Commission approves $808,000 budget amendment to buy soil for landfill post-closure work

The Public Works and Planning Committee voted to transfer $808,000 from the solid waste fund into the current year budget to purchase soil needed to complete post-closure activities at a class 3 landfill. Solid Waste staff said the funds were originally budgeted last year but not spent because material could not be sourced; the money did not roll forward automatically into the new fiscal year and staff requested the amendment to comply with Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) requirements.

Bishop Wagner, Solid Waste Director, told the committee that the county had set aside $808,000 in the prior budget for purchase of soil to meet TDEC's compliance order related to closing the class 3 landfill, but that last year's weather and sourcing challenges prevented spending the funds. "I had made an assumption that because we hadn't spent down on it, that it was gonna rollover automatically, and that assumption was an error," Wagner said. He asked the committee to re-allocate the unspent funds into the current year.

A motion and second were made to move $808,000 for the soil purchase. Committee members asked whether TDEC had an enforcement timeline; Wagner said the county is providing monthly progress reports to TDEC and that falling behind could potentially trigger fines or citations, but that TDEC had been cooperative given last year's sourcing difficulties.

The committee called the roll and the motion passed unanimously (all present voting yes). No amendments to the motion were recorded. Committee members also directed staff to continue reporting progress to TDEC and to the commission.

This action restores previously budgeted funds to complete required post-closure work and keeps the county on its compliance timeline with the state environmental agency.