News & Events

Takeover proposal outlined

By ERIC AYRES, Staff writer
(originally appeared in the Times Leader)

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The Jefferson-Belmont Regional Solid Waste Authority will likely take over operation of the two counties’ Recycling and Litter Prevention programs after the end of the year.

Patrick Lanaghan, executive director of the Belmont-Jefferson Regional Solid Waste Authority, on Wednesday gave Belmont County Commissioners an update of the plan to dissolve the current programs in both counties.

Lanaghan said he planned to present a final proposal on the measure during next month’s meeting of the authority board. The plan is expected to be approved.

“We have a lot of details to work out,” said Lanaghan.

Recycling and litter prevention programs have operated as separate entities in both Belmont and Jefferson counties. Just over a year ago, however, funding for the county programs from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources was terminated.

Each county program had received more than $55,000 annually in state grant allocations from the ODNR.

Late last year, the Apex Environmental Landfill opened in rural Jefferson County near Amsterdam, and tipping fees from waste collected at the new facility presented a new source of funding for the local programs.

Since then, the Belmont-Jefferson Regional Solid Waste Authority has provided more than $300,000 to the two counties for the operation of their programs, in addition to around $72,000 for flood cleanup projects.

On Wednesday, Lanaghan said he is asking commissioners in Belmont and Jefferson counties to dissolve their recycling and litter prevention programs with the anticipation that the authority could take over the duties of both by the beginning of the new year.

Both counties would benefit from the consolidation, he said, noting that the authority would not ask for financial support from the counties for the program’s operation.

“The county borders would no longer keep us from being efficient,” said Lanaghan. “We’ll do a better job with the public’s money.”

Belmont County Commissioner Mark Thomas, who is also an official with the solid waste authority board, said the goal of the plan is to maintain the current jobs within the two current county programs and keep offices in both counties.

“It’s a big change, but ultimately, it’s going to be a win-win situation for the residents,” said Thomas.

Samantha Carroll, director of the Belmont County Recycling and Litter Prevention program and member of the authority board, has already announced that she planned to step down from her post as program director at the end of this year. She is expected to remain actively involved with the new program, however.

Carroll told Belmont County Commissioners Wednesday she supported the proposal.

“This way, we won’t be bogged down with the financial and administrative end of the operation,” she said. “We can concentrate on the programs and work directly with the people.”

Titles and job descriptions of current recycling and litter prevention program employees may change, but officials said they hoped to maintain jobs under the new plan. Details pertaining to health care and other issues must be addressed before the plan can be implemented.

The proposed consolidation and revived funding and operation of the recycling and litter prevention program will fall in line with the district’s solid waste management plan and mandates by the Environmental Protection Agency, Thomas said.

In addition to various cleanups, recycling projects and educational programs, efforts by the local recycling and litter prevention office include the introduction of a new pilot recycling program in Powhatan Point, a successful venture that officials hope to expand to other communities in the future.

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