Newspaper Page Text
.. The Summerville News, Thursday, October 20, 1988
20-A
COMMISSIONER OR ROADS AND REVENUE
CHATTOOGA COUNTY
SUMMERVILLE, GEORGIA 30747
In Aiiswer To Your Opinion In
Last Week’s Summerville News:
October 17, 1988
The Summerville News
P. O. Box 310
Summerville, GA 30747
By taking your ‘‘Our Opinion’’ editorial, by paragraph, | would like
to state to you in the beginning that you have lied and stated falsehoods
against me during my entire term of office. | wish you or your writers
would write some truths instead of trying to reverse and twist around
the things that have been done in Chattooga County during the last four
years.
You state that Harry Powell comments ‘‘during that fall and winter
were less than definitive, to say the least. Basically nothing was done
during the latter part of 1986 and aside from some posturing by the com
missioner, little was done in 1987 to close the current overstuffed land
fill or to open a new facility.”” Another one of your lies is ‘‘The City of
Summerville attempted unsuccessfully several times to meet with Powell
over the landfill situation . . . '’ “‘lt finally met with the commissioner
but nothing of substance emerged from the session.’”’ Let me state to
you that no one met with me other than Grady McCalmon, and he was
very interested and active in trying to obtain another site for the landfill
because an agreement was made between the City and the County over
20 years ago that the City would furnish the land and the County would
do the covering. The City’s little excuse is that they would not want to
furnish a landfill for the other municipalities of the county, which is
reasonable, as the other municipalities should pay their pro rata share.
In the beginning an agreement was made that the larger taxpaying con
cerns would be allowed to dump free of charge. You state that the City
of Summerville, ‘. . .for valid economic and political reasons, didn’t
want to spend its money to provide a landfill site for all residents of the
county and the other three cities.’’ | would like to know where you receiv
ed this information, because | have never received that type informa
tion from the City of Summerville.
Now, | would like to explain to you and the readers who read these
falsehoods. Some time in the latter part of 1986 or 1987 | contacted the
Dawson Brothers of Gore, Georgia concerning a plot of ground, north
of the chert pit on Hwy. 27 that belongs to Chattooga County. This was
after discussing with the City manager that the City had made no moves
toward acquiring a landfill site. The Dawson Brothers agreed on letting
the county have 25 acres to open up a county landfill. In the meantime,
when the mayor of the City of Summerville, and possibly the council
and city manager understood that there possibly would be a charge to
them if the county opened up a landfill, through Grady McCalmon | was
told that the mayor contracted with the Dawson Brothers on exactly the
same tract of land, but with a different amount of acreage. The mayor
asked for 50 acres. Let me call your attention to the enclosed letter
received April 8, 1987 from the Honorable James W. Dunbar. In reference
to your paragraph, ‘‘Commissioner Powell seemed to want to pro
crastinate and blame everyone else because a new, non-controversial
landfill didn’t appear out of thin air and fall in his lap. If there was any
effective planning done toward closing the current landfill on a timely
basis and finding a new landfill site, it escaped the notice of everyone
in the county. The landfill issue is one that should have been address
ed two years ago, or at the very latest, a year ago,” you are behind with
your news because you only want the news that you want printed. ‘‘Com
missioner Powell claimed that he was ordered by the state to close the
landfill to industrial users and commercial garbage haulers on Oct. 1.
If that’s the case, no one told the state. Obviously, it was an arbitrary
action by the commissioner, designed to keep the landfill open until his
term expires on Dec. 31, 1988.’" Enclosed is a copy of the Consent Order
from the state, paragraphs 4,5, 6. You state in Your Opinion that the
‘‘state EPD, whose only interest is in closing the facility as quickly as
possible and opening a new landfill, doesn’t have any disagreement with
the commissioner’s latest action, however.”” We will give you one point
on this statement because Mr. Clark Reynolds visited us in the office
and also at the landfill and agreed that we must phase out some of the
garbage if we ever intended to close, because so large a volume was
coming in to the landfill and there was no other coverage available other
than hauling.
You worry so much about the trip to Walker County. | will guarantee
you that no garbage is dumped without payment. Those who are howl
ing so loud have never paid one dime for dumping in the Chattooga
County landfill.
