Police Jury revisits landfill closure, discusses options

At the regular public meeting of the Tensas Parish Police Jury March 22, all jurors were present to discuss several items on the agenda.
After approving payment of bills as authorized by the finance committee, and approving minutes from the previous meeting, the jury got to the business of discussing the closure of the Tensas Parish Landfill.
The jurors voted on March 8 to close the landfill on March 25 so that the company currently operating the landfill would have time to finish necessary work there before their contract ends on March 31. The jury rescinded that motion and made a new motion changing the closure date of March 25 to March 31, at close of business. That is the final day that garbage will be accepted at the landfill.
Juryman James E. Davis, Jr spoke up and asked if there was a possibility that something had been missed in reviewing the closure of the landfill. He said after speaking with several people, including Mayor Flood of Waterproof and his constituents there, that maybe instead of the use of the landfill being a courtesy to the parish, each household could be charged a small fee to have their trash dumped there and that income could possibly keep the landfill running.
Davis stated that the towns already charge to pick up trash from homes, then each town pays a miniscule fee to dump that trash at the landfill. The currently pay $75 per load. Davis suggested that if each town were to pay more, it would be enough to continue operations.
Police jury treasurer, Cathy Darden stated that the three towns in the parish are sent money from sales taxes, about $106,000 per year to help offset garbage pick up costs.
Darden also stated that it would be easier to charge each town a little more than it would for the residents in the parish, as that would require voting on an ordinance.
Juryman Rod Webb asked if the landfill would be able to keep the one employee who holds a Class B License to operate the landfill in the absence of a waste management company. Cathy Darden replied that she had spoken with an engineer who told her that the DEQ would be willing to work with the parish where the landfill is concerned, as long as the parish makes an effort to comply with the DEQ.
The DEQ would have to grant a hardship waiver to allow the parish to operate the landfill with a class B operator, and would have an engineer on hand to help them comply if help is needed.
Juryman Davis stated that each resident of the parish would have to pay more to have thier trash hauled elsewhere anyway, so why not try to keep the parish’s own landfill in operation by charging a bit more.
It was finally decided that the landfill committee must talk with the DEQ, first and foremost, about getting approval for a hardship waiver before anything is decided further about keeping the landfill open.
A motion was passed to cease operations at the landfill as of the close of business on March 31, pending the DEQ’s approval of a hardship waiver to be able to keep the landfill in operation.
Police Jury President Larry Foster stated that everything happened so fast with the landfill closure that the jury had not had time to research all their options and that the only way to make it work would be to have more money coming in.
Moving on to the committee reports, the road barn committee asked permission to have two diesel tanks sandblasted and painted. A motion was carried to do so, and it was established that the tanks do belong to the police jury and are insured.
Next, a motion was carried to allow William McDonald to cut grass at the industrail park to use for hay.
President Larry Foster addressed the jury and others present to state that during the flooding, when no one knew what would happen, the lake commission and the airport commission jumped into action to take care of things, and he commended them for their work, as they are all volunteers.
He especially commended David McEacharn, Ron Wilhite, and Todd Merriett for the duties they perform on a daily basis for the parish.
President Foster also stated that with all the buildings the police jury is responsible for, there are many people within the parish doing a great job.
Cathy Darden added that the dedicated employees who work for the police jury make everyone’s job more pleasant.
A motion was carried allowing the airport to go forward with much needed landscaping, which Ron Wilhite added, would be a small step to make the parish look better for those who travel from out of town and the airport is the first thing they see in Tensas Parish. Local landscaper Kendall Hardwick will install plants and flowers that will be maintained by the Tensas Garden Club as one of their projects.
The jury carried a motion to approve an occupational license for Laura White d/b/a Delta Style Hair Salon, 136 Industrial Park Road, St Joseph, La.
Alderman Jackson of the Town of St Joseph appeared to ask the jury if there was an update as to whether the jury would serve as administrator for the water repair grants.
President Foster stated that he had no comment at this time on that issue due to a lack of information. He did, however, add that there was an issue with having the scope of work for one of the grants changed. It should have been changed already and had not been.
Cathy Darden then asked Alderman Jackson why the water meter at the jail had not yet been replaced by the town, to which Jackson replied that he could not answer that as he did not speak for the Town of St Joseph.
The police jury meets on the second and fourth tuesday of the month at 10:00 A.M. at the Tensas Parish Governmental Complex, Tensas Parish Police Jury Meeting Room, 212 Hancock Street, St Joseph.
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