Further Consideration of Landfill Changes Delayed to October

The Effingham County Board's Legislative Committee-of-the-Whole Monday tabled any consideration of additional landfill space until its October meeting.

Landfill 33 is running out of available space and is preparing a request to the State to expand its capacity. Consideration of the matter has been delayed since March, in part due to COVID-19 concerns but also due to work on the elevator in the County Office Building. Both of those items could have hampered attendance at hearings on the issue.

While the State will handle the landfill siting request, the County has discussed a host agreement. The proposed host agreement would have included a $1/ton charge on out-of-county waste haulers that use the landfill. Landfill 33 can proceed with its application for additional landfill space without the host agreement.

Dan Borries, who lives east of the landfill, attended the meeting. Borries said it "seems like this is already a done deal" regarding the additional landfill space, and is concerned over what could happen to the value of his property if the landfill moves closer. Board members heard from their attorney on the landfill, Jennifer Martin, that items such as surrounding property values can be part of the eventual siting agreement.

Board member John Perry asked whether a small tipping fee could be added to any eventual agreement with the proceeds used to further recycling efforts in the county. That issue could be revisited.

County Board Chairman Jim Niemann urged caution over the current board reviewing the landfill matter, and then a newly-elected county board in December having to make the final decisions.

The committee Monday also briefly discussed the National Flood Insurance Program for the county, but decided against considering the matter. The committee approved the list of election judges for the next two years, although Chief Election Authority Kerry Hirtzel said there is still a need for additional judges. Hirtzel said the State has allowed counties to operate the elections during the two-year cycle with just three judges per precinct, but said some precinct committeepeople need to work harder to get volunteers to serve as judges. If you're interested in serving as an election judge, contact Hirtzel at the County Clerk's office at 342-6535.