LANDFILL TRICKS - Landfills are getting harder to come by so in Nov 1999 High Point officials said Kersey Valley was "filling up too fast." They banned C&D materials in a ruse to pave the way to justify another dump in today's difficult social and environmental climate. A little later, they loudly shed crocodile tears over how badly a new C&D landfill was needed! Presto! The door was open for a totally new "needed" C&D landfill.
ALL IN THE FAMILY -About the same time, Wiley Davis Landfill was shut down by the state because of more than 30 state citations: www.wasteinfo.com/news/stories/archives/2001/05/SO/S01551.htm They wanted to open a new landfill there but Greensboro officials would have none of that, citing those problems. The Wiley Davis operator, D.H. Griffin Co., has ties with MRR who has ties with High Point.Using tactics found often in landfill issues, the land buyer, city officials and MRR, LLC were secretly working together to put a NEW LANDFILL here!
"HERE I COME TO SAVE THE DAY!" -- Mighty Mouse theme song.
To throw people off, the land buyer for the deal assured landowning church deacons and others in separate meetings, "We're trying to stop the city (and its landfills)!" They visited 90 year old Liz saying they, "heard she was feeling bad and were looking in on her to see how she was doing." She didn't know these people! Liz had never seen them before and hasn't seen them since. She later said, "I don't know these people and I don't trust them." The buyer told other landowners "My daughter wants to move here." Saying anything to get the land. Liz held out but others fell for it.
GET REAL - Would MRR, LLC spend a million dollars to buy land if they didn't have the secret nod from city officials about needed rezoning and annexation? The city limits was a mile away but High Point officials leapfrogged across country to gerrymander and wrest political control of distant rural and suburban land.areas. They could then island hop rezone and annex MRR's area to keep their end of the bargain.
At a public hearingwe produced photos of High Point's miserable Kersey Valley record and questioned how they could guide and regulate MRR if they couldn't keep their own house in order?
With their embarrasing photo record in front of MRR, Mayor Koonce balked saying, "We know all about Kersey Valley Landfill." We displayed several photos and replied, "Do you approve of this?" He claimed it didn't apply because they were two different kinds of landfills but we only cited Kersey Valley's record in areas common with a C&D landfill like dust, mud, and traffic. MRR, LLC officials were silent. The Mayor suddenly said nobody had eaten and adjourned the hearing, to reconvene at some later, unannounced, date and location.
"If they can't find us, they can't oppose us!" -At the "rehearing," MRR and city staff spoke AGAIN. Only one speaker was allowed to speak against the landfill. When others rose for their turn, Mayor Koonce abruptly declared, "This Public Hearing is over." The "hearing" was again postponed until a later time. A parade of MRR and city officials left Council chambers and filed into the closed doors of a city office.
They reconvened and again postponed it, blurring the procedure even further. According to the minutes of the Council meeting on September 20, "Councilman Whitley closed the public hearing continued from Monday, Sept 17, 2001 at 5:30 p.m. and motioned that another public hearing be scheduled for October 29, 2001 at 5:30 p.m. All evidence will be transferred from the public hearing already held to the newly scheduled public hearing to be held on October 29th. Councilman Lightner made a second to the motion which carried unanimously."
CONFUSING? THINK ABOUT FOLKS WHO WANTED TO OBJECT TO THE LANDFILL!!
When they finally VOTED on the issue, NO ONE was present but city and MRR officials and a reporter.
It was approved out of public sight! In a, "If they can't find us, they can't oppose us!" philosophy.
Mayor Koonce voted FOR the MRR, LLC dump though he was also Chairman of the Randleman Lake Water Authority. Instead of protecting Randleman Lake water quality he sided with the landfill company.
"Don't let Garbage Slip in the Backdoor"Greensboro News & Record Editorial
Guilford County's leadership is overdue for a face-to-face confrontation with garbage. It is clear to almost everyone that the county commissioners must take the lead in finding a rational alternative for waste disposal.
Instead of facing up to this responsibility, the commissioners are backing into the issue, reacting to the initiatives of others. And in the process they risk being caught in the midst of a needless battle between the City of Greensboro and county residents....
