Potential changes in solid waste district discussed at meeting
The Times-Reporter
BOLIVAR - What changes would be in store for the board of directors if the Stark-Tuscarawas-Wayne Joint Solid Waste Management District converted to a regional solid waste authority were discussed Friday at the district’s policy committee meeting.
Several months ago Wayne County Commissioner Ann Obrecht asked for an explanation about the conversion process. After researching the matter, attorney Adam Webber of Black McCuskey Sours and Arbaugh at Canton and Dover reported that the board was allowed to veto a resolution that would make the change.
According to Webber, the policy committee or a governmental entity could request the board to adopt a resolution. The board could then choose to veto the resolution or adopt it to move forward with the conversion.
The issue would then go to the municipalities and the largest city in each county of the district – New Philadelphia, Canton and Wooster. If the resolution is defeated in any of those cities it would be a dead issue. If it would pass, then it would have to be approved by representatives of 60 percent of the population in the three counties.
The policy committee asked the board last May to take the proposal under consideration.
If a regional solid waste management authority were formed, the decision making power would move from the board of directors – made up of the commissioners from each of the three counties – to a board of trustees with at last 21 members consisting of county, township, city and health department representatives, along with citizens and representatives of waste generators in the district.
The policy committee is made up of appointed members from business, industry, counties and cities in the district. Several board members have said they have a problem with unelected individuals spending district funds.
Hamilton County is a solid waste authority. It is a single district, while the JSW district is a three-county waste district.
In other business, policy committee members:
– LEARNED a Household Hazardous Waste Collection will be held Sept. 27-29 from 8 to 4 at the Timken Co. on 20th St., off Dueber Ave. at Canton.
– HEARD a year-round hazardous waste collection for computers and electronic waste will be held at the three largest cities in the district. Plans will be finalized for the collection.
– LEARNED GT Environmental of Westerville is conducting a feasibility study on composting in the district. Currently, the district spends about $1 million annually to compost and Ohio Environmental Protection Agency officials want the cost reduced to $500,000.
– HEARD start-up funding of $700,000 for recycling grants will be awarded to the new curbside program at Canton and an additional $300,000 will be available for other new programs. In the second and third year of the planning period, $500,000 will be available each year for the program.
– DISCUSSED program start-up grants, model community grants, recycling infrastructure enhancement grants, composting infrastructure enhancement grants and the district recycling banquet that is included in the district’s solid waste plan.
– HEARD the annual district recycling banquet will be held Oct. 16 at 6:30 in Skyline Pines at North Canton. Awards will be given to businesses, groups and individuals involved with recycling.
– SET the next meeting for Oct. 19 at 9:30 a.m. in the district office at Wilkshire Hills.
