Garbage district appeals decision on Countywide
BOLIVAR - By a 5-3 vote, the Stark-Tuscarawas-Wayne Solid Waste Management District today appealed a state decision to permit the expansion of Countywide Recycling & Disposal Facility in southern Stark County.
Voting for sending the case to the Ohio 10th District Court of Appeals were Stark County Commissioner Todd Bosley, Wayne County Commissioner Scott Wiggam and three Tuscarawas County commissioners: Kerry Metzger, Chris Abbuhl and Jim Seldenright.
The move was opposed by Stark County Commissioners Jane Vignos and Tom Harmon and Wayne County's Ann Obrecht.
Wayne County Commissioner Cheryl Noah was absent.
Expansion of the Pike Township landfill, which has been plagued by odor problems and an underground fire, was approved by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency in June 2003. That approval was appealed to the state's Environmental Review Appeals Commission, which upheld the EPA action on June 27.
The expansion will allow the landfill to grow from 88 acres to 258 acres and to increase its capacity from 14.3 million cubic yards to 84.6 million cubic yards. That makes it one of Ohio's biggest landfills.
Under Ohio law, landfill owner Republic Services of Ohio was allowed to build and operate the first part of the expansion while the appeal was pending.
Today's action by the garbage district was blasted the company, with landfill general manager Tim Vandersall describing further appeals as a waste of taxpayers' money.
The garbage district has spent $300,000 to $400,000 on consultants and attorneys on the appeal to the state board.