Now | would like to explain to the general public what happened con
cerning the 50 acres that Mayor Cash refused to acquire from the
Dawson Brothers. So many times all the blame is put on the back of
Harry Powell. Let me tell you that | feel that | am able to carry all the
legitimate blame that is placed here, but these things you gather out
of the air are unreasonable. The reason Sewell Cash did not acquire the
land after city manager, Grady McCalmon hired the DOT to test drill,
had an engineer survey it, and was told by the engineer that a lining
must be placed in the landfill, is very easily seen. At that particular time
mayor Cash had announced his candidacy for County Commissioner.
Some women, really went into the air and mayor Cash completely backed
out because of political and controversial issues that you mentioned
earlier in your opinion. After this point in acquiring a landfill site, | found
a site approximately five miles south of Summervilie on Hwy. 100. Some
of the same people went into the air and presented a petition with hun
dreds of names from Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee and other places.
Kraft Timberland Company had agreed to let me have, as commissioner,
50 acres of their land that had been cut over and the timber removed.
Due to the controversy with the people who signed the petition, some
who lived as far away as 30 miles or further, | decided to look for another
area. Mr. Brown, timber cruiser for Kraft Timberland, had helped Mr.
Surles and myself with this site and when we deleted the site from our
minds, he also helped find the site that is being called Perennial site.
We were also presented with an un-called-for petition by people never
heard of in Chattooga County against this site. You are such a
knowledgeable person and know so much as to write or run a
newspaper, why have you not been cooperative enough to help find this
landfill that you speak of that no county wants, that is so close to water
sources and underground reservoirs. You say that these questions need
to be answered by the county and the EPD Board. | believe that one of
the engineers answered some of the reporters from WGTA last week
when they stated that Mr. Simonson did not yet know the fiow of the
water, whether it came to Perennial or went toward Alpine Creek. To
whomever wrote your opinion article, you are the most stupid person
that | have ever heard of. You state, ‘‘The situation with the landfill is
a microcosm of the things that have been wrong with county govern
ment during the past three years and nine months.” | would like to state
to you that you were either asleep or completely out of your mind on
Jan. 1, 1985 when the paper printed all the debts, of which we still have
copies, that we had to pay and no money in the bank, and at that time
Chattooga County was completely bankrupt until money was borrowed
and these debts were paid off. During these three years and nine months
that you so boldlx lie about Chattooga County has been able to pay this
million and one-half dollar debt, make many, many improvements on
the courthouse including an elevator, ramps, handrails, blinds and many
other things too numerous to mention. We have a Number 1 Ambulance
Service with plenty of ambulances, we have bought and paid for voting
machines for every district of Chattooga County, we have used the Sales
Tax for improving roads, streets and bridges, we have recapped and
paved over two hundred miles of roads in this year alone, 1988. We have
furnished each department of the commissioner’s jurisdiction enough
money to operate in the black. We have continued to support fire depart
ments and recreation centers as far as possible since Federal Revenue
was phased out. Please do not forget the roof on the Chattooga County
Library, the roof on the north end of the courthouse and the roof on
the Sheriff’s office, the installation of carpet in the Library and the air
conditioning in the Library.
As | mentioned earlier in this letter, city manager Grady McCalmon
was looking after the engineering and drilling of the sites for a sanitary
landfill. Just before the DOT informed us that they were going to do the
drilling on the Garvin Orchard area, the city manager gave maps, details
and agreement to Harold Tucker of the Summerville Gas Department
and told him to take same to Bill Willingham road superintendent, as
the city would not have anything else to do with the landfill.
Bill Willingham gave me the information and the DOT was paid over
$1,300.00 for drilling and Mr. Carl Morrison was paid over $1,400.00 for
surveying the drill sites on this project. So | wonder if you have the brass
to face anyone in Chattooga County and make this broad statement in
your opinion that nothing has been done toward acquiring a landfill or
any other decent moves in Chattooga County. | am sure that the general
public listens to most of the falsehoods and reads them as you have
printed them during my term in office. | will guarantee you that the first
three months you speak of concerning the new commissioner’s term
will not be as pleasant as you try to make him believe. If he lets the same
old group get their arms around him, as has happened to previous ad
ministrations, our county will be in worse condition than it was at the
end of 1984. In other words, Mr. Opinion Writer, there is not one thing
in the world wrong with you and your people at your newspaper but
jealousy. It seems to me that you have been against the progress of Chat
tooga County and have ‘‘nosed’’ into anything that you felt was out of
line concerning Chattooga County.
