[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6344459,"mediaKeyId","2250862-6305e8d7d93b10cbb805f70aa3bc47ce","parentId",2250862,"title","Republic Services presents 30-year \"Rutherford County First\" plan; commissioners hear mixed public reaction","audioSeconds",2892,"startMs",129000,"endMs",3021000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2250862-6305e8d7d93b10cbb805f70aa3bc47ce&start=129&end=3021","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2250862-6305e8d7d93b10cbb805f70aa3bc47ce/thumbnail_129000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6344459/Rutherford-County/Tennessee/Republic-Services-presents-30-year-Rutherford-County-First-plan-commissioners-hear-mixed-public-reaction","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6344459-92f3b783cbbd64e681ec37bd06c8873b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771096939&Signature=cS30yjDp14TQV6V9P31Yk96moiQdQNL7~s8GdghuIrSpOCFGokE-MdjtwHYYblQmz0tjhXFKdLtXQi~2WYOk2kxcwDwf1SFbSbkOYnFpMWZR~vV8S4A4InZVg5QRuvwKNXqeUqezPoVy-yVxVt0OcF1fOvC8ZVU1UwwJe3deDgWJhWqnke~767B-CjDxvdR8pKePd89~rNXop~UP8BzhtCUleZrUzMldHjwjp1Qo0gFove9k4OrhvKD4Y8VSoAqPznSZa6rS54a6ftcWWl8qnb1iqsxcXSU87aouuPiX5IPPV6HFAkGzRrBzYsHFGKf01N8ZgjjdOxahB~6GItUrdA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Rutherford County, TN","date","2025-02-05T15:21:24Z","article","Republic Services representative Mike Klassen presented a detailed master plan Wednesday evening that he said would provide Rutherford County a long-term solid-waste strategy while keeping the county “in the driver's seat.” The presentation, titled \"Rutherford County First,\" outlined financial offers, operational changes and environmental oversight proposals but was made for information only; the committee did not vote on a contract.

Klassen said the plan would represent a $1,130,000,000 investment and offered, among other items, what he called free disposal for county residents for 50 years (a figure he valued at $769,000,000), the company taking operational and financial responsibility for closed county landfill liabilities, a contractual cap on out‑of‑county tons and a proposed doubling of the host fee on out‑of‑county waste from $1.20 to $2.50 per ton. \"This master plan . . . puts Rutherford County squarely in the driver's seat,\" Klassen said. He emphasized the presentation was an initial proposal and subject to the commission's feedback.

The plan also proposed investments in recycling and diversion, repurposing the county transfer station as a recycling hub, a possible material recovery facility (MRF) and a citizen-driven Environmental Accountability Council to monitor issues not regulated by state oversight, such as odor and litter; Klassen said the contract would include enforceable penalties tied to those standards. \"If we're not meeting those standards . . . the contract will have teeth and penalties that you all can hold us accountable on,\" he said.

Why it matters: The landfill at Middle Point has been a focal point of county debate for years. Republic framed its proposal as a way to preserve local disposal capacity, reduce costs for residents and generate revenue for the county while limiting the quantity of out‑of‑county waste accepted at Middle Point. Klassen cited a consultant study by MTSU's Jones College of Business estimating economic impacts if Middle Point were to close, and he provided per‑household savings estimates tied to Republic's financial proposals. Those figures were presented by Republic and attributed to its consultants; the county did not adopt them during the meeting.

Residents who spoke during the public‑comment portion opposed expansion and any long‑term agreement that would extend active disposal near Jefferson Pike. Keith Bratcher, who said he lives near Jefferson Pike and serves as a local highway commissioner, told the committee: \"Don't expand it. Don't in any way, form or fashion. Let that be over with and done.\" Will Jordan, who identified himself as a Leanna‑area resident and former county commissioner, reminded the committee a 2018 commission vote opposed expansion and said he worried about long‑term community impacts: \"That landfill is one of the worst things ever happened to this county,\" Jordan said.

Committee members asked questions about program details, financial assumptions and how the plan would affect Murfreesboro (Klassen said some estimates presented to the committee excluded the city's disposal tonnage). Bishop Wagner, Rutherford County Solid Waste director, gave the committee monthly operating figures earlier in the meeting and fielded procedural questions; his department's data on tonnage and diversion were referenced during discussion.

No formal action was taken on the Republic plan during the committee meeting. One commissioner moved to take the presentation under advisement for further discussion at a later date; the transcript records the motion being made but does not show a recorded committee vote on that motion during the session.

Next steps: Klassen said Republic would accept feedback from county leaders and revise the proposal; the company posted the presentation materials and the MTSU study online. Commissioners said they want more information from the mayor's office and county staff, and some members reiterated the commission's existing policy opposing landfill expansion passed in 2018.

