Commissioners to pledge support to West Central Solid Waste

Responding to a letter from the board of directors of the West Central Solid Waste District, the Putnam County Commissioners confirmed this week that they are committed to remaining in the cooperative agreement with Parke and Montgomery counties.

In the letter, the board of directors requested that a letter be sent by Oct. 15 stating that the county will contribute $56,945 to the district in 2017.

The figure is up from approximately $54,000 this year.

The commissioners approved the figure and the letter unanimously, but the discussion prompted a question from Commissioner Rick Woodall.

“Rumor has it that Montgomery County wants out. Is that true?” Woodall asked.

“Montgomery County wants us to pay it all,” councilman Dave Fuhrman, also in attendance Monday, replied.

Discussion in the past has been that Montgomery County representatives believe that tipping fees from the Heritage Environmental hazardous waste landfill in Russellville should fund West Central Solid Waste outright.

Putnam County officials have obviously been resistant to the suggestion.

Commissioner Don Walton, the liaison to West Central, confirmed there has been no talk of Montgomery County leaving.

In other business:

• The county highway department is still looking into turning over one of its old dump trucks to Area 30 Career Center. Although the truck is of little use to the county now, it has functional air brakes and is therefore useful to the Area 30 heavy equipment class.

County officials would like to transfer it to Area 30 for $1, as is sometimes done with other governmental agencies. However, County Attorney Jim Ensley said he would have to check on the exact status of Area 30 to make sure such an arrangement is permissible in this case.

• The commissioners approved an approximately $7,000 change order for the Crowe’s Bridge replacement project due to “hidden trees.”

Upon further questioning, officials the curious term meant getting fallen logs out of the way that were hidden under water.