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Todd Bills tells Bradley County commission the landfill contract is failing residents, urges state audit
Summary
Local resident Todd Bills urged Bradley County commissioners to seek a state comptroller audit, alleging the county failed to enforce a landfill contract limit of 400 tons per year and that penalties were never collected; he said rate increases and out-of-county tonnage have shortened the landfill's expected life.
Todd Bills told the Bradley County Commission during public comment that the county "is failing the citizens" by not enforcing the landfill contract and asked the commission and the state comptroller to audit landfill operations.
"You allow 400 tons a year to be brought into our landfill, according to the contract," Bills said. "Anything over 400 tons, Republic is supposed to be penalized at 25%. This has been going on since 2015... There's never been a penny in penalties paid. Why? Because it's never been requested for the payment." He added that he had obtained tonnage reports through open-records requests and said, "These are facts."
Bills also alleged that the private operator has substantially increased rates for local customers and accepted trash transported long distances, saying those practices have reduced the landfill's projected lifespan. "The prediction was it was gonna last till 2045. Now it's 2030," he said, and urged commissioners to act rather than letting the problem continue.
Bills linked the county's handling of the contract to local governance and donations tied to a "community involvement committee," saying Republic provides contributions that he believes are being used to avoid legal obligations. "Who's donating millions of dollars? The only company, the only person, the only places donating millions of dollars is Republic," he said.
The commission did not take action during the meeting and there was no response on the record from county officials or Republic at the session. Bills said he and others have asked the comptroller's office to audit the contract and that he would continue public comment until an audit is underway.
Why it matters: Bills' claims, if accurate, would affect county finances, local ratepayers and the long-term operation of a county-owned asset. He explicitly requested state oversight and an audit; commissioners did not announce any immediate follow-up during the meeting.
What the record shows and what remains unresolved: The statements above are taken from public comment. Bills presented open-records tonnage reports and alleged contract nonenforcement, rate increases beyond contractual CPI allowances, and donations from the operator; the commission made no decision at the meeting and no county staff response was entered on the record. Those allegations remain unresolved pending any formal audit or follow-up investigation.
Next steps: Bills said he has asked the state comptroller to audit landfill operations and encouraged citizens to contact commissioners and the mayor's office. The commission's agenda at this meeting did not include an item to initiate an audit.
