Proposal to study closing county landfill needs scrutiny

Jason Zona questions the need to close the C&D landfill suddenly.

It does not seem to make sense to close it early.

But that’s the proposal – to study whether to close Niagara County Refuse District’s Cell 1A of the C & D landfill five years before it is full.

It seems that some want to make it happen. Fast.

First a few facts: According to a report, prepared for the County Refuse Disposal District Administrative Board by Marguax J. Lingle CPA, Chief accountant for the Niagara Treasurers Department, and Richard P. Pope MOL, Director of the Niagara County Refuse Disposal District, the “best management practices” are to keep it open for the next five years and fill it up. The reason: The C & D landfill makes money.

In 2011, according to the report, the landfill sales were $552,000, as they took in 8,400 tons of construction debris from more than 50 local contractors who paid for the service.

The operating expenses were $327,023, including payroll and benefits.

That means the landfill made a profit of $224,977 in 2011.

Over the next five years, if these numbers hold true, the landfill would make $1,124,885 in profit.

Five years is significant because, according to a report made by Wendel Engineer project manager, Marshal D Wilson P.L.S., on June 13, 2012, “there (is) approximately 5 and ¼ years for cell 1A to reach final capacity.”

County manager Jeffrey Glatz said he wants a second study to see if the first study is wrong. He suggests that the landfill, if closed, might save taxpayers money.

Among other things it would save taxpayers two jobs.

Studying the reports, it seems there are about 59,000 cubic yards to fill.

“It makes more sense to fill it with paying customers, than pay someone to fill it to close it,” Democratic County legislator Jason Zona said. “I got to see this in writing about how they are going to fudge this. Something stinks here and this is the early stages. We have to see the true numbers. In my opinion, closing prematurely will cost the county money.”

One thing is true.

Closing it early will cost around one million, according to Glatz, to cap the landfill.

According to Pope, keeping it open will make a million. According to Glatz, to close it early will cost taxpayers around a million, but will over five years represent a savings.

He says that instead of charging people to put waste there, the county would be wise to buy waste and fill up the remaining “airspace” in the hole.

It seems hard to fathom.

Is there a hidden motive?

Sources close to the scene say that Modern Disposal Inc., which has contributed well over $50,000 to Republican elected officials in Niagara County would benefit by the early closing since they operate landfills and would now get more business.
An excellent article back in 2008 by ArtVoice’s Geoff Kelly details Moderns’ propensities fairly succinctly. Nothing has changed since then.

They make campaign donations. They are in competition with the county landfill.

Ultimately, the landfill has to be closed. But is it now?

“Closing a landfill is not one of those things you do in a short couple of months,” said Glatz. “We are looking at the plan of what it takes to close because it's not like a building or service or something of that nature. There are certain design aspects of this that have to be worked out. That doesn't take a couple of weeks. We are talking months.”

Glatz pointed out that the county landfill is a small facility.

“I would say what we do in a year, Modern does in like three days,” he said.

Glatz believes a careful study may show that Pope’s report might not be right and that closing it early might be best for taxpayers.

Glatz said there would be an RFP to find the consultant to do the study needed to try to figure out what's gained by an early closure.

One thing is certain: If this was private air space in a private landfill, that air space would be all gold. This is where the private landfill makes its profit- topping of its landfill.

But then government does not usually operate at a profit.

Here in Niagara they are talking about closing it early.

Pope says it makes money. Glatz wants to study it. Zona is suspicious.

The Reporter will be watching carefully.