Ending: The committee concluded the meeting with no contract vote and with members indicating they will continue to review Republic's proposal and other long‑range solid‑waste options before any formal decision is brought forward.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Public Works Committee - February 4, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Republic Services representative Mike Klassen presented a multi‑part master plan Wednesday that he said would invest $1.13 billion into Middle Point landfill operations and related programs while capping out‑of‑county waste and offering county residents free disposal for 50 years; the committee received the presentation as information only and took no vote.","taxTitle","Rutherford County, Tennessee","taxId",4625,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6344449,"County staff report January permits, school facilities tax and landfill tonnage; committee approves monthly reports",167,821000,988000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2250862-6305e8d7d93b10cbb805f70aa3bc47ce&start=821&end=988","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2250862-6305e8d7d93b10cbb805f70aa3bc47ce/thumbnail_821000.jpg","/articles/6344449/Rutherford-County/Tennessee/County-staff-report-January-permits-school-facilities-tax-and-landfill-tonnage-committee-approves-monthly-reports","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6344449-eac62cf6ef77e959caa8ab5fcb83f12d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771096939&Signature=DLJ1-Uc9cJca7LsBMf2FZuDV8wPrN81ilsfLFd7Fe4U5lthovAom4wVE7pijnDag59D3vfqqy9WJqzfCadTU3SgSfvHnbfjetNtEkcky~UhvdgH2PA~A7Izx7Sz0wsTeSkzWY~~4amRqf0tJ4Jrts-JX0k1kPjW2fOMSeu8e3~1TyRkcFioQJ5bKebteg0M81W1bHRzevWzet6s6~-QRGPLNRq1NZwTaXDpPDRk1BkqVInFo-981LvNM1P6~JiyMB-eJ7lbsKoQR7dLmd8D2FW9~ENk6NFNu1SpQiXjQ-g4ubWnlpSEoxZQjqEOKMjhZIODdVSMrnU0bKAN9x~fbbg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","County staff presented routine operational reports for January. The Building Codes office reported issuing 264 permits in January and recorded $177,989.22 in permit revenue for the month; the office reported $95,659.50 collected for the school facilities tax in January and no development tax payments were recorded for the period, according to the staff report delivered at the meeting.

Bishop Wagner, Rutherford County Solid Waste director, reported landfill and convenience‑center activity: the county landfill accepted 146.01 tons of brush in January for revenue of $4,374, and the scale operations showed total revenue of $5,839 for the month (Wagner said a December/January reporting typo may have affected the slide). Wagner reported total disposal from all sources of approximately 3,117.72 tons for the month, of which 2,3xx tons came from convenience centers and 483.32 tons from schools; staff reported recycling and diversion of 329.73 tons and a residential diversion rate of 10.58% for January.

Committee action: Staff's routine reports — building codes, zoning enforcement and solid‑waste monthly reports — were presented and approved by the committee by voice vote during the meeting.

Ending: Staff members said they would follow up on any commissioner questions and continue normal reporting at future meetings.

","Building Codes and Solid Waste staff presented monthly operating figures: building permits and revenue, school facilities tax collections, convenience‑center inspections, and landfill tonnage/diversion data. Committee approved the routine reports by voice vote.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6344454,"Planning staff: Jeffrey Howland seeks rezoning on Las Casas Pike; planning commission recommended approval",194,1054000,1248000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2250862-6305e8d7d93b10cbb805f70aa3bc47ce&start=1054&end=1248","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2250862-6305e8d7d93b10cbb805f70aa3bc47ce/thumbnail_1054000.jpg","/articles/6344454/Rutherford-County/Tennessee/Planning-staff-Jeffrey-Howland-seeks-rezoning-on-Las-Casas-Pike-planning-commission-recommended-approval","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6344454-1c243347859df2f2931824fb50dabdc1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771096939&Signature=TGLeOdQBovw0t8Mxj1JZ3sVNz7vNDcBQ0ajl8Z6tHyWZOnBiACBC-qMtRmvsMW6wcQ8TmIEQI7s-Rly2~YmSbCcN4nXwnFN5H1Diof8vgGlNSxKi7xe-eOvSsPS9h4xgsizfYSKYgFxfs0BS60h~QGLjf7TmLNIzBJ5mh1ILw1sKSBXffc9l-FmuTSaKxotspyAOQ3niax~uXqxadcsq84XnYi0ob~QrEbTQA7oldUi-7tIGvPON5yGDO1~AjaxosiqUdvWlYMFPh7T6-ECXYCSA5HOMMPCuP0rc7uZl6GhaKZwFlJ0ADip8jr8Bls6v92Gf~rQnOqRdN56hy~aWBw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Doug DeMasi, Rutherford County planning and engineering director, briefed the committee on a rezoning application by Jeffrey Howland for properties on Las Casas Pike slated for the county commission's consideration next week. The applicant seeks to rezone the existing convenience market at 3299 Las Casas Pike from Commercial Neighborhood to Commercial Services and to rezone about 4 acres of a larger adjacent tract from RM (residential) to CS (Commercial Services); the remainder of that larger tract would remain residential.

DeMasi told commissioners the existing single‑family house on the larger parcel would become a legally established nonconforming use if the rezoning is approved and that any redevelopment would require submission of a site plan to planning and engineering with review of access, parking, landscaping and performance standards. He said the planning commission asked about potential intersection improvements at Compton Road and Las Casas Pike; because those roads are state highways, the Tennessee Department of Transportation would need to be involved, and the county would also be party where county roads intersect.

Context and next steps: DeMasi said the planning commission recommended approval unanimously after a public hearing. The rezoning will be considered at next week's board of commissioners meeting; if approved by the county commission, future redevelopment would be subject to site‑plan review, performance standards and any traffic improvements recommended by an engineering study.

Ending: DeMasi and county staff offered to answer questions and to follow up on requested traffic‑study records for the intersection, which commissioners asked staff to locate.

","Planning staff told the committee that applicant Jeffrey Howland has applied to rezone an existing gas station and adjacent property on Las Casas Pike to Commercial Services; the planning commission recommended approval unanimously and any redevelopment would require site‑plan review and possibly a traffic study with TDOT involvement.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Republic Services presents 30-year "Rutherford County First" plan; commissioners hear mixed public reaction

County staff report January permits, school facilities tax and landfill tonnage; committee approves monthly reports

Planning staff: Jeffrey Howland seeks rezoning on Las Casas Pike; planning commission recommended approval