Saturday, April 26, 2014

Landfill Public Hearing April 26, 2014.


In my educated opinion a public hearing is: A forum to enable the legislative body (council) to receive input from the residents of the city and other parties with an interest in proposed legislation.

What a public hearing is not: A forum for a guest of council, such as the Mayor, to open the hearing by making disparaging comments concerning the contents of a letter written to the local paper on the issue before council. Not only is such commentary out of order, it can have a chilling effect on residents right to offer opinions on public matters.

What a public hearing is not: A debate between residents offering their comments and a member of council arguing each point raised by individual speakers. Solid waste committee chairman, Rob Jaehnig, contested almost all, if not all, comments made by concerned and informed residents.

Also in my opinion, council should listen politely, take notes and if desired, make general summary comments at the end of the public meeting.

When this poster commented publicly during the hearing that the expected capacity of the new expansion of landfill space would, at current dumping rates, last for more than ten years the mayor countered that the time line was only seven years. When it was pointed out that the most current data verified the longer period Mr. Jaehnig added that the ten year number was incorrect and asked a member of the audience to verify the seven year number.
Not wishing to engage in a time consuming argument I stepped down.

Facts from the permit to build document received by the city in March.
The anticipated life of the facility will be 14.5 years based on the facility’s anticipated average daily waste receipt of 59 tons.”


Paul Hunter

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