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Council hears paving program update and a decades‑old landfill liability estimated at $20–$30 million
Summary
Mayor Farrell told council the city intends to maintain its paving and sidewalk programs but described contracting and invoicing timing challenges; he also said the Deas Hollow/Guyandotte landfill has not been properly closed and estimated closure costs between $20 million and $30 million.
Public works, street paving, sidewalk programs and a long‑running landfill closure obligation were discussed at length during the Saturday budget review.
Paving and sidewalks: The mayor said the administration seeks to maintain street and sidewalk work but noted the accounting for the paving program can appear "lumpy" from year to year because of invoicing delays and the way work is contracted through the state. Farrell said the city budgeted larger paving totals in some previous years (for example, $3,450,000 in the current year) but actuals through the mid‑year were lower (the mayor cited about $705,000 spent to date), and late invoices from state contractors can shift spending between fiscal years. The administration told council it used a six‑year average to set a realistic expectation for street work going forward (the mayor cited an average roughly in the $2.35 million range). The mayor also urged residents to report potholes and sidewalk issues through the city's 3‑1‑1 app so the data can feed repair priorities.
Sidewalk and brick streets: Council members urged continued support for sidewalk repair programs (city labor with homeowner materials), and community advocates asked that the city consider the costs and long‑term benefits of repairing or preserving historic brick streets.
Landfill closure liability: The mayor said the city has known for many years that the Deas Hollow and Guyandotte landfill sites were never properly closed. He described state Department of Environmental Protection enforcement and said the city has taken some steps but the closure work has not been completed. Farrell told council, "In today's dollars I anticipate it between somewhere between $20 and $30,000,000 will be required to close the landfill." He said the administration is exploring financing options and pursuing state legislative help and legal counsel to address the liability.
Contracting challenges and timing: Farrell said procurement relationships with the state Department of Highways have required renewed attention and that the administration must rebuild or reestablish agreements to secure paving capacity and timely invoicing.
Ending: The mayor framed road and sidewalk work as a public‑safety and infrastructure priority and said the city will continue to pursue grants, contractual capacity and targeted capital to address backlog needs while exploring options to finance the landfill closure.
