Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Landfill Road Closure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Neighbors and landfill operator clash at Pittsburg County hearing over proposed road closures
Summary
At a Feb. 17 public hearing, nearby property owners urged commissioners not to close platted roads near a county landfill, citing odor, potential property‑value impacts and access concerns; the landfill’s attorney said statutory requirements for vacating unused platted roads have been met and the board deferred a decision to a later meeting.
McAlester, Okla. — Property owners and representatives of a county landfill exchanged sharply different accounts at a public hearing before the Pittsburg County Board of County Commissioners on Feb. 17 over a petition to close several undeveloped platted streets in Townsite Addition No. 11.
The hearing focused on a petition (Public Hearing Notice 26-004) to close multiple short blocks and alley lines embraced in Section 23, Township 5 North, Range 15 East. Several residents who live adjacent to the landfill said closing the platted roads would worsen neighbors’ ability to monitor operations, increase odors and could reduce property values.
"The odor is bad and we can't enjoy our property," Mark Schueter said, adding that residents had not been given a clear explanation of the landfill’s plans. Buddy Garvin, who owns property adjacent to the Landfill, asked whether any existing fence lines would be moved and requested a copy of the petition signed by landowners.
Representatives for the landfill, including an operations manager and the company’s attorney, told the board the platted roads had not been used for years and that the petitioners have followed statutory steps to request vacation of the platted rights-of-way. "We have met the statutory requirements for requesting the closure," attorney George Freedman said, urging the commissioners to treat the hearing as the opening of a process that could include litigation or further steps.
Commissioners repeatedly told speakers that the board’s authority in the hearing was limited to whether to close the platted right-of-way; permanent vacating and any private access disputes would be resolved through the appropriate court process or additional landowner negotiations. "The board is only able to hear about the roads," Chairman Ross Selman said, recommending the landfill and affected property owners meet to discuss concerns.
No formal vote was taken on Feb. 17. Selman told attendees the board would consider the petition and make a decision at the following meeting.
What happens next
The board left the record open and scheduled further consideration for a subsequent meeting; the county clerk recorded comments and copies of the petition. Residents who raised concerns said they want a separate meeting with landfill representatives and clarified information about property access and environmental impacts.
Speakers quoted
"The odor is bad and we can't enjoy our property," — Mark Schueter, nearby property owner.
"We have met the statutory requirements for requesting the closure," — George Freedman, attorney for the landfill operator.
Notes
The hearing transcript records multiple comments from neighboring property owners and the landfill’s operations manager. The board emphasized it would not address non‑agenda environmental complaints during the proceeding, and that any legal resolution of access or environmental issues would take place outside the commission hearing.