You certainly have not been cooperative at all while | have been in
office. | do not approve of the harassment, the falsehoods and the ac
cusations made against this administration. We have moved with great
progress in Chattooga County and we are leaving this office Dec. 31,
1988 with our hands clean of any ‘“sneaky deals’’ or unscrupulous
management. :
Harry Powell
Chattooga County Commissioner
Georgia Department of Natural Resources
205 Butler Street, S.E., Floyd Towers East, Atlanta, Georgia 30334
J Leonard Ledbetter, Commissioner
Harold F. Reheis, Assistant Director
Environmental Protection Division
: (404) 656-4713
April 8, 1987
Honorable Harry Powell "
Chattooga County Commissioner
Chattooga County Courthouse
Summerville, Ceorgia 30747
OFFICIAL SITE NAME: Chattooga County - US Hwy. 27 Sanitary Landfill
Dear Commissioner Powell:
We are in receipt of your application for a Solid Waste Handling Permit
for a sanitary landfill located approximately-1.5 miles east of Summerville, one
half mile north of US27. A representative of the Environmental Pretection
Division will contact you soon to begin site assessment.
In addition, we will need a letter from you or the appropriate governmental
agency stating that this site meets the :oning or land use ordinances for a
sanitary landfill. i
In future correspondence concerning this site, please use the official
site name referenced above.
Should you have any questions, please contact Harold C. Gillespie at
404/656-?836 .
Sincerely,
James W. Dunbar
Program Manager
Solid Waste Management Program
JWD:sf
c: North Georgia'Region EPD
File (SWR)
;
COMMIBRIONER OF ROADR AND REVENUE
CHATTOOGA COUNTY
BUMMERVILLE, GEQORGIA 20747
April 10, 1987
Georgia Department of Natural Resources
205 Butler Street, S.E,
Floyd Towsers East,
Atlanta, GA 30334
RE: Chattooga County - US Hwy. 27 Sanitary Landfill
Mr. Dunbar:
Let us thank you for the prompt attention given to our
letter concerning Solid Waste handling permit in
Chattooga County. We have n® zoning in Chattooga County
and after discussing the site with “the Chattooga County
Healch Director, Mr. Jimmy Pinion, we feel that our lo
cation would be most appropriate for Chattoo;a County.
Tha ou,
/
£y el
ChattooZa County Commissioner
HP/sh
(Paid For By Chattooga County Government)
Georgia Department of Natural Resources
i & k 1262, Atlanta, Georgia 30334
208 Butler s"“.' . ! ity 2]?\..-«-. Lodbetio, gmmumnu
404 /66463000
November 10, 1987
Honoruble Marry Powell
7/ Chattoogu County Commissioners
Chattooga County Courthouse
Summerville, Georgia 30747
! Dear Commissioner Powell:
i J October 23, 1987, concerning
This is in response to your letter dute d? s ')ropcrty e |
the proposed development of & sanitary landfi 527
approximutely 0.0 wile east of the City of Summerville off US27.
§ i d applications
Both the City of Summcerville and Chattooga County suh-xtzg .
for this site in March 1987, After discussing the matter with the purta:s
involved, the Environmental Protection Division (EPD) proceeded with the
City of Summerville's application, recognizing the city/county qrruuuumqpt,
and agroeing to keep the County informed of thu outcome of thflh l:!: .
ucceptubility evalustion, The Division suw no Touson to procovd wi w
supurute evuluutions on the sume piece of property.
i 4 b tor
The Division is prephred to procued with the County's upplication ;
this 50 ucre tract of sund or any portion thereof should this be the County's
desire. The same site acceptability limitations will apply.
¢ . ’ 4 i 51 design
Prior to operation of the proposed solid waste dx;posal site, a desiy
and operutionulpiuun must be submitted for consideration by thekbxvtalop.
After review und evaluation of this duta, u Solid Waste llandling lPermit
will be either issued or denied.
1 would encourage the City of Swamerville and Chettooga County to procgcd
with a jblnt application tor the site in order to be üble to provide for
4 proper solid waste disposal site for all the citizens of Chattooga County.
Sincerely,
i ; .
