Local & State Headlines

Dougherty OKs waste deal

• Officials express environmental health concerns over property its owner wants rezoned.

Barbara Rivera Holmes

ALBANY — Dougherty County commissioners unanimously agreed Monday during a regular meeting to let the city of Tifton and Tift County haul their liquid waste to the Dougherty landfill for a fee of $63 per ton.

Michael McCoy, director of solid waste for Dougherty County, said the waste includes things such as grease, paint and other non hazardous liquids.

According to a letter from Larry Riner, assistant to the Tifton city manager, to Dougherty County Administrator Richard Crowdis, an amendment to the design and operation plan for a new liquid waste solidification area at the Tift County landfill is being reviewed by the state environmental protection division. Riner’s letter asks Dougherty County to allow for the liquid waste of Tifton-Tift County business owners to be hauled to Dougherty County for four months.

The Dougherty County Commission allowed the nearby municipality to do so for five months.

McCoy said that $63 per ton is the “normal gate rate” at the Dougherty County landfill.

“We’re not in the business to make money, but to help out a neighbor,” he said.

McCoy said he doesn’t know how much waste will be hauled to Dougherty during those four-five months, but said he that there is capacity to handle the waste on a 26,000-gallon truck, the largest of the ones that will be coming periodically.

During one of three public hearings at the 10 a.m. meeting, commissioners and one member of the public voiced environmental health concerns over property at the northwest corner of Old Pretoria Road and Camden Lane, a former sludge site. Coley Musgrove has requested to rezone 14 acres there for single-family residential use.

“Can we get information on the condition of the soil?” asked Commissioner Jack Stone.

Dougherty County Commission Chair Jeff Sinyard asked planning manager Mary Teter to find out what types of structures can be built on the property and to talk to environmental health about the site.

Teter informed the commission that county runs water to the site, but that there is no sewer.

In other matters, commissioners approved the purchase of two 2008 Ford F350 ambulances for emergency medical services for $94,459 each, and three 2008 Ford Crown Victoria Interceptors for the Dougherty County Police Department for $20,757 each.

The commission also OK’d granting a 20-foot easement of county property for accessing and maintaining a road serving new housing adjacent to Ebony Lane; declaring as surplus and to place for sale .708 acres of county property lying within city limits; accepting a Quitclaim Deed and Easement Agreement for Hidden Lakes Subdivision; and authorizing the execution of a contract with Yielding, Wakeford and McGee Architects of Albany for design services for the new public works office facility at a cost of $45,500 in special sales tax dollars.

Commissioners unanimously denied an alcohol beverage consumption license to James E. Epler Jr., Egg’s Billiards, at 4505 Sylvester Road. According to the meeting agenda, county police recommended the denial.

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