News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Potential bidders will present their intentions to purchase the White County landfill to County Commissioners next Tuesday.
The Solid Waste Committee will hear from Waste Management and Republic Services. Each presentation will be scored one to ten, based on how closely they meet the county’s wishes for the landfill. Each presentation will be followed by a question-and-answer portion and an official scoring decision. At Monday night’s Steering Committee meeting, County Executive Denny Wayne Robinson said the original RFPs also received scores last week.
“The operation of landfills has become so complicated here recently,” Robinson said. “Well, I say recently. In government, it took a while, but over the last 10-15 years. And it takes an expert in that field to run one.”
Robinson said scores will be taken to the full county commission for a vote. The county will then begin negotiations with the winning bidder, Robinson said. He said the committee will choose an environmentally friendly plan that takes care of residents.
“Just a good, positive plan moving forward that protects the citizens of White County, obviously protects the environment and takes care of it,” Robinson said.
Phase one of the scoring where the RFPs were scored will be added to the score of the presentation.
“Each category in the RFP was broke down into points,” Robinson said. “The presentation is broke down, it has 10 points, so they can make up to 10 points on their presentation, and then all of the categories are added together.”
Robinson said part of the next step will be to identify a suitable property to house the county’s garbage trucks. The trucks are currently housed on the landfill property, so the operation would have to be moved once a bid is selected and the property is sold.
Republic will present at 5pm, followed by Waste Management at 6pm next Tuesday.
In other business, the committee passed its budget calendar for the 2025 fiscal year. Robinson said after several counties failed to turn in the 2024 budget in time, the state began requiring counties to present a budget calendar. He said White County has been fortunate to always submit their budget before the deadline.
An architect will take a closer look before deciding whether to add audio and video to the third floor of the County Courthouse. Robinson said there is the potential that the county will decide to move things around in the courtroom which could conflict with the plans for implementation of audio and video devices.
