The Sabine Parish Solid Waste Committee heard an update Friday on plans to acquire 226 acres for landfill operations and site work, including surveying, clearing and early clay excavation, but members said the deed paperwork must be corrected before the sale can close.

Committee members said $1,243,000 had been segregated for the purchase, but Unidentified Speaker 2 reported the closing documents sent to Mark Roberts were the wrong papers and that Adams & Reese is handling the closing. "We got the money segregated, raised wire, $1,243,000," Unidentified Speaker 2 said, adding that the county will transfer funds once the final deed is filed and recorded.

The update focused on preparatory work needed before operations begin. Speakers said the parcel has been surveyed, permanent GPS benchmarks have been installed and the parish will mark a boundary and perimeter access road required by the landfill permit. Unidentified Speaker 3 said survey crews had difficulty cutting through dense vegetation and that the parish will bring heavy equipment to clear and establish the perimeter. "We got corners," one speaker said, noting the survey indicates the boundary lines.

Speakers described targeting clay deposits in a north corner of the tract; previous testing showed varying clay depths, with the north side containing thicker, usable clay. Committee members discussed options for timber—harvest versus pushing and burning small growth—but emphasized the immediate priority is access to clay for future cell construction and to reduce excavation costs on new sales. Equipment issues were raised: the GPS system is largely operational but a calibration device for a D6 dozer blade is pending.

Parish officials also described internal funding and prior investments that support the project. One participant said the purchase came in about $255,000 below earlier projections and that past "offer funding" enabled key equipment buys. No formal board action was required on the update; members praised staff and vendors for moving the project forward and agreed to await corrected closing documents before transferring funds.

The committee moved on to other business and took no formal vote on the land purchase during the meeting.