Clean-up group's records sought
By Bob Downing
The Akron Beacon Journal
BOLIVAR - Stark County Health Commissioner William Franks is seeking the financial records of a grass-roots group in his inquiry into a troubled landfill, although it remains unclear why he wants the records.
Club 3000, based in Bolivar, is refusing to provide its records, including financial contributors and in-kind contributions from 2002 to 2006, and its officials are troubled by Franks' request.
Spokesmen Tom O'Dell and Dick Harvey both questioned why Franks needs Club 3000 financial records in his inquiry into Countywide Recycling & Disposal Facility in Pike Township.
Deborah Dawson, legal counsel for the Stark County Health Department, told the Stark-Tuscarawas-Wayne Solid Waste Management District on Friday that she was not sure why Franks made the request but felt that he had not abused his authority.
Franks had left the meeting earlier because of another commitment. Contacted later, Franks declined to say why he wants the records.
Dawson was critical of questions posed by Tuscarawas County Commissioner Kerry Metzger, a landfill critic, about Franks' actions.
The 258-acre landfill, with underground fires and odor problems, is seeking a 2007 operating permit from the Stark County Health Department.
Franks has held one meeting with the landfill owner, Republic Waste Services of Ohio, and his staff. Another hearing is likely at the end of April. He has said he may be able to forward a recommendation on May 9 to the Stark County Board of Health. It will decide whether the landfill gets its required permit.
The landfill company and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency have completed findings and orders that call for the underground fires to be extinguished and the odors to be curtailed. The company agreed to pay more than $1 million in penalties and to waive its ability to deposit up to seven years of additional trash on the 88 acres.
The company still feels that the problems are the result of an underground chemical reaction, not fires, said landfill general manager Tim Vandersall.
The company disagrees with the findings of the Ohio EPA and a California expert on landfill fires hired by the EPA to investigate Countywide, but the company doesn't want to argue with the EPA, he said.
The EPA said aluminum wastes interacting with leachate or liquid runoff probably triggered a chemical reaction and a fire and that caused the odors that have bothered residents of southern Stark and northern Tuscarawas counties for a year.
In other action, the solid waste district agreed to spend up to $700,000 to help start curbside recycling in Canton.
The money will be used to buy three recycling trucks and 30,000 plastic 18-gallon bins, one for each household in Canton.
Residents will be able to recycle newspapers, magazines, cardboard, No. 1 and 2 plastics, aluminum and bi-metal cans each week.
Getting that program started is a key element of a long-term plan for the district that was prepared by the Ohio EPA for the three counties.
The Akron Beacon Journal
BOLIVAR - Stark County Health Commissioner William Franks is seeking the financial records of a grass-roots group in his inquiry into a troubled landfill, although it remains unclear why he wants the records.
Club 3000, based in Bolivar, is refusing to provide its records, including financial contributors and in-kind contributions from 2002 to 2006, and its officials are troubled by Franks' request.
Spokesmen Tom O'Dell and Dick Harvey both questioned why Franks needs Club 3000 financial records in his inquiry into Countywide Recycling & Disposal Facility in Pike Township.
Deborah Dawson, legal counsel for the Stark County Health Department, told the Stark-Tuscarawas-Wayne Solid Waste Management District on Friday that she was not sure why Franks made the request but felt that he had not abused his authority.
Franks had left the meeting earlier because of another commitment. Contacted later, Franks declined to say why he wants the records.
Dawson was critical of questions posed by Tuscarawas County Commissioner Kerry Metzger, a landfill critic, about Franks' actions.
The 258-acre landfill, with underground fires and odor problems, is seeking a 2007 operating permit from the Stark County Health Department.
Franks has held one meeting with the landfill owner, Republic Waste Services of Ohio, and his staff. Another hearing is likely at the end of April. He has said he may be able to forward a recommendation on May 9 to the Stark County Board of Health. It will decide whether the landfill gets its required permit.
The landfill company and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency have completed findings and orders that call for the underground fires to be extinguished and the odors to be curtailed. The company agreed to pay more than $1 million in penalties and to waive its ability to deposit up to seven years of additional trash on the 88 acres.
The company still feels that the problems are the result of an underground chemical reaction, not fires, said landfill general manager Tim Vandersall.
The company disagrees with the findings of the Ohio EPA and a California expert on landfill fires hired by the EPA to investigate Countywide, but the company doesn't want to argue with the EPA, he said.
The EPA said aluminum wastes interacting with leachate or liquid runoff probably triggered a chemical reaction and a fire and that caused the odors that have bothered residents of southern Stark and northern Tuscarawas counties for a year.
In other action, the solid waste district agreed to spend up to $700,000 to help start curbside recycling in Canton.
The money will be used to buy three recycling trucks and 30,000 plastic 18-gallon bins, one for each household in Canton.
Residents will be able to recycle newspapers, magazines, cardboard, No. 1 and 2 plastics, aluminum and bi-metal cans each week.
Getting that program started is a key element of a long-term plan for the district that was prepared by the Ohio EPA for the three counties.
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