%Lgonurd l.udbifler
Commissioner
JLL:hgf
c: James W. Dunbar
North Ceorgiu Region EPD
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ——————————————————————————————————————————————————
COMMIBBIONER OF ROADSB AND HEVENUE
CHATTOOWLA COUNTY
SUMMERVILLE, QEORGIA 20747
November 30, 1987
J. Leonard Ledbetter, Commissioner
Georgia Dept. Natural Resources
205 ‘Butler Street, S. E;, Sutite 1252
Atlanta, Georgia 30334
Mr. Ledbetter:
Thank you so much for your letter dated November 10, 1987
concerning the proposed development of a sanitary landfill
on property located east of the city of Summerville, off
U. S. Hwy # 27. We are certainly at a less as to why the
city of Summerville did not inform us, as you state in yaour
letter, as to how things were progressing, The reason for
two proposud sites at the same location was because the city
of Summerville has always furnished the ground for the sani
tary landfill and for approximately twenty-two ycars the
county has done all excavating and covering. Mr. Ledbetter,
the mayor of Summerville desires to be my opponent in the
next primary. There has never been any trouble or opposition
between the city and the county concerning the landfill. The
present landfill is almost filled to capacity and the city
says they cannot purchase land for the landfill. We certainly
know that we are in a bind concerning the closing of this
particular area that we are now operating, and we also know
that it is very, very hard to find an area in a thickly
settled population like Chattooga County is to try to open
a landfill chat would be sufficient to carry our needs. Would
you please consider the unclaimed mining area where the company
went bankrupt and did not make any effort to reclaim that is
located atop Leckout Mountain, There are one or two areas
there that are gulches that would hold Chattooga County's gar
bage for years and years. It would be very costly to the county
to reach this spot, but the other areas that we have picked do
not seem to meet specifications and their locations are question--
able, We would be able to use that particular area of land on
Lookout Mouritdin because the parties that own this property are
very worried about the danger of these gulches on their property.
Before we ask for inspection on this particular area on Lookout
Mountain, uld you please answer and state your consideration.
( ,///X/ 7 "L_c,.;L_/
Harry Powell
Chattooga ColGnty Commissioner
HP/sh
cer James W, Dunbar
_"‘——-————-——_-———_-——'-—-—_—__—
e
-ev Pprovide
.+« and address the construction
-+ structures to be incorporated on the site, i.e.,
~siMs, rip-rap, siltation fences, etc.
3. The disposal site's working face will immediately receive six (6) inches
of daily cover and all other exposed waste will receive one (1) foot
of intermediate cover within 30 days after the signing of this Order.
4. The Disposal Site will not receive any waste material for disposal
T e e e i Lt e
after September 30, 1988. v
e o 2eot AT STITIEE TR : Ler
5. Begin disposal operations on or before October 1, 1988, in a permitted
site.
6. County will complete the closurs -~
within &0
e e sttt
——
cfl%fi&d Edward Surles
ATTORNEY AT LAW
SUMMERVILLE, GEORGIA 30747-0249
TELEPHONE (404) 8872724
October 6, 1988
E. G. Cochrane, Esq.
Secretary and General Counsel
Mount Vernon Mills, Inc.
P. 0. Box 3478
Greenville, South Carolina 29602
Dear Mr. Cochrane:
Pursuant to our telephone conversation, I enclose a photo
copy of the order under which Chattooga County is required
to close its existing landfill. You will note the requirement
that the current landfill be closed after September 30, 1988,
and that a nev one be upened on or before October 1, 1988.
Chattooga County has had great difficulty in securing a land
fill acceptable to the state and federal authorities. A promising
site wvas located and test drilling was completed more than a wmonth
ago after preliminary inspections vere satisfactory. However, the
state authorities have not yet acted on this application. Because
of this, the county vas granted a brief extension of time, but
with the requirement that closing operations begin October 1 by
limiting usage to individuals and not taking garbage in large
quantities. This will permit beginning of the closing procedure
vhich requires coverage of the site and reclamation, all of which
is supposed to be accomplished by December 31, 1988.
You will note from Director Ledbetter's letter that we are
being supervised by Mr. Raymond Clark Reynolds, who granted the
temporary extension ¢n the condition about beginning closing
October 1 under the terms above stated. Mr. Reynold's assistant
is Ms. Jennifer Daniels, wvho has also personally inspected com
pliance and is familiar with this closure plan.
.
Yours respectfully,
.
RESiml Q R il
Encl. ‘