West Memphis reaps windfall from landfill

West Memphis reaps windfall from landfill

Rate reduction a boon for the city

news@theeveningtimes.com

Does anything good flow out of a landfill? For the City of West Memphis the answer is yes. City Engineer Phillip Sorrell credited City Attorney David Peeples for a five-figure windfall for the Public Works Department.

Mayor Bill Johnson provided the background for the resolution City Council approved. West Memphis is the official host community for the regional landfill operated by Santek. The city recently allowed for modification of the permit to allow the offices to be moved east of Kuhn road and for dirt mining to cover the landfill west of the road. The move was projected the landfill another 20 years operation.

City Engineer Phillip Sorrell reviewed the recent special permit modification.

“The landfill itself is not expanding,” said Sorrell.

“They are just going to fill in what they already have.” “We granted Santek a special use permit at the landfill to excavate extra dirt.”

said Johnson. “In return they are going to pay us an incentive.”

Sorrell reported the details of the good news to City Council December 1.

The devil is in the details and Peeples worked the details in the special use permit and found the basis for Santek to pay a sum to the City. It was a team effort.

“I have to point out that the City Attorney was very astute in finding a little clause within the statute governing landfills for this incentive,” said Sorrell.

Mayor Johnson pointed out basis for the boon to City Council.

“There is a clause in the law that says the host city is entitled to incentives from the operator of the landfill,” said Johnson.

“We qualify as the host city.”

The incentive comes in the form of a rate reduction a for the city as it uses the landfill.

“The mayor negotiated a good rate reduction for us,” said Sorrell. “It’s a dollar-aton off the rate out there and we haul about 20,000 tons of municipal waste.

That’s a net of $20,000 to the Sanitation Department budget which is much needed.”

By John Rech