County again discusses Santek co

A contract amendment for Matlock Bend Landfill operator Santek Waste Services was again considered Monday by Loudon County Commission, but no action was taken after it was removed from the agenda.

Commissioner Kelly Littleton-Brewster, who also serves on Loudon County Solid Waste Disposal Commission, said the item was removed as commissioners wait for County Attorney Bob Bowman to provide answers to questions still unanswered. Prior to Monday, she wanted guidance from the county on the amendment.

“One of the commissioners had asked the question to have Mr. Bowman look into how many times that Santek has possibly broke the contract with solid waste,” Littleton-Brewster said. “There was also a question about the interlocal agreement, how much responsibility does commission have over the solid waste board. And then, of course ... (solid waste board chairman) Steve Field had given some paperwork and some numbers on tonnage that the commissioners had not had a chance to look at.

“… There have been some other questions about whether there can be a possible cell for brush and debris just for the entities and that is one question that I am taking back to solid waste to see if that’s a possibility we can get that put into the amendments or see if that’s a possibility,” she added.

The proposed contract amendment would extend operations to the end of 2038, eliminate closure liability for the solid waste board up to $9 million in 2027, provide an estimated additional revenue for the board of up to $2.7 million and, upon the amendment’s expiration, could have an estimated potential surplus of at least $5 million after the deduction of remaining post-closure obligations.

The solid waste board will meet again Tuesday.

Commissioner Van Shaver believes the board should move forward with a vote on the amendment at its next meeting. Getting stakeholder input has been a “mess.”

“Up it, down it, let’s be done,” Shaver said during the meeting. “Dragging this thing from Lenoir City to Loudon to down here back and forth, you’re never going to go anywhere. Republic’s going to take over at some point and we’re dead in the water on that one anyhow. Just vote at your next meeting. Just vote on it. Either vote it up or vote it down. If you’ve got the votes for it, do the contract extension.”

Republic Waste Service could buy out Santek and become the new landfill operator. A purchase agreement was filed with the Department of Justice.

Should that occur, Commissioner David Meers wants to open dialogue with the company. Although no vote was taken, he asked Loudon County Mayor Rollen “Buddy” Bradshaw to have Bowman write a letter to Republic seeking dialogue with “anybody and everybody.”

“There’s two other cities, the commission, landfill commission and county commission, because I think if you can develop a line of positive communication it would be better for everybody,” Meers said. “… We’ve not had the opportunity of sitting down with someone from that company to find out our working relationship, because it’s going to be until the year 2037 and I’d just like to find out what they’re going to do and what they want to do and what we can do to work together.”

Bradshaw said he would first attempt to reach out to Republic before getting Bowman involved.

“I’m going to see what kind of success I have first trying to get with somebody,” Bradshaw said. “If not, if I hit a bunch of road blocks, I’ll probably have County Attorney Bowman look at it at that point in time and see if he has any better luck trying to get a hold of somebody maybe.”

Littleton-Brewster believes the solid waste board needs to do its due diligence before moving forward with any amendment.

“I don’t want to be rushed into anything,” she said. “I want to have all the information and I want to feel good with the decisions that are being made. I am concerned that we are not going to get any information on Republic that Commissioner Meers was asking. Solid waste has already asked that question and we have been told that we’re not allowed to speak to Republic about our contract.”

Littleton-Brewster would like to know where Republic stands on the contract.

“The answers that we’re getting is that the solid waste is not allowed to speak to anyone to Republic about the contract because the DOJ is the middle of negotiations, in the middle of looking at all the information,” she said. “It worries me that Republic is such a large company and growing larger. I know from looking at several solid waste magazines, they’re acquiring several small landfills. It does concern me that we are just another small landfill on the list.”

In other news, Loudon County Commission:

• Passed budget amendments in County General Fund 101, Public Libraries Fund 115, Recycling Centers Fund 116, County Drug Fund 122, General Purpose School Fund 141, School Federal Projects Fund 142, Central Cafeterias Fund 143 and General Capital Projects Fund 171.

• Approved statutory bonds for Loudon County Property Assessor Michael Campbell and Loudon County Circuit Court Clerk Steve Harrelson.

• Rezoned property at 7077 Highway 11 East, Loudon, from R-1 Suburban Residential District to C-2 General Commercial District.

• Rezoned 3.8 acres at 13824 U.S. Highway 321 from A-2 Rural Residential District to C-2 General Commercial District.

• Amended Loudon County Zoning Resolution Annotated, section 13-7-105, and added the minimum size of a planned unit development shall be 75 acres.

• Closed a right-of-way near the intersection of Highways 70 and 321 at Williams Ferry Road.

• Passed commission meeting and workshop dates and holidays for 2021.

• Added Ed Heilman to the Loudon County Beer Board.

• Passed a multiyear lease agreement for a circuit court postage machine.

• Approved a multiyear lease agreement for a copier at Loudon Public Library.