Limits on landfills approved

Some employees will receive a 2.5 percent pay increase.
By TIM YOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
LORDSTOWN -- Village council has adopted restrictions on where landfills can be constructed in the community.
The six lawmakers voted 3-3 for passage Monday night. Five votes were required to defeat it because it was a recommendation by the planning commission.
Voting against adopting the restrictions were Councilmen Richard Biggs, William Dray and D. James London.
Biggs said he wanted the legislation to be returned to the commission until after the state Legislature adopts landfill restrictions it is currently considering.
Possible lawsuit
Dray said passage by council could result in a lawsuit against the village by the Lordstown Construction Recovery landfill, which is owned by Lafarge North America. He also maintained the local proposal hasn't been thought out and could present legal problems.
Councilwoman Karen Jones pushed for passage, saying it would give the village some protection against landfills, and Councilwoman Mary Jane Wilson concurred.
The village and Lafarge made an agreement in 2003 that ended the village's attempt to stop the Lafarge landfill. The agreement prohibits Lafarge from building within 50 feet of any other property line and allows it to operate from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Under the local restrictions, a landfill cannot operate within 1,000 feet of a residential, commercial or religious structure or within 500 feet of any natural area such as wetlands.
Lauraine Breda of Newton Falls-Bailey Road, who has been fighting landfills, said before the meeting that Lafarge would be grandfathered in to any local restrictions.
"We need it passed," said Breda, of Citizens Against Lafarge.
"We would have preferred more of a buffer, but 1,000 feet is better than noting," Breda said.
"It's like living in a war zone," she said, calling attention to the noises of heavy equipment and the peeping sound of trucks backing up.
Other action
In other business, council advanced to a second reading legislation giving some employees about a 2.5-percent pay raise, effective the first of the year.
Legislation granting pay raises to members of the police department will be introduced in the near future.
The salary of the police chief would increase to $55,942 and the police captain to $51,455. The part-time fire chief's salary increases to $10,419 and the recreation director's to $6,850.
Six laborers in the street department would be paid $20.62 an hour, while full-time employees in the park department would be paid $13.31 an hour and a part-time worker would receive $8.85 hourly.
The assistant income tax administrator would be paid $13.28 under the proposal.
The hourly wage of the part-time planning/zoning clerk would increase to $12.50.
The hourly wage of a full-time staffer in the clerk's office would be increased to $13.28, while a part-time worker in that office would be paid $12.50.
yovich@vindy.com