Solid Waste Authority Does Not Sign Letter of Intent with Alleghany Disposal

At their August 27^th meeting, the Solid Waste Authority (SWA) Member David McLaughlin made a motion for them to sign a letter of intent to have Allegheny Disposal build a transfer station at the landfill that the SWA would operate after the landfill closes in the fall of 2026. Jacob Meck, the owner of the Allegheny Disposal Company had over the last several months, made presentations to the SWA members in which he offered to do that, with his construction costs being reimbursed by the SWA over time. The SWA has been under pressure from the State Solid Waste Board to put forth a plan to continue trash disposal in the county after the landfill reaches capacity and closes.

SWA Chairman commented that the county SWA cannot afford to pay for Meck to build the transfer station, saying: They want to build us a Cadillac but we can only afford a Volkswagen. After McLaughlin made the motion to sign the letter of intent, Henderson called for a second to the motion, but there was none offered, so the motion failed for a lack of being seconded.

Henderson indicated he wanted the SWA to build a less costly transfer station on its own. He, and several other members indicated that they will approach the county Commission to pay for it, and that have asked for this to be on the commission’s meeting agenda for September. Henderson also said they will have a future trash disposal plan to present to the state sometime this fall.

Also at this meeting, Beth Henry Vance of the WV Department of Environmental Protection (WV DEP’s) Youth Environmental Program, updated the members about some projects her organization has been involved with, including working with the Adventure Pocahontas school program especially with 3^rd graders concerning educating them about recycling, and with 5^th graders about water pollution, aquatic insects and litter clean-up. She talked about the Youth Environmental Conference; the annual WV Recycling contest; the 2025 Educational Conference on Litter Control, which is being held on October 19 -21 at the Canaan Resort; and about the Make -it-Shine, Adopt a Highway and Adopt a Spot litter control programs.

The members voted to allow its employees to attend that Educational Conference on Litter Control at Canaan if they want to.

Mary Clendenen announced that the SWA has been awarded a Solid Waste Management Board Grant in the amount of $6,055.00 which will help pay utility costs.

During his landfill update, Chris McComb talked about having several prople look at the greenhouse at the landfill to discuss ways to rebuild it. One idea involves replacing it with a metal structure with roll-up plastic sheets as sides which might only cost about $8,000 to build.

The members then went into an executive session to interview a candidate for employment at the landfill.