Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
City council approves short-term reserve draw to start construction work on landfill Cell 5
Summary
Columbus city council approved using two days of the general-fund reserve (about $1.33 million) to begin design and procurement work for a new landfill cell after years of delay on a vertical‑expansion permit. Councilors said the draw preserves options ahead of a January 2026 deadline if state approval does not arrive.
Columbus city council on Feb. 25 authorized a short-term draw from the consolidated government's reserve fund to start construction planning and procurement for Cell 5 at the Pine Grove landfill, a step officials said is needed to avoid having to haul municipal waste out of county if a pending state permit is not granted.
City Manager Isaiah Hughley told council the city has pursued a vertical expansion permit since 2019 that, if approved, would extend the life of the current working phase. Because the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) has not yet approved that permit, Public Works Director Drell Short said the council must prepare Cell 5 now so the city has space available by January 2026 if needed.
Short said completion of…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