Letter #1: "Landfill hurts Quality of Life"High Point Enterprise Letters to the Editor
We are very disappointed that High Point City Council members voted to allow a 153-acre recycling center and landfill in the Randleman Lake watershed. We appreciate Pete Rowe's vote against the operation.
In the High Point Enterprise Oct. 31, the following statement was made: "The facility must comply with all state and local public health and safety standards, and Council can shut down operations at the facility if it is determined that there are violations to this rule."
Why shut down the operation after the damage already has been done? We've asked in the past whether we are assured that restrictions placed on such a project would be monitored and were told, "Staff does not have available employees to monitor each situation, but they do spot-check and depend on the surrounding neighbors to advise of any violations."
Ron Wilkins said, "The growth that is happening in north High Point is why we need this."
This landfill cannot be placed in north High Point because we protect our water supply at Oak Hollow and City lakes. The Randleman Lake watershed also should be protected because it will provide water for all area citizens in the future. South High Point should not be used as a dump for construction waste and demolition from north High Point where builders make a larger profit. Quality of life in the southern part of High Point is as important as profits from north High Point.
Planning and Zoning voted against this landfill, expressing concerns about the Randleman watershed and the surrounding neighbors. City Council postponed its decision after many discussions and a public hearing. Why? We believe postponement allowed MRR of High Point LLC the opportunity to hire an attorney in High Point and let Council make a final decision at a meeting where no opposition could be heard from the neighborhood. This is just one case of many in this area that Council has postponed approval until the neighbors could make no comment. As Tony Hill said, "It was a done deal."
MRR of High Point LLC stands to make a profit from this decision; therefore, it hired an attorney to represent it. Neighbors are only trying to protect their investments and would not make an immediate profit. Financially, it would be impossible to hire an attorney. Money helps in decision-making.
One of the writers of this letter previously served on the Planning and Zoning Commission for the city of High Point and the other person presently serves. We both feel we should represent all citizens, whether in the city or extraterritorial areas, as should all appointed committees and elected officials - not for political reasons.
HILDA COX Cox Court MARTHA SHEPPARD Jackson Lake Road
SCENES FROM A HEARING -MRR of High Point, LLC SIDE OF THE ROOM.
They include MRR of High Point, LLC officials, their engineers, their lawyers (yes lawyers), real estate agents, appraisers, gofers, and City of High Point staff members. City council gave several of these individuals a second chance to speak.
This is the lone citizen/speaker High Point City Council allowed to oppose the new dump at the new hearing. More rose to speak, when he finished, but the Mayor abruptly announced, "This hearing is closed!"
WHO'D CLUSTER 4 LANDFILLS IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA? MEET HIGH POINT CITY COUNCIL.
A Heavy Industrial Landfill in a Residential Area?
The hoopla about landfill setbacks is just another landfill myth. Laws mandate landfills to be in industrial areas!
Within 1/2 mile of Kersey Valley are 233 homes and 535 people. 24 school busses pass it each day. Industrial?
Towns with unrestricted extraterritorial jurisdiction can use that power as a Catch 22 and name whatever area they want as "heavy industrial," even outside of town. The state solid waste agency doesn't care about reality as long as it's called heavy industrial. In addition, setbacks only apply to actual garbage. Landfills, ALL parts of them, are a heavy industrial land use and they can still get right in your face with heavy industrial nonsense.
FOLLOW UP - City Council restricted the operating territory of MRR, LLC's proposed dump. HERE is their restriction map. How will they know if garbage comes from somewhere else? Greensboro officials questioned this issue here: www.ci.greensboro.nc.us/clerk/minutes/ 7-6-99%20Draft%20Minutes.doc High Point officials didn't elaborate.
(HIGH) POINT OF VIEW?
A quote:"It's a landfill! What do you expect?" --High Point Mayor Rebecca Smothers, Public Hearing
Expectations are simple, Mayor Smothers, landfills should be in areas of suitable isolation so the conditions you so cavalierly EXPECT and ACCEPT as ROUTINE are NO THREAT to our children or anyone else.
