was in decline and the best solution was to pass the problem and fix to Wallace.

Stated: The Greene County Solid Waste Management Facility HAS NO SEPTIC SYSTEM on the site and never has in the history of the center.

Stated: Trash at the GC facility has trash stored OUTSIDE ON GRAVEL. (Blowing in the wind)

Stated: There neither was nor is ANY money available for GC commissioners to improve the center.

Stated: The lease will provided will have sufficient safeguards to protect adjoining landowners and neighbors.

Stated: Property values in neighborhood would NOT be affected.

Stated: IDEM will protect the adjoining landowners and the recycle users.

Stated by Greene County Residents:

1. The Commissioners spending priorities are wrong. For example, GC has spent money to purchase the Battery Center ($18 million) plus a tax imposed to guarantee bonds. Built a NO BID $15 million jail and imposed a tax to operate the jail. They purchased property by the jail which DID NOT meet rules regarding APPRAISED value. They also recently purchased Hartman Law Office building ($150K) AFTER spending unknown $$$ to renovate offices in court house for our NEW county attorney. (It should be noted that at this point in the meeting, Commissioner Michaels required discussions BE LIMITED to the issue of the transfer facility ONLY.)

2. Residents presented alternatives that would make the existing facility a more cost effective.

3. The lease presented by the Commissioners between GC and Wallace Transfer is very poorly written. It was also noted that GC legal has a checkered history regarding contractual agreements.

4. The relationship between REPUBLIC WASTE CORPORATION and the commissioners was questioned. This relationship was questioned as to a potential behind the scenes agreement. The scenario presented was Wallace Transfer acquires and develops the existing GC facility then SELLS the developed facility to REPUBLIC. Republic gains a greater foothold in area waste management operations. The commissioners acknowledged a relationship with Republic but did not comment on the implication.

5. Home owners in the area ALL feared their home values would DECREASE TO THE POINT THAT RESALE WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE if The Transfer Station was imposed.

6. Research shows that TRANSFER facilities are BEST placed in areas ZONED INDUSTRIAL.

7. OFFICIALS from the towns of Switz City and Linton stated that they did NOT want the transfer facility to be developed. (I do not know the position of Bloomfield or Worthington OFFICIALS, but, I DO know that NO ONE IN ATTENDANCE FROM THOSE TOWNS SPOKE IN FAVOR OF THE PROPOSAL.)

8. Lease has not escalation clause (fixed at $10K per year for 40 years). Public estimated buying power of $10,000 in 40 years would be less than $1,000/year).

THE VOTE:

Although it was stated in the GC Daily World that the vote on the matter would be taken in the Courthouse at Bloomfield on10:30 am the same day after the 9:30 meeting in Linton, which was actually NEVER to be the case. It turns out the Commissioners told the attendees the vote would be taken after a short break in the 9:30 meeting leaving any persons waiting in Bloomfield out of the fray. I’m not sure how this snafu happened.

After the break, the vote was called for. The vote by the board was 5 against, 3 for. The 3 commissioners voted for. The nay votes were led by Linton Mayor Wilkes. He was one of the town leaders present (and is on SWM board) who had previously stated he was opposed to the establishment of the transfer station in Linton OR at the present GC recycling site. His position was stated that congestion was an overriding issue in his industrial park and was the reason for his nay vote.

Mayor Wilkes made a motion to the Board to table the issue and to consider ALL the input the board had received. The board will then present a position at the next GC Commissioners meeting in Bloomfield date TBD. His motion was carried by ALL NAY board members.

Fallout: Commissioners agreed to restore the inside operation at the GC Facility by sending a wrecker to lift a semi-trailer blocking access to the conveyor back up on its dollies so it can be moved out of the way to allow operations to go indoors (It has been down for weeks). Interestingly, NO mention was made to install a porta-potty in light of the revelation of NO septic present. The Commissioners will await board member and residential input and act at the next meeting.

My take:

The existing GC Facility is in decline. NOW there has been an exposure of potential environmental issues in that there is NOT, NOR has there EVER been a septic system or waste water treatment at the facility. (This condition APPEARED to be only known by the commissioners). It looks to me as if, by GC selling the GC Facility to Wallace, the problems are now alleviated. The commissioners must think that GC MAY no longer be responsible for the environmental cleanup that is most likely going to be required. The commissioners believe Wallace will go thru the process of clean up and obtaining all permits, then sell to Republic at a substantial gain for Wallace and a greater expansion for Republic. They also assume IDEM will be our policeman and enforcer. (But IDEM allowed the existing facility to operate without a septic or waste water treatment in place.)

IMO, the establishment of the Wallace Transfer Station at the present 14 acres of the GC Facility will NOT and SHOULD NOT happen at this time. I feel that the vote by the board indicated that the opposition to the transfer station was overwhelming, well-defended and well-presented. I do not think that members of the board who voted nay would impose the establishment of the station on others if they shared the same concerns and objections themselves. I have to say that Mayor Wilkes has shown himself to be genuinely attuned to the objections and took a stand to FULLY review the issue before the next and final vote. He was FIRST to take a stand and place a motion before the board. I commend him for taking the lead in this.

Folks, the turnout showed that YOU do have a VOICE, especially in numbers, when there is preparation and strong resolve in presentation. SPEAK UP.

Ronald V. Toon

Bloomfield