Debating Reopening White Street Landfill
I couldn’t access the N&R Electronic Edition for free, even though I’ve been a subscriber for decades and called their help line as suggested. So, I paid the stupid bastards 50 cents, so I could access the following two articles online.
There are better alternatives – By Nancy Vaughan
The best solution at hand now – by Danny Thompson
While Vaughan’s version is well written and compelling, Thompson’s is disjointed and confusing almost from the start, with his opening swipe at mayoral candidate and former councilman, Tom Phillips.
The remainder of Thompson’s article seem to be bullet points provided to him by the awarded vendor, Gate City Waste Services. While Vaughan’s article mentions a conversation with Randolph County Commissioner, Darrell Frye, about a partnership, Thompson’s article stresses the commericial viability of our garbage. In other words, Vaughan addresses the here and now, but Thompson is selling pie in the sky.
From Thompson:
Assets such as a permitted landfill , a transfer station and a large waste stream should be leveraged to negotiate from a position of strength in any regional landfill discussion. A lack of will to utilize such assets only lessens our position to negotiate.
From current vendor, Republic Services, in Vaughan’s piece:
Discontinue MSW (municipal solid waste) and C&D (construction and demolition) operations at the White Street landfill; mothball the landfill to preserve the asset and maintain the value of the asset to be used as a bargaining chip for future considerations.
With what are we to bargain once the landfill is used up?
From Thompson:
Negotiate with Gate City Waste Services for an alternate route into White Street and a revenue-sharing proposal for the extrapolation and selling of methane gas.
That first statement particularly disturbs me. We know that millions of dollars of road improvements will be necessary to reopen the landfill. How can we negotiate with Gate City for an alternate route, when they are in no position to improve the roads or make decisions as to the suitability of their use?
It seems to me that with this article, Thompson is continuing to engage in the sleight of hand which has characterized the conservative position from the outset. I look forward to Nancy Vaughan returning to the dias and casting her vote to end this nonsense, at least for now. The citizens of Greensboro deserve not only a complete investigation into the impact of these proposals, but also at least some transparency in regard to the conservative position.
I find it ironic that while calling themselves conservatives, the proponents of reopening the White Street Landfill are acting in a recklessly progressive manner.