A contrasting quote from someone else of some note:
"Politics asks, 'Is it expedient?'.. Conscience asks, 'Is it right?' "-- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
"There'll Be Some Changes Made" --old standard 1923 song by Higgins & Overstreet
thedumpsite is about Kersey Valley landfill but to those of you emailing us asking about MRR, LLC
WCA Waste Corp. bought them out. We'll provide a little info about this as time permits.
WCA is stock market based and apparently swung deals with some larger local land owners with that leverage. It's still a landfill but at least it's not all "exploit/take" like High Point officials' tactics.
KUDOS ON thedumpsite come cautiously after being stung so often by landfill officials, but there seems to be an effort by WCA Waste Corp. to project a positive appearance along Riverdale Road with proactive landscaping and maintenance. This is welcome but the extra manicuring left the road shoulder and R/W scruffy looking. True, it's NC DoT's territory but we think just a little additional WCA effort there would go far.
===July 10, 2005 update:It appears WCA (or NC DoT) responded to our suggestion. It has been improved.
===Oct 7, 2006 update: This improvement continues and seems to be a permanent addition to WCA operation.
Unfortunately, some historic tactics by MRR LLC, High Point, and NC DENR officials don't merit similar kudos.
More about D. H. Griffin's Wiley Davis landfill and MRR, LLC and more are HERE
Letter #2: "Landfill hurts Quality of Life"High Point Enterprise Letters to the Editor
I see the city of High Point is going to give the residents of Guilford County another landfill. How can a city annex an island in the county? This doesn't seem right. The residents of the county have no say over the City Council. If this recovery dump was such a great idea, wouldn't the county want it? Or are the county commissioners too strict for MRR?
The residents of Kersey Valley Road, Kivett Drive and Riverdale Drive have had to endure the trash and the stink too many years. I would like to be able to go outside at night and enjoy a walk, but if you do you would have to wear an air pack. The smell is awful. I was glad to see that Pete Rowe had a concern for the neighbors.
Then there is a safety issue. None of the roads is suitable for heavy trucks. Riverdale and Kivett are winding and narrow compared to a city street. ROLAND BOWMAN Jamestown
Mr. Bowman is a third generation farmer with land at Deep River that adjoins High Point's unlined, leaking, Riverdale dump, so nasty it's a superfund site taking 100 years to clean up. If his farm polluted Deep River a fraction as much as Riverdale, government officials would be all over him like stink on garbage.
"MAKE MONEY" IS THE PRIME DIRECTIVE - Landfillery never gives up! There is way too much money to be had! They often submerge and reappear in a more transparent or innocuous appearing form.
"The waste-disposal industry is a cut-throat industry. They're in business to make a profit and a huge profit."
--Greensboro Councilman Robbie Perkins, Greensboro News & Record June 24, 2001 "Council Studies Landfill Options" page B-2
"Those who naively trust local governments to make wise decisions clearly haven't been paying attention."
-- Molly Ivens, Greensboro N&R, July 2, 2005
mayor pro-tem
brain of deal?
he resigned
had enough?
most courageous.
he just said "no"
wanted more info
- voted down
Mayor & Water
Auth. Chairman
where would
YOU put it?
March 2005 - High Point officials say they're planting trees to clean up the poisons.
One doubts Mr. Bowman would get 100 years of tree growing to clean it up!
More basicly, at right is Riverdale dump as seen across Deep River at I-85.
Trees are already growing all over the area!
"All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others." -- George Orwell, "Animal Farm".
Links to more photos at bottom
This was not in some far off totalitarian dictatorship!
This was in America!
EVEN THE ALL-AMERICAN PUBLIC HEARING PART OF HIGH POINT LANDFILL POLITICS
IS A BIG PUBLIC RELATIONS JOKE!
PHANTOM PLANNING? LANDFILL PEEK-A-BOO?
On the shores of Randleman Lake regional water source (map HERE) with Kersey Valley; two leaking, unlined High Point dumps (one a superfund site, another denied ); and a Chemical Superfund Site (Impaired Stream map HERE)
