Macon-Bibb officials approve landfill closure

A Macon-Bibb County landfill that’s been forced to shut down because of federal regulations is getting $652,500 to close.

The County Commission passed a resolution Tuesday to use money provided through the Macon Water Authority to close the county’s inert landfill, which is where items such as concrete and bricks once were taken.

County officials will have to decide now how to pay for closing the main landfill, which has been estimated to cost about $10 million. Shutting down the the two landfills is part of a Solid Waste Department long-term plan that underwent major changes in January to garbage and recycling services.

Mayor Robert Reichert said officials regularly will be kept abreast of the landfill projects. The county has about $7 million set aside by the Water Authority for landfill closures and levee improvements.

“I think we’ll be hearing a lot as we close the inert landfill and look at closing the main landfill,” the mayor said Tuesday.

Since January, a countywide recycling initiative has led to more waste being diverted from the main landfill. The amount of recycled materials is on pace to surpass last year’s number. In 2015, 616 tons of recycled material was collected. And this year in one month alone -- March 2016 -- there were 227 tons collected, said Solid Waste Director Kevin Barkley.

“What’s even better about the current tonnage is that we expect it to continue going up,” he said in an email. “At the beginning of (April), only 60 percent of the new recycling (containers) had been delivered, so more and more people will be able to recycle in the coming weeks.”

The change in services, which also includes more frequent yard waste pickup, also led to a change in costs to residents. The price jumped from $15 to $20 per month for residents whose garbage had been collected by Macon-Bibb employees and from $12.75 to $20 per month for those whose trash had previously been picked up by Advanced Disposal Services.

Fire stations move forward

The County Commission on Tuesday approved engineering and architectural services for two future fire stations.

The two contracts, which cost a combined $194,000, will be used for stations on Jeffersonville Road and Napier Avenue.

County officials had to select a new site for the Jeffersonville station after another east Bibb location proved unable to support a station and equipment.

The Napier Avenue station would replace the Breezy Hill Fire Station located on Forsyth Road. The new site is needed because fire trucks are having difficulty getting in and out of the Breezy Hill station. Officials have said it will cost about $2 million to build a new fire station, not including the equipment.

Property along Napier is now being cleared to make way for the station, Commissioner Al Tillman said.

“We are excited and awaiting the new fire station on Napier Avenue,” he said.

This story was originally published April 19, 2016 at 8:38 PM with the headline "Macon-Bibb officials approve landfill closure."