Solid Waste meets…sort of
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Solid Waste meets…sort of
Photos by Shane Gilreath
The Scott County Solid Waste Board members were greeted by dozens of citizens on Monday, many of whom held signs in protest over the proposed second landfill, asking that the board tell TDEC that the county has no need for the proposed site.
By Shane Gilreath
Scott County News delayed going to press for the Solid Solid Waste Board meeting. Dozens of citizens sat in anticipation, many of whom missed work to attend, but in the end, the expectations were in vain. The board could not meet. It lacked quorum. Only 3 of the 7 board members were present, despite Jerry Dodson, Solid Waste Board Chair, having drafted two letters addressed to TDEC prepared on the board’s behalf. One draft stated definitively that “after a thorough review of the existing facility, tonnage trends, and projected needs, the Board has determined that there is adequate capacity and don’t need a second or subsequent landfill in Scott County. The existing facility is sufficient to meet the county’s solid waste management needs for foreseeable future.”
The letter, however, went nowhere without an official vote. Rather, Dodson, who serves as Mayor of Winfield, allowed one representative from Cumberland Clear and The Transparent Bridge Initiative to address the Solid Waste Board. Both organizations were in agreement with the Dodson letter.
Kathy Obrusanszki, president of Cumberland Clear, was selected to go first. With papers in front of her outlining her argument, Obrusanszki quoted directly from the Scott County Solid Waste Board manual, telling the board: “In your manual, it asks questions before the approval of an expansion. One is, ‘Does Scott County need this landfill?’ The answer,” Obrusanszki said, “is unequivocally ‘No!’”
The existing Volunteer Regional, according to Obrusanszki, has been filling one acre per year since its inception, having just filled 26 acres of the 800 they own.
“We have 774 acres left,” Obrusasnki said. “Let’s give them an extra 100 acres. We still have 600 left. If that’s not enough for Scott County, I don’t know what to say. Clearly Horner and his bunch are here for greed. There is no need. Scott Solid Waste Board should state in a letter that there is no need.”
Obrusasnzki at times drew cheers from the crowd, who held dozens of signs protesting the landfill and asking for the Solid Waste board to vote against it.
“We have information that the starting point is on a pond – a stream fed pond,” Obrusasnki continued. “And streams and rivers near that feed into Big South Fork and McCreary County’s drinking water.”
Obrusasnzki charged that the board’s inaction – and the allowance of the landfill – was an open invitation for outsiders to come to Scott County and dump their trash. “Solid Waste Board members,” she said, “you have full authority here. You have tremendous power. I believe we all will stand at the judgement seat of Christ and answer for our actions. I hope you will vote responsibly.”
Cody Cox, a co-founder of The Transparent Bridge Initiative, stepped next to the podium. Cox questioned whether Scott County’s voting to amend Jackson Law – even before re-passing it in June – meant that the county was never without it. Speculation has long been that the county had let the opt-in law expire.
“We believe and feel like we’re on good legal standing that Jackson Law was in place since July 1989,” County Attorney John Beaty said.
“We should not have to opt in,” Cox replied.
“I don’t think that Scott County has ever been outside Jackson Law,” Beaty assured.
While much of the general conversation turned to what Scott County does and does not do for recycling, the heightened emotions allowed occasional spats between citizens and County Mayor Jerried Jeffers.
“We are disappointed today that a quorum was not present today,” Cumberland Clear’s Jennifer Shockley told SCN. “We hope that all the Solid Waste Board members will be present when the meeting is rescheduled in two weeks. We appreciate that discussion was allowed and look forward to seeing John Beaty’s resolution letter to be voted on at the County Commission meeting on Monday.”
County Attorney Beaty told attendees that his office would be prepared to make a presentation before the County Commission when they meet on August 18th. Dodson has rescheduled the Solid Waste Board meeting for August 25, 2025.
