News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
White County will purchase additional land adjacent to the current landfill to act as a buffer.
It is part of a $1.1 million capital outlay note approved by County Commissioners. In addition, the commission voted Monday night to approve the purchase of a new front-end loader truck.
White County Executive Denny Wayne Robinson said the new truck will be needed whether the county sells the landfill or not.
“The operation of the landfill is why we got an RFP,” Robinson said. “We are getting ready to send out for someone to lease or purchase that. We still as a County have to go out to the businesses and convenience centers to collect the trash so we need operational equipment for that.”
Robinson said the next step is to take bids on the new truck, but availability is often an issue. He said it has taken the county up to two years to get new trucks in the past. He said the current truck desperately needs to be replaced.
“We’re needing a front-end truck,” Robinson said. “We are running on some really old equipment, been having a lot of breakdowns here lately, so we need to update that equipment.”
As for the land, Robinson said the addition will add to the safety of the facility.
“Any time you can buy some property around you there, its a good thing to do if you can, because it decreases your liability,” Robinson said. “The bigger buffer you can have around you lessens your potential for liability.”
Robinson said the land will not be used to store waste.
“I’m not going to say it will never be used for that, but is not in the near-future plans to use that for landfill,” Robinson said. “Who knows what’s going to happen in 20 or 30 years, but it’s not needed right now.”
