Buffalo citizens step up efforts against green waste sites – Valley Times-News

Buffalo citizens gathered at Lebanon Presbyterian Church to discuss land purchased by the Chambers County Commission for use as a green waste site.

Brandon Clifton, along with about 15 other Buffalo residents, signed a petition expressing their disapproval of the proposed landfill in the small city due to increased pollution, foul odors and potential health risks from the air quality.

Clifton said he invited County Commission Chairman James “Moto” Williams and Commissioner Doug Jones, who represents the Buffalo district, to the meeting, but neither were there. here.

In a statement to VTN, Williams said he told organizers he had a conflict with the original day of the meeting. He said organizers told him they were also in conflict and were planning to change the date to Thursday, but never confirmed the date to him.

Jones, Clifton said, refused to come, saying he would not come to a meeting where he felt attacked. VTN contacted Jones but did not receive a response. Williams said he would not speak for Jones.

The community also discussed launching a write-in campaign for the District 2 seat to run against Jones, as it is too late to qualify for the November election.

Clifton was the first community member to notice blue county signs around a large roadside cornfield on Highway 431 in Buffalo. The land is near the exit of County Road 105. When he asked a friend in the county about it, he discovered that the commissioners had purchased the land as a FEMA plant debris abatement site.

Williams later told VTN that while he understood their concern, the plan to create a small piece of land never changed.

“We always say it will simply be a GreenWaste site,” Williams said. “If we were to go through a major storm, this is a place to get rid of our trees and stuff while we clean up.” This has been exaggerated… We are not engaging in dumping.”

Per FEMA guidelines, Clifton said, the site can only be used if the governor or president has declared a state of emergency in the area. The municipality can then deposit its green waste on the site and burn it.

Williams said they plan to use the farthest part of the land as a FEMA green waste site in the event of a state of emergency. The only changes they made to their plans were to comply with EPA and ADEM guidelines, such as storing green waste and burning or shredding it later.

Clifton and other residents began coming to county commission meetings to express their displeasure with the plan. The commissioners’ response has made residents wary of plans for the site, according to Clifton.

Many residents said at the meeting they would not have been so upset without what they considered secrecy on the part of the commission.

The commissioners, Clifton said, responded that they had talked about purchasing the land at public meetings such as work sessions and commission meetings over the past two years. However, meeting agendas are not posted to the community prior to the meeting.

Another thing community members requested was a document outlining the commission’s plans for the site. Williams said, “It’s not worth the paper it’s written on, but we’re thinking very hard about giving them a document that says this is the county’s goal (for the land).” »

Williams said such a document would not prevent future commissioners from changing those plans if they decide to do so.