Attorney George E. Strickler Jr. says his clients, A.F. Anderson, Inc., wants to make a deal with Waste Management to keep the landfill open longer that 2015.

“They (Waste Management) won’t return my calls,” said Strickler, who represents Garland Anderson and his sister Judy – owners of the property the landfill sits upon.

The Anderson family has been in the business of leasing their property for a landfill for years with several different companies. Strickler told the court he wanted what was fair for his client and for the county and didn’t understand why Waste Management wasn’t sitting down to the table to continue to work out a deal with them.

Strickler addressed the Logan County Fiscal Court on Tuesday asking them not to accept Waste Management’s proposal of amending the host agreement to allow the waste business to bring in additional tonnage to the landfill.

Waste Management’s landfill director Charlie Gillian attended the Oct. 27th meeting of the court saying negotiations between their company and the Andersons have failed and the lease would be running out in June 2015.

Gillian said his company had only five years to fill up the landfill to its capacity of 3.3 million tons and couldn’t do so unless the county amended the agreement to allow for more tonnage to be brought in.

The agreement between the county and Waste Management currently allows 1,150 tons per day.

If the county amends the agreement to allow a fill up within five years, Gillian said Waste Management would give the county an additional $1.6 million for doing so. The $1.6 million would be in excess of what the county is already generating, which is based on a percentage of the landfill’s net profits.

In 2007-08 Logan County generated $203,500 from the landfill and in 2006-07 it was $234,800. Those amounts included the county’s collecting $500 annually from other waste haulers who come into the county to dump in the landfill.

Garland Anderson said he believes Waste Management is trying to fill up the landfill in less time to save paying more to the county over a longer period of time.

“We had offered Waste Management a lease till 2025 with an option for an additional 5 years,” said Strickler.

If the landfill stayed open for another 20 years and Waste Management paid the county approximately $200,000 annually that would generate $4 million to the county.

“We want to go to the table and negotiate with Waste Management,” said Strickler adding, if the county were to grant Waste Management’s request a few sure things would occur. One would be increased volume in garbage, two increased truck traffic and three in 2015 Waste Management would move out and the county’s trash would have to be taken to another landfill which could cost the citizens more in rates if they used Waste Management as their waste provider.

Magistrate Dickie Carter reminded Stricker that the county’s trash was not taken to the landfill and in fact is taken to Ohio County. It is Russellville’s trash that is taken to the landfill. The county contracts with Scott Waste, where the city of Russellville contracts with Waste Management.

Cathy Sheffield, a resident who lives close to the landfill, was at the court meeting Tuesday asking what amending the agreement would do for the citizens of Logan County. She also asked what benefit having the landfill in the county was for its citizens.

Magistrate Thomas Bouldin said the landfill allowed a controlled and regulated place for citizens to take their waste rather than dumping it in a sinkhole.

Sheffield said she believed that no matter what deal was made with Waste Management they would definitely have a backup plan either way and didn’t think the company held up to what they say.

“As a citizen, what would you like to see done?” asked Bouldin to Sheffield.

"I do not see the benefit of filling it up early. I am not to sure Waste Management will leave in five years either way. I think we need to do what is best for the citizens of Logan County,” said Sheffield.

“That is exactly what I am hearing from 99.9 percent of the 50 calls I have received about this issue,” said Bouldin.

Anderson mentioned that Waste Management had access to 700 additional acres around the landfill.

Judge/Executive Logan Chick thanked Strickler, Anderson and Sheffield for coming and said they gave the court a lot to think about.